Weeping Samurai | Uchiha Itachi [Editing]

Chapter 8: Reality

The two shinobi stared at her slim figure, gazing off into a void as her eyes shimmered.

“Shiro-chan, then.” Kisame smirked. “That's what I'll call you from now on.”

Shiro's eyes slowly wandered back to the shinobi's big frame, a gleam of true appreciation shining in her lonely orbs.

“Arigato, Kisame-san.”

Itachi blinked, his dark eyes flickering from his two teammates. He let out a tired huff and sunk into the bed.

“I see there's only two beds.” Shiro pointed out after a moment of silence. “I guess I'll sleep on the ground then.”

“Or you can sleep with me.” Kisame patted to a small empty space beside him, a joking glimmer in his beady eyes.

Itachi immediately sat up from his mattress and glared at his partner.

“That won't be necessary,” he growled a little too harshly. Realizing this, Itachi cleared his throat. “I'll give you my bed; I'll sleep on the ground.”

“You really don't have to do that, Itachi-san.” Shiro headed to the linen closet to fetch the bed mat. “I'm perfectly fine with sleeping on the floor.”

“I insist.” Itachi was suddenly beside her, snatching the mat from her skinny arms.

Shiro gazed up at him with a look of childish confusion, her dark eyes wide. The shinobi groaned.

“Just take the bed.”

Shiro blinked a few times before reluctantly stepping aside for the ninja to set up his bed. Itachi laid the bed mat down on the tatami mat floors and swiped his cloak from the bed before Shiro tucked herself under the blankets. Her wet hair clung to her back as she lay there, staring at the white ceiling before drifting asleep to the sound of rustling clothes and Kisame's soft snoring.

~~~*~~~

The morning was dark and cold, but not near as cold as the Iron used to get around this time of year.

Shiro woke up before the sun had even the thought of peeking over the rocky mountains, stretching in her warm bed before getting up. She got ready in the bathroom with the boys still slumbering in their places, shutting the door quietly behind her. She emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later to make her bed and to strap her scabbards to her skinny hips. She went over and poked Kisame on his pale blue cheek.

“Oi, get up.” Shiro blinked, her voice barely a whisper.

Kisame groaned from the somewhat timid wake up call, rolling over on the bed and hanging his long arm off of the other side. Shiro sighed and shook her head slightly, walking up to where Itachi slumbered soundlessly.

“Itachi-san...” Shiro hissed, bending down to shake his shoulder.

His hand popped up from under his blanket, grabbing at her tiny wrist before it touched him. Shiro cocked her head to the side childishly, her tired eyes narrowed but her eyebrows raised slightly in curiosity.

“I'm awake,” the shinobi muttered. He let go of her hand sat up from his bed mat, twisting his neck from side to side to result in loud popping noises. His eyes remained closed as he took a deep breath and exhaled. They fluttered open, awake, just as he had said. The dark orbs themselves were alert and well rested, but the lines on his face said otherwise.

“Kisame is going to take a while to wake,” Itachi nodded over to his sleeping partner.

“As long as we get to the border of the Land of Earth in a week,” Shiro said plainly, nodding once. “I'm fine with him sleeping in a little.”