Caught in the Darkness

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: Poisoned

Itachi splashed the flowing river water with his fingers. He still hadn't received any kind of answer from Hanako, and now he had accepted he would never get one. Hanako was full-on ignoring him. Itachi felt hurt, but he wouldn't show such vulnerability, much less in front of his partner. "You're awfully silent," but he would notice anyway. Kisame looked at the Uchiha with a grin Itachi couldn't figure out if it was mockery or understanding. "You're not the extroverted type, but I can guess there's something wrong." Kisame lay on the water. He floated, letting the water current move him as it pleased. They were supposed to be taking a bath, but Kisame felt like in a relaxing sauna. "It's been awhile since I've been in this calm," he said. He had his eyes closed, Itachi looked at him. He could have sworn he saw the gills in his temples move.

Itachi shook his head. He was thinking trivialities. He only thought of trivial things when he felt unsure of something, and right now he felt unsure of Hanako's feelings for him. "Still no response I suppose?" Kisame still had his eyes closed, but Itachi felt as if he was staring straight at him.

"No." Itachi's tone was cold. He submerged himself in the water completely. As he did, he cleared his mind. He didn't want to think of Hanako, or himself, or anything. He put his mind in blank. The cold water let his muscles relax, but as calm as he had felt for a moment, his muscles tensed abruptly. The water had turned into blood, and Hanako was there. She was looking at him with scared eyes, soaking in her own blood. There was a huge gash on her chest, and she was looking at him with hatred now.

"You did this to me," she said in a low hiss that only Itachi could hear. "You killed everyone!" This time she screamed. Itachi opened his mouth to reply and water rushed inside. Itachi tried to cough it out but there was too much and he couldn't breathe. Hanako got closer to him. "You deserve to die," she said to his ear and Itachi struggled with himself to get out of the water, but his body was numb.

He opened his eyes at the moment Kisame pulled him out of the water. The moment air entered his lungs, the water was pushed out from his system in a series of coughs. "Are you okay?" Kisame patted his back, helping the water find its way out. "You gotta respect a river, you know? Currents aren't exactly stable, they change abruptly, and one of those changes sank you to the bottom. I thought for a moment you would drown," Kisame sighed. "If I hadn't been watching you--"

"Kisame," Itachi stopped him with a hand. "I'm fine, thanks."

"Fine," Kisame scoffed as he pulled away from the Uchiha and let himself fall into a sitting position beside him. "Sure, you're fine but you almost drowned!" Kisame shook his head. "What were you thinking, Itachi-san?!" He didn't say anything. "Hey, if you miss her that much, go look for her." His voice softened. "I'll cover up for you, we are allowed to do whatever we want as long as we're not on duty, right? Then what's stopping you?"

"You don't understand," Itachi replied slowly. "I don't think she wants to see me." He remembered his vision and shuddered.

Kisame almost laughed, but he refrained himself from doing so. Itachi was serious. "I think she is dying to see you."

Dying. The word was stuck in Itachi's throat. Maybe she was. That made sense, and it fitted perfectly with the vision. Without another word, Itachi got up and picked up his clothes. He dressed as quickly as he could, and then left. Kisame only watched him with curious eyes, he would never understand what love felt like.

* * *

Sasuke's match was quick. At first Hanako thought he was going to lose, since the curse mark almost took him over, but he didn't. Instead, he defeated Yoroi with only Taijutsu. He restrained from using his chakra, for the curse mark she supposed.