Back To You [Shisui X Itachi]

Chapter 30

A/N: Wow, my frosty friends! I am so beyond giddy at all the comments this book has been receiving! I love hearing you interact with the characters and some comments even compliment me - and that just blows. my. mind! Please carry on - it always brings a smile to this little icicle's face :) If you see that sneaky vote star, catch it and press it! ILY, enjoy!

The cold, syrup-like ice cream meandered down Sasuke's hand. He lapped it up every now and then – his eyes focussed on the play area of the restaurant.

Despite his vicious battle against his fatigue, Itachi was always hyperaware when it came to Sasuke. Itachi sat next to the distracted Sasuke – with Kakashi on the opposite side of the table.

"Do you want to go play?" Itachi asked gently – tiredly.

Sasuke licked his ice cream with his little tongue, his large eyes still focused on the play area. The blue room emanating giggles and laughs. Childhood within a room.

"Mhm", Sasuke said in agreement.

"Well go on then!" Itachi said excitedly, "But don't make a mess with your ice cream."

Sasuke smiled, chocolate around his mouth, "I'll be good!" He hopped off the booth and walked carefully on little legs so as to not spill his ice cream.

When his little brother was inside the blue room of happiness, Itachi let out a heavy sigh and placed his head in his hands.

"Why don't you want to go home?" Kakashi asked softly.

Itachi sighed, where would he begin? How would he explain it? Perhaps he could switch topics or lie.

But you don't want to. You want to tell him, his mind whispered.

"My parents...they're going through a bad time..."

Itachi's eyes focussed on Kakashi's hands that rested on the table, and when he answered Kakashi's question rather vaguely, Kakashi's fists balled up angrily.

"Are they hitting you and your brother?" Kakashi sounded normal – at ease. But his tone carried a subtle wavelength of rage.

Itachi shook his head, "Not exactly. The first time my brother and I saw them fighting...Sasuke tried to stop them. It was a crazy blur of scratching and tugging and my father accidentally kicked Sasuke out the way. His head hit the corner of a night stand and was sent to hospital..." Itachi explained while twirling his straw in his milkshake. It wasn't exactly the easiest thing to talk about.

Kakashi was quiet, Itachi knew him well enough to know that he wanted the rest of the story.

"A picture by the staircase. My father and mother were smiling fondly in the background while Sasuke and I played in the foreground. I loved that picture. It was so colourful – it was my family...Now, it's shattered on the floor somewhere. My idea of...love...has turned sour. It's funny though", Itachi added, still swirling his straw.

"What's funny?" Kakashi asked.

"Even in all that turmoil and inner conflict about what 'love' is, I still cared enough about Shisui to push him away. To keep him away from this deplorable life I have found myself in."

"You didn't push me away..." Kakashi added.

Itachi looked up with tired eyes, "It's different with you. I hope you don't take offence, but if you do I have nothing to lose anyway. Whatever 'feelings' you have for me are purely sexual – I speculate. There's no emotional attachment, making it safe for you to stay because you wouldn't be sucked into the dark hole that is slowly becoming my existence. Melodramatic I suppose – but I don't have other words to describe it..." Itachi's voice weakened near the end.