Your Lies | Itachi Uchiha x Reader

Chapter 12

POV – Y/n:

I entered my sister's office, the smell of old dust and books immediately hitting my nose.

"God, you need to clean up this place—" I coughed, waving my hand in front of my face. I touched the side table, frowning at the thick layer of dust. "This must've been collecting for a month. Why don't you call housekeeping or something?"

She massaged her temples, pulling at the skin as if trying to smooth out invisible wrinkles. "Sorry, I didn't even notice all of this..." she mumbled. "I've just been really busy."

I wandered the room, eventually finding a duster in a small closet tucked into the corner.

"You've been working way too hard. Why not take a break?" I asked, standing on my toes to dust the top of a large cupboard.

"I can't rest. Not until the shinobi I sent on the mission return safely. And not until the Six-Tails jinchūriki is secured." She laid her head on the table, eyelids drooping. "I just hope they don't come in contact with the Akatsuki. It's my job to protect the Six-Tails and our shinobi, even if they aban..." Her voice trailed off as sleep claimed her.

She was clearly exhausted. The bags under her eyes, her absence at home, the rare moments she did speak—everything showed how drained she was. When Mei got tired, she'd ramble and overshare. She didn't even realize how much she'd just told me about the mission.

It reminded me of when we were younger. Mei used to accidentally spoil my birthday surprises because she stayed up late and got too sleepy to keep secrets. She always tried, but the closer it got to midnight, the more likely she was to let something slip.

I looked over at her now, fast asleep and drooling onto her paperwork. "Yeah, I'm not touching that." I grimaced. "It'll dry."

I kept cleaning, determined to make the place spotless. "Seriously, how can the leader of the Hidden Mist Village not have a cleaning crew?" I muttered, aggressively mopping.

An hour later, I admired my work. "My best work yet!" I flipped my hair triumphantly—though no one was around to witness it.

Mei still hadn't stirred. She needed a real bed. I opened the office door and stepped into the hallway.

Two Anbu stood outside: one tall man and a shorter woman, both alert and silent. "Hey. Is there anywhere she can sleep around here?"

"There are guest suites on the third floor, Lady Y/n," the tall one said, gesturing upward.

"Yuji, first, drop the formalities. Second, can you help me carry her? She fell asleep."

He nodded. "Sure, Lady Y—uh, I mean, Y/n."

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Yuji and I gently laid Mei onto the guest bed. I pulled the covers over her so she wouldn't get cold.

The suite was beautifully decorated. The polished ipe wood floors gleamed, and each piece of dark chocolate furniture matched perfectly. The powder blue walls brought out the elegance of the space while also keeping it calm and comfortable. Every detail represented the unity of the Hidden Mist's clans.

"I'll leave you and the Mizukage," Yuji said before quietly exiting.

I chuckled. "Yup, she's definitely a heavy sleeper."

I settled into the fainting couch beside her bed. I could've chosen a different suite, but something told me to stay. Even if the building was secure, it felt wrong to leave her alone.

I glanced at the clock. "1:01," I murmured before shutting my eyes.

Nothing happened that night. I dreamed, but nothing special. Mei woke before me, unharmed and refreshed.