#shisuitaweek2021 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

uchihashisuii · 3 years

Text

not ready to say goodbye

Summary: Shisui/Itachi | When Shisui was young enough to still be in the academy, he learned to swim in the Naka River. or: in which Shisui lives, and falls in love, and lives some more. or: in which canon is politely ignored. Tags: same age au | Aged-Up Characters | they're both older teenagers because i said so | Attempted Suicide | focus here being on 'attempted' | Friends to Lovers | Angst with a Happy Ending | Uchiha Shisui Lives | Teen Romance | Romance | First Kiss | grinding in a hospital bed | yknow when rin dies and obito can see flashes thru kakashi's sharingan? | the concept of still bein connected lives in my head so i rolled with it | loving descriptions of a river | lots of shisui and his family headcanons | because he's my wonderful little guy and i care him | canon is played by the book for the most part | until the cliffside | then i went lol naw | I never know what to put here | hey how you doing today? Author’s Note: This is my work for Day 3 of ShisuIta week 2021! I combined the prompts 'water' + 'healing' Suggested Listening: Hold Me by The Sweeplings + Not Ready To Say Goodbye by Leah Nobel Read it on Ao3 here Enjoy x

-----

When Shisui was young enough to still be in the academy, he learned to swim in the Naka River. His mother would hold his hand as he stood waist-deep in the cool water, splashing him with her foot. He remembers the way she would lean down, pressing a kiss to his cheek as her long, tumbling curls would fall around him like a curtain. He would watch her float and twirl and glide through the water, using shunshin to jump up beside him, startling him enough to make him shriek with laughter, begging with a child's wonder for her to teach him how to move like her.

And his mother would smile and smooth a palm over unruly hair he inherited from her, and she would teach him.

It was only when he was a little older, his eyes a little more attentive, that he realized the truth behind those hours spent at the riverside. They lined up nicely with the bouts of his father's loosened temper; the days when he would look at their home and see a battlefield instead, or look at Shisui and see nothing at all.

He doesn't remember much of the man his father used to be, before trauma and war had pulled him apart, inch by inch. He doesn't remember most things of his childhood; too focused on school and training and living up to the burden of Uchiha expectation.

What he does remember, is the musical sound of his mother's laughter, the feel of her steady hands holding him afloat in the water, and the association of peace to that serpentine river near a shrine of secrets.

------------------------------------

As time goes on, Shisui spends less time at home, and more time with Itachi. When he's not running missions with his squad, he's with the other boy, training together or eating together or simply being together. Shisui's mother had teased that they could be brothers, and to this day he pretends he didn't feel a sinking feeling in his stomach, looking at Itachi from the corner of his eye and feeling something a brother wouldn't feel.

They make a good team; even better friends. They balance one another perfectly; his own loud and outspoken way an easy foil to Itachi's quiet intensity. Itachi is all slender curves and strong hands, a contrast to Shisui's broad shoulders and light-footed agility. They're alike in a myriad of ways -brothers echoes uncomfortably in his head, and he once again pretends not to notice the slope of Itachi's throat, the graceful fall of his long hair- that makes their friendship easy, if not simple. No - not simple. His relationship with Itachi is the most important thing in his life, filling his heart to bursting with their conversations and laughter and memories. He cannot, will not, call it simple. Not when Itachi is the stars in his sky, bright points of light in an otherwise blackened horizon.

One thing leads to another and Shisui can't imagine carrying on in the dismal and violent shinobi world, not without Itachi by his side. They're a team, closer than he could have ever possibly imagined being with another person. Itachi makes him brave; makes him feel like they can achieve a dream of peace with no need for bloodshed, with Uchiha standing proud alongside their Konoha brethren.

A child's dream, perhaps. But a dream nonetheless, one Itachi had confided in him one summer night, camped beside the Naka. The roar of the river had drowned out their secrets and whispered confessions, but Shisui kept the words buried in his chest, held close to his heart. The passion and determination in Itachi's voice had made his stomach clench, and Shisui knew he would spend his life helping to achieve his dream.

They spend long days and longer nights near the Naka. Sparring on their favored cliff, laying beneath the stars with hands held. Shared meals and shared warmth, quiet laughter and a gentle intensity in black eyes that make Shisui's heart race.

And when he is sixteen, Shisui admits to himself that he's in love.

------------------------------------

The rush of water pulses louder than a drum; the deep ravine echoing the sound below him tenfold. The cliff above the Naka has come to be a favourite spot of Shisui's; a private place where none but he and a scant few others even know exist. He sits on the edge of the hard-packed earth and rock, hands splayed behind his back as his legs dangle in open air. Shisui can feel the spray of water from the waterfall directly across, the chill wind it emanates making him shiver. The setting sun reflects off the rushing water, lighting the ravine in swathes of gold and red and orange, so bright it nearly blinds. But then, the same could be said of all beautiful things.

Shisui tilts his head back and to the side, glancing at Itachi laying silently beside him. His eyes are closed, chest rising and falling evenly with every deep breath. The fact alone that Itachi had allowed himself to be vulnerable enough to fall asleep next to him is enough to make Shisui's throat tighten uncomfortably; Itachi doesn't trust easily or half-heartedly. Trust that he is betraying, Shisui thinks with a guilty heart and flushed face.

Shame burns in low embers beneath his breast, though if he's truly honest with himself, he doesn't feel the least bit contrite. It's a rare chance he'll happily -if guiltily- take, to simply sit and stare at his dearest friend.

Itachi holds a fragile sort of beauty in the setting sun. The warm colours of evening bring his angles into sharp relief, making him look thinner than he is. Though it adds a healthy glow to his relaxed face, the tear troughs that run across his cheeks look far deeper, adding a layer of stress and anxiety that Shisui would do anything to wipe away.

A breeze tugs at his hair, black strands brushing across his nose. Itachi makes an irritated face even in his sleep, and Shisui has to stifle both his laughter and the hand that instinctively reaches out to brush the hair from his face.

He is tempted, more than he'd care to admit, to reach out and curl a lock of fine hair around his finger. He wants to know what it feels like, to touch something ethereal.

His eyes spin red of their own volition, sharingan capturing the moment of peace, the image of effortless beauty. Shisui's smile is gentle and his heart full. His mouth moves but no sound comes out; his confession a secret between him, the sunset, and the river.

I love you.

------------------------------------

And then everything falls to hell.

------------------------------------

They're seventeen, and the disquiet and hushed plots among the Uchiha begin to come to a head. Shisui gets the go-ahead from the Hokage, to commit to his betrayal of his family and use his forbidden Kotoamatsukami on the clan head, and stop the coup d'etat before it can begin. His heart pounds and his palms are slick with sweat, but he is content in the knowledge that he is doing the right thing; and, at the very least, Itachi won't be counted among those who wait in the Naka Shrine. His heart will be away and safe, waiting on their cliff beneath moonlight whilst Shisui commits the greatest of taboos among the Uchiha. Using the mangekyo against one of their own.

His stomach churns despite knowing it is necessary, and Shisui swallows down bile as he jumps from tree to tree on his way to meet with Danzō.

------------------------------------

Blood pours in a river down his face, his hand shaking as he covers the empty socket of his eye with a slick palm. The hot shock of pain had dulled to an ache, though Shisui suspects it has more to do with adrenaline than anything else.

His thoughts run a mile a minute as he leaps and bounds and shunshins across the thick forest, pulse a steady roar in his ear. It's all fallen apart in his hands, the crush of failure and fear weighing heavy upon him. If the clan discovers that a sharingan had been stolen -

Danzō's words echo in his mind. That even if he had succeeded in changing Fugaku's mind with the Kotoamatsukami, it wouldn't end the conflict or deep-seated bitterness in the Uchiha. The cycle would begin anew.

His jaw clenches hard enough to crack, a plan already beginning to unfurl as he follows the river to where Itachi waits. He glances at the rush of water with his remaining eye, and thinks with a startling clarity that perhaps, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if the Naka were to take him.

------------------------------------

Shisui is glad, in a strange sort of way, that he only has one eye to see the look of horror on Itachi's face. He pretends not to notice the shining tears that brim in his dark eyes, choosing instead to pretend to be brave, for once.

They argue even as Shisui lays out his plan, his hope, his desire for Itachi once he's gone. And, cruel and crude as it may be; the awakening of his mangekyo, once Shisui is dead. He keeps his voice steady and clenches his hands into tight fists to keep them from trembling; he's convincing himself as much as he is convincing Itachi.

With a rough shake of his head, Shisui forces a lazy smile to curve his mouth. He reaches with a shaking hand to pluck his remaining eye from its socket, refusing to make a single sound. The fact that he's about to be parted from Itachi for good is far more painful.

He holds his macabre final gift out, summoning one of their shared crows to inherit his sharingan. Shisui's heart feels light, strangely unburdened as his world turns black. Though his hands still shake and his stomach feels like it's fallen somewhere near his knees, he's glad for the small mercy that his final sight was Itachi's face.

He is afraid to die, but, strangely, he finds the courage to do something he should have done a long time ago.

The wind turns the drying blood on his face into ice, and he spares a single thought on what horror he must make as he reaches with soaked hands for Itachi's face. Shisui feels his hair first, the wind whipping the dark strands against his fingers. He chuckles quietly, deep in his throat; he'd finally gotten to touch it.

Shisui cradles Itachi's face in his palms, slippery with blood. He is as tender as he can be, thumb sliding across the line of his cheekbone, before leaning down to capture his mouth in a bruising kiss.

Itachi makes a choked noise in the back of his throat, though his hands immediately come up to grasp at Shisui's shoulders and pull him closer. His heart sings at that, though he doesn't allow himself the luxury of dwelling on what, exactly, that means. He allows himself a moment to drift on the feeling of Itachi's soft mouth, a sudden surge of bravery filling his chest.

"I love you," Shisui whispers against Itachi's lips, smiling through the blood. "And I'm sorry."

Ah, but he's still a dreadful coward. Waiting until both eyes are gone to say the words, so he won't have to see the look on Itachi's face.

Between one breath and the next Shisui pulls Itachi's hands from his shoulders, gives his knuckles a parting kiss, and steps backwards off the cliff.

He's glad it'll be over quickly, when he hears Itachi shout his name over the din of the waterfall. The desperation and pain are heard clear as a bell, and something beneath his breast shatters.

The roar of the waterfall is deafening, Shisui's palms beginning to sweat as the sickening feeling of falling without sight turns his world upside down. But with grit teeth he swallows down the fear; he wants his last thoughts to be of Itachi, to be of love.

Summer afternoons spent lazing beneath the shade of a tree. The sound of Itachi's warm chuckle. The first time Shisui had lost a spar to him; a rasping laugh escapes his throat as he remembers his face flushing when Itachi had thrown him to the ground, straddling his chest and holding a kunai to his throat.

I'm sorry, Itachi. For putting so much on your shoulders, for leaving you now. You're too kind for the shinobi world. We could have changed it, we could have -

And finally his mind returns to that evening by the river, the setting sun bathing Itachi in a golden glow that had stolen Shisui's breath. A good final image to hold on to, even as he thinks with a sting of regret that he should have kissed him that day.

Something in his empty vision flickers. Shisui sees a flash of midnight wings, the edge of the cliff. A wave of vertigo washes over him as he sees his own body falling, gracefully down to the current below. And then, impossibly, Itachi diving off the edge straight after him.

Panic makes him choke on his next breath, body jerking uselessly against the pull of gravity. No, no, no, please - this is all wrong, it wasn't supposed to happen like this. You have to live - for your brother, for the clan, for me -

Shisui wants to scream Itachi's name, but his back slams into something hard and freezing and he knows no more.

------------------------------------

Shisui's awareness comes in waves. At first it's the dull ache of pain in his back and skull, the scratch of something unpleasant on his face. There is a warmth cradling one of his hands, the rough slide of a calloused palm rubbing slowly up and down his arm. Sound returns shortly after; a door sliding open, and what he thinks might be a muted conversation.

When his mind finally catches up, he doesn't know whether to be relieved or not at the fact that he's alive. He's in too much pain to be dead, he thinks.

He can't help the chuckle that breaks free of his parched throat, the sting of it making him hiss through his teeth. Shisui hears a gasp from somewhere close, the slide of a chair on linoleum. The warmth on his hand and arm disappears, giving way to the feeling of gentle fingers carding back through his hair.

"Shisui?" Itachi's voice is barely a whisper, but Shisui thinks it might be the loveliest thing he's ever heard; his name, just his name, in a dulcet tone filled with relief.

"What happened?" Is all he asks, before he says something ridiculous like I love how my name sounds in your mouth.

There's silence, and a sudden feeling of apprehension fills the room, with no small amount of anger. It makes Shisui nervous, and he swallows thickly.

"I - I was able to bring you to the hospital, right after - after you -" Itachi's voice reveals nothing of his emotions, though the fact he stumbles over his words is telling in and of itself.

Itachi's hand moves to cup Shisui's cheek, thumb brushing lightly over the swell of his cheekbone. Shisui feels his face immediately heat, and thinks he might actually be dead, if Itachi is touching him so tenderly.

"You saved me," Shisui manages to croak out, tongue sticking dryly to the roof of his mouth. His tone is coloured in wonder, still distracted by Itachi's hand on his face.

"I did. Open your eyes, love."

Shisui just barely stops himself from choking, something tight and hot filling his chest at the endearment. He licks his chapped lips, and does as he's told.

It nearly blinds him, ironically. The overhead light stabs into his eye, making him flinch and immediately squeeze his eye closed again. Before he can crack a joke about maybe getting a little warning next time, Shisui sucks in a breath. His hand moves to prod at his face -bandages and gauze wrap snug around his head; no wonder he was so itchy- and he realizes there's only one.

"It's the crow's," Itachi answers before he can ask, voice tight as he pulls away, Shisui already missing the warmth of his hand. "The other was lost when I killed Danzō."

"What?" Shisui's eye snaps open at that, a wheeze coming from his tight throat as he jerks to a sitting position. He blinks rapidly, tears spilling from the sting of pain and over-sensitivity. Shisui tilts his head to see Itachi standing with his back turned, gazing out the open window.

"The coup is off. After Danzō's treachery was revealed, Sandaime asked my father and the Uchiha Police to investigate. It - went a long way to bridging the gap, so to speak. Opened up the opportunity for a proper discussion, between the clan and the village. There's - a lot's happened, while you've been ..." Itachi trails off, shrugging his shoulders. He does not turn back around.

Shisui blinks. Blinks again. "What?" He repeats, confusion clouding his already-muddled brain. He looks down and sees that Itachi's hands are shaking, his arms held rigid at his side.

"Ita-"

He's interrupted as Itachi suddenly whirls on him, eyes blazing red. Shisui flinches, mouth dropping open. "What were you thinking? Leaving me to do everything? Kissing me? Making me watch as you -" His voice breaks, a hand coming up to curve over his throat. "- as you throw yourself off a cliff, and call it a gift? You think your suicide is nothing but a way to unlock my mangekyo? Kissing me?! Idiot."

It's the most angry Shisui has ever heard him. Vehemence spit through clenched teeth, his sharingan bright from the pooling of tears.

Shisui's face burns. He feels about an inch tall, in the face of Itachi's ire. He's - he's right. Shisui had been thinking of the future of the clan, and not of how it would feel for Itachi, to be thrown into such a nightmare with the added weight of guilt and loneliness. Add to that the kiss - Shisui puts his face in his hands, shaking his head.

"You're right. Shit, Itachi, I'm -"

Shisui finds himself interrupted once more, though he doesn't quite mind. Not this time. He can barely take a breath, barely has time to close his eye, before Itachi is on him. A hand fisted in his curls, soft mouth searing against his. Their second kiss is more teeth than tender, and it lights a fire that licks slowly up Shisui's spine. He doesn't think, doesn't stop to consider; he lifts his hands to grip Itachi's trim waist, fingers digging hard into his hips. Itachi makes a low noise in his throat, lips parting to lick inside Shisui's mouth, and he swears he sees stars.

Shisui tightens his hold, yanking Itachi down. He immediately moves to straddle his waist, nails scraping over his scalp, pulling lightly on his hair. Shisui's chest rumbles at that, nipping at Itachi's bottom lip with his teeth.

"Idiot," Itachi breathes into his mouth, kissing him deeply. Shisui hums, hand moving to rub up and down his side, his mouth curving into a smile. "Idiot," Itachi says again, all breathless laughter and warm affection.

Shisui doesn’t know how long they remain like this. He's losing himself in the heat of Itachi's mouth, in the feel of the other man eager and warm and grinding down on his lap, desperate and needy. Shisui groans at the sensation, his mouth moving down to press against Itachi's jaw, then the slope of his neck. Itachi throws his head back with a gasp, exposing his throat to Shisui's eager mouth. He kisses Itachi's pulse-point with teeth and tongue, hands roving up his back to tangle in his long hair.

"I love you," Itachi whispers around a thick swallow, eyes fluttering closed.

Shisui pauses, just a moment, before he winds Itachi's hair around a tight fist, making his back arch. He nips and kisses Itachi's neck with renewed vigor, whispering words of affection against his skin. "I love you, too."

They lose themselves in the whirlwind, Itachi plucking noises from Shisui's throat he hadn't realized he was capable of making, with every roll and grind of his hips. Shisui's back and head ache something fierce, but he refuses to let go of Itachi, not now that he has him. It's nearly overwhelming, the sudden influx of emotion and sense of right. But Shisui is happy to let himself drown in it.

#shiita #itashi #shisuitaweek2021 #shisuita #shisui uchiha #itachi uchiha #naruto #shisui x itachi #itachi x shisui #jules writes #why am i always late with these

39 notes · View notes

sonorous-cicada · 3 years

Text

The Broken Promise

A large stucco building came into view as Itachi eased the car into a parking lot. ‘SPCA of Konoha County,’ a fading sign said in the front. A dead rosebush was outside of the open glass doors and the paint on the handrails was chipped. It was the furthest thing from a beauty spot. He had promised Shisui that he would meet him here.

Shisui waved at him as he popped his head out of the building. This was going to end badly, he could feel it.

“Hey, Itachi, come on in! I got someone for you to meet!” his boyfriend yelled excitedly from the entryway. A small brown dog was peeing on the lobby wall and Itachi couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose. “Oops. It’s okay, Chika just needs to be trained a bit!”

“You… named it?”

“Her, I named her, yeah. She’s so cute!” Shisui held up the small shiba inu towards Itachi. “I figured since I bought that pet shop downtown that we should actually have a pet. She’s going to be a working gal,” he added a wink that did absolutely nothing to convince Itachi that this was a good idea. It also took the wind out of his sails for the argument of, ‘We’re never home.’

“We should have discussed this first.”

“I knew you wouldn’t say no, once you saw her sweet little face! Here, hold her.” The dog was abruptly pushed into Itachi’s arms. There was a flash of a camera and Shisui smirked at him. “For posterity. Your face looks adorable.”

Itachi rolled his eyes and petted the dog’s head. It was very soft. She licked his cheek and he held her away from himself in shock. When he looked up, Shisui’s face softened. The love reflected in his eyes made his own heart stutter.

“Alright. She will be potty-trained?”

“Of course! First thing. You won’t have to lift a finger, I promise.”

“And I promise that I won’t lift a finger to clean up after her,” Itachi retorted. Shisui waved his hand absent-mindedly as he snuggled his face into the dog’s neck.

It had been well over a month since they adopted Chika and took her home. Fur was everywhere. It covered the couch, the rugs. It collected in the corners of his bathroom like a treacherous creature waiting to swallow their toes. Sometimes it even coated the countertops in the kitchen. Though how? Itachi never knew the answer. The dog only came up to his knee and that was pushing it.

Everyday he vacuumed and everyday the fur settled back down on the surfaces as though nothing had been done. His pillows smelled like dog no matter how often he washed the pillowcases. Every night he laid his head down expecting to smell Shisui or himself and every night his nose was assaulted with the smell of Chika. She wasn’t even allowed on the bed which made him suspicious as to how that was happening.

The look on Shisui’s face made it all worth it. He never talked about it, but coming home from the wars left scars on his mind. Somehow, this furry creature was reaching him in a way that Itachi had never seemed to be able to. Late at night, when Shisui left his bed, Chika would bounce up and join him in the living room. He’d hold the dog close and talk to it--tell it the nightmares that Itachi had never heard. When he interrupted one night, Shisui just gave him the same mask of a smile that he always did on nights like these.

Tonight was like that. Small chunks of fur littered the hallway as Itachi got out of bed.

“I couldn’t save them… any of them,” he heard whispered in the living room. “Do you know what that’s like, Chika? Knowing that they died and I’m the only one alive?” There was a scratch of an ear and the dog’s foot thumped rhythmically on the couch cushion. Itachi sunk to the hallway floor and listened as the bottled poison drained from Shisui’s soul.

“I keep thinking if I had been fast enough. If I had volunteered to be point on patrol. There’s just so many ifs… Sometimes I wonder if I should even be alive when I cheated death. And then I look at Itachi, and I feel guilty. Guilty for being able to sleep in his arms when their lovers return to empty beds. Ah… but you don’t understand huh? You’re just too innocent.” There was another scratching sound followed by thumping.

“Good girl. Do you need to go potty?” The leash was pulled off of its hook and the anchor closed. After the front door was opened and closed behind the pair, Itachi stood up and attempted to dust off the fur from his pajamas. He sat down on the couch and waited for them to return. Shisui was wiping his eyes when he walked in and removed the leash from Chika. He stopped suddenly when he saw Itachi on the couch. Slipping on the fake smile, he waved. “Hey, Itachi. Did I wake you?”

“No. You were quiet. You needn’t feel guilty.” Shisui’s steps faltered. “They would not want you to feel guilty.”

“Itachi--”

“I’m the selfish one. Everyday that you’re here with me is a precious gift. And I’d sooner die myself than part with it.” Itachi stood up and put his hands on Shisui’s shoulders. “I love you, Shisui. I need you here. You’ve done more good to this world than you know. I’m not the only one that needs you.”

“Itachi--”

“I love you,” Itachi repeated. He rubbed his thumb along Shisui’s jaw and pulled him closer. “I love you,” he whispered against his lips. He repeated himself over and over as tears spilled down Shisui’s face and the saltwater intermixed with their kiss.

Afterall, if the dog could help heal Shisui, he would do anything. Even break a promise.

***

AN: Written for Shisui x Itachi week 2021; prompt promise @shisuitaweek

#shisuitaweek2021 #shisui uchiha #itachi uchiha #shisui x itachi #itachi x shisui #shiita #slight fluff #angst #modern au #And yes #Shisui owns a very successful pet store in downtown Konoha.#Itachi is a professor at a university #promise #drabbles #drabble

35 notes · View notes

alyssaallyrion · 3 years

Text

Title: the course of true love (never did run smooth)

Rating: M

Summary: A soulmate AU in which Itachi and Shisui aren’t soulmates, but love, as usual, finds a way.

Written for ShisuIta Week 2021 Day 4 Prompt: Soulmate AU

ao3 link

Chapter 1

Itachi feels the ground under his back – a sudden pain of fall resonating through his body, knocking the air out of his lungs. Wincing, he opens his eyes and draws in a sharp breath. Shisui is over him, the red of his eyes slowly fading to black.

“Looks like I win again,” Shisui says, “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” Itachi lies – he’s still a little dizzy from the fall, “One more match?”

“I don’t know about you,” Shisui smiles brightly, “But I most certainly need a break. Not all of us can be as relentless as you.”

Shisui leans forward, offering Itachi a hand to help him up. With a sigh, Itachi grips Shisui’s forearm firmly, letting Shisui heave him to his feet.

“Let’s get some water,” Shisui offers.

Itachi hums absent-mindedly, distracted by the way Shisui’s hot skin feels under his palm. Suddenly coming to his senses, Itachi realizes that his hand has lingered longer than it should and instantly releases his grip on Shisui’s arm, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks.

In truth, Itachi too could use a break – they’ve been sparring for hours now, since the early morning – but Itachi has always felt an almost painful need to show Shisui that he can keep up with him.

Itachi wipes his forehead with the backside of his hand, wicking away the sweat. Summer has finally come to Konoha, filling the air with warmth and light. Training on the hot days was harder but necessary – years of serving in the ANBU have taught Itachi that being prepared for any conditions is essential to the survival and the success of the mission.

Itachi and Shisui walk to the posts on the edge of the training fields, where they left their belongings. Picking up his water flask, Itachi takes a large sip. The water is warm, having sat out in the sun all day, but it still feels refreshing.

“Your last move was excellent,” Shisui smiles, wiping his mouth with his hand, “I barely dodged it. Who knows, maybe with a little more practice, you’ll be able to get me one of these days.”

“Are you afraid?” Itachi chuckles, taking another sip of water.

“I should be, shouldn’t I?” Shisui laughs softly, “You are a genius after all.”

Itachi rolls his eyes and brings the flask to his lips again.

“Itachi, hold still for a moment,” Shisui says suddenly, “You have leaves in your hair.”

Itachi hardly needs Shisui’s help, but he likes Shisui’s touch, so he does as he’s told. Shisui runs his fingers deftly through Itachi’s hair, making a quick work of the offending leaves. Itachi almost regrets that there aren’t more of them so that he could feel Shisui’s touch for longer.

“There you go,” Shisui smiles, pulling his hand away.

“Thank you,” Itachi murmurs softly.

“Oh, I’ve almost forgotten,” Shisui says, closing his water flask. Reaching into his bag that rests on the ground, Shisui produces a small, rectangular box, “I’ve got you these.”

A smile blooms on Itachi’s lips as he realizes that Shisui has gotten him sweets from his favorite dessert shop in the village.

“Why did you get me sweets?” Itachi frowns, accepting the gift.

“It’s almost your birthday,” Shisui grins widely.

“My birthday isn’t for another week,” Itachi protests as he unwraps the ribbon.

“That’s true,” Shisui shrugs, then meets Itachi’s gaze, “Maybe I just like to see you smile.”

Itachi hopes that the color brought to his face by hours of sparring is bright enough to hide the blush rising in his cheeks. As he opens the box, he’s almost overwhelmed with the lovely smell. He wants to try the sweets so bad, but he knows he can’t just yet – the hour’s getting late, and Itachi had promised his mother that he and Shisui will be home in time for dinner.

“It’s too bad it’s almost dinner time,” Itachi sighs, looking wistfully at the sweets.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Shisui smiles mischievously.

Itachi glances between his best friend and the sweets in the box. The temptation is too much to resist.

“You’ll have to eat some too then,” Itachi says, “Just so you’re also implicated.”

“You really thought this through,” Shisui laughs as Itachi offers him the sweets.

Itachi cannot help but smile as he tries the candies – they are delicious and taste of sweet cherry and vanilla. Itachi has always had quite the sweet tooth – if it were up to him, he could likely eat his weight in sweets. Itachi wants to thank Shisui for getting him the candies, but when he glances up at him, the words die on his lips as his breath hitches in his throat.

Shisui’s mouth is sticky sweet from the sugary glaze coating the candies. Itachi watches, mesmerized, as his tongue darts out to collect the sweetness, unfamiliar yearning rising in his chest.

Then Shisui shifts and the spell is broken. Itachi shakes his head, chasing away the strange feeling. <em>What has come over him?</em>

The sun is setting slowly over the village, painting the sky red and orange. Itachi doesn’t want to walk home – the exhaustion from having spent the day sparring finally catching up with him – but he knows that his mother will be cross with them if they are late.

“We should go,” Itachi says, “It’s almost time for dinner.”

Shisui doesn’t argue.

They collect their belongings, then take the short way to Itachi’s house. The Uchiha compound is quiet in the early evening hours – most people are at home having dinner with their families before bursting back out onto the streets to enjoy a warm summer night.

They walk side by side through the streets of the compound, and Itachi feels at ease – as he usually does when Shisui is by his side. When Shisui looks at him, he doesn’t see the clan heir or the ANBU captain or a genius shinobi – he only sees him, Itachi.

“I wonder what your mother has made,” Shisui says, distracting Itachi from his thoughts, “But then again, all her cooking is amazing.”

“You know,” Itachi looks over to Shisui, “You might be my mother’s favorite dinner guest – I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as enthusiastic about her food.”

“Well then they must not understand anything about good food,” Shisui replies easily, “Homemade meals prepared with love are always the best!”

There is a wistful expression on Shisui’s face, and Itachi’s heart clenches. Shisui is an orphan – both his parents died when he was really young. <em>He must miss them so…</em> For all Itachi’s issues with his father, he is really grateful to have a family.

To distract Shisui from his thoughts, Itachi nudges him lightly.

“Maybe you should get married then,” he says, teasingly, “If you pick right, you could get all the homecooked meals you want.”

“And devastate half of Konoha?” Shisui laughs, glancing at him, “Such a cruel suggestion, Itachi.”

He knows that Shisui’s joking, and, yet, Itachi’s heart drops at his words – with Shisui’s good looks and charming personality, it was little wonder that so many were smitten with him. He knows he has no right to feel this way, and still, he cannot help it – he hates the thought of Shisui with someone else.

They turn the corner and find themselves outside of Itachi’s home.

“Itachi, is that you?” his mother calls from the kitchen as soon as they enter the house.

“Yes, mother,” Itachi responds as he and Shisui take off their shoes and head to the kitchen.

Mikoto’s standing by the stove, somehow tending to three different pots at the same time.

“Hello Shisui,” his mother smiles, glancing over her shoulder, “You two came just in time – the dinner is almost ready. You better be hungry – I’ve made way too much food or three people.”

“Very are famished and very excited for the food,” Shisui replies easily, earning an even brighter smile from Mikoto.

While Itachi’s father has always been somewhat apprehensive around Shisui, realizing, perhaps, that his primary loyalty was to the village rather than to the clan, his mother has always adored him.

“Is Sasuke not here tonight?” Itachi asks, frowning.

“He’s over at Kushina’s house,” Mikoto shrugs, “With Naruto.”

Itachi smiles – it’s good that Sasuke has friends his age.

“Do you need help with anything?” Shisui asks Mikoto.

“Just carry these to the table,” Mikoto nods at the few platters resting on the counter next to her.

They do as they are told.

The dinner goes well, and, as his mother recounts a story from her days as a kunoichi in response to Shisui’s amusing tale from the recent mission, Itachi finds himself wishing they’d have evenings like this more often.

“Itachi,” his mother says softly, distracting him from his thoughts, “You are unusually quiet today.”

“I’m just a little tired,” Itachi shrugs.

“I can only imagine,” Mikoto frowns, “You have been out training since the early morning without any rest. Training is important – but you two should take better care of yourself!”

Shisui shoots him a glance that can only mean, “I tell you that all the time.” Itachi rolls his eyes at him, saying without words, “Look who’s talking.”

They help Mikoto clear the table after dinner. Itachi lingers in the kitchen with his mother for a moment as Shisui heads back to the dining room to get more plates. Once Itachi puts cups into the cupboard, he turns around and notices his mother look at him intently.

“Mother, is something wrong?” Itachi asks, confused.

“No,” Mikoto shakes her head, “Not at all. It’s just that time flies so fast. I feel like only yesterday you were a tiny child in my arms, but not you are almost a man grown. To think that you are turning sixteen in a week – old enough to get your soulmate mark…”

“Mother,” Itachi interrupts her instantly.

Smile leaves Mikoto’s features, replaced by a concerned expression.

“Right,” she says, “I’m sorry.”

Itachi doesn’t want to talk about soulmates – especially not around Shisui. Everyone in the village had their soulmate mark appear on their sixteenth birthday, but, somehow, in a cruel twist of fate, Shisui never got one. Itachi always thought this unfair – Shisui was an incredible person and deserved to be loved.

Itachi remembers the day of Shisui’s sixteenth birthday all too well. Shisui was supposed to return from the mission late that night, but Itachi’s heart was fluttering with nervous anticipation, and he realized that he could not wait till the morning to see him. Instead, he got Shisui’s favorite cake and went to his apartment to wait for him there.

Time stretched slowly, and it was well past midnight when he’d finally heard the front door open. When he saw Shisui, Itachi felt a lump in his throat – his friend looked utterly exhausted, and there was a strange sadness in his gaze. Itachi’s never seen him look like that.

The instant Shisui’s eyes fell upon Itachi, his face lit up.

“Itachi!” he exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to be the first one to wish you happy birthday,” Itachi smiled at him.

It wasn’t technically Shisui’s birthday anymore since it was well past midnight, but Itachi thought it was close enough.

“Thank you,” Shisui breathed out, walking over to Itachi and pulling him in for a hug. Itachi’s heart fluttered in his throat as he buried his face in Shisui’s chest. Only one question was burning in his mind, but somehow, Itachi couldn’t find the courage to ask.

The thought of Shisui having someone else’s name on his skin burned his heart. Back then, he thought it was because they were close friends – after all, it was not uncommon for people who have just found their soulmates to spend time with them and neglect other people in their lives, at least for a while. Itachi always loved spending time with Shisui, so the thought of being apart from him was painful. It took too long for Itachi to realize that this wasn’t mere jealousy of a friend – that he’d been in love with Shisui all those years.

Once he had let Itachi go, Shisui headed to the shower, as he usually did after the mission. Afterward, they settled at his kitchen table and ate the cake Itachi brought. Itachi noticed a deep, fresh scar running up Shisui’s forearm, and his breath hitched in his throat – so close to the artery, it’s good that they had a medic on their team.

Itachi looked Shisui in the face, the question burning on the tip of his tongue. Finally, he could not handle the uncertainty any longer.

“So…” Itachi started slowly, “Have you…?”

Shisui met his gaze calmly, then smiled.

“No,” he shrugged, “I didn’t. Looks like I don’t have one.”

Itachi looked at him in stunned silence. Shisui’s tone was so casual that it seemed he was talking about the weather and not about not having a soulmate. Itachi felt conflicted – a part of him was overcome with sadness for his friend, but another, selfish part, was almost relieved. There was another feeling niggling at Itachi’s heart that he could not yet– now he knows it was the anguish of not being Shisui’s soulmate.

The next few days passed in a strange haze – Itachi was both terrified and hopeful that the mark could still appear. But days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, then years, and Shisui still never got a soulmate mark.

People were, of course, surprised and sympathetic – it was almost unheard of for someone to never receive their soulmate mark. Shisui was the pride and joy of their clan, and everyone was waiting with bated breath to find out who his soulmate was, and, when it turned out he didn’t have one…People haven’t looked at him the same.

It always angered Itachi – to him, Shisui was the most incredible person. What did it matter if there was no soulmate mark on his skin?

Dread rises in Itachi’s chest at the thought of his own fast-approaching birthday. Ever since he learned that Shisui didn’t have a soulmate, he has hoped that he, too, won’t get a soulmate mark. He didn’t need a soulmate mark to tell him who to love – for so many years, he’s only loved Shisui, only wanted Shisui. And Itachi would never let some stupid mark change the way he feels.

The thought of someone else’s name on his skin makes bile rise in Itachi’s throat. He wants to be with Shisui - or no one at all. He knows that Shisui – his selfless Shisui – will never be with him if he got someone else’s name, all in a misguided attempt to make Itachi happy. But what if being with Shisui is all Itachi ever wanted?

Itachi pushes the thoughts away – there is nothing he can do now, with his birthday still a week away. His exhaustion finally catches up with him, making him dizzy. His mother notices immediately and shoos Shisui and him upstairs to sleep.

They part at the top of the stairs – Itachi heads to his own room and Shisui to the guest quarters. When they were younger, they used to sleep in the same room whenever Shisui stayed over, but with time Itachi’s parents thought it more proper that each had their own space.

In his room, Itachi switches into his sleeping clothes and crawls into his bed. He’s exhausted, yet somehow, sleep doesn’t come. Despite the warm day, his bed feels cold, and he keeps twisting and turning, trying to find a comfortable position. Itachi gives up with a sigh, then gets out of bed and heads out of his room.

He knows he shouldn’t do this – not now that he’s realized that he has feelings for Shisui, but he cannot stop himself. Not when sleeping in Shisui’s arms always felt so safe and comfortable. He wonders briefly if it’s improper but pushes the thoughts away – when he and Shisui are together, nothing ever feels wrong.

Itachi finally reaches the guestroom and opens the door quietly. Shisui is lying on the futon, fast asleep, his curls strewn across the pillow, his mouth slightly open.

“Shisui,” Itachi murmurs, stepping into the room.

Shisui shifts slightly then opens his eyes.

“Itachi,” he whispers, voice hoarse, “Can’t sleep?”

“Yeah,” Itachi nods, then gestures at the futon, “Can I…?”

“Of course,” Shisui smiles, moving to the side, “Just don’t poke me with your elbow again.”

Itachi scoffs, crawling into the bed next to Shisui. They’ve grown quite a bit in the recent years – once upon a time, this futon was big enough for both of them to sprawl out without touching, but now they end up pressed close together. The warmth radiating from Shisui makes Itachi’s skin tingle as he shifts closer, leaning against Shisui’s side.

As soon as Itachi’s head touches the pillow, he starts to drift off.

“Comfortable?” he hears Shisui whisper against the crown of his head.

“Yes,” Itachi mumbles sleepily, “I wish it was always just the two of us.”

“Well, I’m not going anywhere,” Shisui replies softly.

With that, Itachi finally falls asleep.

#itachi uchiha #shisui uchiha #shisuitaweek2021 #shisuita #shiita

26 notes · View notes