Not How It Used To Be

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I thought, "Fuck it. I'm gonna stay up another hour and post another chapter." So I stayed up after posting a chapter and decided to type the next one and now here I am posting it . This one doesn't have a lot of talking. I'm trying to speed this up more because it has been going a little slow in the beginning.

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It's the fourth time Itachi hugged me today. The first was a surprise but I quickly hugged him back when he arrived outside my house. I assumed it was just a heartfelt greeting. We were still young so I thought he was getting more used to spending the rest of his life with me. Heh, I like the sound of that.

I wasn't used to hugging him since contact between us was still iffy with our parents. Mostly my parents... Mostly my dad.

...Just my dad.

Usually, when we go out to lunch, Itachi held my hand or placed his hand on my shoulder. He only hugged me occasionally. Now he's more touchy-feely but it doesn't seem right. It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach.

It could be because of Shisui's death. I knew they were best friends and I rarely knew him. I usually saw him in passing when I visited Itachi. This whole courting system took away my time but I cherished our moments together. I never really thought about how Itachi spent most of his time with me more than his friends, or maybe in this case the one friend.

I was saddened when I learnt about his death, a suicide from what Itachi told me. He was a good person and I regret that I didn't get to know him better. He was close with Itachi and his family. When the suicide note was discovered and no body, they were devastated. Even Fugaku-sama showed some emotion.

Sasuke stayed home for a week until he was forced back to school and even then he wasn't the same. He smiled only occasionally and only seemed energetic when Naruto picked fights with him. Itachi was the same but he seemed to zone out when it got quiet. After he had his little session of thinking he would then become more physical. I noticed the slow increase of this pattern by the day. 

I didn't want to complain for the sudden increase of touching but the reason he was like this was connected to Shisui. 

Over the course of time Itachi seemed worn down. I could see the hint of dark circles under his eyes. His eyes flickered around occasionally as if he was searching for something. When I was entering the compound with Itachi, I could feel the stares and whispers of the Uchihas around us. It was the first time I have ever felt unsafe in the Uchiha compound. 

Usually everything was bustling. The people in the small shops were bright even for an Uchiha and always greeted us when we passed but but now everything seemed barren. Every time I entered, an uncomfortable feeling settled in my stomach. 

This was nothing like the whispers from when I first got engaged to Itachi. It was just gossip and excitement before but now it seemed more hostile and wary.

It was the weekly dinner at the main house with Itachi's family. We approached the main gate to Itachi's house when three men stood a few yards away. 

Itachi immediately stood in front of me, making sure to cover me from their view. I stayed behind him, knowing that with Itachi on guard anything could happen.

There was silence until a cold voice rang out, "Suicide, huh? Is that what they call murder these days?"

I stiffened, suicide could only mean Shisui but what does he mean murder?

Itachi stayed silent and his arm twitched toward his kunai pouch. I clutched the back of his shirt hoping it would send a silent signal to him telling him to not do anything stupid and to be careful.

"A murderer and his accomplice, or is she just a pretty face that you like to fuck?" I gulped at his attention that rested on me. I knew there was going to be a fight. I could feel it, the killer intent leaking from Itachi. It was as if someone was stepping on my chest, I wanted to move but I felt paralyzed.

My hands began shaking and in a second my hands were grasping air as Itachi flashed forward. A crash rang out as one of the men flew towards the wall.

The remaining two broke off into opposite directions, circling Itachi. One pulling out a kunai and without stopping, headed towards me. I felt a twinge of panic and my heart race. This was nothing like my training sessions with father. My mind started to flash through all the scenarios of what I could do.

Before I could move an inch, the man disappeared. I blinked and standing in front of me was Itachi. I looked behind him, the one that attacked me was on his back, both of his legs at funny angles and the remaining one was sitting frozen on the ground, occasionally twitching.

I glanced back to Itachi to see his Sharingan activated but instead of the usual three tomoe was a a strange symbol. It looked like a curved shuriken. 

He reached forward and rested his hand on the back of my head, he pulled me forward and I fell into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and mine respectively around his waist. 

I was silent as I felt his chest rise and descend with a slight shake. The only sign of what just happened.

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Well then. Can you guess what the next chapter is?!



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