Take Me in Your Arms - K.H x F!Y/N x I.U

10. Bathed in Red

Age: 15

The moon had taken on the bloody hue just minutes after the two of you arrived to the valley.

Perched on a thick tree branch, shrouded in the foliage, you and Kiiromaru waited for Itachi to come.

And you waited.

And waited.

Two hours passed by at a snail's pace, and yet, you and Kiiromaru remained alone.

With a sigh, you told your dog, "I don't think he's coming."

Rooo, Kiiromaru grumbled. You pursed your lips and nodded.

Have faith, is what she told you.

The communication bonds the two of you shared had become extremely strong, thanks to long swaths of meditation in the Land of Flowers. The chakra development you and Kiiromaru experienced was remarkable; impossible to have been done in the Leaf.

You decided that you would give Itachi another hour to show up, then you would leave.

The hour passed, but you reasoned that three hours was unfair and that you should wait at least an hour more.

Settling against the trunk of the tree, you rested your head against one of the knots of bark. Kiiromaru rested herself along your legs, trusting you to keep balance and not throw you both off the tree branch.

Slowly... your eyelids grew heavy...

Then, Kiiromaru stood up like a shot had been fired and you could smell what she was smelling.

Metal and cave. Right ahead.

Your eyes flew open.

There he stood, just a foot in front of you.

Itachi looked down at you. The bags under his eyes had gotten egregiously large and dark, coupled now with intense stresslines that carved into his gorgeous face. His cheekbones protruded, hollowing his cheek to his jaw, giving him a particularly malnourished appearance. The moon's rusted light only exaggerated these features further. He seemed sharper than Damascus steel, in every way of meaning.

His striking appearance ground the shards of your heart to dust.

"Itachi..."

"You came."

His voice was hollow, it was weak. Even Itachi was surprised at his tone, but there really was no use in masking real emotions here and now.

"I couldn't stay away," you tried to smile.

He shook his head slightly and asked, "Where did you go?"

"The Land of Flowers," you answered honestly, standing up with shaking legs. "That's where my father lives - I was with him for the last... while."

"When did you come back?" He pressed.

"Today," you, again, answered honestly.

A beat of silence passed by as you both inspected the other.

Itachi seemed solid, but rigid, like he was forcing himself to be here, and to ask these questions.

"Why... did you go?" He mumbled, obviously knowing the answer.

So, you tried to dance around the ostracization and detention you faced in the wake of the massacre. Simply, you replied, "I needed to get a grip."

He chuckled, though not a hint of emotion touched his eyes, "And, do you now? Have a grip?"