Your Lies || Itachi x Reader

Chapter 18

The ground was damp from the drizzle that took place last night. Although it was early morning, there was no sun in sight. Instead, remnants of the rainy clouds were left behind. Gloominess filled me, but I was determined to make the most of today. No matter the weather, every day should be destined to be amazing.

    I was sitting outside the cave, waiting for Itachi and Kisame to wake up. Eagerly waiting for them to awaken, I imagined where we were going to go today. Are we going to walk to another Akatsuki hideout? Maybe I'll meet more of their members! I smiled.

    Today wasn't too bad after all. Even if it did rain, we could still go on adventures.

    I took a stick, drawing on the muddy ground. I drew four stick figures—including the three of us and a fourth blank figure. The fourth blank one was for Kisame's partner, whoever they would be. One day, our trio is going to become a quartet. Not the musical kind though... actually, maybe. It would be fun to have a band.

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    Itachi came out of the cave. I jumped onto him, giving him a loving hug. He gave a surprised reaction—almost like he wasn't expecting it—although I surprise attacked him with affection often.

He gave a weak smile as he looked at me. "Ah... Y/n." I tried to look him in the eyes, but he avoided eye contact.

"Itachi... you've been so down lately," I said, trying to instigate an emotional response from him. I wanted him to let everything out... to tell me. There was something wrong. I had bottled everything up before and trust me, it never helped. Itachi... don't... Please, don't stay quiet...

He didn't respond. Did he not get my signs? The signs I gave off showed that I was providing a safe space for him. Itachi brushed his shoulder against mine, walking past me. Kisame—who I had failed to notice —walked beside him. "Itachi!" I yelled, forming two fists as I speed walked behind him.

He stopped and turned around, still not saying anything. "I've been asking if you're okay! And all you do is just say or act like you're fine when you clearly are not!"

"Y/n, don't... It's gonna hurt even more," he said, holding my forearm as he looked down onto the ground. I tried to meet his gaze, but he wouldn't let me.

"What's gonna hurt?! The thing you're not telling me?!"

Turning his head, he looked over to Kisame. Kisame turned around as a way to give us privacy.

"I just... I can't... I don't know how to tell you..." He looked into my eyes for the first time. His gaze was morose. There was no passion at all... no affection...

"Tell me what?!" I paused, a sudden realization flooding through me. "Have you fallen out of love with me?! Is that why you're acting distant?! Am I not right for you?!"

"Y/n, it's not that... You're perfect. You're everything I wish I could have."

    I placed a hand on his cheek, making his gaze perfectly align with mine. I pecked his pink-tinted lips. "You don't have to wish. I'm right here. You can have me. I'm all yours." I whispered in an assuring tone. What does he mean by wishing he could have me? I'm already his... eternally.

    He pulled my body closer to his, forcing me into an embrace. He let go of me one last time.

"I'll never have you... Because while you're alive, I'll be paying for my sins."

That was the last time his arms would ever be wrapped around my body... his comforting warmth and touch... his love and affection. They were fading—forcefully.

    "Paying for your sins?! Itachi, you had your reasons! And I know even if you killed your whole clan, it couldn't be out of spite. There had to be something logical behind it!"

    "And what if it was out of spite?" he chuckled lightly, looking down at the ground. The clouds were becoming darker and heavier; it was going to rain. Not now! Please, not now!

    "Itachi! I know it wasn't! You're not like that... I know you aren't!" I shouted, trying to get my point across. Even though he was right in front of me, it felt like he was miles away. It was as if his ears were jammed with wax, not even allowing my voice to pass through his outer ear. He was right there, yet he couldn't understand. He couldn't understand how much I needed him, the pain in my voice as I tried to scream some sense into him. I would scream until I lost my voice if I had to.

    "I'll be fighting Sasuke today. I don't want you to interfere. I intend for him to win..." he said calmly, acting like I wasn't on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

    "To win by... not by killing you, right?" I asked. Itachi didn't dare to face me.

"Right? Right?! Itachi! Answer me!"

"Yes! By killing me, alright?! I'm going to a deathmatch I intend to lose! I intend to die!" he raised his voice at me for the first time. "I don't need you here to lecture me! I've already thought this through! It's time for him to get revenge! I'm going to die anyway... there's no use living anymore."

"You can't!" I cried. I grabbed onto his arm desperately. He tugged it away, making me fall onto the ground. Teardrops formed in my eyes. I didn't want to let it out... not yet.

Streams formed on Itachi's face as the tears fell from his eyes.

"Y/n... don't make this any harder..." Kisame said to me, looking away as he frowned. "Itachi's chosen."

"That doesn't—hic—matter." I grasped Itachi's leg, wrapping my arms around his calf. "Please... don't..." I wanted to scream... but I couldn't. I didn't have it in me. He was going and I couldn't stop him. I can't lose you too. I can't lose you... please... Dad's already gone. You can't go too...

I got up instantly, getting in a fighting stance. "If that's your choice, I'm going to make you stay. I'm not letting you leave." I weaved hand signs, performing a jutsu against them after a long time. "Doton: Go Doryūheki!" The same kind of cube I had encased them in during our second battle appeared, trapping all three of us inside. "Doton: Go Doryūheki!" I shouted again. And then a third time. I created a three-layered cube. I didn't want them to break out—at least not by the end of the day. I was hoping they would miss the fight... Hopefully, Sasuke would come to the location and realize Itachi wasn't there, leaving and not returning.

For a second I relaxed. He wasn't going anywhere. I sighed a breath of relief before realizing Itachi had zoomed right to me. His face was right in front of mine... a few hot breaths away from kissing me again. How was he so fast? He wasn't this fast last time.

Itachi had been going easy on me. In the previous fights we had, he wasn't using his full power—not even close to it. Mockery or gentleness? Why was he ever careful with me? Even before we fell in love...

He kissed me passionately. My body relaxed as my arms encircled his neck. It felt like a moment of peace... of love... where everything seemed alright when it wasn't...

"Y/n, I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you... You've humbled me and I thank you for that..."

"Itachi... I love you too."

His eyes turned a bright red. Like before, the three tomoe of his Sharingan came together to make a black shuriken. His pupil had become part of the shuriken while there was a small red dot in the middle. The supernatural Mangekyou Sharingan manifested. It all happened in a split second. "I'm sorry," he said to me before saying, "Tsukuyomi!"

POV - Itachi:

"I..ta..chi," she tried to say as she gripped onto me for support. I held onto her one last time. Her eyes closed slowly after a few seconds.

"Forgive me..."