From the beginning

Who will take care of me if you go?

The walls of Konoha Hospital are mustard yellow. They flickered past Itachi's eyes as he ran down corridor after corridor, the paintings on the walls becoming a blur. For once, he wasn't in his ANBU gear but in leisure clothes; a black short-sleeved top with a high collar, black trousers, sandals that made it easy to run. His hair, neatly tucked into his hairband, cascaded behind him like a waterfall of black oil. He was panting; he'd been running for a while. He saw an elderly nurse standing further down the empty corridor, a concerned look on her face when she saw him come running.

"Itachi-san, is it?" she asked mildly.

Itachi stopped in front of her. "Where is he? Is he all right?" 

She looked at him, a concerned expression on her face. "I'm sorry, Itachi-san." 

He had been on the training grounds, getting some physical work done before going to his family to celebrate his eighteenth birthday when he got the message. 

Before Itachi went out to train, his mother had asked him if he wanted to ask Shisui to come, a meaningful look on her face. What was that look? 

"He's on a mission", he had answered. His mother had smiled warmly at that, continuing to mix cake batter in a bowl with a wooden spoon, but her eyes were glittering. Something delicious-smelling was boiling on the stove. "Mother, you really don't have to make a fuss."

"Oh, please", his father had said, laying a large hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly. "It's not every day your first-born son turns eighteen. Let her!" Itachi had smiled warmly back. His relationship with his father had developed into something warmer over the years, a deeper understanding growing between the two men. Fugaku left the kitchen.

"You know, Itachi..." his mother began, not looking behind him. "A mother notices things. You and Shisui..." Itachi was taken aback. He looked down and blushed. "How long have you been a couple?" She looked at him carefully, smiling. 

Itachi kept looking down. "How did you know?"

"It's just... Whenever you speak of him, you get that look on your face. Whenever you return from having been with him, you radiate calm and happiness. You are sleeping over several times a week. Don't take your mother for a fool." 

Itachi smiled a little, still looking down. "Ever since I came of age. So three years."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mikoto looked slightly shocked at this, but in a pleasant way. "Oh, my. That's incredible. Is he good to you?" She smiled warmly. Itachi glanced at her sideways, still with the small smile on his face. This was not how he had imagined it at all. 

"I couldn't have been happier", he answered, humbly.

"Sorry for prying." His mother had said. "I wanted to give you time, but I got curios. I'm sorry, it's selfish of me."

"Don't worry, Mother. I'm glad you brought it up", he said, which was true. "However... Please don't tell Father. Not yet." 

"I respect your wish", his mother smiled and turned back to mixing the cake batter. "However, he would be fine with it, too. And..." She winked at him. Itachi was taken aback at this gesture, which was quite out of character. "A father notices things, too." 

He had left for the training grounds, his heart easy, like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He couldn't wait to tell Shisui! During their years together, they hadn't really spoken about how or when or if to tell others. They had just kept it to themselves automatically. Itachi hadn't even noticed that it weighed him down, that he was worried how his family would react. He couldn't help but to smile, thinking about his boyfriend, longing for him to come back from his mission so he could tell him. They had planned on celebrating Itachi's birthday together, just the two of them, when he came back. Itachi could hardly contain himself.