The expectation of something is very often better than the actual something. It is itself pleasure. For Kisame this had always had a very pleasant indefinite taste that he felt in his mouth while a sensation of enchanting hyperactivity took over his body. All similar to a slight hangover given by a sweet, aromatic and slightly sparkling wine, if he had to think about this, Brachetto was the first thing that crossed his mind. Sensations created automatically by his head to make him understand that, contrary to what one might think, expectation is one of the best pleasures in life.

He had learned to know this sensation since he was a child, at the time the pleasant anticipation was realized in view of the summer, the moment in which he could start the much loved wind surfing he practiced at the time, or even just enjoy a few days at the beach. It was repeated in view of Christmas, seeing the mother starting to decorate the living room and putting up that tree apparently without any logic, with the fear of excluding some doll or sphere as if they might be offended by it, but which Kisame had always appreciated so much. At the same time as these events he began to understand how waiting is the best part, in fact, once summer arrived from one day to the next, kicking away spring suddenly, it happened that he found him unprepared. He hadn't known what to do with some days, annoyed by the heat or the sultriness; in others he had had a lot of unexpected events and commitments, so he found himself realizing, in September, that he had not enjoyed and savored the moment as much as he had expected it. In the same way he had discovered how ephemeral the magic of Christmas actually was, that pleasant flavor totally invented by him and which others could never have known, disappeared from his mouth once he finished unwrapping the last present and seeing the last person invited to lunch or dinner.

Since then Kisame had learned not to consider waiting as something annoying, but rather, as a privilege that life was offering him, consequently it was his duty to enjoy it to the full. Sometimes he wondered how today's children managed to be happy and immediately received every toy they asked for as a gift from their parents; he was sincerely sorry for them, they would never get to know and enjoy one of the best parts of life. They would have grown up that way and remained so even in adulthood without discovering the joys of which they had been defrauded, even in good faith.

Now that he was waiting for Itachi that delicious flavor had once again invaded his palate, the feeling of pleasant, slightly drunkenness prevented him from falling asleep. His slight hyperactivity kept him glued to a very zany film in his living room without him being able to follow the silly and almost non-existent plot.

The bicycle with which a dark-haired man full of hope had come to visit him that morning was now under the roof of his car as if his mighty Land Rover Defender was there ready to protect that fragile means of transport against any misfortune in the world. It was simple but graceful, black, without relationships, well kept, always shiny and shining.

As the master of him… let me be your Land Rover, Itachi.

In a normal situation he would have smiled amusedly for having compared the two of them to those two people who kept each other company under the canopy, however now a bitter sigh broke the quiet of his living room. Kisame had shattered the hopes with which Itachi had come here in just a few seconds. The message that the brunette had written to him while he was at the gym with Kakuzu before, and the words addressed to him by Sasuke afterwards, had reassured him a lot. But now a new doubt had started to hammer his brain without him initially realizing it .

Since Itachi was under the influence of a sedative and risked falling asleep at any moment, perhaps he wrote to me simply because I was the first number that came to hand. Maybe a few days ago he had intended to talk to me so he had sent the call only to then disconnect at the last moment. It must have happened like this, I was the first one he saw in the address book, the really important person at that moment was Sasuke, I simply had the role of a tool to save him.

He crossed his muscular legs that seemed to be in the throes of frenzy, yet Sasuke had been so convinced by his words. The message hidden between the lines was that Itachi too was ultimately someone who, when he ended relationships due to a disappointment received from someone, was very unlikely to ask that person for help. In that case it would have relegated him to the role of a simple acquaintance and nothing more, giving him one of the last places in the priority list. It's true that Itachi was in a hurry, however in that message, despite its length, he hadn't exaggerated at all. Not a single word that betrayed him about their relationship, no small slip or hesitation even though the sedative was about to knock him out. Itachi had only spoken about Sasuke's situation and Nagato's situation and then ended with detailed explanations of what he would have wanted from him.

In perfect Itachi style. And so once again you leave me to waste away in doubt trying to understand what's going on in your head.

Kisame looked at the time, it was almost midnight. By now it was definitely too late to call anyone, however the next day talking to the dark-haired man to clarify the misunderstanding would be the first thing to do. It had been a huge mistake, he had the duty to explain it and Itachi had the duty to listen to him, if this wasn't enough to convince the dark-haired man, never mind, but at least it would have been the truth. This would have allowed Kisame to continue his existence with a clear conscience even if in pain.

That ridiculous movie had ended without him realizing it. Kisame got up puffing from the sofa, he would have tried to get some rest anyway even if he most likely wouldn't have been able to sleep a wink for the entire night. Walking along the corridor towards his room, he had once again assumed that slow and slightly swaying gait that he had when he was overwhelmed by doubts and difficulties. The wait now had a negative aspect, the expected event had been reduced to being the phone call that he would have to make to Itachi the next day. It wasn't a given that he would emerge unscathed, which is why he already knew that anxiety would not loosen its grip until then.

Kisame's phone rang after a good forty minutes of him staring at the shadows of the large oak tree, positioned in front of the bedroom window, moving across the ceiling drawn by the moonlight. That evening was particularly intense, he could have easily gone out into the garden walking calmly without being afraid of tripping and seeing almost all the colours.

He had turned off the volume but the fact that he kept the phone under the pillow allowed him to feel the vibration intensely, as if it were a drill inside his brain. A hand reached out listlessly to rummage down there, if the end of the world or any other trouble had happened he would have been grateful, at least it would have distracted him from his thoughts.

Kisame felt his heart stop and his fingers go cold seeing that it was Itachi, he blinked several times thinking he had misread his name. No, it was Itachi.

He swallowed trying to calm down, the brunette shouldn't have heard his anguish, he should have appeared completely normal.

"Hey, are you awake too?" he himself was surprised at the sweetness that had invaded his voice, his full lips had automatically curved into a smile.

Kisame had managed to catch the slight sigh that the other had wanted to hide: "my bicycle is left with you, I need it urgently tomorrow morning."

"Do you want to cycle to your house in the middle of the night? I must admit that you manage to amaze me every time."

"Don't worry, the lights are good."

Of course it was an excuse, he was a mile away although Itachi was trying hard to keep his tone neutral. Kisame pretended to snort in resignation when in reality he was over the moon with joy.

"Okay, since you've made up your mind not to let me sleep, I might as well come and get you right away."

He realized a few seconds later what a great confession he found camouflaged among those words, Itachi was perceptive and had certainly picked it up straight away.

Kisame got up from bed with a smile printed on his face, he always had on the gray tracksuit he wore to stay comfortable at home with the sleeveless shirt and long but light trousers, however it didn't matter, on a statuesque physique like his he would have given even a garbage bag. A quick fix to his ultramarine hair while he hummed happily, he didn't even know the origin of that tune, most likely he was inventing it on the spot. He never stopped smiling even as he took the car and left the gate, in the worst case scenario he would have given Itachi his explanations about the morning's accident without having to wait for the next day, knowing immediately if his heart would be broken in many small splinters or not.

He confidently took the road, but soon had the impression of having been sucked into a sort of time warp. A bit like in those dreams in which you never manage to reach the goal because first you have the impression of walking on a giant piece of chewing gum and then, when you have arrived after so much effort, you reach out your hand to grab that object which you absolutely need but this moves away from your hand as if the background itself were undergoing a deformation. It was a nightmare, yet Kisame found himself wishing that he was sleeping at that moment and that the situation really wasn't real. He was realizing, in fact, that it was possible that Itachi would want to talk to him to say goodbye. The story of the bicycle was certainly an excuse, however the result might not have been what was hoped for until recently.

I wouldn't be surprised, Itachi, you are a fair person towards others both for better and for worse. You understand very well when it is not appropriate to keep someone on tenterhooks, even more so if that person no longer has any reason to wait for you because you have decided not to welcome them into your life.

Terror suddenly gripped his chest to the point of pain, there was a possibility that he was now driving towards his end. He was tempted to turn around and go home.

No, there's no point in me behaving like a coward, it wouldn't change anything at all.

He gritted his teeth and frowned, not realizing he was pushing the gas more than necessary, he couldn't bear that growing anxiety for long.

Itachi had already come down, he was waiting for him outside the house. Beautiful, he was dressed like that morning even if he now had an edge. His splendid hair was loose, appearing even brighter under the moonlight, the skin of his bare arms was the same color as the romantic star, seeing Kisame coming he tilted his head slightly to the side. He blinked involuntarily with those incredible eyelashes while his movement had made the shorter, raven locks fall into his gaze.

Okay, Itachi, if you have to kill me, do it quickly, otherwise he will die in very slow agony anyway.

Kisame had stopped in front of him without saying anything, his sweaty hands on his steering wheel, in equally silence the brunette opened the door to enter and sit next to him. Kisame had canceled the volume of the stereo without turning it off, now the blue light of the display was illuminating Itachi's face half hidden by his hair. He was standing with his head slightly bowed, he hadn't even looked at him, only giving him the perfect profile of his nose. Kisame's icy eyes had fallen on his tattoo.

You won't welcome me into your life, we will never be like those two lines. However, I cannot help but follow your movement as the shorter one does with all the courage of its small size.

Kisame tried to feign fluency, "did you dress like that just to get your bike?"

"I had guests for dinner, they just left. Sasuke thought of bringing the family together to meet Madara and his brother."

Itachi's calm, soothing voice brutally swept away Kisame's last glimmer of hope. So he wasn't dressed like that for him. What were you waiting for to give him the good service, then? He had seriously called him only to collect the bicycle, therefore. In this case he wouldn't have said anything until he got home. Kisame decided to leave again while he felt his heart sink into the ground. He felt like crying and he wasn't sure he would be able to contain himself until the end of the route.

Damn it, Itachi, it was all potentially perfect. Sasuke also followed my advice by reconnecting with his family, understanding what things have true value; Don't ruin everything, please.

Kisame quickly dried his eyes with one hand, while he went down to open the gate he also took advantage of the opportunity to sniff. He no longer looked in Itachi's direction, he could do nothing but wait for his heart to be torn apart by the brunette. Then he would get on his bicycle and ride off into the night without even looking back. A few words of apology, some thanks whispered with a contrite face. Kisame would stare at the image of his back walking away. The eyes resigned to follow Itachi until he completely disappeared. Immobility would have taken hold of him for a few more minutes as he stared at the deserted street, that scene would have branded him for the rest of his existence. Probably over time he would fade and start twisting a slightly smaller knife around his chest, but he would never take pity on him. The crying would begin once Itachi's silhouette disappeared at the end of the street. A terrible, chilling thing, his fall to his knees on that driveway as white as the splendid moon of that evening could not be excluded; surely now someone was looking at her making declarations of love, others were kissing or making love immersed in her light. That same moon that for Kisame seemed soaked in blood.

"Here's your bike" Kisame spoke looking at the hood of the car. Itachi was behind him, he had gotten out without making any sound except for the door closing.

Yep, dear Land Rover, we'll both have to resign ourselves to losing the little things we wanted to take care of.

He didn't regret that stupid thought for even a moment, Kisame needed to share his pain with someone so much that if he hadn't addressed this reflection to the car the chasm that was opening in his stomach would have sucked him in. He kept his eyes lowered on the rough concrete floor under the canopy, Itachi's black boots appeared in that small field of vision doubled by tears, it seemed that the dark-haired man had four feet now. He moved in front of him again without making the slightest sound.

"Thanks Kisame, but I think it will be fine there from now on."

Maybe it really was a dream, there was no way Itachi had actually said this now. Kisame thought it was a trick of his tested mind as his eyes began to climb up those thin and slender legs tight in the dark red leather pants. He didn't care in the slightest about the two tears that rolled down his cheeks as he looked at the dark-haired man's chest, his protruding side showing effortlessly under his tight sleeveless shirt. His high neck now hid the obvious collarbones and ribs of his neck that had caught his attention so much the day he showed up at the gym with Nagato, the first time he'd seen him without a mask. A sweet smile had curved Itachi's slightly plump and soft lips. Kisame knew their consistency, Itachi had placed them on his neck declaring that he was the weasel, a few hours later that stolen kiss in his bed while the brunette slept, the most fleeting yet the most beautiful of his life. A quick but intense glint in Itachi's black eyes as he took a step towards him. Kisame feared that this was one of those joys that you now take for granted being mere centimeters away from you, but which are destroyed by an unexpected tornado when you are finally reaching out to grab them, so quickly turning your smile into a mask of pain, that you can almost feel your facial muscles ache.

This time the opposite happened, a joyful laugh was born beneath the desperation the moment Itachi leaped to jump into his arms, squeezing his tapered legs around his waist as if he had been the pole onto which Yahiko and Shisui had thrown him more or less at random. Kisame found himself laughing with tears still wetting his face like one of those days when it rains but the sun is so intense that it makes the drops of water look like shards of diamonds. They remained still, looking intensely into each other's eyes like two magnets that cannot do without each other, ice blue irises fused with the most ardent black. Kisame grabbed Itachi's buttocks, lifting him even higher, he was so light that he looked like a tender little animal but as hot as a devastating and dangerous volcano. Their pupils were now perfectly aligned and shiny like precious gems.

"That's what your acrobatic skills are for, you scoundrel."

Kisame was smiling, the brunette continued to look at him in an intense and languid way, their faces were so close that they could touch each other with their breath even without physically touching. Itachi instinctively arched his back, the rubbing of his erection on Kisame's abs was short and light, however this was enough to make him explode so much that it started to hurt despite the comfortable suit. Kisame felt the blood rush to his brain, soon he would no longer be accountable for his actions. He positioned Itachi better on his arms, distributing his weight, it was more of a gesture of affection that he made before walking towards the front door of the house, so happy that he still finds it hard to believe it. It was lucky that he had the keys in his left trouser pocket, otherwise he would have seriously risked not being accountable anymore. Kisame was supporting that much desired body with only one hand now, turning the lock key with the other, trembling. He would never abandon him after more than six years of waiting, the longest although the best of his life.

"Don't let him slip away, Kisame, or it could be the end of him."

But Itachi didn't want to slip away clinging to his muscular body as he was, it almost seemed like he didn't want to be put down on the ground. Kisame kicked the door closed, forgetting that the keys had remained inserted in the external lock. He stuck the brunette to the wall, Itachi's head hit the small wooden box in which Kisame kept some sets of keys, causing it to crash noisily to the floor with all its contents. Kisame positioned himself so as to support the other only using his powerful pelvis, he wanted his hands free. Free to touch him now that he could enjoy the intense and very pleasant taste of those velvety lips, he held Itachi's thin and supple waist and lost themselves in that kiss that seemed to precede the end of the world. They were breathing hard with their eyes closed, without realizing it they had begun to move their pelvises in unison, the soft and sinuous thrusts that Itachi made sandwiched between the wall and his partner's hot body, had the power to send Kisame so out of mind that he emitted moans similar to moans of pain. Kisame's large hands began to remove Itachi's black shirt from the waistband of his red trousers, he took it off and threw it haphazardly on the floor, the three circles of the necklace given to him by Sasuke sent short flashes in the moonlight. Itachi had removed his arms from Kisame's neck just long enough to pass the fabric and then immediately put them back where they were, on that skin so smooth it almost seemed rubbery. Kisame's hot kisses had now descended on the Itachi's neck and chest who was emitting moans so high-pitched that they didn't even sound like him.

"Kisame..." his name came out between gasps.

Kisame also stripped his powerful torso, their burning skin could no longer wait for that contact, he nibbled the brunette's lower lip pressing his tanned skin against his as white as the moon. His hands began to want more again, unhooking the button of the dark-haired man's leather trousers, he let him slide delicately to the floor so he could take them off. He stripped himself completely, leaving only the opaline quartz and the bracelet given by Madara. They remained there, staring at each other completely naked and panting, almost as if now neither of them knew what to do anymore. They still looked into each other's eyes, Kisame had taken on an almost mischievous expression while Itachi stood with his soft lips slightly parted and his shiny obsidian eyes firmly set even if intense and languid. Immobile waiting for each other. On other occasions Kisame would have been annoyed by a similar stalemate situation, while now he found himself wishing that that still image would never end, as if Itachi could have vanished into thin air once the evening was over.

I don't have to fear anything, not anymore, I see that your heart is mine now. It always has been.

Now Kisame smiled tenderly as he approached the brunette, he had the wall behind him but he didn't want to retreat. He kissed him again but now not feverishly, almost like warm wax slowly melting, and that was what Kisame felt on his skin. He would have liked to feel the contact of their erections stretched to the maximum, since Itachi was about twenty centimeters shorter than him he lifted him again, the discharge of a small bolt of lightning passed through Kisame making him feel alive at the fulfillment of his desire. He almost regretted having to interrupt the kiss, he wanted even more and the two things wouldn't have been compatible at the moment. Grabbing the brunette's small but marble buttocks, Kisame began to lift him further until his buttocks rested on his powerful pecs. With each thrust Kisame felt Itachi's sex stretched to the max rubbing against his skin, it felt like cotton wool even though he was at his peak with excitement. Kisame let Itachi sink into his hot mouth as he breathed deeply of his unique and intoxicating scent. Itachi's legs, on his shoulders, trembled with pleasure. He withdrew, remained still for several seconds listening to the Itachi's rapid breathing, he liked to make him wait. He placed a small and delicate kiss on his glans swollen with pleasure, Itachi moaned as he moved instinctively, Kisame had risked coming just by feeling the thrust of his buttocks on his chest.

Kisame trembled, repeated the action several times maintaining a slow but cadenced rhythm to which Itachi responded with that irresistible movement, moans and sighs.

"Kisame…" his name was now a strangled sob. The dark-haired man's hands sank into his blue hair and went down to caress the back of his neck.

With yet another kiss Kisame felt a pulsation in Itachi's tense sex and a few droplets of his pleasure on his plump lips, he let it slide down almost with a crash, braking it in time with his hands under his ass.

"Are you thinking of making a mess of me now, you scoundrel?"

Kisame had a mischievous smile, Itachi was exhausted with pleasure. He took him to the sofa without stopping looking into his eyes, impossible to tear himself away from that disarming magnetism. He laid him on his back, kneeling above him, and placed his sex, which was of considerable size and covered with evident veins, on Itachi's lips.

He began to penetrate it slowly, he sank into that mouth as soft as melted butter, Kisame tilted his head back emitting a strangled moan. He moved delicately inside Itachi, insinuating his hands into that raven hair that he had wanted so much to caress, it had happened even before he knew what wonderful face was hidden behind the disturbing weasel mask. The dark-haired man welcomed him with his long eyelashes closed, his tapered, purple-painted hands made their way onto his powerful thighs, tense in the pleasure he had been waiting for all his life. If Kisame hadn't withdrawn from that enchanting mouth the relationship would have ended there. Instead Kisame wanted to make that day the best day of his life. He already was, however more could have been done. He lay down on the brunette's body, pressing as much as possible so as not to hurt him, he felt him breathing and trembling beneath him, while he kissed him, Itachi's white hands caressed his muscular back. Kisame entered him without doing anything from which Itachi could understand his intention, only with a slight movement of his hips. The purple nails clawed at him for an instant, just as he entered. When the brunet had relaxed again and let out a sigh, Kisame sat up, lifting Itachi with one hand behind his back to place him sitting on his lap. His light blue eyes took on an adoring expression as he felt the pressure of his ass on his thighs and his sex sinking even further into that thin body. Itachi surrounded his torso with his elegant legs.

"Itachi..." Kisame sighed, grabbing his thin waist, the brunette was silent however his black eyes screamed love.
Love of which Kisame was finally certain, it was not correct to say that Itachi spoke little, he did it a lot it was just that he preferred to use his gaze rather than his mouth. Kisame was the only person who was allowed to understand that language. I love you Itachi was saying now, that word coming directly from his soul reached Kisame's heart, it was curious to see how the same accelerated pace had been unbearable in the anguish he had felt along the way, and how now it warmed him like a sweet aromatic liqueur. The brunette arched his back, sinking his buttocks into Kisame's lower abdomen while he let out a trembling sigh, the inside of his body was having small pulsations, his opening had become a little protruding. That was the beginning of a natural and instinctive movement in unison, immersed in the moonlight that filtered through the large window of the living room, they seemed to be one. Kisame allowed the pleasure to take over his body to the point of almost fainting, reaching orgasm inside that body that moved so sinuously was so intense that it even clouded his hearing, Itachi had let himself go on his steel abs, jerking loudly . Kisame hugged him as he lay down and guided him to rest on his broad chest.

"I love you, Kisame."

Not only did the eyes speak now, the gaze usually shouted while the words had been a soft whisper. Kisame felt like crying with joy, he was holding that thin and tired body as if to protect it from all the misfortunes of the world. His large hands trembled like the plump lips placed on the brunette's forehead, he was unable to hold back a sob while two tears fell on the mass of raven hair and were swallowed up by them.

"I love you too, from the first time I saw you, when I didn't yet know your face and your name."

Itachi moved away a little to try to make eye contact, Kisame was crying but he was smiling like an angel, while his partner's hands gently caressed his long hair.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much pain this morning, Itachi. Nothing happened, it was the thought of you that stopped me from making mistakes, I know you came here just for me."

Itachi had silenced him with a kiss while he too stroked his crew cut hair: "If there is anyone who has made mistakes it's me, I disappeared without even saying goodbye to you or giving you news of me. You see, I usually always end up destroying the lives of those around me, just because I love you I didn't want the same to happen to you. I was afraid of condemning you by letting you become attached to me."

"Why do you say that? The only time you make me suffer is when you're not around me, scoundrel that you are."

Kisame had taught him that the truth was something to share with the person he loves, that day under that wonderful locust tree in bloom, just before finding out what had happened to Nagato. He had revealed to him about his bond with Madara, that's why now Itachi had finally decided to tell his story.

He took a deep but calm breath before starting to explain the reasons behind that sentence and the impression he gave of wanting to take on all the blame in the world. Which wasn't an impression, really big faults existed. It took courage now to recall the heartbreaking memories of him all together. Kisame finally knew what he was tormented by practically every night as he called out his brother's name trying to drown out the roars of an engine he himself had started. He held him even tighter listening to the story of what happened with Shisui and his father and how this event had made him feel even more guilty towards Sasuke. Pain had been the motivation that had pushed him and Nagato to get to know each other and form their devastating bond. Itachi revealed to Kisame how his career as an acrobat had ended by forcing him to accept that position at Susanoo, it had been the consequence of a New Year's party after which Sasuke had started to open his eyes while Nagato had started to want to close his eyes forever. Itachi's feelings of guilt also extended to the way in which the redhead had discovered, independently and without being psychologically prepared, a long hidden truth.

Itachi smiled in relief upon learning from Kisame the progress that Nagato was making thanks to Naruto, he declared all his gratitude for the blond expressing his desire to meet them both.

"Of course, a nice evening with four is what he wants" Kisame smiled kissing him on the head, the blond had openly expressed his desire to meet his special person and the time had finally come: "and then get ready to climb through the window tomorrow, acrobat. You send blood to my brain and I forget the keys in the lock outside."

They both laughed happily. It had been the most beautiful sound Kisame had ever heard. Itachi had only known pain since he was born, this made his heart swell even more with love, that fragile body he was now holding was actually hiding an extraordinary strength. He was always available to become everyone's support by accepting to sacrifice himself by remaining in the shadows. Kisame had guessed from the beginning that the dark-haired man was a person recovering from intense suffering derived above all from the accident that happened in childhood, now he knew it. Kisame would never have imagined that Itachi could have such a devastating past, he would never have said that he even considered himself responsible for the death of his parents and for having destroyed his brother's life.

Poor love, you were just a child then, if only I had known…

"Kisame, the one who came out of today the most shattered, even if he doesn't show it, is definitely Madara. I spoke to him this evening, but I think a clarification with you would be appropriate too. He certainly didn't expect to lose you. I'm sorry I reacted like that at the time, it happened because I was the one who believed I had lost you."

Kisame nodded, holding him gently and placing a tender kiss on his forehead again. Itachi's first thought had always been others even though he had been through hell since he was a child: "My darling, I'm sorry for everything. Now I'm here with you."

Kisame wouldn't let go anymore, his place was there at his side. Kisame would welcome Itachi's pain as the shorter line of his tattoo received the movement of the long one. He would finally cradle him in that love he had never known, because Itachi was the light that Kisame could finally see. They fell asleep in that sweet embrace while a light really began to make its way through the beautiful window, it was the rising sun ready to illuminate their new life.