Ikigai

Chapter 32: Bouquet

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She could not deny the warmth as her lips buzzed with the flow of the blood within her, as his hands gently held the back of her head, willing her to move away if she wanted to, willing her to stay with him if she longed for it.

Never the best singer, it seemed as if her whole body was singing a perfect melody that she could not contain, and with each beat of her heart that kept time to their song, she felt her headache grow stronger.

But Kintsugi knew if anything, her heart was a liar. It stayed quiet even when it was hurting because this was not a psychotic breakdown between two impulsive rejects, it was a cleansing moment of clarity of what their future could not have.

Because as in life, there were some flowers that never did bloom.

"You have paint on your face," Itachi murmured suddenly, his lips hovering over her own as his thumb moved across the top of her cheek in a sweeping fashion.

Hmmm, she agreed distractedly as she felt his finger trail against her burning skin, his lips touching hers once more as she gripped his arms to hold her steady.

She struggled to think, to stop this from going any further, and yet she could not.

She would not.

"I don't think this actually solves anything," Kintsugi whispered as she took a moment to breathe, sensing the way he seemed to struggle as well.

But it was Itachi's turn to hum as he kissed her once more, attentive to her lips as if he would never kiss again, waiting for the moment she would push him away and this would all be over.

It was their own little bubble, and Itachi knew Kisame would not be back for a while having gone out on another run shortly after he had stepped inside.

He wasn't sure how long he would have continued, but as the front door sounded with a knock, he felt Kintsugi tense against his arms. 

"Expecting company?" he monotoned as he glared at the door over her shoulder.

"I...no, I-I don't think so...," Kintsugi touched her forehead with the back of her hand, quietly taking a step away from him. "Give me a moment?"

She paused as she waited for him to leave, but as he stood in the same spot they had been in a few moments ago, she turned to him confused.

"Go ahead. Open the door."

"Itachi," she warned with the weight of an unspoken statement.

"Go ahead," he responded as he gestured to the door in a sudden disinterested tone, his hand brushing her cheek one last time.

Kintsugi waited to see if he would leave, to see if he would change his mind, but he only walked to the kitchen, beginning to cook as if it was any other day, the rising heat of the gas stove slowly radiating warmth from where he stood.

"If I get killed because of you, my ghost will scoop out your eyeballs with that spoon you're using."

"Enticing, yet unhygienic, besides, I doubt you would be tangible enough to do serious harm as  a ghost."

"Yeah, well, do you know how many bones the human body has?"

"206."

"Of course you know," she muttered, "but we start with 369 when we're babies...but they fuse. Wouldn't you want to go back?...have as many bones as a baby?...what if I could help you...."