Itachi was your best friend. You had met at the Academy when you were young. Despite being an Uchiha, you didn't graduate as young as he had.
That didn't stop him from befriending you, though.
⠀
He had first befriended you, or, at least, realized that that was what it was when you stood behind him after he had received some dango from Izumi. "Nice date?" You had asked with a smirk on your face. He simply gave you a blank stare, which you laughed at. "You know, I'd consider her lucky. Do you know how many girls have dreamed of sitting next to you on that pier?"
He shook his head. "I can't say I do know."
You shrugged. "Oh, well. Either way, you probably shouldn't leave Izumi hanging. She's practically head over heels for you."
You then walked away, trying not to show that you were upset with the news. You had a mild crush on Itachi, but if being with Izumi would make him happy, who were you to stop him?
You did find it odd that this little "love triangle" consisted of entirely Uchiha, though. Even though you and Izumi were very distant members and could barely be considered members of the clan, you still found it odd at times.
Either way, you hoped Itachi would be happy with her.
⠀
The next day, you noticed Izumi with a downcast look on her face. You weren't really all that close with her, but you sat down next to her anyway.
"Are you alright? What's wrong?" You ask, gently touching her shoulder.
"Oh! Hi, Y/N," she greeted you. "It's nothing, really... Itachi just said he doesn't feel the same way about me, is all."
You frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. But don't worry! There's plenty of guys out there. Not just Itachi." You gave her a small smile, and she gave you one back.
"Thank you, Y/N. You're lovely, you know that?"
You shrugged. "I'm just helping you out. You deserve it."
And with that, you ran off to find Itachi. He wasn't hard to find; he was with Shisui and Sasuke, Sasuke, more than likely just there because his mother told him to take his little brother with him. Either way, he was a cute kid, so you didn't mind.
"Itachi!" You called out, running towards him. He turned, Shisui laughed, and Sasuke didn't really have a reaction. He didn't know you that well, either.
"Y/N," he greeted. "Anything I can do?"
You nodded, poking his forehead like you saw him do to Sasuke sometimes when you were in the forest with them. "Catch me if you can!" You called out, laughing as you ran away.
You vaguely heard Shisui give him the go-ahead, that he didn't need to train all the time, and later, you heard him run after you.
That quickly became your thing.
⠀
A few days later, he made ANBU. You were happy for him, as you hadn't heard of anyone making ANBU that young. Perhaps you were incorrect, but you were pretty sure he was the youngest to ever make ANBU.
"Congratulations, Itachi!" You said with a smile on your face. "Oh, and by the way," you poked him on the shoulder, as he had specified earlier that forehead pokes were a thing just for Sasuke. "When you're able to... catch me if you can."
He caught you three days later.
⠀
Some time had passed, and he was still ANBU, but this day was, you had assumed, was the worst day of Itachi's life. Shisui, his closest friend, had died. He refused to tell you how, but you knew he had been killed. It was just an instinct, if you will.
