Red Butterfly

Chapter 97, Complimentary

"Hanabi...", I hug him tighter as I silently cry into his shoulder. The tips of my long hair stroke my exposed arms as I yearn for warmth from Itachi. He doesn't question or say anything, because as always he's good at reading the situation.

Itachi gently returns the gesture and rubs my back in attempts to console me.

"Thank you...", he says in a hoarse voice, to which I respond by suffocating myself deeper into his shoulder. I picked up his nice scent, which in this case was laced with sweat.

"Don't you dare do that...ever again", I whimper, letting my shoulders tremble as he wrapped me in a strong hold.

"Hanabi", he whispered and buried his lips on the top of my head, "it's alright...we're okay...", he murmured against my head.

"Hey", one of his hands trailed up my face, where he pushed away a strand of my hair and brushed his thumb over my tears, he gently lifted my chin and assured"you're okay..."

I was biting down my lower lip hard as I looked back into his dark eyes. I am scared, terrified to say the least. I'd never be this scared to lose myself, but he just means so much.

His face was tired, but he still managed a genuine smile.

"Stop forcing yourself to smile", I said through a string of cries, "you're not fine...you almost died right before my eyes"

"Stop acting tough for my sake! What if I lost you too?! Goodness Itachi next time just let me die-", I stopped mid sentence and my downpour of tears halted when I saw the still born tears that he desperately held back.

"And what if I lost you?", he whispered in a barely audible voice.

"Itachi..."

Our faces were so close it was scary. I scrutinized everything about him from this close up and he returned the favor as well.

"Itachi"

"Hanabi"

The tips of our noses were separated by a few inches as we stared hard at each other.

Is this it? Do we seal it...?

I swallowed the lump in my throat and I saw that he was just as nervous to take this leap with me.

My nose tips closer to his and my breath heaves automatically. On pure instinct, we exchange one last look at each other before closing our eyes shut and deliberately leaning in.

My heavy breath fanned his face just as his fanned mine. I could feel our closeness which was scarier than anything I have ever known.

There was always that attraction between us. Perhaps I was too young at the time to decipher it accurately, but now...with the passage of four years, I know exactly what it was that drew us together all this time.

This is the very first intimate moment to ever occur between us. We're close, way too close for being just 'comrades' in preventing a coup on the Uchiha.

This feels so alien, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.

For the time being, it had to happen later.

The universe, destiny, fate...whatever it is, it has to compensate for this moment or else...

The smooch didn't happen. And oh god this better be atoned for. Because right when we were about to seal it once and for all, a scream had to snap us out of the dream that finally came true.

"To be continued..", Itachi hastily spoke, before helping me up to my feet, only to halt in place wen he noticed the lifeless red butterflies. He whipped his head over his shoulder, where he looked at me momentarily with his agape mouth, hoping that I'd give him an explanation without actually answering him orally.

My eyes were saddened, but my lips curled into a weak, genuine smile as I gave his hand a warm squeeze. His eyes had enlarged, but he sealed his lips together, before giving me a response by squeezing my hand back.

Hand in hand, we ran off to the place where the voice of what I presumed to be Naruto had emanated. Instinctively, we break off the physical contact and head straight for the source of chakra.

"You sure you're okay?", I ask him in concern and scrutinize his face for reassurance.

Itachi gives me a curt nod as we progress further into the unknown. My sensory skills lead me straight towards a pit of woods on the mountain wall terrain as I saw Itachi following lead.

The majority of my red butterflies died in attempts to save Itachi, which they knew meant the world to me. Nevertheless, I still had a very little flock that survived the process of reviving Itachi without having to give it their all.

Itachi's chakra seems to be fine and his stamina is normal. I can't help but feel utter gratitude towards his well-being, but my heart paced nevertheless, since I knew that Naruto was still in the clutches of the enemy.

Impatiently, I sprint towards Itachi. My heart races at the thought of Naruto getting hurt, which contributed to what I did next.

My butterflies were already marked with my Technique Formula, and so I quickly channeled my chakra into theirs. Thus, giving them blade wings that'll allow them to slice faster through the air.

I sent them flying away into the pit of woods, with a speed that exceeded mine due to their petite figure.

I held my breath tight, and when I was sure that they had disappeared into the right location I grasped Itachi's wrist, which he didn't object or even look surprised in the slightest.

It took me a moment to realize that the wrist I held was the one I so desperately clawed at the Final Valley. I felt the somewhat deep grazed lines on his wrist, only for me to realize that I was holding it with my own scarred wrist.

We're complimentary like that, I like it.

The chakra sensation that I felt made my anxiety rise up again.

Itachi seemed to have sensed this, because right then, he'd firmly intertwined our hands as he looks straight ahead of him.

"Do it", he demands in a serious voice.

I harden my heart and take in a deep breath, we're together in this. We didn't even need to take one last glance of reassurance, because that's just how much we trust each other.

And so without a further ado, I raised two and tightened my grip in Itachi's.

"Lightning Style: Flying Raijin Jutsu!"

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A/N:- I know what you're thinking...

JUST CUT TO CHASE ALREADY!!!

And I couldn't agree more to be honest...but anyways a few more chapters to go along the epilogue and I can finally Rest In Peace...

~A