Kisame could see the leaves of the big oak tree in front of his bedroom window, at the side of the house, casting their shadows on the white shutters as they moved in the wind. They were young, still light green, just blooming in the April sun. Young and just born as was the feeling that Kisame felt growing inside, it had just blossomed but would become as big and strong as that oak. He would have had to face a lot of challenges like all the seedlings as soon as they emerge from the seed, he knew this, but it is precisely these challenges that will then make the roots solid.

Itachi was still sleeping, the shadows of the leaves also passed over his face half-hidden by locks of raven hair, he was casually turned in his direction, his right hand resting on his chest. Kisame was instinctively pulling up the blankets that had gone down to his stomach, he pressed them slowly to the base of his neck and then he had to make a huge effort to stop his hand. He would have liked to continue freeing that beautiful face from the hair that always fell in front of him, he would have liked to touch those eyelashes and those lips. He wanted to hug him tightly, pull him towards Kisame's body to start kissing him, roll him on top, but he was forced to obey the order to lay down under his at his head.

Yet tonight I kissed him, I did, I attached my skin to his feeling the warmth he emanates. I rested my head on his chest, all because he was sleeping and he wouldn't notice me. Maybe I'm a coward or I simply respect his space and his time, or both.

Kisame sighed almost resigned, his eyes didn't leave, he would have spent a whole life watching him breathe so calmly. That Itachi night he hadn't had nightmares, Kisame felt the sensation of being on the right path and this stretched his full lips in a smile. Just then Itachi opened his eyes, his eyelashes were so long that they moved the curtain of hair in front of him.

Caught, red-handed!

"Hey..." Kisame whispered smiling.

With everything in his head, billions of words, questions, feelings and hopes, he could only utter that little interlude. However it was the way he had done it that made the difference, an immense sweetness welling from his eyes. Itachi smiled at him and he still had to stop himself from wanting to kiss him on the forehead.

"How about we get up, or have you made up your mind to make me be late for work?"

Itachi was shocked, he had let him rest until he woke up on his own. He didn't even remember how long it was since he spent a night in a bed instead of on stage at Susanoo waiting to be sold like a piece of meat at the slaughterhouse. His last awakening had been spent getting a bag in the face. Receiving the truth in his face and the same happened to Nagato because of him.

No, Nagato had received a train in the face because of him, and now he was supposed to stand there and get hit by a second train learning that Yahiko also worked at Susanoo. Itachi felt anguish descending inside him like thick black oil, he decided not to change his expression, it wasn't right to convey negativity to Kisame that he had so many regards for him, paying attention to every little detail. However Nagato now needed the due explanations, Itachi didn't even dare to imagine in what state he had spent the night.

"Kisame, I'm sorry but I have to ask you one last favor, I absolutely have to talk to Nagato then I'll organize myself to go to my brother's. In any case, my stuff remained at his house, my cell phone, my documents, I only had the overalls you saw me in yesterday."

Itachi had sat up on the bed and was now watching Kisame cross the room to come in his direction.

"I'll put your stuff in the dryer, then. Okay, even those old pajamas look nice on you, but I certainly can't let you out like this."

It was perfect, a dream, Itachi had always felt he didn't deserve the attention of others but with Kisame everything was different. For the first time in his life, receiving all these little treatments didn't cause him embarrassment, he felt perfectly at ease with him. It was incredible how Kisame always managed to touch the right strings of his soul making them vibrate in such a perfect way without knowing him practically at all. Itachi had never heard that music and he didn't know it was inside him. With Kisame that fortress that he had built to keep his emotions separate from the rest of the world became transparent, it had happened since the first moments in which he had seen him at Susanoo. Kisame didn't know either his face or his name, yet he had noticed that he didn't use his dominant hand. He was extraordinary, Kisame.

Extraordinary...

And then even his shoulder hadn't hurt for the whole night after only one day of training.

Kisame…

However Itachi's mind pushed away all these thoughts with arrogance, the sense of guilt towards Nagato for the moment occupied his whole world as the one towards Sasuke had done.

I only know how to do damage and hurt people beyond repair. Kisame, I don't want you to be next, you don't deserve it. Maybe the only way to save you from my destructiveness and keep you away from me.

"I know you have a lot of important unfinished business to sort out, Itachi, and that you probably think it's more important than eating, but eating breakfast is especially important for someone with problems like you."
Kisame had already set the table, Itachi sat down unable to help but accept the bowl of fruit and cereals that the other had offered him. He was lost for words again but this time it wasn't because he was struggling to keep his emotions captive, but rather because he was pleasantly and amiably stunned.

Yes, I'm amazed. Both from you and how you manage to give me so much respect, and from myself for being able to accept it.

The words never came back, for all the time it took them to get ready, leave the house and reach the very busy and noisy street where Nagato lived and where Itachi had also been until the day before. Kisame knew why the words went away, he understood within hours how deeply good and selfless Itachi was. All he did was think about his brother, about that person he always dreamed of, and now he was surely taking the blame for what happened with Nagato, whatever he was. He tried to hide it but he showed.

I see it.

Itachi was worried and thinking of something serious. Kisame never lost sight of him, the tails of his eyes were always fixed on him.

And you know that I look at you, you know everything that happens around you, always.

"Thanks Kisame, we have arrived, that is the building. As soon as I've sorted everything out I'll come back to you to train, I've already noticed that the shoulder is much better" Itachi had given a small dejected smile before getting out of the car, his face was once again deathly pale.

Well, leave me like this?

"Do you want me to expect you?" Kisame was apprehensive again, the last time he had seen him with a look like that he had passed out in the gym locker room. He was going to be locked inside and spend the whole night on the floor if it hadn't occurred to him to go check after noticing that he hadn't come out.

Idiot! Did you just have to stop here?

But can't you see that you're on a traffic light?

You're a braggart just because you have an off-road vehicle, go to hell!

A series of insults and trumpeting hit them, that road was narrow and very busy; Kisame had approached as soon as Itachi had spoken after about an hour and a half of uninterrupted silence.

"No, thanks, it's not necessary, you've done too much, Kisame. As soon as I get my phone, I'll clarify everything for you."

Itachi crossed that hellish street with his usual phlegmatic grace, you could see that he made no effort to move like this, he was born with finesse written directly in his genes.

Hello, beauty, what are you doing tonight?

Kisame swallowed to fight back the desire to react in the back of his stomach. He watched Itachi reach the door and ring the bell, he had unknowingly decided to wait for him until he entered.

Or even more? Are you sure you want to stay in this house?

Itachi, getting no response, pushed the button a second time; Kisame was reminded of the time the same thing happened to him as Obito watched him from behind the curtain purposely deciding not to let him in.

Is the same happening to you too? I'm waiting here, I can't leave you alone.

In the meantime he decided to send a message to Tsunade and Karin to warn that he would arrive late, the noise that he was in that street would make a phone call impossible. While he was writing, Itachi had turned in a moment to look at him before making yet another unsuccessful attempt, he smoothed his hair back staring at the door. The dark haired returned to him crossing the street again. Kisame caught the face that wanted to scream all his immense concern but the brain prevented it.

Of course, this is also an emotion, never be that you don't analyze it thoroughly before letting it out.

Itachi opened the door he had just come out of again to sit next to him as if nothing had happened.

"Kisame, can you lend me your phone? I should call my cousin Obito, the car is in the parking lot so I guess Nagato is at home and he doesn't want to open me."

How could he be so calm despite the situation? He went down to the sidewalk again without moving away, despite the noise, once Kisame had given him the phone.

You want me to hear the conversation, don't you? I see this is a call for help, I'm ready to offer it to you.

Itachi felt dizzy, dialing Obito's number was difficult for him with his hands shaking like that, he made three mistakes before writing the right one.

"Damn Itachi, what happened to you? Me, Rin, Shisui, Yahiko and even Kakuzu were anxious as hell seeing that you didn't come last night, your phone is disconnected. Shisui literally went crazy calling all the hospitals in the area, luckily I managed to make him think in time before he called Sasuke too, you know what a mess would have happened!"

"Please forgive me all but I don't have a phone. Nagato and I broke up and all my stuff is at his house. The truth about my work came out and he kicked me out. For heaven's sake, he has every right to do so and I don't blame him at all, but now… I'm at his house and he doesn't answer the intercom. Obito come, come all. I'm worried and I think something serious has happened to him, you too know what problems he has. It was my fault and now… I can't forgive myself."

Hearing Itachi's voice trembling choking on sobs, Obito knew immediately that something serious had really happened. There was something sadly similar to that call he had received all those years ago from Sasuke.

"Okay we'll be right there, don't worry and count on us" there was no reproach in his voice, no shadow of some I told you to tell the truth ill-concealed among other words.

Thank you Obito. For the second time.

Kisame had done as Itachi wished, that wish that hadn't been expressed, that request for help shouted only with gestures. He had sharpened his ears in the din of the street to hear his words on the phone. So it had all happened because he hadn't told Nagato the truth. From what Kisame had guessed, the redhead had found out the hard way that Itachi was the weasel.

"Kisame, if you want to go, no problem, my cousins, Nagato's brother and a friend are coming. Thanks again for everything."

The dark-haired smiled wistfully bending down to look at his friend through the window. He looked like an angel, Kisame had felt his eyes become watery.

"Don't even talk about it, I'll stay with you at least until they arrive. Let's go up and put the car in a slightly more decent spot."

Itachi knew nothing. Kisame had never told him about his history with Madara and that he knew Obito. Surely Itachi was not aware of the whole truth about Madara's departure and that he was also present that fateful evening.

Kisame found a spot in a large parking lot a block further, since there was a bit of a walk he decided to talk. Maybe it wasn't the best time, maybe Itachi was so shocked that half of his words would have fallen on deaf ears. But some speeches have to be addressed at the right time to hit the target effectively, and what he had to say was too important.

The moment is now.

Kisame stopped gently grabbing his hands, he began to lightly massage them on the back with his thumbs while looking intently into his eyes. Itachi recognized that gesture, the first time Kisame had done it, about three years ago, he was wearing a mask.

"I know that now you are consumed by feelings of guilt and concern for Nagato. I am also aware that you always bear all the blame in the world being convinced that people are suffering because of you, I am a bit like that too, for this reason I can only understand you. That's why I also decided to tell you the truth, because I love you and it's only right that you don't hit that ball in the face."

They resumed walking, however Kisame couldn't let go of his left hand.

It began when he was a fifteen-year-old and discriminated against boy who fell in love with his school representative. He told the whole story about him even going so far as his father kicked him out of the house upon learning of his affair with a boy and he had taken refuge at Obito's house. Some details were deliberately left out: Obito had now changed so he found it completely useless to consider his wrong behavior at the time important things, they were dictated by pain and it was not correct to judge them. He didn't go into the details of the last discussion before Madara disappeared and it wasn't even necessary to reveal that I love you, at least not now. However, he revealed how intense his feelings towards Madara had been and how much he had longed for a satisfying relationship with him and had suffered from not having those little things that all couples did. Since Madara had disappeared like that he hadn't fully processed it yet and he wanted to know, like all of them, what had happened to him.

"I understand that you and your brother are those cousins who fell victim to an accident, but if you don't want to tell me that, it doesn't matter; I know that recalling painful memories is like experiencing them a second time. Three years ago when I spoke to you at Susanoo, I told you that there was someone out there who loved you because I saw your brother sitting at that table. It was Rin who told me who it was. It was right for me to tell you all this Itachi, because I'm sincere when I love someone."

Itachi had walked impassively all the time, in silence, he seemed absent but Kisame knew that he had listened to everything. Once again he had built that barricade around himself to protect himself from the pain. Kisame didn't expect him to speak. Often it wasn't even necessary, Itachi communicated with his eyes, for him his words seemed to be a useless invention. He expressed himself with small gestures, postures, and by now Kisame had learned that unique language in the world knowing how to grasp every slight variation of the glitter of the eyes, every slightest quiver of eyelashes and lips.

You talk a lot, you do it with your eyes.

"I am reprehensible. I haven't told my brother the truth yet, he's been sitting at that table for years, always the same, and he points those eyes full of pain at me. I even always covered up my tattoo so he wouldn't recognize me."

Itachi had stopped lowering his head, the fact that now the strands of hair had completely covered his face did not prevent Kisame from seeing the tears that furrowed his cheeks shining like diamonds in the light of that beautiful day, before falling to the ground . There was no need for words now, Kisame knew Itachi was in terrible pain to expose himself like that. Kisame immediately sensed that Itachi in his life had always met people unable to put their hands in the right places every time he dared to give in to pain, not out of malice, but because it was his immense altruism that had accustomed them to that way. Itachi probably always had to be strong for everyone even to the detriment of himself and this is what everyone unknowingly always expected from him.

A crystal disguised as granite.

But Kisame wanted him to understand that his fragility was not a defect but, as happens with crystals, it was these that made him unique and precious simply by being part of him. He still hadn't told him how he'd ended up working at Susanoo despite his undoubted acrobat skills and how he'd fractured his shoulder, yet he was already exhausted enough to get Kisame to dig some more. Everything in time for him.

Kisame embraced him delicately and decisively at the same time, letting the dark-haired man sink his face into his chest. He wrapped his slender shoulders shaking with sobs, he could feel the tears slipping through his shirt wetting his skin, Itachi clung to his body as if he were about to be swept away by the current of a river in pain. Words weren't needed, Kisame had already learned that beautiful language made of looks, imperceptible gestures and twinkling eyes that Itachi used to use. That's why he placed his full, warm lips gently on his head and held him until he calmed down.

"Come on let's go, Kisame, the others will be arriving, I need to know if Nagato is okay. Sasuke will know everything today."

That's who Sasuke is, he's not just your brother he's your life.

"Wait just a second" Kisame kept holding him in his arms "Look, isn't beautiful?"

With a gesture of his head he had indicated a locust tree that was right next to them, they had ended up under it without even realizing it, the sun sparkled among the fronds while clusters of white flowers let go of their honey-sweet scent. The robinia flowers are small, but the fact that they were gathered in groups and that that plant had emitted so many made white appear at that moment as if it were the most beautiful color in the world, absorbing and canceling all the others with its simplicity and brightness.

You are so Itachi, extraordinary without knowing you are.

From time to time, small petals began to fall to the ground. In a few days the robinia would let them go with a slow but inexorable release in a light and candid rain.

You are like this, you consider yourself trivial in your uniqueness.

"Spring is a season that no one appreciates, when it arrives everyone already thinks of summer. We tend to notice and remember extremes more easily, as well as winter, and because of this, most people end up not enjoying what seems insignificant just because it is not part of the extreme. Only because it's not loud and flashy but actually, precisely because of its discretion, it's even more fascinating to discover."

Kisame was sure Itachi had guessed that he was talking about him, and he was immensely happy when he, starting to walk again, he didn't feel the muscles of his shoulders stiffen under his right arm.