Encore

Epilogue

Itachi stood behind Shisui in the line together with the other engineering and technology students in the great main hall of the University. He felt the heavy, velvety fabric of the cloak he was wearing bearing down on his shoulders. He looked at Shisui's back, so broad and strong, and thought he looked gorgeous in his. The square hat with the tassel was slightly askew on Shisui's head, completely unbeknown to him. It was adorable.

Five years of hard work had now paid off in this graduation ceremony. Itachi reached his hand to Shisui's. When Shisui felt Itachi's small hand in his, he looked over his shoulder, took hold of it and squeezed back. Itachi was soothed by this.

He looked out over the crowd and saw his mother, father and brother waving at him happily. Shisui's mother, who sat next to Itachi's mother, whispered something in her ear and they giggled together. There was a new light in his boyfriend's mother's eyes now she had managed to pay off the entire gambling debt she'd been left with. A couple of years ago, her boss at the cleaning company, who was also the owner, had announced she was quitting. She had then asked Shisui's mother to take over. She had skyrocketed the company and could take out a salary that was double the one she had before, as well as increasing the salary of her colleagues. She wasn't rich by any means, but much more comfortable than she'd ever been. Next to her sat Guy the Zumba teacher, teary-eyed, not wanting to miss the graduation of his favorite Zumba student (that being Shisui, of course, not Itachi who had never set foot in Zumba-class again) for the world. The love of Shisui had brought him and his mother together, and Itachi and Shisui suspected there was something going on between them. That would have been wonderful, although they hadn't confirmed it.

The Head Dean was holding his speech, and was about to start awarding the students who had stood out. Suddenly, Shisui's name was called out. He felt Shisui stiffen in front of him, confused.

"For leading our University to national victory three years in a row in the hundred metre sprint, you will be awarded the Head Dean's Prize of Athletic Excellence."

Itachi smiled. Shisui had tried out for the sprint team in their second year, and had been completely unstoppable in the tracks since. Itachi loved watching him compete. The first year, it thrilled him and caused all sorts of exotic sensations in his stomach, causing him to ravage Shisui in bed afterwards. Now, when a few years had passed and his insatiable hunger had calmed down a bit, he could see the beauty of it; Shisui's strength, his agility, how the hard work he put in paid off in medal after medal. Shisui always put the medals in the drawer for his training clothes, but Itachi collected them and hung them up on the wall of the apartment they'd bought together two years ago.

Shisui went up to the podium and accepted the document for his prize.

"That's my boy!" Itachi heard Fugaku, his father, shout. He had taken Shisui under his wing like his own son.

Every prize winner was expected to hold a short speech, and Shisui took his good time, thanking everything and everyone under the sun and grinning madly the whole time. Nobody minded, because he was Shisui and loved by all. Shisui then stood back behind the Head Dean on the podium, patiently waiting for the other prizes to be awarded.

Itachi had suspected it all along, but he was still nervous. The last prize was the Head Dean's Prize of Academic Excellence in Engineering and Technology. It was awarded to the most eminent student in the department, and Itachi had become a known name in the entire faculty due to his outstanding results. So he wasn't surprised when his name was called, but despite having grown out of his shyness quite a bit thanks to Shisui and his friends, he still found it daunting to go up on the podium and accept his prize in front of all these people. He tentatively walked up the stares to loud applause, a huge wolf whistle from Shisui and a "That's my boy!" from Fugaku. Once up, he looked out onto the crowd and caught yet another familiar face. Lauren, Shisui's ex girlfriend of seven years, looked at him and smiled. Itachi felt his entire body relax. She sat next to Chris, holding one hand in his and the other on her pregnant stomach. The two of them were both art students and had had their graduation the week before. The twenty-eight-year-old couple looked very happy. During the years, Lauren and Itachi had grown close, and she was his closest friend except Shisui, of course. In her he'd found a friend to confide in, but their favorite pastime was to go to the bar in the city that served their favourite alcohol-free pina colada (because Lauren was pregnant and Itachi didn't drink) and rate the men in the bar from one to ten. It was hilarious and they always had to stop because they were laughing so much the drink came back up in Laurens nose and she started scream-laughing due to the pain and the ridiculousness of it all. Shisui and Chris were never invited.

Itachi went to the podium to give his short speech. He looked at Lauren, expecting to find her looking encouragingly at him, but instead found she had the sneakiest smile he'd ever seen on her. He tentatively began a short speech, just thanking those close to him, when a whirl went through the entire audience. Itachi stumbled a little on his words, confused, not understanding as people started whispering. Did I forget to put my trousers on, or what? He saw some were pointing behind him. He heard the Head Dean exclaim "Oh, how lovely!" when he turned around and got the chock of his life.

Behind him, in the line of students who had received a prize, Shisui stood on one knee, looking so heartbreakingly nervous it would melt anyone's heart. In his hand he had a black velvet box.

Shisui had planned an entire speech for Itachi, but in the heat of it, the best he could do was "Ehhhh".

Itachi felt his knees buckle under him, and he fell down on his knees and buried his face in his hands. It was so unexpected. He heard a whirl go through the audience, and soon felt Shisui's arms around him.

"Itachi... Will you marry me?" he murmured in his ear, so quietly that only he could hear.

Itachi couldn't muster a word, so he just nodded. Yes... Yes!

And the audience exploded. A roar of cheer and applause lifted the roof, and Shisui took Itachi in a huge hug, lifted him up and twirled him around. Itachi laughed, drying tears from his eyes as Shisui put him down and put the ring on his left ring finger. It was broad and masculine, made of platinum with a small black stone. It was stunning and fit Itachi perfectly.

"Shisui, you son of a bitch!" he heard Chris shout from the audience.

"That's my boys!"

Shisui took a walk of honor around the podium, both arms up stretched, hands clenched in fists, grinning like mad, to the audience's applause. No-one else would have gotten away with this... Itachi looked at the Head Dean, who had his hands clasped together and looked utterly delighted. He loved Shisui, too.

Shisui finished his walk of honor by going to his fiancé and hugging him. Itachi hugged him back tightly, breathing in the familiar smell of earth and citrus. Home...

"I saved you from your speach, huhh?" Shisui joked.

"Fuck you", Itachi said, but couldn't help but smile widely.

They allowed themselves to relax, to be completely caught in the moment. Afterwards, they were going to their apartment together. They had decided to celebrate their graduation evening only the two of them, at home. That was their favourite.

They both felt utterly at peace. And happy.