One last time

Chapter 27

Itachi looked out the window, contemplating his existence. He rubbed his face with his hands, exhaustion lining his beautiful features. "Itachi, I bought you some food." Mikoto called out, opening the door after a few knocks. She had learnt the hard way that no matter how long she stood outside patiently knocking and waiting, Itachi would not say whether it was okay or not to enter.

"I'm not hungry, mother." Itachi muttered, turning his gaze away from his mother and back to the setting sun. Mikoto frowned with sad eyes, she sat the food down at his desk and perched on the edge of the bed. "You know he wouldn't like it if you are doing this to yourself. I know you miss him but you should eat something." Mikoto tried persuading her son. Itachi turned his head more, hiding his face from his mother. No name needed to be said but everyone knew who 'he' was. Mikoto felt tears well up in her eyes, it was hard for everyone but Itachi took it the worst. He had locked himself in the room, it was only recently that the man unlocked his doors before anyone of them could break it down.

Mikoto watched as he wiped at his face with his palms. She blinked at the jacket, she didn't remember Itachi owning that jacket... It looked like one that Naruto had worn before instead. The blond had a thing for wearing oversized jackets despite always muttering excuses saying that he would grow into them. "Uchiha Itachi! Pull yourself together. Did you forget what you promised him?" Mikoto asked, shaking him by the shoulders. Itachi looked up at her, tears welling up in his eyes but not falling. She felt her heart clench at seeing her son's tears of sadness and pain.

"I don't know what to do anymore, Kaa-san." Itachi said softly, sounding so lost that Mikoto could hear her own heart breaking. Mikoto pulled him close for a hug, she smoothed her hand over Itachi's hair and patted him just like how she used to do when he was a child. "I will leave the food here for you, bring it down when you're done." Mikoto said after it became apparent that Itachi would just sit there brooding.
Itachi barely acknowledged it when she spoke to him, only giving her a small nod before she left, closing the door with a soft click. Itachi stared at the garden outside, he could remember when Naruto first saw the garden. He remembered seeing the blond with Mikoto from his room; the blond was speeding around excitedly, cradling the flowers in his small hands and speaking to his mother with the brightest smile ever. Mikoto was initially shocked by his love for gardening before they fell into an animated conversation about it, sharing their knowledge with each other. He remembered sitting at the dining table with Sasuke and their dad, confused, as Mikoto and Naruto went on and on about gardening using special terms that he didn't even know existed.

Sometimes, Itachi brought Naruto home, not to hang out with him but for Mikoto to hang out with Naruto. Itachi could see where Naruto had bought Mikoto some sunflowers and they had planted it together. He remembered Naruto asking him to go to his room and sit at the window before the blond walked out to the garden and looked up at his room to determine which spot would allow Itachi the best view of the sunflowers. Itachi felt something wet running down his cheeks, he wiped it away furiously. Why would looking at such beautiful sunflowers make him cry?! Why...
Itachi looked down at his fingers when a soft glint caught his eye, pulling him deeper into his memories.

Naruto had woken up from the medically induced coma when Itachi had gone for the forced walk. He had looked like he was about to cry when there was no one in the room. Naruto thought that Itachi had left him but he was greeted by the sight of the gorgeous man when he heard the doors opening, he had wanted to jump out of bed and run to Itachi but he physically did not have much energy to move and neither was he fast enough. The man stood there, frozen as if in shock but Tsunade had shoved past him to get to Naruto. It was only after much fussing that Itachi was finally given some space to be with Naruto. The blond could barely breathe on his own without the equipment so going outside was harder than before. But they managed it - Itachi did not want Naruto to spend what could possibly be his last days staring at the plain white walls of the hospital ward. Itachi swore he almost went insane from doing exactly that whilst waiting for Naruto to wake up.