Truth: Itachi Uchiha Love Story

C H A P T E R 2 8

"How are you feeling?"

"Better."

It's been about a week since Itachi has been back in the village. So far, he has been responding pretty well to the intensive treatment. After a few days in the hospital, Itachi was stable enough to move him into my apartment. Having him stay in the hospital for as long as he did was risky enough as it is. There were a few times I had to shoo nurses away from the room he was staying in. To say the least, the amount of time spent keeping an eye on the room was starting to hinder my work.

Standing at the foot of the bed, I giddied at the view before me. Itachi sat propped up against the headboard, a smile adorning his face as he beckoned me to him. My heart filled with delight, having him here like this is what I've wanted for a long time.

'I just want this to last forever.'

I quickly shrugged off my shirt and pants tossing them over the banister. I reached for a pair of sweatpants that were thrown over a chair that sat adjacent to the bed. Turning back, I encountered an endearing reaction. Itachi's face was beet red, fingers fiddling with the ends of the bedsheet, eyes nervously moving from my body to his hands. I giggled at the bashful retort.

I jumped onto the bed, my arms landing on either side of his hips, lips pressing against his heated flesh. "Are you embarrassed to see me naked?" I murmured against his cheek. A shiver, racked through his body as I placed butterfly kisses down the length of his jaw. His breathing hitched, I could feel the skin against my lips blister with abashment.

A chuckle ripped through my chest.

"It's not funny." He hissed, in childish contempt.

Another laugh ripped through me. I pressed my forehead to his. "Oh, but it is," I whispered, cupping his face, kissing the tip of his nose. His cheeks puffed, strands of hair falling over his shoulders, managing to make his already alluring appearance even more bewitching.

I flushed at the sight. My head dropped, letting my bangs cover my eyes.

"Are we feeling a little embarrassed now?" He taunted, a hand pulling my chin to face him. The shy and bashful expression was replaced with a mix of a playful and sultry tone. Yanking myself from him his grip, I flopped onto the bed pulling the sheets over my face in an attempt to completely conceal myself from his taunts.

The bed shifted, the divets widening as Itachi settled himself next to me, his body nestling against mine, arms folding around me, dragging me flush against him. A small yelp escaped me at the sudden movement.

"What did the hokage want?" He asked, his voice weighted with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

My body twisted under his grip. My arms laying flat against his chest, my hands cradling his face.

"She's giving you permission to come and go as you please... Provided that you report to her whenever you return... She wants to keep your presence in the village a secret till she can deal with the council."

His arms tightened. The palms of his hands running against the length of my back, stopping just short of smoothing over my ass. My eyes fluttered to his, my thumbs tracing lightly over his bottom lip.

"The question now is, what do you want to do?" I whispered, sinking myself deeper into his embrace.

A hefty sigh blew past his lips. "I am going to go back to the Akatsuki. Sasuke is still my responsibility... I have to find a way to end all of this misery."

"I know." My lips moved to his, I found myself completely at ease with his resolution. I knew once he made up his mind, there was very little that could be said to make him back down. Even if I was the one opposing it. All I can do... All I have ever been able to do was stand by him, and so that's what I'll do till the day I die.