Naruto sighed as he slipped the phone, battery dead and hot, into his pocket. He leaned against the wall observing for a moment Kakuzu who had gone out to smoke a cigarette. That man, always considered by everyone, himself included, only as a ruthless miser without feelings now had a square and rough face contorted with apprehension. His clear, bright green eyes were focused on the sidewalk, he seemed paralyzed and unable to think even the little it took to make the decision to sit on one of the several benches that were located in front of the hospital entrance. Naruto quickly understood how much Kakuzu cared about his friends. Yes, because the Susanoo dancers were friends with him. Obito and his wife were too, strange as it might seem that a person like him had close ties.
I get it, you're the kind of guy who doesn't form relationships that easily, but when he does, he ties them in double knots over his heart.
Any words now would have been superfluous. Naruto made the decision to sit on the bench instead; he slumped on the back looking at the sky and getting lost in the same color of his eyes. He had been all morning inquiring about how to proceed in such cases, it was clear that Nagato's had been an insane gesture that required specific and obligatory treatments, however he had interceded to take care of it personally, he was certain that entrusting Nagato to the normal procedures would have contributed to causing him further damage.
Yes because they would give precedence to the physical aspects aiming to heal the body first when you need the opposite.
Naruto didn't know him except through what he had heard from Kisame, however he had fully understood the hunger for love that had destroyed him both in body and soul. He had immediately guessed that Nagato was the victim of that pain that often goes unnoticed in the eyes of others and, for this very reason, so devastating. He was misunderstood, Naruto had understood from his brother Yahiko's reaction. He had probably been so all his life and this led him to struggle strenuously to make that transparent pain visible for people, by any means possible, including the body. This battle had become the only purpose of Nagato's life. All the love in the world for Nagato wouldn't be enough, it was like pouring water into a bottomless glass. And he would have wanted that love from Itachi now, just as he had wanted it from his family and brother as a child. Naruto was certain that everyone had gone out of their way to give it to him, however for Nagato it was never enough, never in the shape and way he would have wanted.
It's not your fault, Nagato, it's your illness that prevented you from expressing yourself, you wanted something that at the same time you thought you didn't deserve so you refused it the moment it was given to you, this contrast ended up tearing you apart.
Nagato, in spite of himself, had ended up destroying both himself and the people he had next to, Naruto would never have thought of seeing someone as beautiful and self-confident as Yahiko destroyed and invested by emotions like that. He had seen him perform at Susanoo and this had told a lot about him, he felt safe to show off his body and his personality on that stage, sure to always appeal to those who admired him. Itachi, then, was completely devastated. He had nullified himself for who knows how many years destroying his already fragile health beyond belief by doing an inhuman job and trying to give all the love possible to Nagato without ever asking for anything in return and always putting his emotional and physical needs at the bottom to everything else.
Kisame, your special someone is him, I get it. You look at it as if it were the most precious and rare treasure on earth, this immensity explodes in your gaze even as you barely touch it, it's something I've never seen on you and I'm really proud of it.
Despite everything Naruto smiled, Kisame was no longer the insecure boy he had known years before, he was no longer the one who gave everything just not to make others suffer. Now he was giving his heart, yes, but for someone who was an integral part of his happiness and he did it without fearing the judgment of others. Kisame had put his special person at the top of his priorities and this was equivalent to having placed himself there too. Naruto couldn't help but be proud of it and couldn't help but think that he too had had his very important part of him in this having always found the right words at the right time.
This is me and not just because I'm the mayor, my personality has always been like that. Other people need me now and I'll be there for everyone.
"I can?"
That question from Obito hadn't come at all unexpected, Naruto knew that sooner or later he would have asked it to him and was waiting for the dark-haired one to take his time.
"Of course" the blond had made the gesture of stepping aside to leave room for him on the bench even though there was no need.
"There are so many things to say that I… don't know where to start. I'd say start by apologizing. I hate people who justify themselves so I will avoid doing it myself by blaming the accident, the loss of my parents, the misfortune suffered by my cousins or Rin's momentary abandonment of my behavior towards you and those of Kiba, Kisame and Madara. It was my fault, I can only tell you that now I am aware that I have made a big blunder. You don't have to forgive me and I don't expect our relationship to go back to what it used to be, I just needed to tell you all this."
Obito spoke while keeping his eyes fixed on the sidewalk that that day was in serious danger of being consumed not by feet, but by the looks of everyone who was there. As soon as he finished speaking he started to get up to go back to where he had come from but had to surrender to Naruto's hand who pushed him firmly back to his seat by pressing his left shoulder. Not only did he hold him back to the bench, but he grabbed him forcing him to straighten that back that had been bent since they got there thus making eye contact. The dark's face was contracted and mogio, Naruto's was able to be relaxed and sunny even in a situation like that.
"You're right, Obito, our relationship can never go back to what it was before. Now it has all the credentials to become that true friendship that could not develop. I too have suffered a misfortune in my life having been abandoned by both parents, however I was very young and I don't even remember their faces, just think, I only know them because I have seen them in photographs. This is why I consider myself much luckier than you, I don't know what happened to your cousins but they are events that happened to you at a certain age and for this reason they ended up upsetting you that life that had already begun to take its direction. I can't judge but I can force myself to understand; the fact that you said these words to me means that you are now ready to let other people into your heart. You did all the hard work so I don't need to explain anything to you anymore. I'm glad you're back!"
Having said that, Naruto had embraced him, the blond always knew when was the right moment both to make certain gestures and to say certain words. People often wondered how he managed it but he wouldn't have known what answer to give to a question like that, this quality was part of the person from his birth and it was a natural and instinctive action. Obito surrendered to his arms without stiffening his muscles and squeezing him in turn, the blond was immensely satisfied. The turquoise gaze passed over Obito's shoulder going to meet Kakuzu's who was still there leaning against the wall not far from them. The long-haired big man had finished smoking some time ago so it was clear to Naruto that he was only staying to hear their talk. The blond didn't feel the slightest annoyance for this, on the contrary, sure that his words had been useful to him, he smiled and nodded slightly. He saw Kakuzu compress his lips, maybe he wanted to reciprocate his complicity, maybe he was embarrassed for being caught in the act looking at them or both. However, when Naruto saw him calmly step through the glass door back inside, he was sure he had breached even his rough armor.
Itachi felt a little better. Since he no longer felt those irregular and violent thuds behind his breastbone that had accompanied him countless times since he was a child, he had decided to sit down, albeit with great caution, on the stretcher on which he had been lying since they had arrived.
"Go ahead and get some fresh air, Kisame, I'm going to have a drink."
"Are you sure you can get up? If you want, I'll bring you what you want here."
Itachi softened his gaze, that man was impressively thoughtful despite knowing him very little.
Kisame, you don't know anything about me and yet it seems that you already understand everything. The greatest crime in the world would be to make you suffer too, I hope you can tie yourself to someone who will take your thoughts away from you, not let them accumulate. I am too much for anyone.
"Thank you for everything but I need to stretch my legs a bit."
Itachi had given him a small smile before starting to slide off the couch. As he had seen him move, Kisame had surrounded him with his powerful arms, grabbing him to place him delicately on the floor. Itachi's thin body was shaken by a sea of shivers, he shook his head slightly to drive them back where they came from, if he had tied himself first to Kisame it would have been a ruin.
Kisame watched him walk away along the corridor, he seemed to dance too just walking. The skintight black cotton overalls was the only thing he had left to wear, however on his perfect physique even something so simple ended up fitting like a glove. His gorgeous hair was the same color from his sleeveless shirt yet different, that slightly dusty hue only noticeable when contrasted against something very similar.
Please don't feel responsible for Nagato. Don't feel guilty about whatever misfortune happens in the world, people are not harmed by your closeness but by your absence. I will be destroyed if you decide to keep me at arm's length.
Itachi was sitting at the bar table slowly sipping cool sparkling water. He would have liked coffee, tea or hot cocoa, yet anything with a modicum of caffeine or stimulants in it could set his heart pounding again. To get there he had to pass in front of the glass from which Yahiko hadn't moved even for a second. He hadn't had the courage to stop, he hadn't even turned his head to look at Nagato.
You are nothing but a coward, Itachi, you know very well that Nagato has come to this because of you.
He sighed wondering what he could have done differently towards him, if the truth about his work had been told earlier would it have changed anything or would it have led them to the same result? Impossible to understand, with Nagato the sensation of walking on eggshells had always been present and constant, predicting his reactions to certain events had always been almost impossible. Maybe Nagato had come this far because he hadn't loved him enough, but it was also true that an eventual breakup of the relationship could have made him commit some even worse foolishness.
I had always been certain that if you had left me it would have been less painless, apparently I was wrong.
Someone moved a chair to Itachi's left placing immediately after a cup of coffee next to his glass, the cumbersome presence of Kakuzu occupied the meager space that still remained at that small circular table. Itachi wasn't surprised, he was among the few people who understood that the big man possessed a heart even if well camouflaged in his roughness, on the other hand he had worked closely together for over five years.
"If you want anything other than water, I'll get it for you" Kakuzu's voice seemed angular like his face, however Itachi knew him enough by now to grasp the slightest nuances. Now he was the friend talking and not the manager.
"No thank you. I just got off that damned stretcher, I have no desire to go back to it right away" Itachi gave a hint of a smile stretching his back.
Unexpectedly, Kakuzu's big hand grabbed one of his own, squeezing it tightly in what was clearly a reassuring gesture. Itachi's eyes widened slightly, however the astonishment lasted a few moments, it was generated by the fact that only now Kakuzu had stopped hiding those feelings that he had actually nourished for a lifetime.
Who knows if I too will be able to afford this luxury one day.
Kakuzu began to speak as if he had read his mind: "Don't worry like that, Itachi. Nagato was at his limit now, and it was only a matter of time. You should rather thank yourself if you hadn't called us all this morning to force open that door. God only knows how that could have ended. You've always had above average intuition, Nagato is safe thanks to you. And then… always thanks to you, today most of the people who are here have resolved the great doubts and problems they had pending for years. But for that I don't need to explain anything to you, you just need to take a look around you."
Itachi sighed, said nothing but as always his eyes spoke for him.
"Besides, Itachi, I'm sure that from now on Nagato will find someone capable of understanding all the folds of his complicated soul" Kakuzu stopped for a moment to give him a wink: "what I just said applies to you too. I wouldn't want to see you take away your chance to have a peaceful life because of your usual fear of always ruining everything and generating catastrophes. I know what happened to you when you were young and I understand you, but the truth is, you couldn't hold out much longer doing a job like that. I pretended not to notice the times I picked you up off the floor making a pissed face, but deep down I knew that none of us could handle it if something serious happened to you. Life changes constantly and never remains the same, we have a duty to support these changes. Who knows, maybe they will lead us to something positive."
Kakuzu let go of his hand giving it a small pat before getting up to go back to where he had come from.
Kisame had walked slowly towards the outside. Itachi needed time, he had already foreseen this and was willing to give him whatever he needed. There were many facts that he would talk to him about along the way of their relationship and he had to be ready to accept everything as the smallest line welcomed the movement of the largest line in the composition of his tattoo.
That drawing you used to cover up so your brother wouldn't recognize you, we're all here today except him. Maybe now you're thinking about the words you'll have to use when you face him, I'm sure you'll be able to find the right ones in the world. Perhaps, when that drawing was born, you hadn't really thought about its meaning; I saw it, the first day I laid eyes on it. One day I will explain my point of view to you getting lost in the obsidian of your eyes, that will be one of the best days of my life.
Meanwhile Kisame had arrived on that sidewalk consumed both by their looks and by their emotions, the sunlight hit him for a few moments like an atomic explosion when it erases the horizon line. As soon as his eyes had adjusted to the intense brightness he saw two smiling faces turned in his direction, waiting for him; Obito and Naruto were watching him from over the back of that bench that would go down in history as if they were waiting for nothing else. Kisame approached, there was no need to explain anything. It was as if not even a day had passed since that blond boy had told him about his life at the table full of bottles and smoke at Obito's house all those years ago. Everything came back to Kisame's memory as if it had happened the day before, the dark haired smile had waited for years but now it had finally come to honor their relationship with that light in their eyes that was only asleep, not dead.
Kisame took his seat with Obito standing between him and Naruto. On the evening many years ago, at his house, sitting at that table was another person who was still missing for the moment. Kisame's relationship with Naruto proceeded with the utmost naturalness without having lost its intensity, it had only changed shape and color like a fruit in its various stages of growth and maturation.
Kisame found himself in such a sudden embrace as to take away the time to think but not the words: "welcome back, Obito!"
"Welcome back all of you."
Naruto had joined in that embrace trying to welcome them both into his arms without having any hope of succeeding.
As the hug loosened, all three were greeted by Rin's affable smile and Shisui's magnetic eyes. They had arrived slowly and silently in front of the bench, giving them all the time that wonderful reconciliation had deserved.
The woman had mainly addressed her husband but only because it would be impossible for anyone to focus their gaze on several people at the same time, however her sweet smile was for everyone: "Shisui is going to get Sasuke, he certainly has a lot of things to clarify with his Brother. Obito, could you warn Itachi? I'm going to Yahiko's for a while."
Obito smiled, the sun illuminating his gaze did not reveal any difference between the real eye and the prosthesis: "I believe that now there is someone who has much better words than mine to address to Itachi."
His black eyes met Kisame's ice blue ones.