WANTED: Itachi Uchiha

Nijuuni

"Itachi, if I get the imagawayaki and taiyaki will you share with me?" Reina called over her shoulder as she clung to the counter of the street vendor's cart, she standing on her tiptoes to see over the edge.

Itachi stood to the side, Sasuke leaning against him. "Ask them if they have tomatoes!" Sasuke called out.

Reina turned back. "It's a street food cart, Sasuke. They don't have tomatoes on the menu, Baka!" She called out, rolling her eyes.

"You don't have to be so mean about it!" Sasuke replied, a pout creeping onto his mouth.

"I think you've had well enough tomatoes tonight, Sasuke-kun." Itachi chided softly. "You're practically turning red with the amount you've eaten."

"I think that's the vodka rather than the tomatoes, Itachi." Reina added slyly. "So will you share if I get both? Please?" Reina asked, she pouting her lower lip to get what she wanted. Itachi sighed.

"Hai, I'll share. As long as you get me a stick of dango too." Itachi eyed Sasuke, his younger brother swaying where he stood. "And maybe get something to line Sasuke's stomach too."

"Hai~"

Armfuls of food in hand, the trio made their way back home, albeit in a wavy line as they wandered through the Uchiha compound sharing their midnight treats.

"Imagawayaki?" Reina offered Itachi, the pancake stuck to the end of her stick. Rather than taking the stick off of her, Itachi merely bent down and bit the pancake straight from the stick.

"A-ga-tou." He mumbled in between mouthfuls, whilst Reina chuckled as she plopped another pancake in her own mouth. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten solid food; she had basically lived on tea and miso soup the past weeks, it being the only thing she could stomach. But this food, in this company, was the best she had ever tasted despite the conditions.

"Dango?" Itachi offered, the tricoloured stick occupying his hand.

"Hai." Reina nodded, taking a delicate bite of the dumpling from his stick, she suppressing a laugh as the sauce dripped down the corner of her lips.

"Does anyone want some of my tomato?" Sasuke asked, a chunk already missing from the fruit. Itachi and Reina looked at each other and snickered, trying not to spit their food out.

"No thanks, Sasuke. You enjoy it." Reina added, nodding in satisfaction. "I still can't believe you made us stop at the shop for a tomato, of all things."

"At least we'll all have something to throw up if need be." Itachi said, taking another bite of dango and holding onto Sasuke's sleeve so he didn't wander too far.

"Where the hell have you been?!" A female's shrill voice broke their chuckles. Itachi's stomach immediately turned leaden, his guts turning watery.

Izumi.

The female Uchiha stood at a doorway, dressed in her pyjamas, her eyes wild despite their lack of sharingan. She stomped out to meet them, her lip curled back to reveal straight, white teeth. "I've waited all night to hear from you and lo and behold I find you with her!" Izumi spat, pointing a finger at Reina.

Sasuke immediately snarled, standing in front of his brother his sharingan springing to life. "Back off Izumi. I warned you last time."

"Am I at your house, Sasuke? No, no I'm not so fuck off!" Izumi stood her ground, predatory glint in her obsidian orbs. "Look at you, Itachi. You're a mess. An absolute mess. You galavant about with the likes of her and yet you don't even have the decency to apologise to your girlfriend for the other night? I don't even know why I bother with you - it's not like anyone else would have you."

Reina laughed. She didn't giggle or chuckle, she full on laughed, clutching her stomach and holding onto Itachi's sleeve to remain standing. Itachi went rigid and Izumi snarled in confusion.

"Kami you're funny." Reina wiped the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand.

"What are you laughing at?" Izumi spat, her tone defensive.

"You." Reina answered immediately, her laughter diminishing into the odd chuckle. "Kami, your Sharingan must be making you blind if you can't see what a catch he is." Reina said motioning to a grass stained and slightly (rather) drunk Itachi. "I mean, do you see what I see? He is the most intelligent, witty, kind-hearted softie there is. And not to mention absolutely handsome." Reina smiled, a wicked grin twisting on her lip that were still partially stained from the dango. "So you must be blind as well as stupid to not want to tap that, because I would."

Silence.

Itachi was bright red. And not because of the alcohol.

"Are you kidding me?" Izumi gawped, taking a step towards Reina. The Hitori Heiress smiled, cocking her head to the side.

"I kid you not." Reina reiterated, nodding seriously. "Itachi could have anyone he wanted. So the fact that he is with you should make you proud and-"

"I don't want to be with you Izumi." Itachi blurted out, he having remained silent the moment she stepped into the lamp light. Everyone turned their attention to the Elder Uchiha, he just wanted the floor to swallow him whole. Yet, at the same time he had never felt more liberated. Perhaps he should drink an entire bottle of whisky more often.

"What did you say?" Izumi growled, her sharingan spluttering to life like a wildfire.

"I think he said he doesn't want to be with you." Sasuke smirked, parroting Itachi's words. Izumi screamed raising her hand to slap Itachi again. He didn't fight, he closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable sting in his cheek.

Except nothing came.

Itachi kept his eyes closed until he heard it: laughter. Light, feminine laughter. Peeking his eyes open, Itachi snuck a look only to blink at what he saw.

Sasuke had thrown the tomato straight into Izumi's open mouth.