One Eye Between Them

This was supposed to be longer, but I’m having trouble with the next part, so I cut it in half. Updates have really slowed down because I’m working overtime at work and it’s leaving me too drained to even write, but I am always thinking. ^_^

Bet’ed by PhoenixInnocence
----------
Kakashi was staying over more often. He commandeered a chest of drawers from another room with Inoichi’s help. Seeing the butler with no jacket on as he helped, Kakashi appreciated the fact that this was no mere butler. He was far more muscular than Kakashi had given him credit for and he was pretty sure the blond man was normally armed as well.

Itachi sat on his bed with his earphones on while the two men worked, blissfully unaware how heavy mahogany was. His room was being rearranged, but not significantly to interfere with him. As long as his path to the bathroom and the door were clear, he didn’t care. His mother, brother, or Kakashi usually chose clothes for him since he could barely tell if something was inside out or back to front. That was something he was coming to accept and not feel bad about. He really didn’t care anymore and even found his own inability to choose his own clothes amusing.

As it was, Itachi was in la la land without any visual stimulation to distract him.

Inoichi checked the drawers once more to make sure they were empty and even checked the underside of drawers.

“Inoichi,” Kakashi said, “you’ve been with them for about fifteen years, right?”

“I have.”

“Itachi told me he invented that little bell rope system when he was ten and mentioned you.”

“He was always brilliant. The Uchiha moved into the house just about two years before that and I was hired at that time.”

“What were you before? Army? Police?”

“Takes one to know one, eh?” Inoichi smiled. “Army. I never made it into any action; got seriously injured during a training exercise. I had my training and a small pension, that’s it. I signed up for a private security firm once I recovered and it just so happened Fugaku was looking for a live-in security slash butler. I gave it a shot and never left. I might have quit if not for the boys—being a butler is more involved than I thought. Itachi was really cute, but Sasuke was . . . you wouldn’t believe how adorable he used to be. My wife and daughter live here too. I will tell you this: as much as I love these two boys, I never wanted my daughter to marry either of them. I’m glad they’re both off the market. Ino had a crush on Sasuke for years; almost gave me an ulcer.”

Kakashi nodded. “I can understand that. Itachi seems to be really hard on himself, keeps saying he was a horrible person before. Was he like his brother?”

“Sasuke’s just been overly stressed this last year. He’s also been working so hard to catch Itachi’s coattails. Itachi was beautiful and brilliant and he knew it. He was rather proud and arrogant, but he was justified. He wasn’t well liked, but it didn’t bother him. He was happy.”

“I guess I really shouldn’t care, I love the man he is now. I kind of wish I knew what he was like back then.”

“You’re right: it doesn’t matter. Just know, he used to be a bit more spirited and aggressive. That will come out again. Hopefully, he won’t be so timid forever. He has opened up again since he met you. You’ve given him his confidence back.”

“I want to give him more of it. Good to know there’s more men with guns around. I want him kept safe when I’m not here.”

“Fugaku makes sure of that.”

“I just realized something: when I move in permanently, we’ll have to do this again. Never thought I’d be treasuring the idea of IKEA.”

“I’m hiring movers then.”

“I’ll put money in for that.”

They inched the heavy monstrosity into its final place and Inoichi left them alone.

“Itachi!”

Itachi was bouncing his head with the music. Kakashi didn’t want to startle him so he grabbed the iPod and turned down the volume.

Itachi pulled off his headphones. “Huh?”

“We finished.” He pulled Itachi’s glasses off as a prelude to a kiss, but he stopped. “Hey, you’ve got some discharge coming from your eye. I can’t believe they stitched your eyes shut.”

“I argued for it. I was a bit of a brat. I think they only agreed to keep me calm. I was traumatized,” he said blithely.

“You should see a doctor.”

“I suppose it is that time.”

“I’ll be right back.” Kakashi wet a washcloth in Itachi’s personal bathroom and came back to clean the surface of Itachi’s eyes. Itachi winced; he did have an infection.

“Does Inoichi handle that sort of thing?” Kakashi asked.

“Father does. He’s more concerned about me now; he’s taken charge.”

“What about your nightmares? You seeing someone for those too?”

“Not a fan. I’d rather talk to you about it. If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind. I’ll talk to your father when he gets home about an appointment.”

“Will you go with me this time? I don’t want to put Sasuke or mother through it again. Not that I want you to go through it, but I’d like to have you there. I’m more intimate with you so I’d be more comfortable being naked and such in front of you.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“It’s sort of an all-day thing. Eyes, beating, being raped . . . They check everything. You think the IRS crawls up people’s asses with a microscope, I have had that literally done to me.”

Kakashi sat next to him and pulled him into a hug. “You poor thing,” Kakashi said with amusement. “Would you enjoy it more if I were a doctor?”

“Probably. I’d get checkups far more often.”

“Do I have to make an appointment to see your father? I don’t see him very often, just at the occasional dinner.”

“You can talk to him during dinner about it.”

“Bring up you have puss oozing from your eyes during dinner?”

Itachi pushed him lightly. “I don’t know why I want you to tell him. I’ll tell him I need an appointment. I’ll leave out why. I guess I still see my father as . . . foreboding. My childhood memories are filled with looking up at him and mother telling him how I excelled and him putting his hand on my head and saying, ‘You are my son indeed,’ or some variation. He’s only been warm to me since my return. I don’t think it’s just guilt for the whole Africa thing, I think he believed one didn’t soften a son by showing affection. Now that I’m . . . incapacitated . . . I’m weakened and I think he really wants to show us love, but now he’s afraid to touch me and Sasuke’s being an ass.”

Kakashi stroked Itachi’s hair for a while before someone knocked at the door. Kakashi didn’t move away from Itachi—everyone knew and was comfortable with their relationship.

“Come in,” Itachi called.

Itachi looked up—as useless as it was—when he felt Kakashi stiffen.

“I wasn’t aware you were here, Hatake. I didn’t see your car.”

“Shisui,” Itachi sighed.

“You saw Itachi’s, no?” Kakashi said. “Sasuke had it transferred to me.”

“You gave him your Bentley?!”

“What the fuck am I going to do with it?” Itachi whined. “It had a layer of dust on it.”

Shisui’s expression was hard, but hurt. “That Bentley was your dream car.”

“It still is, but I can’t drive it and it’s not going anywhere.”

“I’m still scared to drive it,” Kakashi confessed. “But I left my Kia with my boss to be used for parts or to be thrown out.”

“Didn’t even sell it? Getting too used to having access to someone with money?”

“Shisui!”

Kakashi rubbed Itachi’s back to calm him.

“God, I’m so sick of you and Sasuke insulting and assuming the worst of him! Beside the car, the only thing he’s gotten for free is food. Can’t you two just back off? Sometimes with Sasuke it’s funny and enduring, but with you it’s just jeal—” Itachi stopped, not knowing who might be within earshot.

Shisui looked at Kakashi and saw that he knew. It wasn’t just that jab the last time they spoke; Kakashi knew.

“Why are you here?” Itachi asked.

“I thought you’d be alone and I wanted to stay with you, keep you from feeling lonely and bored.”

“Thanks, but Kakashi’s got that covered.”

“So I see.”

“And my right hand is uninjured.”

That shocked Shisui and Kakashi, but Kakashi snorted while Shisui couldn’t believe Itachi had said it.

“Why don’t you go back to Iraq?” Itachi asked. “Aren’t there new troubles over there? I’m sure you’re needed.”

Itachi knew he was hurting his cousin and meant it. There was no former lover he wanted to be around. Especially his first.

“I was looking for a civilian contract actually.”

“Then go mind fuck a jaywalker.”

Kakashi had some sympathy for Shisui until that. Their eyes met and Shisui was mortified; Kakashi was hostile. Kakashi agreed with Sasuke that Shisui had manipulated Itachi as a child.

“I’ll leave you alone then.”

“Shut the door on your way out.”

The door shut and Itachi was glad he had someone with an eye to make sure he wasn’t being tricked. But just to be sure, he asked, “We’re alone?”

“Yes.” Kakashi took his hand.

“What time is it?”

“Two.”

“It’s always after dark to me; is it too early for you?”

“Having a rival around sparks my jealousy. We have about two hours before we have to worry about interruption.” He ran his hand down Itachi’s clothed chest and down his thigh.

“You have no rivals. But I want you jealous.”

“I’ll lock the door.”

Kakashi turned the latch and sat back down next to Itachi. He caressed Itachi’s cheek and kissed him. Itachi’s hand slipped under Kakashi’s shirt to the well-muscled abdomen. Kakashi tensed his stomach and Itachi could map his muscles. But he wanted something else. His hand wandered lower. The bulge he found there made him gasp with lust.

Kakashi responded in kind, feeling Itachi harden and lengthen under his hand. Suddenly impatient, Kakashi attacked the button of Itachi’s pants. Itachi leaned back and lifted his hips for Kakashi to pull his pants from under his ass. His hand was back to Itachi’s groin, fingering his hot member through his black boxers.

Itachi grew impatient this time and shoved off his own underwear and unbuttoned Kakashi’s pants. Kakashi was better prepared, going commando.

Kakashi licked at Itachi’s shoulder and chest, tasting his skin. Then down to his cock, kneeling on the floor. Smooth hot flesh warmed his lips. He flicked his tongue over the weeping head and then sucked his nectar. He pulled Itachi’s thighs further open, held up his cock and took his balls in his mouth.

Itachi smoothed Kakashi’s hair and petted him. He couldn’t see, but he could better feel the mouth devouring him.

Kakashi slid his teeth over the sensitive flesh and licked the offended skin. Then back to his iron hard cock with teeth and tongue until they were both mad with lust. Kakashi looked up at Itachi’s lustful face. He spit on Itachi cock and fisted it as he crawled up to straddle his young lover and pressed his cock against his. He held Itachi up as he tilted him back to kiss him soundly.

Kakashi helped him lie back and moved between Itachi’s legs and watched Itachi’s pale body as he breathed and tensed.

Kakashi wished he could see those lust filled eyes open. He wanted to see him appreciate his body. But he did appreciate it. He drew up his legs and silently begged for Kakashi to penetrate him.

Then, not so silently.

“Fuck me, Kakashi. Please.”

A smear of lubricant and Kakashi pressed in. That jealousy he shrugged away before overcame him. That Shisui had desecrated this body killed him. He hooked an arm under Itachi’s thigh and leaned down to kiss him while thrusting hard into him.

“Itachi,” Kakashi sighed covetously.

“Ahh, Kakashi, fuck me. Ummm, cum inside me. Rut me and mark me.”

Kakashi growled.

“Let Shisui and Masa know I belong to you.”

Kakashi kissed and sucked at his neck and bit down hard as he came. Itachi bucked his body up against him, forcing his sweet spot against Kakashi’s spurting cock until he came as well. Their panting breath, heaving chest, and sweating bodies were ignored as they made love. Now, their panting thundered in the room and it seemed too close and hot. They didn’t move though. Itachi turned his head to breathe in Kakashi’s scent while Kakashi continued to breathe into his neck.

“Sixty-nine,” Itachi said.

“Let me clean up first.” But Kakashi didn’t move. “I love you. Your scent is truly intoxicating.”

“I’ve noticed I’ve started to smell like you. I smell you randomly on me. You’ve properly marked me.”

Kakashi chuckled. “When I catch your scent, I smile. Let me clean up and I’ll follow all your orders.”

“All of them?”

“I am a soldier. General.”

Itachi titled Kakashi’s head so he could see his smile. “My lieutenant.”

“Give me leave.”

“Hurry.”

Kakashi practically jumped from the bed and to the bathroom to clean the soiled lube from his cock and returned to see Itachi sitting up in the middle of the bed, leaning back against the shelf of books and stroking his cock. He stood there and watched. His own cock growing at the sight. Cum was still smeared on Itachi’s creamy stomach. His hair was mussed and his lips red, his neck reddened, and his skin patchy with blushes. He looked like a wanton.

“I can hear you breathing,” Itachi said. “Enjoying the show?”

“Immensely.”

“Lay down.”

Kakashi knelt on the bed and Itachi reached out to find Kakashi’s muscled chest and pushed him down so that his head was on the pillow. He carefully crawled over him presenting his cock to Kakashi’s mouth and he guided Kakashi’s cock to his own mouth.

Itachi slowly lowered his hips, wanting to fuck his lover’s mouth, but afraid to choke him. Kakashi pulled him down into leisurely thrusts. Itachi, for his own part, bobbed his head on his cock and held the head tightly with his throat and tilted his head around to polish his soldier’s helmet with his soft throat.

Itachi salivated with the precum smearing his palate. Kakashi used his tongue to tease out the same from Itachi.

Kakashi groaned with the feeling of saliva dripping down his length and wetting his balls. He groped Itachi’s ass and kneaded his flesh.

Itachi groaned in kind and took all of Kakashi’s length into his throat and swallowed and moaned. Kakashi pulled him down until Itachi was buried in his throat. He rubbed Itachi’s lower back and hips and swallowed around the silken flesh.

Kakashi couldn’t take much more and gently bucked his hips. Itachi took the hint and quickened his pace and tightened his lips. Before Kakashi could cum, Itachi pulled his head away and let his saliva flood down his cock.

“Cum in my mouth.”

And Itachi took the head back in his mouth and swirled his tongue around and sucked and hummed and lightly scraped him with his teeth. Kakashi pushed Itachi’s hips up so he could pant.

Kakashi was helpless against Itachi’s skill and came in Itachi’s mouth. Itachi added his hand to milk Kakashi well.

Itachi let Kakashi’s cock slip from his lips and turned around and straddled Kakashi’s bare chest. Kakashi grabbed the hardness before him and guided him closer to lap at the wet head. He sealed his lips around the flare and sucked and rubbed the smooth front of his teeth against him.

He let Itachi go. “Tell me how to make you cum. Order me. I’m your slave. Tell me how to please you, love.”

“Stroke me.”

Kakashi obeyed, slipping his hand up and down Itachi’s damp cock, his grip tight when it slid over the flare of his cock. At the end of every up stroke, Kakashi circled his thumb over the weeping slit.

“Kiss it,” Itachi sighed. Kakashi did so, a slow, smacking kiss. He gave him a second kiss and then a third with parted lips and tongue.

Itachi moved forward and raised himself up a little. “Lick my balls.”

Kakashi stuck out his tongue and Itachi lowered to a good height and Kakashi lapped.

“Kiss and suck.” Kakashi obeyed nosily.

“Further back.” Kakashi held his balls aside and teased his perineum with the tip of his tongue.

Itachi moved back again. “Suck me and finger fuck me.”

Kakashi manipulated Itachi to a proper position and slipped his lips and tongue over Itachi’s hard organ and penetrated Itachi’s relaxed entrance. He explored him and reached for his prostate to rub and pleasure it while he sucked and rubbed a prominent vein of his cock.

“Just suck me, suck hard.” Kakashi kept his finger deep inside him and wrapped his fingers around Itachi’s cock and sucked hard on the head of his cock. Itachi panted and sighed and finally wailed as he came.

“I love you,” he sighed. He leaned forward to hold himself up with the wall. He straightened and lay down comfortably on Kakashi’s body.

“I adore you.”

“I wish Shisui came here now.”

Kakashi chuckled. “Let him see what he let slip away,” Kakashi agreed. “If he comes near you again, I hope he smells me on you. What all should I do to convince him? A ring, my scent, my love, my cum, this bruise on your neck, my soul. I love you and will not give you up. Unless you say you despise me and want me to leave forever.”

“That will never happen, unless you cheat on me.”

“That will never happen.”

“Let’s sleep until dinner.”

“We should shower before dinner. You look like you’ve been well fucked and I’m sure I do too. I wouldn’t want your parents and brother to see you like this.”

Itachi hummed. “At least let me nap a while.”

“I’ll wake you and help you bathe.”

“Ahh, fuck dinner. I haven’t been working out and I’m afraid I’ll get fat.”

“You have a gym here. Let’s work out together. I’ll help you and make sure you can have all the chocolate and desserts you want.”

“You’re a good boyfriend.”

“Except, I’m going to wake you for dinner.”

Itachi just hummed and snuggled in.

-----

Kakashi went home after dinner.

Itachi was drowsy with the sex earlier and the heavy meal and the shot of Kahlua in his after dinner coffee. He needed to trail a hand along the wall to guide him to the living room and the sofa. He reached out a hand to check there was no one sitting there and then lay down. He curled up and sighed contentedly, then stretched and lay still.

Fugaku sat silently and watched his son. The fact his son and Kakashi came down to dinner with damp hair should have angered him, but he approved of Kakashi. He actually smiled as he might if it were Sasuke with a woman. Itachi could do far, far worse. And after finding out his son was far more active, far earlier, than he thought, he was just happy he was in a steady relationship.

Sasuke sighed as he came into the room and dropped into a chair.

“I envy you, Itachi,” Sasuke said. “I have to wait for my wedding night.”

“It’s that obvious?”

“Oh, yes,” Fugaku said.

Itachi sat up in surprise. “That’s not fair. It’s too easy to sneak up on me.”

“I was here first.”

Sasuke laughed. “Maybe we should wear cowbells.” He wouldn’t have made such a joke if Itachi wasn’t in such good spirits.

“It would help.” Itachi sighed. “Father, I need to go to the doctors. Kakashi says my eyes are . . . infected. He said he’d go with me. My eyes don’t hurt, but . . .”

“You’re volunteering to go?” Fugaku was surprised. “That’s a change.”

“If Kakashi’s concerned, I will go. I have to take his word for it.”

“Not that I don’t trust him.” Sasuke came over and sat next to his brother and pulled his glasses up. His eyelids were red and he pulled the lid a little and there was some dried puss there.

“Yep. Sure it doesn’t hurt?”

“They don’t.”

“I’ll make the appointments and let Kakashi know,” Fugaku said. “He’ll have to take a day off.”

“I warned him. He’s so smotheringly supportive. He’ll do anything for me.” His choice of the word ‘smotheringly’ may have made him sound annoyed, his voice was full of affection.

“I’m so very happy for you, Itachi. I don’t want you to leave the house, but if you truly want your own home with Kakashi, I’ll provide it.”

“I don’t want to leave and Kakashi said he feels better leaving me here where I’m safe.”

“Good.” Fugaku stood and came around the back of the sofa and mussed Itachi’s hair. “Goodnight, Itachi.”

“Goodnight, chichi.”

Itachi heard Fugaku’s steps on the stairs.

“Will you stay here, Sasuke?” Itachi asked.

“I think so. I’ll ask Hinata the next time I see her.”

“It will be nice to have a full house. I wish I could see your children, but I’ll enjoy hearing them be around. Just teach them not to trip me.”

Sasuke blushed. “That’s getting ahead of things. We’re not married yet. We haven’t had sex once.”

Itachi smiled, hearing the embarrassment in his voice. “I’m blind, but I see a dozen children coming.”

“Shut up!”

“A bunch of little Sasukes running around, the gods help us.” Itachi smiled warmly. “I see little versions of you with violet eyes. Be good to her; she’ll be a loving mother and wife.”

“What’s with you tonight?”

“You said you envied me, but I envy you. You have a fuller life ahead of you. I love Kakashi, but can’t bare him children or he me. Have enough for all of us.”

“I will. But don’t expect them right away.”

“Enjoy time with Hinata before the children come,” Itachi agreed. “My mood’s fallen and Kakashi’s gone home. You mind if I sleep next to you tonight?”

“Of course not. I’ve missed that since I was twelve.”

“You’re never too old to crawl into your big brother’s bed.”

“True, but Kakashi and Hinata may not like it.”

“True. I just don’t want to sleep alone.”

“Make Kakashi move in now.”

“Keen on that now?”

“You’re my brother; I don’t like the idea of anyone touching you. But Kakashi is a good man. He makes you happier than I have ever seen you. I’ll tolerate him. And kill him if he hurts you.”

“Deal.”

-----

It did indeed take all day. Itachi was passed from doctor to doctor to doctor to doctor. Other than the infections in his eye sockets, he was perfectly healthy and all the doctors expressed their relief that he’d healed so well.

The ocularist unstitched his eyes, took out the glass prosthetic and cleaned out the empty sockets. Kakashi was morbidly curious and looked over the man’s shoulder. The infection was nasty, but otherwise they were much like his own empty eye.

“This is why I told you not to stitch your eyes closed,” the ocularist gently scolded.

“I know. I learned my lesson.”

The doctor turned to Kakashi. “That looks like nice work.”

Kakashi popped the acrylic eye out. The ocularist took it with a tissue. “Oh, very nice. You can help him clean them and everything.”

“Of course.”

“You have to keep the eyes out for now until the infection clears up,” he told Itachi. He cleaned the prostheses and set them aside.

Kakashi got his first look at the recreations of Itachi’s eyes. Almost pure black, but when you looked closer, you could see the change to grey and there were delicate lines and coloring in the false irises.

“We based them on photographs and his brother’s eyes,” the ocularist explained as he cleaned Itachi’s eye sockets. “I painted them myself. I took great pride in this pair; I’m glad you’ll finally let them be seen.”

“They are lovely,” Kakashi said. He took his own eye, cleaned it, and put it back in.

The ocularist gave instruction to care for the infection and Kakashi took the prostheses. Itachi’s eyes were covered with gauze for now. Itachi felt naked being outside without his glasses.

“Hungry?” Kakashi asked as he escorted Itachi to the Bentley.

“Not really. The antibiotics they injected me with are making me sick to my stomach.”

“I’ll get you home. You should eat.”

“Eat, puke, and sleep. Sounds good.”

Itachi let Kakashi help him into the car. Once the car started, he said, “It feels so weird to have nothing in there. Stay close for a while; this is reminding me of how it felt right after they took my eyes. Feels too weird.”

Kakashi rubbed his hand. “I took a week off so I could stay with you. I thought you might be reminded of bad things. I’ll stay with you, except when I have to go to class. If I have to be away from you for more than an hour, Sasuke or your mother will be with you.”

“Thank you. Turn up the music. You don’t mind the wind, do you?”

“Not at all.”

“Open the windows and the moon roof. I want to feel the wind and the sun.”

Itachi sat back and let the afternoon sun beat on his face.

-----

Itachi kept his promise: he ate some and then puked it up. Kakashi stood by and held his hair back for him then helped him to bed. Kakashi stayed by him all evening.

Mikoto brought Kakashi a tray for dinner.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Kakashi whispered and took the tray from her. She cleared Itachi’s desk for him to sit it down.

“How is he?”

“He hasn’t woken up once. I have plenty to read, so I don’t mind. I catch myself staring sometimes. His system should adapt by tomorrow. It was a heavy dose of antibiotics.”

Itachi was on his stomach, curled around a bunched up blanket. Mikoto leaned over him and rubbed his back and brushed a lock of hair from his face.

“Thank you for looking after him. And for noticing the infection. He never lets any of us look.”

“He may be more self-conscious now. Even I don’t like people to see my false eye.”

“I wish he didn’t care.”

“Then again, you don’t want him to lose his pride.”

“True enough. Get some sleep tonight. Call Sasuke or me if you want to step out for a while.”

“Thank you. Goodnight. Thank you for the meal.”

“Thank you.” She kissed his forehead and left.

Kakashi carefully joined him in bed later that evening and Itachi slept through the night.

-----

Fugaku remained home the next day, concerned for his son since visits to the doctors before had triggered some anxiety and depression. Itachi seemed well, but he was quieter than usual. But that could be because he was afraid of puking if he opened his mouth. Fugaku decided to show Kakashi around the house; his first tour of the large mansion. It also got Itachi out of his room.

Itachi kept on Kakashi’s arm as they walked from room to room. Itachi believed his father was showing Kakashi prospective rooms in the mansion, hoping Kakashi would move in soon. Itachi was sure the reason Kakashi wasn’t moving in immediately was because it was just too soon since they met. Everything was rushed and Kakashi wanted a little more time. Itachi was more than happy to give him that time because he felt things were moving fast as well. Sasuke was spinning at the speed of his own wedding and he didn’t like the idea of his blind older brother getting so deep into a relationship fast. His parents seemed desperate to get them safely in permanent relationships.

Among the things Fugaku showed Kakashi was an old katana in a black and white sheath with the family crest on it which was also the logo of their company, Sharingan, on the hilt or tsuba. Along with it were a wakizashi, a tanto, and several other weapons: kunai, shuriken, and shuko.

“The Uchiha were samurai,” Fugaku said. “During the Warring States period, we were feared warriors. Mikoto’s family were shinobi and served the Tokugawa for generations. We have a long warrior history, peasant and noble.”

“Wow. That’s quite the family history. Intimidating.”

“Your name, Hatake, it’s a shinobi name.”

“Could be. My great-great-great-grandfather was Japanese.”

“I like you, but the fact you’re a warrior, I think that’s why I accepted you so quickly. That and accepting Itachi’s blindness.”

“Well, I knew that pretty much right off the bat, so I have no excuse for balking it.”

“You didn’t know just what you were getting into. I’m glad you’ve stayed.”

“Itachi’s worth it.”

They were sort of talking as if Itachi wasn’t there, but he didn’t mind. He just hugged Kakashi’s arm. The medication made him a little dizzy. He’d mostly adapted to the normal dizziness of being blind, having no visual reference for balance, but the drugs in his system made him feel like he was on a boat and blindfolded.

“I’m going to puke,” Itachi suddenly said.

Kakashi rushed him to a bathroom and held his hair back as Itachi vomited. He rubbed Itachi’s back soothingly.

“The antibiotics?” Fugaku asked from the doorway.

“Yeah,” Itachi said. “My stomach is happiest empty.”

“It’ll pass,” Kakashi said. “At least you don’t have to worry about gaining weight right now.”

Itachi huffed, amused. Then he hurled again. Kakashi continued to hold his hair back while Itachi cupped water from the sink to wash the remnants from his mouth and lips.

“If you’re so dizzy and nauseous, maybe you shouldn’t be up walking,” Fugaku suggested.

“I’m sick of lying down too. Sitting is the same. Probably wouldn’t be so bad if I could see.”

Kakashi could see how pained Fugaku was. “I hate to say it, but it’s about time for your next dose,” Kakashi said.

Itachi groaned.

“I’ll go get it.” Kakashi guided Itachi to Fugaku and left them alone.

Both were startled to be suddenly left alone together. Fugaku had taken hold of Itachi’s arm instinctively when Kakashi left Itachi in front of him.

Itachi swayed and Fugaku pulled him closer to keep him from falling over or getting sick again. Itachi leaned into him against his chest and Fugaku hugged him.

“I really am so sorry, Itachi,” Fugaku whispered. “It’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s not. You couldn’t have known and I know it was the Feds who fucked up. They really didn’t want to release me anyway. I really don’t know if they would have if they had gotten the ransom. I never blamed you, chichi.”

“I do love you, Itachi. And Sasuke. I regret not showing it more.”

“We’ve always known.”

“But you have doubted it.”

“Once or twice. I love you, chichi.”

“That bastard boyfriend of yours did this on purpose.”

“Quite probably,” Itachi said.

“Once you recover enough to keep a meal down, we’ll all have to have dinner together with the Hyuuga.”

“Yeah. In-laws. I like them. Neji needs to get laid though. Ease off my brother.”

“Honestly, Hiashi and Hizashi need to get laid too; their wives are rather frigid. Hiashi is far too stressed.”

“You’re one to talk; you’re one of the most stressed people on the planet.”

“True. I have a prettier wife though.”

“Chichi, I really don’t want to hear about that.”

Kakashi returned. “I was wrong, you have another hour.”

“Good. My stomach’s finally settled a bit.”

“Can you eat then?”

“Mention it again and I’ll puke on you.”