A/N: I'm really sorry that I've taken so long to update. I'm going to address that on my announcement board because I don't want to ruin the chapter ❤️ so if you want to read that go ahead - if not, then don't lol.

Have fun! Love ~ Icy

Sasuke had returned much later than anticipated – the sun had already set. Itachi would've scolded his younger brother, but his stomach was in an anxious knot. Shisui was clearly very mad at him.

So when Sasuke arrived, Itachi simply asked, "So, how was it?"

"Uh... It was fun... I'm sorry – lost track of time an-" Sasuke rushed to apologise but Itachi cut him off.

"It's okay, should I order you a pizza?" Itachi asked tiredly.

"No, I ate at the mall... Are you okay?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

Itachi plastered on his best smile, "I'm good – just tired. Might go to bed early."

"Yeah, me too... I'm actually quite tired as well", Sasuke then yawned, "Where's Shisui?"

Itachi took the last sip of tea in his mug, "He's showering."

"Ah, okay. Well, goodnight", Sasuke smiled and made his way to his room. When Itachi heard Sasuke's room door close he sunk his head into his hands and sighed.

I should have said something... I should have told Kakashi not to say those things to me anymore – that I'm married now. That I love my husband, Itachi thought sadly.

Itachi lifted his head, and stalked into the bedroom he and his husband shared. He could still hear Shisui in the shower, and Itachi knew Shisui didn't usually take such long showers.

He's probably avoiding me...

Itachi sighed, tied his hair up into a bun and climbed under the heavy covers, turning onto his side to face away from where Shisui slept. His reasoning was that he wanted to be less of an inconvenience to his husband, he wanted to give Shisui as much space as possible.

He closed his eyes, knowing he wouldn't fall asleep anytime soon. At some point Shisui emerged from the shower, sat down on the bed, switched off the bedside lamp and got under the covers.

Itachi didn't have to look to know that Shisui also had his back turned to the long haired Uchiha...

Time ticked by fast as Itachi ran through various scenarios. How he could apologise to Shisui, what he could do to make things right, how he missed feeling Shisui's arm draped across him in his sleep.

And how Kakashi was doing...

He knew he shouldn't care about that right now, but he also knew he was overthinking and Kakashi was his friend after all. He just needed to set clear boundaries with the silver-haired man.

Itachi turned to his other side and was greeted with Shisui's back. He felt some sadness trickle within himself, but it was accompanied with understanding. Itachi strained his neck to look passed Shisui's broad back and saw the time.

12:07 A.M

Itachi sighed softly and sat up, he knew he wouldn't get any sleep with the guilt of lying next to Shisui. He shrugged the blankets off.

"Where are you going?" Shisui asked in a small voice.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to wake you..." Itachi whispered.

"I wasn't asleep... Where are you going?" Shisui whispered sadly.

It squeezed Itachi's heart to hear that sad tone from his goofy and cheerful husband, "I'm going to sleep in the guest room...I don't think you want to see me right now..."

Shisui sat up and looked at Itachi in the darkness, "Why would you think I wouldn't want to see you?"

Itachi looked down at the covers, fiddling with his hands, "Because you're mad at me for not telling Kakashi not to say something like that, and I understand that so I thought I'd give you some space..."

Shisui sighed in, what sounded like relief, "I thought you were mad me!"

Itachi sharply turned to look at Shisui, "Why on earth would you think I'd be mad at you?"

"Because I clearly aggravated the situation between him and Obito", Shisui whispered.

Itachi just flung his arms around Shisui, "Okay so we need to work on our communication at some point", he said in relief.

Shisui just took a deep inhalation of Itachi's hair and squeezed him in his arms, "Yeah."

"I love you Shisui", Itachi whispered into his husband's broad chest.

"I love you too", Shisui whispered tenderly, kissing the top of Itachi's head.

Itachi's phone then started ringing loudly, its bright screen vaguely illuminating the room.

"It's literally the middle of the night... Who'd call at this hour?" Itachi mumbled.

Itachi picked up the phone and brought it to his lap so Shisui could also see who was calling his husband in the middle of the night.

Incoming call from: Kakashi Hatake

Itachi sighed and looked at Shisui. Of course the long haired man was worried, it was very uncharacteristic for Kakashi to call at this time. Itachi held the phone but looked at Shisui as it continued to ring.

"It's up to you... I leave this decision up to you. I will decline the call if you feel uncomfortable with me answering it..." Itachi said sternly and sincerely.

"Aren't you worried about him?" Shisui asked.

"I am. He doesn't call at this time, and considering what happened earlier I'm afraid of what he's up to – but my primary focus is you. I love you. So it's your choice as my husband", Itachi, even in the darkness, found his hand resting on Shisui's cheek.

Shisui was elated by those words, but by some mystery he was also slightly hurt that Itachi felt the need to ask for his permission. He didn't voice his hurt.

"Of course you can answer it", Shisui retrieved Itachi's hand from his chin and kissed his knuckles.

"Thank you", Itachi whispered.

He answered the call and put it on loudspeaker.

"Kakas-" Itachi tried speaking.

"I'm really sorry for calling you at this hour 'tachi", Kakashi was slurring, "And even more sorry for having to ask this, but could you please pick me up? I'm... I'm a little drunk and the bartender took my keys..."

Itachi once again looked at Shisui and the older male again just kissed Itachi's hand, signalling his consent.

"Okay, where are you?" Itachi asked softly, worried about the silver haired male.

"I'm...uhm... Hold on for a second", Kakashi slurred, Itachi could hear muffled speaking, "I'm at this club called Akatsuki..."

"Okay, I know the way – I'll be there in a few. Just sit tight", Itachi spoke gently.

Kakashi snivelled, but didn't cry, "T-Thank you..." And he hung up.

Shisui switched on the bedside lamp, "Let's go."

"You don't have to come with Shisui... I can handle this..." Itachi spoke softly.

Shisui just walked over to Itachi's side of the bed and picked him up easily, Itachi wrapped his legs around Shisui's waist so they were looking one another in the eyes.

"Please don't take this personally, but I don't feel comfortable with you driving when you're so stressed and even more uncomfortable with you driving alone in the middle of the night", Shisui said, he then pecked Itachi on the lips.

Itachi just leaned his forehead against Shisui's and closed his eyes, "I'm so sorry this is happening..."

"Itachi... None of this is your fault, okay? Plus I don't think you'll be able to carry Kakashi into his apartment by yourself", Shisui smiled easily.

And that smile always put Itachi at ease.

"Let's go get him", Itachi jumped off Shisui and threw a hoodie over his pyjama top and tied random shoes on his feet as Shisui did the same.

*****

"Okay so you were completely right because I know where this place is, but in the darkness everything looks so foreign", Itachi murmured as Shisui parked outside the club.

They got out into the arctic winter night, and Itachi immediately started shivering, "How are we going to find him?"

"Uhm, try phoning him again", Shisui put an arm around his husband to try to warm him up.

Itachi hit dial and a phone started ringing not far from them on the sidewalk. Their heads snapped in that direction and Kakashi was there, sitting on the side walk with his head drooped down. He fiddled with his phone but Itachi hung up.

Itachi raced over to Kakashi, "Kakashi, can you stand?" Itachi asked gently.

"Y-Yeah", Kakashi lifted his head.

"Oh my god! Kakashi! What happened to your face?" Itachi asked in horror at a bright purple bruise on his right eye and a few scrapes around his face. One was still bleeding.

"Got into a fight at the club", Kakashi responded despondently.

Kakashi got to his feet and started wobbling, his arm on Itachi to support him but Itachi was struggling from the weight. Shisui easily saw this and draped Kakashi's arm around his shoulders instead of Itachi's.

"Let's get him to the car", Shisui spoke.

Itachi quickly unlocked the back door and opened it wide for Kakashi and Shisui. Shisui easily slid Kakashi into the seat and closed the door. He was about to make his way to the driver seat when he saw Itachi just standing, paralysed by what Shisui knew was stress.

He just hugged Itachi, "Calm down... Calm down... Breathe 'tachi", Shisui spoke gently and reassuringly.

Itachi took a shaky breath and then another, "I- I-"

"He's okay, just breathe..." Shisui continued.

"O-okay...okay...let's just get him home", Itachi spoke mechanically and walked around to the passenger side on stiff legs.

Shisui started the engine and immediately turned on the heat, he turned out of the parking and onto the street.

"Kakashi...you need to tell us what happened..." Itachi finally spoke.

Kakashi's head drooped again, "He...uh...left."

Shock rendered in Itachi heart, akin to cold water being poured on his body, "Obito?"

Itachi saw Kakashi flinch at the name, "Y-yeah... I got home after we were at your guys' place and he had already locked himself in the bedroom... I tried talking to him through the door but he wasn't saying a-anything... So I waited a while and when he still hadn't come out after six hours I got worried and busted down the door...and all his stuff; he left..." Kakashi's voice wavered at the end, cracking slightly in sadness.

Shisui had been paying attention to both the road and Kakashi's confession – but his eyes caught Itachi fiddling with his hands, indicating his raven husband was very anxious. Shisui took a hand and placed it over Itachi's hoping to calm him down.

"Its... He... We'll figure it out tomorrow. Okay? You just need to sle-" Itachi began softly but was cut off.

Kakashi bent down fully now, his face in his hands, "P-please don't make me go back there! I can't...I can't be in that empty place tonight... I just ca-" And it happened, Kakashi started sobbing. A quiet sob, a sob that told its listeners that sadness had claimed Kakashi's voice... And that sadness expressed itself quietly, but all the more heart wrenching.

Itachi covered his mouth and tried not to cry. He covered his mouth to withhold his own sob. A tear escaped his left eye and he quickly wiped it away.

But Shisui saw it. Of course he saw it, and despite being forever weary of Kakashi, he would do anything to make Itachi happy. Anything.

"You can crash at our place tonight. We'll figure this out Kakashi", Shisui spoke, although stern there was a tint of gentleness to his words.

Because he had experienced the same, years ago when Itachi left.

Because he knew the pain.

Because he understood the pain.

Itachi looked up at a focussed Shisui, a tear slithering down again, "Thank you, Shisui..." He whispered.

Shisui just gripped Itachi's hands harder in reassurance.

*****

Shisui logged a bloody and bruised Kakashi into the apartment as Itachi held open the door.

"Try to be quiet, okay? Sasuke is asleep and I really don't want him to see you like this", Itachi spoke gently, helping Shisui basically drag Kakashi to the guest room.

Once there they set him on the bed and Shisui sat beside Kakashi, keeping him upright as Itachi raced to the bathroom to get the first aid kit. It wasn't a cold silence, it was a sad one. Because in that moment, Shisui saw himself from years ago. Shisui saw a reflection of his past, and despite not exactly getting along with Kakashi, he didn't hate the silver haired man.

Itachi rushed in with the first aid kit and kneeled in front of Kakashi, only now noticing his bloodied knuckles. The raven Uchiha just sighed sadly.

With shaking hands, Itachi took out the surgical alcohol, cotton pads, gauze and butterfly plasters.

"Itachi...let me do it", Shisui spoke softly to his frazzled husband.

"Sh-Shisui I need to do this... I need to do this", Itachi just repeated and it stabbed Shisui's heart to see Itachi in such distress. But he knew Itachi needed to be in control in times of stress or he would breakdown, so he didn't speak further.

Itachi dipped some alcohol on the pad and grimaced at how much it would sting. He gently dabbed it on one of Kakashi's knuckles, but the silver haired man didn't hiss in pain. He just stared, at what? No one could tell.

Itachi cleaned the blood from one hand's knuckles and wrapped it in gauze and then proceeded to the next hand – Shisui just sat in silence, also watching as his husband cleaned Kakashi's wounds. Itachi was clearly still anxious and worried, but despite that he seemed to have calmed down slightly.

Itachi expertly moved to Kakashi's face, cleaning the scrapes and putting butterfly plasters on one scrape that was slightly deep – but Itachi knew it wouldn't need stitches.

" 'm thirsty", Kakashi finally spoke.

Shisui could see Itachi was re-inspecting the gauze on Kakashi's hands.

"I'll get you some water", and Shisui tentatively stood up – checking to see if Kakashi would fall over to his side but he remained somewhat balanced. The older male left the room and Itachi sighed, sitting down fully on the ground now.

Finally Kakashi looked Itachi in the eyes, "Did he make your heart beat faster than I could?" Kakashi asked with a strained voice, referring to Shisui.

And Itachi knew that, "Kakashi..."

Shisui heard that as he was outside the door with a glass of water. He knew he shouldn't, but he remained listening...

"I loved you... I was in love with you... I tried everything, and you s-still chose him... Why am I never good enough?" Kakashi asked, now with tears pouring down his face – but the eye contact was never broken.

"Kakashi, I need you to know... And I'm sorry I have to say this to you while you're feeling this way... But I love Shisui. You can't say things like what you said earlier to me... Shisui is my husband..." Itachi spoke softly, trying to be gentle but firm.

"S-so... you never loved me? Not even a little?" Kakashi choked in sadness.

Itachi looked down at the carpet in guilt, in sadness at Kakashi's situation – but more so at his question.

"Look me in the eyes, 'tachi... Look me in the eyes and tell me that all the time I was living with you, you felt absolutely nothing for m-me."

Itachi abruptly stood up, "Get some sleep, Kakashi... You'll feel better tomorrow."

Shisui opened the door, "Here's the water."

Itachi just looked down at floor, "Just...leave it on the nightstand... Could you help him under the covers? I..." Itachi couldn't find the words, so he just left to his and Shisui's room.

Itachi immediately went into the bathroom, closed and locked the door. He shed his clothes and got into the shower. Once the water pressure seemed loud enough...

The raven Uchiha sunk to the ground, hugging his knees to his chest and started crying...

Which soon turned into a sob, a sob he was sure was quiet.

But Shisui stood outside the bathroom door, hearing his husband...

Fall apart.