How long I will love you

1. The Embrace

Snake.
Sheep.
Monkey.
Boar.
Horse.
Tiger.
The hand signs Itachi made for the fireball jutsu were executed so quickly, nobody on the ground watching would catch it. Not even with a Sharingan. But Shisui was an exception. He had his Sharingan lit, and could easily dodge Itachi's fireball.

"Damn..."
Itachi cursed himself. He should have known it would be too easy. But training with Shisui always made him nervous, so that he was never able to perform like he was used to. He was still well above every other eleven-year-old shinobi in Konoha, but for him, it wasn't enough. It wasn't as though he wanted to surpass Shisui, Itachi reflected while Shisui came up close to him in order to begin a round of taijutsu instead. No, he wanted Shisui to be IMPRESSED by him.
Shisui came close, landing a kick that Itachi easily blocked with his forearm. At the same time, Itachi drew a kunai with his other hand. It clinked together with a kunai in Shisuis hand, which he had retrieved from his pocket so fast Itachi hadn't even noticed.
'He's holding back', Itachi thought, full of shame.

'He's really something else...' I thought, looking him straight into his eyes. 'I'm not holding back one bit and I can't get one single blow on him.'
I landed on the ground, smiling, looking up at Itachi as he landed in front of me.
"To the cliff?" I suggested our usual spot that no one but us knew of, where we could sit and talk for hours. I had a feeling Itachi thought I did it for him, that I saw myself as his mentor, seeing as I was three years older than him. But I didn't. I really didn't. More than anyone else in the world, I saw Itachi as my equal. He was my best friend and I got so, so much out of our conversations.

'Perhaps, today I should mention it.' A dangerous thought.

The sun was setting, casting a beautiful orange glow which matched the warmth of the spring evening. Spring was my favourite season as it meant new growth and possibilities. I sat down on my usual spot, Itachi next to me.
"How does it feel, joining the ANBU?" I asked him.
Itachi looked up into the sky, thinking. This was one of the things I appreciated most with him. He never said anything recklessly; he always thought it through first. When holding a conversation with Itachi, you knew you got only what was absolutely perfect, as everything else was rejected to come out of his mouth. It was a nice contrast to myself, who, although not loud, was slightly more hot-headed. I could learn from this man.
"It feels like if the circumstances were different, I would be doing it for myself." He turned his head towards me. "But with the clan and Father, I feel like I'm doing it for someone else." His eyes shone dark, his eyebrows were furrowed and he looked troubled.
I looked out over the cliff and leaned back, supporting myself with my hands on the ground. "Sometimes", I started, trying to choose my words as carefully as Itachi did. "Sometimes, you need to do something that benefits others more than yourself, in order to gain what you want or need for the greater good in the future." I could feel his gaze on me, but I continued looking out on the sunset. Something told me looking at him would distract me. "Joining the ANBU because it's the wish of the clan and your father, might entail you reaching your own goals further on."

Itachi turned his eyes to the sunset as well. I dared to look at him from the side. He really was exquisite. I felt no jealousy over that; only pride.
Pride, and another feeling deep within me that I would do anything, anything in the world, for this man.

Two years later:

"I have been promoted to ANBU captain".
I was not surprised. Which I told him.
"I'm not surprised."
I stood opposite to him, on the same cliff. The wind made Itachi's hair flow out behind him. It had grown a good inch. It suited him. His hair wasn't the only thing that had changed; I had now a hard time dealing with him in battle. I still never got a blow in, but Itachi was close to hit me at least once per training. But with the maturation of his skills, I sensed something troubling him growing as well, deep in his soul. And with that change in Itachi, I had started to feel that I wanted to give him something better, something more, than the life he was given. "Shisui, I'm starting to suspect this is not my path anymore. It will not calm down the matters between the clan and Konoha, nor will it lead me on my way to exterminate all war. Nobody takes me and my desires seriously."
Itachis dream of a war-less world would have sounded childish to some, but never to me, and not to anyone, anymore. He needed to know this.
"Itachi... You have a way with words beyond your years. Why do you think your father's men become so upset when you speak at the clan meetings?" Itachi looked taken aback at this. "It's because they listen to you, and they know you're valuable."
Itachi looked at Shisui, his face not conveying any emotion. This saddened him a little. Two years ago, he could at least have seen a flicker of emotion in Itachi's face. Not anymore.