Wildfire (A Naruto Fanfic Book 5)

Chapter 31

"Like the clothes, extra food, and stuff like that?" He nodded. "I don't understand."

He smiled at me. "I won't do it. I don't see it as work."

I tilted my head again. "But I do nothing for you in return."

He stroked my cheek. "You spend so much time doing for others... but you do things for me as well."

I pursed my lips. "Not that I recall."

He sighed. "You never put me in uncomfortable situations if you can avoid it, you push me to be my best self, most importantly you allow to be myself around you. You showed me I could be my own man, with or without my clan..."

I met his gaze. "It's not the same... other than cooking here and there..."

He poked my forehead again. "Material things... not as important."

I sighed. "Whatever, Uchiha."

There was a knock at the door, and we both looked at each other, surprised. "I'll get it."

Aya and Chihiro stood in the doorway. "Are you two okay?"

Itachi stepped aside, letting them in, Ryo and Shisui trailing behind. "Uh... why are you here? How did you find here?" I glanced at Shisui already guessing the answer and not missing his eyes never left me.

Their looks of relief were comical. Chihiro hugged me. "You're not drunk anymore. If we would've known..."

I frowned. "This couldn't wait til later?" They looked at each other guiltily. "Well..."

Ryo sighed. "Shisui may have seen you two coming in, and the girls were worried."

I looked at Aya. "Well... we know you two are up super early and figured you'd be awake, and we never slept so..."

I looked at Itachi, who was leaning against the wall, watching his cousin from the corner of his eyes. I could tell he was just as annoyed as I was. "No offense, but go get some sleep."

Chihiro sighed. "We understand if you're mad about the whole drinking thing. We didn't exp-"

I held up my hand. "I'm not mad, I'm annoyed. Drinking was an honest mistake. You came here uninvited at... 2:30 in the morning?" I gestured to the clock on the stove.

Aya blinked. "It's 2:30?"

I frowned at her question, then really looked at them all. They were disheveled in the same clothes they had on earlier. I could smell sake on them and frowned. "You"re all still drunk."

Chihiro and Aya exchanged wide-eyed glances. "Well..."

I huffed and looked at Ryo and Shisui. "You too?" They both shrugged but were leaning against furniture for support. I sighed and went to the bedroom, putting on pants over my shorts and a jacket. I was pulling on gloves as I came back out. "Let's go..."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Why put on more clothes? I me-"

I punched him in the gut before he could say more. As he knelt over in pain, I whispered in his ear. "Don't say something you'll regret, perv."

Itachi came over to me, eyeing Shisui. "I'll go too."

I looked at him, uncertain, but knew not to question him. "Okay." I herded the girls back to the apartment, and the others followed. Once there I took them to the room we got ready in. I looked back at Itachi, and he nodded, leading the men to the other room.

I was worried and hurriedly helped them get washed up and ready for bed. Once they were settled and sleeping, I went to find Itachi. When he wasn't in the common areas, I went to knock on the other door and paused when I heard talking.

"Too bad, thought we'd be interrupting something." It was Shisui, and his words were slurred.

"That's funny... those two?" Ryo sounded equally as drunk, but what worried me was Itachi's deadly silence.

Shisui chuckled. "Well then... I don't know how you do it, Itachi... I've never seen that much of her skin."

"Shisui... you're drunk." Itachi's tone was more frightening than his silence.

"Aw, come on... just between us boys. Is sh-"

Sleep.

"Hey... Shisui?" Ryo sounded confused but relieved. I heard movement. "He's still breathing, but I'm happy he didn't finish."

I heard another shift in the room. "Look, I haven't had the pleasure of having 'the talk' with you, but I also never felt the need." He sounded more sober now. "Whatever you two are and are not doing is your business... I know you will protect her with your life, and I really appreciate that."

I felt the tension in the air lessen. "Sorry that we just showed up, but after Shisui mentioned seeing you bring her back, they insisted on going to check on you two. To be honest... I still don't trust him."

I slid down the wall as Itachi remained quiet. "I saw... the way he looked at her when we got there, and his words tonight confirmed it. I don't like it, not for her... not for Chihiro."

I felt Itachi move. "Me either. Get some sleep. We can talk when you're sober." I looked up at Itachi when he emerged. He held a hand out to me. "May need to get another apartment..."

I inhaled his scent. "No... that's unnecessary, besides... I like your mom being close." He kissed the top of my head. "Remember my promise, Itachi... he won't have me." He hugged me tighter. No one else will...