The Heart Of The Matter

The Heart Of The Matter

Part Two



"You received Sasuke's heart?" Itachi swallowed the thick lump in his throat and stared into the room with barely concealed trepidation. He was barely keeping himself from turning and running as fast as he could from the visual evidence of Sasuke's sacrifice.



"Am I missing something?"



Itachi ignored Kisame's comment and took another step into the room. This man, the one who looked two steps from expiring the last time he had seen him, held a healthy color to his skin. His eyes, were just as bright, but instead of shadowed by illness, were wide and full of life. His gaze slid to the white bandage visible just over the top of his hospital issued gown. All thanks to Sasuke.



For an instant, a small glimmer of anger and jealousy rose into his mind. Sasuke had died and his heart was now sitting happy and healthy inside a stranger's chest. Why did Sasuke's heart have to be taken away? Suddenly today felt like a mistake. He was not ready to let go of Sasuke and seeing the result of his death hurt so badly.



"I didn't think I would see you again, Itachi."



"The feeling was mutual."



Naruto smiled widely, more so than someone who had just lived through major surgery should have possessed. Itachi tried to return the expression but was left with only regret. He was not unhappy because it was Naruto who received Sasuke's heart, but rather his longing for Sasuke himself that truly burned bitterly in his mouth.



He was certain. Today was a mistake. He was not ready for this.



"Itachi?" Kisame was at his side, likely having noticed the sudden pallor on his face.



"I..."



A strange expression ghosted across Naruto's face when Itachi finally lifted his face so to allow their eyes to meet. There was longing there, and perhaps a little regret in those stunningly blue eyes.



"You two are together?"



It was Kisame who nodded, his large arms wrapping around Itachi in an embrace. This last week had been one of the few times Itachi allowed such open expressions of affection. In general, he preferred to remain aloof while in public.



"At least you have each other."



Itachi's jaw clenched. "But we don't have Sasuke."



"I didn't mean..."



Itachi lifted a hand and pulled away from Kisame's arms. "I can't...I thought..."



"Itachi—" Kisame's voice trailed off as Itachi moved away and stepped to the door leading into the hall.



Pausing at the door, Itachi gave a final glance to the man lying on the bed. "Forgive me, Naruto Uzumaki. I wish you the best in your life."



With those words he left. There was nothing left in him to say. The ache was too great and knowing Sasuke's heart still lived on inside of Naruto did little to ease it. In that moment he wanted to disappear so to end the seemingly endless pain rolling through his body. Some might say think it strange for him to be so devastated by Sasuke's death, but he had lost both a brother and a lover in the same moment. It was not so easy to recover from such a blow.



He felt Kisame's warmth at his side and large hands lifted his face to stare into piercingly pale blue eyes. "It will be alright."



"No...it won't ever be alright again."



"Don't say that. It will just take a while, but we'll get through this."



Will we? The words whispered in his mind as he allowed Kisame to pull him into a hug. He wished he had Kisame's optimism, but he still felt empty.

 

oOo

Kisame sat quietly in a chair across the table from Itachi. There was so very little in his expression as he ate with almost mechanical precision. His eyes were focused on the food as if his very life depended on each perfectly executed bite.



He was losing him. Each day, each hour, a little bit more of Itachi drained away to leave a husk of a man. He never smiled any more. It had been almost six months since Sasuke's death and if anything, Itachi was putting on a good show of slowly wasting away.



He ate. He slept. It was not a biological wasting but more of a wasting away of the soul. Everything that made him Itachi was slowly fading into this robotic man seated before him.



In the past, Itachi would send small smiles his way. They did not happen often, but they were real and warmed him.



Now, all he felt was cold acceptance. To Kisame, he felt as cold as Sasuke's dead body. Itachi was dying, just more slowly and right before his eyes.



"Itachi, I thought we could go take a walk in the park like we used to. We could both use some fresh air."



Itachi paused mid-bite. "I have work to finish."



"Itachi..."



"What?"



"You need to grieve, I accept that, but you're locking yourself away. You rarely leave the house unless you have to. You do all your work from here. Do you even recall the last time you saw your secretary?"



"She forwards all my messages and faxes anything that needs my attention. I do not need to be in her physical presence to finish my work. I am perfectly capable from running my company from this house." Itachi took another perfectly controlled bite. "There is no reason to leave."



"Itachi, that isn't living."



Itachi stiffened and threw down his fork with enough force to crack the plate set before him. "What do you know? You don't seem so upset that Sasuke is gone. It was pretty easy for you to get over his death. You only lost a fuck buddy, but I lost a brother."



Anger rushed through Kisame. He was on his feet, turning over his glass of water and slamming a fist into the table. "How can you say that? I loved Sasuke just as much as you. You're an idiot if you think that Sasuke could be so easily forgotten."



"Your actions say otherwise."



He didn't tell Itachi that it was him that placed fresh flowers on Sasuke's grave every few days. It was him that ensured all the fallen leaves from the nearby tree were raked away. If anything, he was grieving even more painfully at Sasuke's loss.



He could feel the muscle in his jaw twitching through the effort it took not to slam a fist into Itachi's cold face. Already his short show of anger was fading and his expression was once more transformed into a hard cold stare. He was once more hiding behind a shell that Kisame felt impossible to shatter.



And he knew he had to get away before he followed through with his thought. He never wanted to hurt Itachi, and needed to get away before they ended up tearing out each other's throats. Sasuke death had affected them both differently, and two deeply wounded people could not hope to help each other in such a state.



So, in a calm motion, he moved from the table, took his plate into the kitchen and went to the bedroom to grab his shoes and coat. His hands were shaking with renewed grief because he had already lost Sasuke and now Itachi was slowly slipping from him. It was almost more than he could bear.



"Where are you going?"



He did not turn to face Itachi. It would break his heart to be forced to once more stare into those cold, dark eyes. A long walk to clear his mind was what he needed. "Out."



He could hear Itachi's annoyance in his movements and for a moment dark satisfaction worked through him. Itachi needed to know that something was wrong between them. Sasuke's death was ripping them apart and neither was able to heal the divide. If something did not happen soon, there would be nothing left to salvage and both would be left alone in the wake of Sasuke's death.



When Itachi did not stop him, Kisame took that as a sign and exited the house. He did not bother to take his car, but instead walked the several blocks to a lovely city park. Every Saturday afternoon, as long as the weather permitted, the three of them would walk down to the park. It was almost like a date. They would talk and stroll along the paths. It was one of Kisame's favorite memories of the three of them. He could almost see Sasuke walking several steps ahead of him a small smile on his lips that promised much,that he always delivered.



He could understand why Itachi shied away from coming here. Sasuke was here. His memory haunted both of them and they could do nothing but attempt to weather the storm that neither seemed equipped to handle. They were two drowning men with no life raft in sight.



Shoving his hands into his pockets, he shivered at the slight chill in the air. If Sasuke and Itachi were with him, they would each link an arm into his and keep him warm with the touch of their bodies. Neither had really cared what people thought when they walked down the street, and Kisame had loved that about them. They were confident in their own bodies and in their life choices. No disdain directed at them could break them from their chosen path.



What am I going to do, Sasuke? I'm losing him. You were the glue holding us together in ways we did not realize we needed.



His mind was so lost in his own thoughts that he was not paying attention to his surroundings. Only the shout, "Watch out" drew him from his thoughts, although it came far too late for him to do more than tense as his arms were suddenly filled with a warm blond body.



The force of the collision knocked them both from their feet and Kisame's arms instinctively reacted and locked around the lean waist to keep him from being injured as they crashed to the ground. A slight pain radiated from his rear when he landed on the sidewalk, carefully cradling the warm body pressed against him.



"Are you alright?" he asked, hands instinctively running over arms and legs so to check for injuries.



Wide blue eyes darted up and he gaped at the face. He would never forget that face for as long as he lived. Sitting in his lap was the young man with a very precious heart. Instinctively, he lifted a hand to press over the heaving chest and felt the rapid pounding of a heart, Sasuke's heart, beneath the sweater. What was his name? Faces he knew, but names were illusive to him. Nathan? Ned?



The blond shifted and laughed nervously. "Sorry, I don't have very good control, but I've always wanted to rollerblade, I just wasn't expecting it to be so hard."



"You're heavier than you look. I was a football player in high school. It takes more than a shove to knock me on my ass." Kisame stood and assisted a very wobbly rollerblader to his feet. "Are you hurt?"



"I'm fine." A hand waved Kisame away and worked slowly over to a bench where he collapsed with a groan. "But I think I'm going to have to give up this. I'm not very coordinated. Having the desire to do something does not always equate to possessing the talent for it."



Kisame felt a keen disappointment rise in him. The man did not seem to remember him, not that he expected him to. They had only met for a few minutes before Itachi had left and Kisame followed.



A grin appeared on the blond's face and leaned back on the bench with a sigh. "The heart's good, if that is what you're trying to ask."



With wide eyes, Kisame took a step forward. "You remember me?"



"As if I would ever forget the faces of my donor's family." He grinned ruefully and scratched the back of his head. "I'm not a total ass."



Kisame chuckled, his mood already lightened. He extended his hand with a smile. "Kisame Hoshigaki. We weren't properly introduced before."



The hand was met with a strong clasp. "Naruto Uzumaki."



"Well, Naruto Uzumaki, would permit me to escort you back to your car? I don't want you running over any more pedestrians. You would probably run over some granny powerwalking and break her hip."



Naruto blushed a bright red. "Well, I didn't mean to run into you, you ass. It's just that I finally got a clean bill of health and I wanted to do something I never had. Who knew I would suck at rollerblading?"



"Who knew?" echoed Kisame as he offered his arm.



Naruto's body was warm as he linked their arms and allowed himself to be tugged along slowly. Even with Kisame to balance him, he still quivered and wavered back and forth, much to Kisame's amusement.



"Perhaps you should think about practicing somewhere before racing down the park paths."



"Well, I...kinda thought it would be easy. It looked easy when other people do it."



Kisame paused before throwing back his head and roared with laughter. This little firecracker was full of life, even if his common sense seemed to have left.



"So, fancy meeting here, huh? I didn't think I'd see either of you again after what happened the last time we met."



A frown pulled down Kisame's lips. He could detect a bit of hurt and disappointment in that voice. "Itachi...hasn't taken Sasuke's death well."



"I guess it would be hard. I've never lost anyone close to me. I mean, I was kinda young when my parents died. I would be surprised if he wasn't hurt."



"He's drawn into himself. I thought as time passed he would begin to heal, but he's become completely reclusive." Kisame ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm not sure what to do. At this point, even mentioning Sasuke sets him off."



"Just give him time."



Kisame shook his head. "I don't think we have much time left."



"Was Sasuke that precious to him?"



Kisame debated telling Naruto. Few people actually knew about the extent of his relationship with Sasuke and Itachi. It was a secret, but yet it was not something they ever hid. Threesomes were generally looked down on in society—a threesome containing two brothers even more so.



It was hard to describe how they made it work. Separately, they were great. Sex with either of them had always been mind-blowing, but together, there were no words to how amazing it was. How could he describe that to Naruto?



"It's hard to describe our relationship with Sasuke."



Naruto inclined his head. "You don't have to. If I could, I would willingly die right now if it would give Sasuke back to the two of you."



"Don't say that. Even though Sasuke was a bit of a bastard to people, he was never unduly cruel. He would be glad that a piece of him lived on."



A smile curved Naruto's lips. "I'm glad he gave me a chance to do the things I want. I always felt as if I had a clock sitting on my shoulder, slowly ticking down. After the surgery, it was not there anymore. That's my car."



Kisame relaxed and led him to the waiting sedan. It looked like it had seen better days with the dented bumper and chipping paint. Still, Naruto did not appear to mind as he sat and began tugging the rollerblades from his feet and replacing them with well-worn tennis shoes.



"Thanks for the escort."



Kisame felt a pang in his chest at the thought of leaving Naruto. It felt like ages since he had felt even a smidgeon of joy. He did not want it to end.



"It's still early, how would you like to go with me. I know a place that serves the best ice cream." He mentally winced, knowing the place was a favorite of Itachi's.



Naruto perked up, a happy flush washing his face. "I'd love to. I'm starved."



Kisame chuckled and moved to the passenger side. "You'll have to drive. I didn't bring my car."



"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Hoshigaki," said Naruto with a teasing grin.



"Just drive, runt."

oOo

Kisame stared at Naruto as he focused so intently on the sketch pad in his hands. Over the past several weeks, he had used Naruto as a stress relief. Dealing with Itachi was becoming more and more straining on him. He wanted to make them work, but the harder he tried, the further apart they seemed to grow. It was like living with a stranger in his own house. That was where Naruto came in.



Naruto was a light in his life. Talking with him eased some of the anxiety growing in the back of his mind and gave him enough peace to deal with his own grief as well as Itachi's.



"It looks good, Naruto."



Naruto glanced up and grinned. "It's not bad. Kids make the best and worst models. They are fun to draw but it is so hard to capture the energy in them. These pictures are just shadows of reality."



Leaning back against the park bench and stretching, Naruto released a loud yawn. The sketch pad fell from his lap into a heap on the ground.



Kisame plucked it up and flipped through it, seeing several rough sketches of himself and chuckling at them. It amused him to see himself etched on paper. So this was how Naruto saw him.



He continued to flip through the book, moving from the back toward the front when he came across a stunning image of Itachi. It was very rough, but the hard edges made it all the more beautiful to behold. Naruto had captured the hurt, anger, and hopelessness that Kisame saw in his lover's face every day. As he ran a finger down the image of Itachi's jaw, he felt the urge to cry. He was able to tamp it down, but just barely.



Naruto opened his eyes and smiled sadly at the image. "I want to draw him happy, but all I've seen is his sadness. I don't know what happy on his face looks like."



"It's beautiful." Kisame continued to trace the image. "I want you to see him happy too. He is so amazingly beautiful when he is happy. It feels like a lifetime since I have seen it on his face."



"He's still depressed?"



Kisame nodded and reluctantly handed Naruto back his pad. "He throws himself into his work. I've noticed him skipping meals, but I don't think it is intentional. I think he is doing anything to keep from thinking about Sasuke."



"That's sad." Naruto lifted a hand to his heart. "My heart is sad because it is Sasuke's heart."



Kisame thought he might have fallen a little for Naruto in that moment. He looked so sad, even though he had no reason to be. He should be happy because he was given a new lease on life the moment Sasuke's ended, yet he was mourning just as openly as if he had known Sasuke. An idea occurred to Kisame in that moment. It was completely absurd because Itachi would never go for it, yet he found himself liking it more and more.



He and Itachi were dying because a piece of their dynamic had been destroyed. They may have started their relationship as a monogamous couple, but once Sasuke fully joined them, they became dependent on a third person to complete them and as a result, the two of them were floundering about as if they had lost an arm or a leg.



"Naruto, can I ask you something?"



Naruto arched a brow but nodded. "Course."



"We're friends. Over the past few weeks, I feel like you're the only thing that saved me from drowning. You're like a life raft to me, but Itachi is still drowning." Kisame lifted a hand to his head and funneled his fingers through his hair. "What do you know of polyamory?"



"Is that a word?"



Kisame chuckled and lifted a hand to give a playful shove at Naruto's head. "It is a term that means having a relationship with more than one person with the consent of everyone involved. It's not just about having sex with more than one person, but having deep relationships with more than one. Everyone brings something to the whole."



"You mean like Mormonism?"



"No. It's not about religion, it's about love. Sasuke, Itachi, and myself were in a polyamorous relationship...a threesome."



Naruto swallowed visibly and his eyes grew impossibly wide. "You're serious? How in the world did that work?"



Kisame nodded slowly. "We all loved each other. The key to making a threesome work is being able to adjust your speed to that of the weakest person. When you love and care for everyone in the relationship, it can make things amazing to see to the pleasure of your partners before yourself. It's not about sex, even though that part was spectacular. I was against it at first, but somehow Sasuke and Itachi drew me in until without Sasuke, both Itachi and I aren't able to cope with our own individual relationship. Sasuke was a part of our dynamic for so long that being without him is proving straining on both of us."



"Why are you telling me this?"



A thudding began in Kisame's head. He could feel a blush darkening his cheeks and he had to fight with himself to keep his gaze from dropping. "We need someone. We're drowning in our efforts to keep each other afloat. I won't deny that I find you attractive. You're like the polar opposite of Itachi and Sasuke and I think that is what I like about you. Even though you have Sasuke's heart, you don't have his personality. I could never mistake you for him. I think that is something both Itachi and I need."



Naruto's eyes were like saucers as he stared at Kisame. "You want me...to have threesome sex with you and Itachi?"



Kisame rolled his eyes. Just like Naruto to think everything revolved around sex in a threesome relationship. "I want you to love us. I want a chance for us to woo you. We wouldn't have sex right away."



He watched in amusement as Naruto's adam's apple bobbed several times consecutively. "I'm not sure how I feel about this, but more importantly, I'm pretty sure Itachi would not be on board with your idea. The last time we met did not go over so well."



"Let me work on him, but will you give it some thought. I think you are what we need to mend us. Itachi just needs to open himself up to it."



Kisame could see the indecision on Naruto's face but something inside him told him that he should push for this. The beautiful detail Naruto put into Itachi's face told him all he needed to know. At least some part of Naruto needed this. All that remained was selling it to him.



"You can't imagine the completion you get from a polyamorous relationship. What you don't get from one partner is generally filled by the other so that when you are all together, you feel complete in ways that are impossible to describe."



"But don't you get jealous?"



Kisame grinned and relaxed slightly. At least Naruto was open to dialogue. "Not in the way you're thinking. You love both your partners and they love you. There is no room for jealousy, but rather it is all the more arousing to see your partners together and be allowed to witness their love for each other and you."



"It sounds like wishful thinking. I don't know if I could ever stand for the person I love to cheat on me with another person."



"That's where the misconception comes in. You aren't cheating. It isn't some fling because you're bored with your partner. This is a complete and serious relationship; the only difference is that it involves three people instead of two." Kisame took Naruto's hand and placed a kiss on the palm. "It's amazing to have the love of two people. Sasuke completed us."



"I'm not Sasuke," whispered Naruto as he pulled his hand from Kisame's grip. "I didn't know him, but I'd be willing to guess that my personality is nothing like Sasuke."



"You're right, you aren't Sasuke. I don't think someone could be more different...but Itachi and I aren't the same anymore either. Sasuke's death changed us. We need something else to complete us. Please, Naruto, give us a chance. Let us seduce you."



Kisame watched the indecision on Naruto's face intensify. Those beautiful blue eyes darted back and forth and white teeth nibbled on a full lower lip.



"I'm not sure I'm the sort of person that would work out in a threesome. I've always considered myself to be a one man sort of guy."



"Do you trust me, Naruto?" asked Kisame.



Naruto's eyes lit up and he nodded emphatically. "You're one of my best friends."



Kisame tugged Naruto against him, enjoying the feel of his smaller body cradled in his arms. He lowered his head and met Naruto's lips in a slow and gentle kiss. His hands traced across tanned cheeks and then down to stroke over his lean neck.



"Give us a try."



Naruto swallowed and leaned his head against Kisame's chest. "I'm not going to say yes...until Itachi agrees. I don't think I could take another rejection from him. If he agrees...I'll...think about it."



It was as much of a win as Kisame could hope to achieve considering the unorthodox way he was approaching Naruto. Itachi would not be so easily swayed, especially not in the state he was in, but just as when Itachi and Sasuke had swayed Kisame to their way of thinking, Kisame planned to sway Itachi.



Kisame sighed and glanced at his watch. "I need to get home."



Naruto pulled away and nodded, keeping his head ducked and his eyes lowered. "I have things to do anyway."



When Naruto stood and began moving in the direction of his car, Kisame did not stop him. There was no need to pressure Naruto so soon when he still had to work on Itachi. He was certain everything would come together.



The entire walk home was filled with equal parts hope and trepidation. Itachi was going to be a struggle.



"I'm home," he called out into the house as he stepped inside.



He walked into the living room and was surprised to see Itachi asleep on the sofa. He moved to kneel beside his lover and gently stroked his fingers down his cheek. His skin was far too pale and the dark shadows beneath his eyes more pronounced than he was comfortable with.



"I love you, Itachi, so much."



Itachi made a snuffling sound and shifted closer to Kisame, his lips pressing into his hand. "Love you."



Hope that was only kept alive by his confidence of creating a relationship with Naruto sparked to life. This was the Itachi he had grown to love. This was the Itachi he needed like he needed air to breath.



Slowly, Itachi's eyes fluttered open. Hunger rose swiftly in Kisame's gaze and he lowered his lips for a taste. It had been so long since they were intimate—before Sasuke's death. The last few months had been hard on both of them. Their lives needed that light.



He dragged Itachi into his arms. "I've missed you."



Itachi's arms wrapped around his waist and he moaned into the kiss. He could feel the hardness of Itachi's arousal poking at his stomach as legs wrapped easily around his waist. Though Itachi always carried a bit of chill with him, he was in fact the more amorous of their former threesome. Sasuke had always been willing, but never desperate for touches and sex.



Grinding against Itachi, Kisame panted his need into Itachi's mouth. It felt as if a little bit of light from Naruto had already shined on them, even if Itachi had no knowledge of it.



They panted into each other's mouths as their grinding intensified. Kisame pressed Itachi down into the sofa and began rocking his hips. He did not care about messy pants as he was too far pulled into Itachi. He had missed this even as he had kept his distance so that they both could begin to heal.



Itachi threw back his head and his legs tightened around Kisame's hips. His hips gave a few jerking thrusts before he went limp.



Just the sight and sound of Itachi's pleasure was enough to finish Kisame. He growled low in his throat and ground down with as much force as he could before releasing in his jeans.



Their hearts beat rapidly against each other until Kisame finally pulled away to stare at Itachi. Even through the haze of their pleasure, Itachi's eyes were sad and blank. This was enough for their bodies but not for their souls. It only fermented in Kisame's mind that they needed Naruto.



"Itachi," he whispered. "This can't go on."



"I don't know what—"



Kisame lifted a hand to Itachi's lips to silence him. "I know it hurts. I don't think I'll ever stop hurting, but you need to stop pushing yourself."



"I'm an adult. I know how much I can take."



"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. This is not what Sasuke would want."



"How do you know what Sasuke would want? He's dead," snapped Itachi.



The little catch in Itachi's voice tempered the flash of anger that rose at the words. Itachi was hurt so very badly and when an injured animal was approached, he defended himself. "Do you remember when I first saw you with Sasuke?"



Itachi froze and met Kisame's gaze before giving a curt nod. "I remember."



"I was so angry, but at the same time I was in awe of the two of you. You moved so perfect together, as if you completed each other. For a while I wondered how I could compete with that until Sasuke began to worm his way into my heart. It was slow and before I knew it, I was hopelessly in love with him just as much as I was with you."



A tear formed in Itachi's eye and trickled down before he could lift his hand to wipe it away. "Why are you saying this?"



"Because Sasuke is dead, but it is us who are dying. He was a part of us and now we're left with a hole and no one to fill the emptiness. I'm a hard man on a good day, and yet I still feel the emptiness left by Sasuke."



"This hole, it's not going to go away on its own. We need to fill it. We need to love again."



Itachi stiffened and tried to pull away. Kisame held him fast, forcing him to listen. They both needed this.



"I've been seeing Naruto Uzumaki...and before you attack, it has not been like that. He is a friend and I needed someone who could help me cope with Sasuke's loss. Perhaps on some level it was the fact that he received Sasuke's heart that drew me to him, but now I know him as the person he is and he is nothing like Sasuke. I want you to meet with him. I want the two of you to talk."



"I don't want to see him."



Kisame gave Itachi a small shake. "Don't start that crap with me. You need something and I'm not providing it, but I know Naruto can. Sasuke is no longer here, and if he was, I don't think he could give us what we need as we are now."



"Don't say that," hissed Itachi through his teeth.



"It's the truth and don't deny it. We are at a point in our lives where the moon is no longer enough. We need the sun."



"You don't know what you're talking about."



"I know that you need this. You're drowning, Itachi. We both are. The two of us aren't enough for each other. I think in some ways we never were. Sasuke gave us both what we needed, and now I think Naruto can give it to use as well."



"No!" shouted Itachi. "I'm not replacing Sasuke."



Kisame locked his hand in Itachi's hair and forced their gazes together. "I would never, ever suggest replacing Sasuke. We need to accept what life has given us or we will both wither away. I need this and so do you. No part of him resembles Sasuke. I never ask you for anything, Itachi, but I need this...we need this."



Itachi's jaw clenched and for a moment, Kisame thought the battle against Itachi's will was lost. Itachi was one of the most stubborn people he knew.



"I am not replacing Sasuke." Itachi said slowly. "But...I won't deny you something you need."



The words were so familiar that Kisame almost laughed. They were nearly word for word what he had said to Itachi shortly after he discovered Itachi and Sasuke's relationship. So this was how it would play out. He smiled and drew Itachi into his arms. This was what they both needed, and soon enough, Itachi would realize it too.



To be continued...

 

AN: Some time skips. I hope they don't confuse or detract. Please enjoy.