WITHER. [akatsuki x oc]

four: open wounds

I gritted my teeth and pushed myself towards the fire Tobi and Itachi made, dragging Kisame with me. I couldn't dream of lifting him, and I didn't want to remove him from my body before we could get close enough to the fire. I was the only heat source that Kisame had, and I couldn't leave his side in the condition he was in. I carefully pushed myself next to the warmth of the fire, pressing my heel against the floor and pulling Kisame near it as well.

"That better?" I asked, wrapping the blanket tighter around us. "Don't worry. You'll be just fine."

Kisame didn't reply, but he seemed to relax a little. The intense shivers radiating from him reminded me of the washing machine I used to have at home, and I felt my spirit fall just a bit. I held onto Kisame tighter, not knowing whether it was solely to keep him warm, or to console my own feelings.

"You don't..." Kisame murmured, before sighing and closing his eyes again. "I'm alright now, Megumi..."

"I'm not going to leave you here."

My voice was gentle, but firm. I pulled Kisame up to lay his back against my chest, and I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. My chakra slowly seeped out of my body and diffused into Kisame's skin. In that moment, I was almost fully connected with him, and I could feel almost everything inside him. His tired muscles took strength from my energy, and his chakra flowed smoothly with my own helping it along.

Footsteps approached me from behind, and immediately stopped next to us. A hot water bottle was carefully placed next to us, and the person walked away not a second later. I took the hot water bottle and laid it on Kisame's stomach, smiling softly at the resulting groan of relief.

It wasn't long before Itachi joined us at the fire, holding his arms out to warm up as well.

"How are you doing, Itachi?" I asked, looking across the fire at him. He glanced towards me, then nodded once.

"I'm better now."

I nodded back, then lifted my hands to weave a quick handsign.

"Ninja Art: Air Stretcher!"

Kisame was lifted from my arms and floated on his back, as if he were being carried by water. He appeared to be laying flat on his back -- only nothing was really there to support him.

"I'll be back in just a moment," I said, turning to bring a floating Kisame to his bedroom. I laid him on the bed, then covered him and the hot water bottle he held to his chest with the blankets.

"Just rest for now, alright? I'll come to check on you in a bit."

I laid a gentle hand on Kisame's back, then ran back towards the fire in the main hall to see Itachi. I sat next to him and kept my eyes lowered into the flame.

"I'm sorry," Itachi began, his voice quiet. I glanced over at him, then back at the fire.

"For what?" I asked, already a bit too willing to forgive.

"When we first met."

I nodded slowly, wringing my hands together in an awkward silence. "It's okay. I know you only wanted to know about your brother."

The fire crackled. It seemed to laugh at our awkwardness, how difficult we were making things between us.

"You're good at healing," Itachi said, earning a smile rising and falling from my face like the moon. "I can see why Pain saw something in you."

"Thank you, Itachi," I said, my mind going back to the conversation I had with Kisame about him days before. "If it helps...it's not your fault."

"What?"