Encore

5

One hour later, they were sitting on the couch in Itachi's living room. It was now past midnight, but Itachi had lit up the reading lamp that cast a mild glow over the floorboards.
Shisui was sitting with his back turned to him, his feet crossed under him. Itachi was sitting behind, carefully cleaning the rash on Shisui's head.

"I'll put aseptic on it", he said.

"Will it sting?" Shisui asked. He had sobered up considerably. In front of him stood two large glasses of ice water, one of which he had drunk already. Itachi has also placed a hearty sandwich in front of him on a plate, and Shisui had ravished it in a minute. It was now gone. Itachi was happy for that; both that he liked his sandwich but also that it had probably helped mopping up the alcohol.

"No", Itachi said with a soft voice. "It's the same pH as you, so you won't feel anything but a bit of cold."

"Wow... Sure you're not gonna become a doctor? You know so much."

Itachi smiled. "My mother is a nurse", he explained. "She always explained things to me when mending me as a kid." Itachi started wiping. Shisui flinched a little, but then sat still. "You and I know I would be a terrible doctor. I'm too shy."

"I disagree."

"Say that again tomorrow when you're sober. I bet you'll agree with me then."

"I bet I won't." Stubborn. "What does your dad do?" he asked.

"He's a police officer."

There was a silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Itachi didn't know if he dared to ask Shisui about his family.

"My mother cleans houses for a living", Shisui said, as if reading Itachi's thoughts. "It doesn't pay much, but it's a living and she adores her colleagues. My father left before I was born. I don't know who he is." Shisui's voice was low, but it didn't sound sad. Itachi couldn't see his face, but he guessed the natural smile he usually had wasn't there. "Mum met a new guy she married when I was young. They were married for five years. He was good but he died and left a huge secret gambling debt mum is still trying to repay."

"I'm sorry", said Itachi, lost for better words.

"Don't be", said Shisui. "I..." he swallowed. "I've never told anyone. Not a single soul. Not even Lauren."

That name. It stung. He knew it was selfish to feel that way now Shisui was opening up to him, but he couldn't help it.

"My mother... She wouldn't let me pay for anything once I started earning money in Switzerland." Shisui continued. Itachi switched cotton pad do a new one and drenched it in the aseptic to clean the rest of the rash. "When I was in New Zealand, I gave her an ultimatum; take the money I provided or I would leave, too. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But it worked. She let me help her pay off some of the debt." Itachi could hear the smile in Shisui's voice now. "She only earns just enough for food and rent. It felt great to be able to help her."

"You're mother sounds like a very kind woman", Itachi said.

"She is."

"And you're a very kind man."

There was a silence while both Itachi and Shisui contemplated those words. Itachi broke the silence.

"Let me see your hands", he demanded.

"Why?"

"Let me see."

Shisui turned around and turned his hands palms-up. Just as Itachi had suspected he had rashes there too from breaking his fall. He put aseptic on a new cotton pad and started cleaning Shisui's left one, holding it with his own left hand and wiping it with the right. He could feel Shisui's gaze on him. It was intense. Now they were so close, Itachi could even feel the scent of him. He still smelled slightly of alcohol, but it was not unpleasant. Underneath that was the faint smell of what must be Shisui's own scent; of earth and citrus. Itachi thought it smelled like home.