[Name] held onto that letter tight in her hand. On the short walk back to her apartment, she rewound back everything that happened, to every word they said to each other...and everything they confessed – almost confessed from the heart, that is. She was shaking and yet smiling because that heart of hers danced in excitement.
Itachi said his feelings for her were the same, they never changed. Does that mean...he still loved her like she...
"Fuck."
Now standing in her living room, she glanced at the letter and bit her lip. Nerves, excitement and fear was all that ran through her. She sat down and tried to get comfy, but she couldn't. So she went towards the kitchen and sat on the bar stool, slapped the letter on the island and settled her elbows on the surface, but she was uncomfortable. She then decided to go to her bedroom and went to sit but the sight of an unmade bed disturbed her so [Name] went ahead and did that first.
And when the bed was complete and pressed by the palms of her hands, [Name] sat down, leaned back on the headboard and crossed her legs at the ankles before bringing up the letter. She bit her lip again and chewed on it for a moment as she contemplated on stupid questions.
What could it say? Was it a long or short letter? Will it be written in pen or pencil? Maybe the words are smeared and unreadable...
But most importantly, how would she feel after reading this letter?
That was the question that stopped her from opening it. Granted she was stalling because of how nervous she felt but – dammit – she would laugh about how childish she felt. Well you won't find out the answers to your questions if you sit here like an idiot, she self-lectured, and with a frustrated sigh, [Name] finally gathered courage and started to pick at the corner of the letter, when her phone decided to ring.
Her eyes went to the screen to read Hinata's name across it and tilted her head, wondering why she would call so early in the day, and especially when [Name] was already halfway to reading that letter finally. If it were someone else, she would let that call go to voicemail, but Hinata was dear to her as a friend, so she set down the letter and picked up her phone.
"Hey, Hinata!" she greeted happily, inwardly relieved her attention was taken away, "what's going on?"
"Uh, well, we are waiting for you," Hinata giggled through the phone and [Name] stilled.
Were there plans today? Plans she had zero clue about? She looked at her calendar and was shocked to see words written on today's date to remind her of the plans. Indeed, there were plans today.
"Well shit I forgot," she replied dumbly and stood to find clean clothes so she could get ready.
"Hey no worries, we still have about 20 minutes until our dress fittings," Hinata settled, "Just let me know when you're here, okay? Don't rush over, cause I know you get quite reckless when in a hurr–
At that moment, there was a thump through the receiver and Hinata silenced.
"I'm okay!" [Name] sprung up from the floor after taking a tumble while trying to slip into her jeans and picked up a sweater to cover her bandaged arms. "You were saying?"
Hinata was just finished with her fits of giggles. "Never mind, just be careful on your way over."
...
Itachi sat waiting as he scrolled through his phone. After waking up to [Name] he made sure to fulfill his duty of getting a hold of the groom later that day, who was fashionably late. It was strange for his friend to be missing so long, so not only was Itachi doing [Name] a favor but he wanted a talk with Shisui to settle some issues straight. He was looking up every few minutes towards the front doors, finding nothing everytime so he just went ahead and focused on his phone. But in reality he couldn't help but think back on this morning. He was still surprised the bold move [Name] made, though she was just being helpful – that's just who she is. A chunk of time passed by them and yet nothing much had changed. Except now she's got a hold of his letter.
Oh shit, now he was nervous. What would she think? What would she do? Will she even read it, maybe throw it out? Whatever she ends up doing is out of his reach, of course, but he could only hope she gives it a chance. Closure would help seal the tension between them at the very least. He wasn't expecting much but he hoped that they could be friends again...
"So rare to catch you so distracted," the voice of his best friend interrupted his thoughts. Itachi fixed his posture and greeted Shisui with a small smile.
"I see the search team has pulled you out of the well you fell into," Itachi threw back, "where have you been, bud?"
"Nowhere else but work." Shisui sighed as he took a seat and reached for the pre-ordered drink that the waitress left at the table on a drive-by.
"Though you should've been somewhere else, don't you think?"
"Whoa there! Was I summoned to relax with my best friend or to be lectured? Is this an ambush?"
"Shisui," Itachi broke the humor for a moment, for once. "I've been taking your place for important events. Yes, I am here to hang out with you but I am also here to make sure you aren't in any trouble."
The groom leaned back on the booth and let out another sigh, looking at his best man in a lazy manner. "I'm not in any trouble. Like I said, I'm simply swamped with work."
"I understand, but you could've made time for events that needed your presence." Itachi put aside his drink to lean forward on the table, getting a bit more serious. "I'm also having a talk with you as a favor, so you want to share what's really going on?"
Shisui chuckled before downing the rest of his drink. "I'm a little hurt you suspect more of me, Itachi, but sorry to disappoint – I am simply being assigned more work than before. I wouldn't have the time or energy for other affairs."
"What in the world are they making you do in the middle of your wedding planning?"
"Listen, fine, I am getting a promotion," Shisui revealed, "I am aware that I've been absent more than I should be, but – fuck – I'm just trying to afford this wedding, and that requires a little bit of extra time dedicating to work."
Itachi mirrored Shisui's pose of leaning back on his seat this time. "Don't you think you're risking something important by being away this much? You don't want a dent in your marriage, do you?"
"Of course not, but I am sacrificing a bit of time now so I won't have to do it afterwards, if you can grasp that."
Itachi stayed quiet for a moment to process his defense. "Alright, fine, I can understand the logic behind that, but just consider being around a bit more, especially now that we're nearing the day. You know how exhausting it's been taking your place?"
"I can surely imagine," Shisui laughed along with Itachi's chuckle, the mood was finally lifting. "How has [Name] been, by the way? Throughout the time you've spent with her, what's the verdict on what I should be aware of?"
"Are you asking me to give you a review on your own fiance?" Itachi rolled his eyes at the smug smile Shisui wore in response. "Fine, nothing dramatic. She knows what she wants and makes sure every detail is on par. Nothing exciting to tell, really."
Except I almost confessed to her.
"That's awfully positive for the [Name] I've gotten to know."
You don't know her like I do.
"The girl has had to make decisions practically on her own."
Shisui still kept that smirk at the reasoning. "Makes me feel like you know more than I should."
"Well, I have spent more time with her than recommended."
Oh and she woke up in bed with me this morning...
"Don't fret," Shisui said, shrugging, "it'll be over soon."
The way he said that made Itachi a little unsettled. Whenever they did talk to each other it's only been through the phone an awful lot, too, which only made him wonder one more question.
"How are you feeling?" Shisui looked up from his phone at the sudden question, showing a confused look, so Itachi added, "I mean about all this. You don't seem as invested as you were in the beginning. You were excited and determined to get the plans going – hell, you were excited to assign me your best man on the day I had barely returned home. So when I ask you how you are feeling, I am really asking 'are you still here?'"
They stared at one another. Itachi did feel a bit wary about every word he just sputtered, but if he had to do something so out of character, then it must mean it was a topic that needed to be discussed. Shisui, on the other hand, didn't seem fazed by the whole explanation; he was more like thinking hard on what to say by the way he glanced elsewhere but Itachi now.
"I...honestly don't know."
Itachi frowned in concern.
"I mean, yes, I'm going through with it," Shisui corrected, "but it has been rather different these past few weeks. [Name] and I have been busy on our own way and the closer the day gets, the farther we seem to get. I don't even know how we got here in the first place, actually."
Now it was Shisui who was sputtering words but Itachi only listened, perhaps revealing more insight.
"You remember I told you [Name] was the one who proposed to me?"
"Yeah, that's..."
"Not something she'd do, right?" Shisui finished and Itachi had to agree, though he didn't say it out loud. "I mean we were just having a fun day together, not even romantically, like she and I were just laughing at everything, then out of nowhere she pops the question – no, scratch that, she just says it cold turkey: 'Let's get married.'"
Oh? Itachi only kept on listening, intrigued. The bit of hunger he walked in had been ignored, even. He had to agree with Shisui that it was out of character for her to do. Asking to marry someone shouldn't just be popped out nowhere, especially from someone who likes to plan out every move.
"I guess I was into the feeling that I went ahead and said yes, then later that night I realized what I actually got into. I even had to go to an unexpected friend for help..." Shisui paused then, looking up at Itachi once he realized everything he just shared. "Fuck. Listen, my point is: I am just as part of the audience watching this event unfold. But, again, yes, I am going through with it, if I make any sense at all."
"It's a bit...complicated," Itachi commented and the groom seemed to agree by the small laugh he let out. "But I can understand the feeling."
"Can you?"
Do I?
Yes, actually. The feeling of having everything in place, plans already stretched out before you until those last moments: everything starts to slip until it shatters into tiny pieces and disappears into the wind. He experienced this with [Name] before all went to shit many years ago. They were in love (he still was, annoyingly). He planned to propose to her with the same ring on her finger. They were supposed to be the ones choosing the little details, argue over decisions and stress about gathering everything to end up perfect.
Wait. Haven't they already been doing a bit of that?
"Yes," Itachi said simply in the end and Shisui accepted it.
"Well, like I said, it'll be over soon," the groom suddenly dismissed and picked up the menu sitting in the middle of the table. "How about we get some grub? I'm starving."
Itachi nodded and picked up his menu to settle that conversation over. When he opened it to a random page, he glanced over over the top and wasn't surprised to see Shisui had glanced over at him as well.
...
She should've just read it, dammit.
[Name] was annoyed about stalling herself so much that she couldn't read Itachi's letter. There was so much thought going into that old envelope that she drove past a red light and stayed put as she waited for a stop sign to turn green. And now that she was at the dress shop with her friends, her bridesmaids – whom she had forgotten plans with – her mind was also kidnapped. Her attention was partial even though the dresses that each picked to fit their body types were all gorgeous. But then Sakura was having trouble looking for a dress when Mei had tried multiple dresses that looked beautiful on her, so Sakura was just fuming in the background searching through the racks while Mei suggested some options. It was comical when she paid them attention but she was mostly just staring out into nothing.
"What do you think, [Name]?"
She looked up to find Hinata coming back around from a slow twirl to show off her selected lace gown. The flowery details were gentle and the light flow of the material accentuated her silhouette more than flattering. Of course, all these positive reviews would've been better said out loud.
"Looks great," was all [Name] said instead, smiling. But Hinata was sharp and sensed her distraction, so she sat down on the empty space of the bench and leaned into her.
"Are you okay?"
[Name] nodded right away and cleared her throat. "I'm fine! You look...breathtaking as always."
"Thanks, you're sweet. But it seems you are not here with us. Is something the matter?" The lack of response seconds later made Hinata more than aware and reached out to cover one of the bride's hands with hers in assurance. "Let's grab some dinner afterwards, what do you say? Just you and me."
And for once, she was grateful someone noticed. "I would love that, yes. Thank you."
...
They picked a spot that was open seating and chose to sit outside, away from all the noise. Hinata had saved all the therapy until they settled into their seats and had their choice of comfort drinks. [Name] had gained back a bit of color after leaving the dress shop. She was grateful she only had three bridesmaids, otherwise they'd probably still be in there debating on dresses that practically looked the same...
"By the way, what's with the band-aid on your cheek?" Hinata started, pointing at her own cheek and [Name] had actually forgotten about the cut.
"Oh nothing to worry about," she tried dismissing, "dumb little accident at work."
"Well alright... So what's going on, [Name]?" Hinata inquired next when she felt it was appropriate to bring up her worries, which was the moment she saw the look of relief after [Name] tasted her tropical tea.
"Whatever do you mean? I am in heaven now," she said before taking another long drink through her straw.
"Come on now," Hinata giggled, "you know what I mean... You think I haven't noticed how you've been distant, distracted and basically not yourself compared to months ago?"
She stilled her slurping. "Am I that obvious?"
"Well, after knowing you for more than ten years, yes." Hinata smugly took a sip of her own drink as the bride giggled.
"You know me well," [Name] gave in. And she really couldn't coat anything if she wanted to; Hinata was that educated in psychology. She knew how to read between the lines and through fine print. "Oh, you know, just a lot has happened since the planning started. I've been searching high and low for every perfect detail, work has been busier like they know the stress of wedding planning and, well, having to balance my time and attention to others who need it."
"You seem to be focused on one of those options," Hinata pointed out, "you were so excited for this event then you slowly shrunk away from it."
[Name] shrugged, twirling the straw in the liquid. "Yeah, you can say that. I'm just...trying to figure out some issues of my own."
Issues like figuring out if what she has been absorbing into has been worth it. Did she rush something that usually needs more time to build? Was she holding on too tight and forgot to acknowledge it?
"Are you and Shisui okay?"
That question made [Name] jump in her seat and sheepishly glanced at Hinata. "We are fine, but not the same as we were before, I guess."
"Cold feet creeping up to you?"
Shit, was it? She loved Shisui...but not the same way as she would say for another.
"I don't even know anymore..." [Name] said in a sigh, running an anxious hand through her hair. "We haven't had any issues against one or the other. It's just...something else came up in between and now I'm just fighting with myself over what to do."
"[Name], listen to me," Hinata began, her voice set to one of a true friend. "If whatever is getting in the way of your happiness, then there is no shame in dropping everything and starting from scratch. Or perhaps you made a mistake. Maybe all went too fast and you're just now realizing that. Whatever could be affecting your decisions, your sanity, then just take a step back and consider what is important. You've invested a lot into this step of your life, and the least you want is to deal with is regret later on."
She was right, god dammit it. Hinata was just picking at every single thorn sticking out of her skin, like she's been watching everything that's happened. Maybe [Name] rushed proposing to Shisui out of nowhere, which was purely out of panic, even she was shocked that had happened because she was so afraid of the day she'd run into Itachi again. Now she was just in the middle of it all and had many choices, she was stuck pointing at the very same one.
"Believe me, I will make a decision if necessary," [Name] assured, "There's just one tiny thing I need to settle and will get my shit together."
Hinata laughed. "That's one way to put it."
"Once that's done, I think I can move on one way or another."
"Then so be it. Get your shit together, [Name]."
Said person gawked to hear dear ol' sweet Hinata curse, and her reaction made them both laugh. The negativity she felt washed away as they enjoyed their meals and chatted freely. This was definitely something [Name] needed, be around someone that takes her out of all the mess she got herself in. Hinata was a diamond in the rough kind of friend and she was glad to have known her since middle school. Hinata was wise as she was observant and knew when something was wrong, it's a natural instinct of hers.
"Thank you, by the way," [Name] brought up again after a comforting talk about their childhood shenanigans, "for calling me about today's plans. I would have completely forgotten without you. All this planning has me going insane and just all out forgetful."
"I can only imagine. I've been told about Bridezillas and disasters against family... At least you weren't like that. Man, I hope that doesn't happen to me."
[Name] paused her drinking and looked at Hinata. Just a little closer, squinting her eyes at her while repeating those last words again. "Wait, what?"
Hinata realized what she'd just hinted, failing on trying to reign back her nerves. "Huh? What, what? You know, if I ever - I mean-" Now she was the one acting like she hid something by the way she stammered all over the place, plus being a terrible liar gave it all away.
"Oh my god," [Name] gasped, "He did it, didn't he?"
Hinata blushed and that was when all the attention went straight to her left hand, which was attempted to be hidden by the sleeve of the sweater she wore. A thin, white gold band with a few diamonds decorating the middle now came into view as Hinata gave up and showed it to her gawking friend. It was such a simple ring yet gorgeous. Not too exaggerating but enough to decorate the hand with the symbol of everlasting love those two definitely radiated in.
"He proposed about two weeks ago but wanted to keep it to ourselves until after your wedding," Hinata explained as [Name] appreciated her engagement ring by turning it around.
"So Naruto finally had the balls," [Name] mumbled to herself before looking up at her friend. "Girl, you should've told me! I think I'm more excited about your engagement now. Many congratulations to you two!"
"Thank you. Naruto actually did well surprising me with it."
"Let me guess, he proposed to you after a date night at the ramen shop...?"
Hinata blinked twice and her hand went up to cover the laughing grin at that spot on guess.
"Aw, I'm just teasing you!" [Name] joshed, "That's so exciting! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Sorry, I meant to tell you eventually but didn't want to steal your thunder."
"Thunder? Nonsense! You two are deserving of each other."
Hinata blushed at that, one of flattery. "Thank you. I'm very happy." This girl has had a crush on that dummy since practically kindergarten. Everyone knew Hinata likes Naruto but he was so oblivious to her feelings, it actually hurt. And now that they are finally where they should be, it's surely going to be a reason to celebrate for days.
"Have you two set a date yet?" [Name] suddenly ignored her own worries for a moment and leaned closer towards Hinata on the table with hands under her chin. She was much more interested in her marriage plans already than her own.
"Not yet," she answered shyly, "but when we do, I don't think we want a big wedding. I feel like we'll just have our closest friends for the ceremony and a small get-together afterwards, then maybe later on we'll plan a grand party."
A wedding for Hinata and Naruto already sounded like too much fun, she almost wished this current wedding was for them instead. "You have to let me know when the planning starts and I'll be happy to help!"
"Of course I will! I actually like your current ideas so I might steal a few details for my own if that's okay."
[Name] blew a raspberry, as if she didn't mind at all. "Go for it. Hey, take anything you need, honestly."
Take it all, it's yours.
"I appreciate it, [Name]. But for now let's just enjoy your celebration."
Enjoy, she says... She would be enjoying it if her mind wasn't scattered and her emotions weren't being played like a tug of war against herself. Everything that's happening now has been nothing but autopilot and, quite frankly, she was over it.
"Yeah..." was all she could say in a tired sigh. Hinata looked at her while she drank her tea, noticing the distance in her eyes by the way she played with her napkin like a helpless child.
"You know, [Name]," Hinata broke the silence once more, "I never expected you'd marry Shisui. You two were close but I never got the romantic vibe off you two." She paused to catch the way her friend averted her gaze. "Honestly, I saw you with someone else."
[Name] felt the tension in her shoulders, because there was something about that comment that made her feel like Hinata knew something. She may be a quiet gal but they say the quiet ones are the most observant. Maybe Hinata knows that Itachi is her neighbor, or maybe she caught a glimpse of them hanging out in the past. While that may possibly be the case, she still had to carry on and not give herself away that easily, so [Name] decided to press on with a response that could cloak her anxiety.
"Oh? And who is that 'someone else'?"
Hinata kept her gaze on her as she thought about it, smiling. She must know... She has to know... Could she know? Shit, now her palms were starting to get sweaty.
Then, finally, Hinata shrugged. "Well, if I tell you my guess then I don't want to jinx anything – rather, plant some ideas in you."
"Ideas such as?"
Another shrug. "Wouldn't be exciting if I told you, right?" And like the mysterious girl she was, Hinata simply continued to enjoy her drink, a small smile on her lips when she suddenly changed the subject. "So is everything set for the big day?"
Of course she'd carry on with the conversation and continued talking like that topic was never discussed. [Name] was so anxious one of her eyes probably twitched a little.
...
Home finally, a little less stressed, a little less anxious. She took the letter in hand with confidence this time, no longer scared, and chose to walk to a nearby park where the sounds of running water, music, the smell of barbecue and giggling children made her feel less lonely. She picked a spot under a tree where she was comforted by the sunset about to occur and held Itachi's letter with both hands.
She took a deep breath in and out, telling herself, "Read it and get your shit together," and finally opened the letter with care, trying not to cause more damage than it was already under from so much handling. Butterflies swarmed in her belly and her heart opened as she started to read...
My one and only love, [Name],
Hopefully you will not get bothered that I still call you my love. In my heart and in my mind you are still the love of my life and can only hope you read this, or rather, open it at the very least. And if you did, thank you.
Yes, I do owe you an apology, but it seems that a thousand apologies may not even be enough to make up for how I made you feel. I know you weren't interested in hearing my explanation of what happened, but you must know that it was not premeditated. Do you remember all those pictures we looked at after that lame MORP school dance? I told you at the time they were all just pretend play clothes or Halloween costumes from different movie references, but they were actually pictures of me under the military dress code. Since age 6 and until the age of 13, I was forced to attend military school by my father. I was going to be put into another for high school but I refused. My father was not supportive of my decision but thanks to my mother's help of defending my case, my father backed down. However, my father demonstrated his disagreement with bitter taste later on. I was enlisted by his hand in secret, and I found out the day I got a letter in the mail, which was the letter you found a few days later in my dresser. I was trying to hide it because I had something more important to ask of you before I could tell you.
So there it is. I don't know how much of that will be worth now but that is what happened. I will say that I did have the desire to serve the military during those seven years being taught at military school, but it was you that changed my mind about continuing to an academy and attended public school instead. If what happened hadn't gotten in the way I promise that I intended to make you the happiest woman in the world permanently. I think you know what I mean, but I will only demonstrate in person if we meet again to reconcile.
Only if you wish for that to happen, [Name]: a chance to have you in my life again. You were the one I wanted to accompany me to the end of my days. I never wanted to hurt you. I am very sure of the love I have for you, and I am not willing to let it go so easily. You are one of the most valuable people in my life and I want to defend that above all things.
I made a terrible mistake but I can't just throw away all the beauty and love we had between and around us all this time we stayed together. What we had was bigger than we expected and maybe we weren't wise enough to understand it and keep it with all the care required by fine things; maybe we weren't wise enough to approach it with all the cautiousness you use when touching – and feeling – the lightness and the sound of pure crystals... During this time apart, I have learned to understand that, sometimes, we need to step back a bit. I have learned that in order to have a lot you have to compromise a little, and that that "lot" is you and your ability to love. I hope you can forgive me for the damage that I have caused you.
But know, [Name], I can't allow myself to let you go – no matter how hard you push me away. You may not wish to have me anymore but I still hang on to the memory of you, the times we've spent and kept close in my heart, memories that we've shared together is what gives me hope. I've always felt that we were special because of how often we managed to pick each other up again and again. Many times we could've ended our relationship due to immaturity and inexperience, but there was always a little sticky something that wouldn't set us free. We always came back to each other. I love how you know me, how you say my name and that the way we laugh together sounds different than when we're with anyone else. Since the day we met, I carried you in my heart and nothing will ever change that, not even the fact that you may be with someone else who is making you happy, or happier. I love you and I'm holding onto that feeling even if you've forgotten about me by now.
If you have already taken the decision to end this – us – definitely, I will understand with a broken heart, but may you reconsider then I will wait for your response. I hope you want to give us one more chance for everything to go back to being beautiful as it was before... Of course, I have no intention of demanding anything from you, but I am under your mercy. To avoid overwhelming you I will only write this letter and whatever happens next then I will have no choice but to accept it. My heart is yours, [Name], but it's your call what you'd like to do with it.
Love with madness,
Itachi
Her heart was pounding. Her cheeks were warm and wet with tears. Her legs pulled up against her chest so she could hide her face into her folded arms and cried out every regret and frustration.
Idiot, idiot, idiot!
Why didn't she listen back then? Why couldn't she just shut her mouth and hear him out? Instead she shouted, spat words that hurt him and burned everything in the trash. Her anger was the demon who changed her, manipulated her character to make decisions that were not her own...such as proposing to Shisui because she had heard about Itachi's return through a phone call and fear drove her to the decision of getting married in spite of her pride. She thought being engaged to someone else would erase her lingering emotions but obviously that never worked.
And now look at her...
She was torn, definitely. She was convinced she fucked up, massively. She was an idiot. She put herself in a difficult position. And now she wasn't sure what today was and what tomorrow will be.
But she did have a desire to answer his letter. Itachi did deserve it after all. And if she had received this letter in the past, maybe they'd still be together and maybe...just maybe all of this planning could've been for their own happy ending.
After a moment of kicking herself in the ass, [Name] left the spot under the tree. The sunset was at its last moments as she made her way back home – but not to her apartment. She headed straight to what has always been home for her and stood before Itachi's door.
Home was a feeling, a place in her heart and knocking on his door was the last wall she needed to get around.
"[Name]?" Itachi answered the door fairly quickly and she was at the verge of tears again to hear his voice with a different feeling in her heart.
"Can I come in?" she requested almost in a mumble because her voice started to shake with sorry. "Please, Itachi."
He quickly opened the door wider and invited her inside with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "What's the matter?" he asked in worry while closing the door behind her, "Are you alright?"
She shook her head, unable to speak for a moment because the tears she fought back were slowly breaking through. Get your shit together.
"I read your letter."
Itachi visibly relaxed at that, yet he was wary. "I...hope it helped you understand now," was all he could say at the moment among many things he could say. Even after these many years, he remembered every word he jot down just a few days after his friend Burke died. Every word was written with feeling because he was angry and grieving. He lost a friend and he just couldn't bear losing the love of his life. And there she was now, standing before him with tears down her cheeks.
"Yes, I understand," she answered weakly, pulling back her lips before asking a risky question. "Am I too late?"
He closed in cautiously, "You're never too late."
The hands at her shoulders slid down her arms to take her shaking hands, and [Name] lowered her head to smile at his answer. She was about to follow her own advice and get her shit together. Finally.
"I can't do it, Itachi."
He winced at that and started to loosen the grip on her hands because maybe he'd made her uncomfortable, only to be surprised it was her who tightened her hands around his when she looked at him again.
"I mean I can't marry Shisui, after all," she said it finally and let go of his hands to wrap around his shoulders, hands locked at the nape of his neck. "Because he's not you."
Itachi had already placed his hands around her and held her against him. It was the perfect fit to have her whisper him all that he deserved.
"I forgive you. I want you and, yes, I still love you. I always have, but you know how I am."
"Yeah, I do," he chuckled as he brought a hand to cup her cheek. "You're a stubborn little shit."
"And your dad is an asshole."
They laughed together at that. Yes, she was angry to find out what the old fart had done, but Fugaku had always been a colorless man, even when Itachi always made him proud multiple times in his childhood. Oh well, Fugaku was an older man now and maybe he will acknowledge the wrong eventually. At least there was nothing he could do about these two now.
"I'm sorry I didn't listen," she took a turn on the guilt, "And I never forgot about you. I could never..."
Itachi shut her up with a kiss finally. All was forgiven, he didn't need to tell her that, but he showed her and she showed him. The way their lips moved with so much purpose and desire...it was overwhelming.
So much time wasted.
So much lying.
Their hearts could only take so much. Hands roamed everywhere, missing the way they fit perfectly into one another; the way his hands slid down at the low of her back and pressed her against him to feel his desire for her, indirectly asking for permission to take this further, and she moaned into his mouth in response. Itachi started walking backwards towards the hallway and she followed, carefully stepping so to not make them fall to the floor. She was so deep into the kiss that she ended up misstepping anyway, and, as if that was expected, Itachi caught their fall – as he's always done – and instead grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her so her legs wrapped around his waist.
She laughed in embarrassment and the mere sight of seeing her happy, the gratifying sound of her voice pierced through Itachi's heart and appreciated her a moment.
"Sorry!" she blurted before planting playful kisses on his cheeks and many more on his smiling lips. "As you can see nothing has changed."
"So eager, are we?"
"Well, it has been an eternity without you."
Itachi sighed contently and continued on to the bedroom where they woke up this morning, only to gently set her back down. He feathered kisses from her jaw, down her neck and back up to her sighing lips.
"And now we have an eternity more."
This moment... Kissing with need, smiling every time they looked at each other, laughing at silly mistakes as they stripped off their clothes until they were tangled in their own heat and rolling around in bed through the sounds of pleasure... It was everything time and misunderstanding took away.
I missed you.
I love you.
But now I have you.
Everything was back to being beautiful as it was before.
♥
Hi again! So like the reader in this story, I too have my shit together. xD I can daydream and poop out chapters again! <:D As always, THANK YOU for the patience and reminding me to update. I am so excited that I know I can finish this in the upcoming months! This was an exciting chapter and will escalate a bit, which means I will daydream at work even more! I hope you all enjoyed and happy with this chapter as it has answered many of your questions about what would happen to them. Well there you go! Now let's see how it unfolds. ᕕ( ՞ ᗜ ՞ )ᕗ
Love you all!