Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Love Sickness ❯ One-Shot

“Kisame.”

 

The man in question jerked awake at the sound of his name. A broken down couch had been his sleeping place, and his half-mast eyes told so.

 

“Uwaa?” he questioned in his half asleep state. Sir Leader stood in front of him, tall and proud, his blinding red eyes piercing Kisame with that unconscious glare of narrow sclera. Kisame decided to show proper manners to his leader-san, standing up only to loom over him by atleast half a foot. Samehada was held proudly to his left, being used as a hold up for Kisame's faltering feet.

 

“Yes, Sir?” he questioned with more intelligence. Sir Leader's eyes narrowed to allow light eyebrows to rise upward, a gesture that told Kisame, “Oh so NOW you are polite to me!”

 

“...I've just found you a new partner,” he said calmly, shadowy face showing no emotion. Kisame smiled toothily. It was too unfortunate that his last partner had been so much of an asshole that he accidentally toppled down that cliff after being practically torn in half by an unknown shaving utensil. Kisame was delighted he had a new partner.

 

“...Where might my partner be, Sir?” he asked with a Cheshire grin.

 

Sir Leader's eyebrows rose again as he lifted up his arm to bend at the elbow.

 

“...He is your new partner.”

 

All victorious joy left Kisame in one moment, as his new partner stood before him.

 

... A little...

 

...Tiny...

 

...Pipsqueak of...

 

“...A kid...?” Kisame's dried out tone of voice echoed.

 

Sir Leader smiled evilly at Kisame, and the fish man shivered.

 

“...Uchiha Itachi, 13 years old...The last of the Uchiha clan, I hear.”

 

Kisame looked down at the kid. The lines under his eyes made him look older, but still, his body was small. Especially compared to his. Hot damn, Kisame was going on 8 feet now! And this little...Pipsqueak...Was around 4 and a half, maybe 5 feet. Ebony eyes tested Kisame's endurance, staring at him impassively like he was asking for a staring contest, something someone his age would ask for anyway.

 

“...What happened to the rest of them?” he asked as he continued to stare down at the harmless looking thing announced his partner.

 

“...Well-” Sir Leader began, but...

 

“I killed them,” Itachi interrupted, gaze not shifting from Kisame's. His voice was near monotone, something Kisame had to sneer at. Atleast it wasn't high pitched like a woman's.

 

“...All of them?”

 

“...Yes,” he answered after hesitation. Kisame shrugged it off, still staring him down. His eyes were beginning to dry out, and Itachi could tell. Finally, Kisame squeezed them shut and uttered out a loud “Fuck”. Itachi smirked victoriously.

 

As Kisame rubbed his eyes and opened them, Sir Leader ruffled Itachi's hair. The kid scowled with a quiet growl, and Sir Leader chuckled.

 

“Well look. You two are already acting like partners...And I doubt you'll have an easy time killing this one off, Kisame-kun,” Sir Leader's narrow eyes held an evil joy once again that made Kisame twitch. But he did anyway gesturing toward Itachi with a sharp black nailed finger.

 

“But he's just a kid!” Kisame practically whined. Sir Leader waved him off, still chuckling.

 

“Oh, he might be a kid, but believe me, I wouldn't let just any kid join the Akatsuki...” and so he was gone.

 

They stood there in silence, Kisame's hand slowly lowering to his side. He glared daggers at the kid, who only glared back his own. This continued until Kisame finally pulled a foot out to step closer to him. Immediately, red eyes flared and burned and were just asking Kisame to attack. But the sudden color change in those eyes made Kisame step backwards instead of the latter.

 

“...Whoa...” he said, “...That's pretty cool.”

The red eyes narrowed and a scowl appeared on the child's pale lips.

 

“...They aren't cool, they're my defense. Try anything on me and I swear I'll break you down in half a second.”

 

“Oh? And how will you do that? Are they lasers?”

 

“...Do you want to see what it can really do?”

 

Kisame lightly shook his head after a moment. “...No, not really.”

 

“Okay then. We're already best friends, then,” the kid mocked. Kisame growled, threw his arms in the air, and trudged off.

 

“...FUCKING PIPSQUEAK!” he shouted. He could hear Itachi begin to laugh in the distance.

 

---

 

At the moment, no missions were being issued. It was known that only 2 jinchuriki were located: One in Konoha, and one in Suna. Both were youngsters, easy to snatch. But then again, they were hidden among villages of equal security and strength. Konoha and Suna were in alliance as well, and if their demons went missing, someone would notice...

 

...Or would they, if one is naturally afraid of demons?

 

The question stumped Kisame, but it didn't get to him.

 

He was occupied with watching Orochimaru's attempts at wooing his partner. This was his 3rd week as Itachi's partner, and he was enjoying his time. Itachi seemed almost unaffected by Orochimaru's purring voice and slithering tongue trying to reach his face. Itachi stood there as the snake man twisted and turned around him, almost like examining his prey. And when he went in for the kill, or the kiss, for this situation, Itachi didn't warn him like he had with Kisame. Then again, Itachi didn't have his glowing red Sharingan. Instead, he decided to use a physical approach instead of a mental one.

 

And so this was thought as Itachi kicked Orochimaru straight in the balls.

 

Kisame's booming laughter filled the current Akatsuki hideout cave as he watched in over enjoyment as the pale pedophile hit the ground with a resounding thud. Itachi stood proudly over the fallen Akatsuki, arms crossed over his small chest, looking down at the writhing old man.

 

“OH GOD, YOU'RE THE GREATEST!”

 

Itachi turned only quick enough to be snatched up by the much larger man, placed in the crook of his right arm, and given a rough noogie with the unoccupied fist. Itachi flailed, and would have liked to repeat what he had just done to Orochimaru, but with Kisame, but this was his partner.

 

...Among another reason.

 

Kisame's toothy grin didn't disappear, even as Itachi tore himself away to try and flatten out his frizzy hair. Kisame still didn't stop laughing, even when he was invited to a drinking competition with Deidara and Sasori. He waved off to Itachi, who just stood there, watching as he left. Once Itachi's hair had calmed to its straight nature, Itachi stepped up to the still downed Orochimaru. Itachi's narrow eyes became even narrower, his anger being taken out on the snake man. With a single kick to the ribs, Itachi stepped over his limp body and stalked off to his and Kisame's quarters.

 

Orochimaru was gone the next morning.

 

---

 

“Eat something, kid.”

 

Itachi didn't answer. Kisame growled, shoving the dango to Itachi across the table. The restaurant was a quiet little thing on the edge of Konoha, specializing in dango. They had, at this moment, been together for only one month.

 

“Eat it,” he said. Itachi crossed his arms.

 

“...I don't like sweets.”

 

Kisame shoved it into Itachi's arm with another growl. Itachi only pulled his limbs away.

 

“...Why don't you eat in front of me?” Kisame asked.

 

“...” Itachi was truly silent this time.

 

“...Eat the fucking things already!”

 

Itachi's face lowered as he rejected the food once again, ebony bangs hiding ebony eyes.

 

“...I'm not hungry, Kisame-san...”

 

Kisame sat there, surprised eyes looking him over. Kisame-san, is it now? Something serious must be wrong with him, if he's going to act polite to Kisame, of all people.

 

“...Fine,” Kisame scoffed out as he practically inhaled the dish. Itachi looked up only to see him down it, and his stomach gave a soft rumble. He hid it quickly with a shift of his cloak. Kisame looked over at him, and Itachi looked unaffected as he stood.

 

“...Are you quite finished?”

 

Kisame narrowed his eyes, but nodded, standing to loom over the little teenager. Leaving the money on the table, they quietly like death began their descent to Konoha.

 

---

 

Still Konoha was under heavy guard. There was no way two criminals could sneak their way through such a big country, much less straight into the village in charge of the security, hidden in the leaves.

 

They stood atop a high hill, their height differences still a thing to point fingers and laugh. Itachi had gotten taller, yes, to 5 feet and 2 inches, but still, Kisame didn't stop growing either. He was clearing 8 feet to 4 inches, still towering over the teenager like a skyscraper.

 

Kisame glanced over at the kid as he shifted. His arm had disappeared from his sleeve, making its way to hold his stomach sickeningly. He leaned only slightly forward as if about to throw up, but he hid it almost too well.

 

“...What's up, kid?” Kisame pointed to his stomach. Itachi's head lifted to him, hair dangling in a femalely way.

 

“...Nothing's wrong,” he answered with monotone. He was trying desperately not to clench any tighter onto his stomach than he already was; He was almost afraid of his nails breaking skin and letting it bleed, and that would only worry Kisame more.

 

Something he really didn't like.

 

Itachi would have loved for Kisame to just let it go, but fuck, he was stubborn. He leaned down to the side to inspect him, and Itachi stepped backwards and away...

 

...Tripping down the hill.

 

In their month of being partners, Kisame had never seen Itachi falter before. And as of right now, he had never had to save Itachi before either. But he jumped down to the path of Itachi's rolling body, kneeling down to stop him immediately. Itachi's disheveled hair hid no part of his face save the few strands left astray in front of his eyes. His head tilted upwards in pain as he clutched his stomach, knees automatically bringing themselves up to a fetal position. Kisame left his hands hovering just above Itachi, not sure if he should be touching him in fear for his life, and Itachi's. But the teenager was curled on the ground in such a pitiful and painful way, Kisame just couldn't help but be himself and twist Itachi's arms away from his stomach. The feeling of the thin wrists in his grasp already held all truth before he even unveiled the source of the problem.

 

Itachi was as thin as a twig.

 

Kisame stopped, lightly letting down the black and red cloak to hide his frail body. Itachi's wrist was still in his big blue hands, and it was doubtful Itachi had any energy to fight it, much less fight the shaking that his body had begun.

 

“...I thought you were just eating without me...” he whispered. But when Itachi didn't answer, he realized it was already spelled out for him.

 

Itachi was always with him. It was like Itachi was a little duckling, following him around like he was the only thing that mattered. With things like this...

 

...Where was the time to eat?

 

“...Then...Why couldn't you eat with me?”

 

This time, his face tilted toward the dirt, entirely hidden from Kisame.

 

Now, Kisame wasn't dumb. He was stubborn and he was brutish, but he wasn't stupid. He knew exactly why Itachi wouldn't eat in front of him.

 

It's been proven that when one has a crush on another, they won't allow themselves to eat in front of the crush. This makes them seem less focused on food, and thinner, which usually stereotypes to a perfect suitor.

 

Kisame stared down at Itachi, the near lifeless body before him.

 

Itachi liked...Kisame?

 

It baffled even the man in question, how he could do something so trivial as to act like a high school girl trying to get the guy by not eating. He knew it probably wouldn't work, but atleast he had tried. And now he was facing the consequences, his shriveled stomach twitching painfully. Usually, the body can go 3 weeks without food. This was Itachi's 4th week.

 

“You know...” Kisame began softly, “...If you had a crush on me, you could have atleast told me. Or atleast hinted. But you didn't, so I didn't say anything...”

 

Itachi's head shifted, a single bloomy black eye staring at him. Kisame smirked.

 

“...Besides, I don't fall for little twigs like you...How about we get you something to eat, and then get you to talk to me.”

 

Itachi didn't move to do anything, so Kisame opped with doing it all himself, scooping up the smaller boy and trudging back toward the dango shop.

 

“...Ever had dango before?”

 

Itachi's face was buried in the crook of Kisame's elbow, and a single eye glanced out at him.

 

“...No,” he answered lightly. Kisame smiled.

 

“Well then, I'm just going to have to make it your favorite food, now won't I?”

 

Itachi nodded, unconsciously twisting a fist into Kisame's cloak as extra reassurance.

 

Walking to the shop, Kisame thought about loving the kid, even if it was a strange relationship. He smiled toothily.

 

...This partner had tripped, and Kisame had caught this one. This partner was sick, and Kisame had taken care of him all this time.

 

But that last partner...Hadn't fallen victim to lovesickness.

 

This partner's sickness was something Kisame had no hopes or curing, and was actually something he wanted to last a very, very long time.

 

He'd try his hardest not to kill this one.

 

--Owari--