This chapter is dedicated to @lowkeyabb for absolutely showing so much love in the comment section ❤️

Itachi had just finished his tea – with nine sugars – as Sasuke devoured his last, fluffy pancake that Itachi had made him. Their simple, yet elegant kitchen, still sustained the fragrance of the warm pancakes that had just been devoured.

"Ok, go get your backpack, Aunt Mellissa will be here soon", Itachi cooed at the full and grinning Sasuke. He jumped of his chair and skittered up the stairs. Itachi smiled a fond smile as he thought about his younger brother. It was a bit troubling to his parents that at the age of nine Sasuke still struggled to say his 'r's – but Itachi found it enduring.

He got up and collected the plate and cup as the front door opened. He peaked down the hallway to see Mellissa place her handbag on a table and take off her sunglasses.

"He's almost ready!" Itachi called from the kitchen, scrubbing the syrup off Sasuke's plate.

The ticking of Mellissa's high heels told Itachi she was walking to the kitchen when they stopped and she let out an irritated sigh. Itachi placed the spotless plate on the drying rack and turned round. Mellissa was furiously typing on her phone.

"If a meeting is supposed to start at ten, then it should be at ten. Not twelve. I hate when they shift the tim..." Mellissa stopped her furious rant when she looked at Itachi.

She smirked and looked back down at her phone nonchalantly.

Itachi took the bait, "What?" He could feel Mellissa's smug giddiness in the air.

Mellissa kept her eyes on her phone and pointed to the left side of her neck, "You have a really prominent hickey...Itachi-chan." She teased.

Itachi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and touched the spot on his neck – it was indeed tender and sensitive. Shisui gave it to him last night!

"Lucky for you it's going to be cold today so I think you should wear a scarf", Mellissa continued teasing him.

Itachi ignored her and dashed upstairs to his bedroom, glancing in the mirror. To his strange comfort, there was an angry purple mark on his neck. He found it comforting because now it felt like Shisui was with him as he stared in the mirror. Memories of last night tickled his mind.

Shisui's grip on his wrists – hot harsh enough to hurt – but strong enough to lock them in place. The feel of Shisui's lips on his neck, Shisui's skilful tongue licked the flesh every now and then.

And, most vividly, Shisui's hand on his bare ass.

The thought of that brought a shiver of anticipation up Itachi's spine.

"Bye, Itachi – don't be late!" Mellissa called from downstairs, closing the front door. He snapped out of his stupor, and got dressed – opting for a vermilion scarf to cover up his hickey. It just felt like something he should keep intimate – between Shisui and himself.

He grabbed his satchel, left his room and made his way downstairs – where there was a knock on the door. It was different from last night – this knock was softer – less erratic.

Itachi opened the door – as he was about to leave for school – and Shisui stood outside, clutching the side of his head and wearing the world's darkest sunglasses.

"Hey", Shisui greeted in a scratchy voice.

Itachi could tell older male had a severe headache, "Hold on, let me get something – come on in."

Itachi went back upstairs to his bathroom, and opened the, medicine cabinet behind it. He wasn't a fan of pharmaceuticals, but, last year he suffered from migraines so he figured those should work for Shisui. Returning downstairs, he realised his heart wasn't racing in excitement – the butterflies in his stomach were calm.

He felt...right. There was no hungry lust or explosive anger, there was just genuine care. It painted a subtle smile of Itachi's face.

He quickly made a detour to the kitchen and filled a glass of water before returning to a slumped over Shisui on their sofa.

"Here," Itachi handed the medicine and water to Shisui, "take these."

Shisui didn't need to be told twice, he tipped out two pills and chugged the glass of water. They were quiet then, Itachi standing aimlessly while Shisui was hunched over – clutching his head. Something was going to be said, or something wasn't going to be said. Itachi couldn't tell – and this put him slightly on edge – he needed to be prepared.

"Shisui, I need to get to scho-" Itachi began.

"I'm sorry for last night. I just...I missed you – so much. And it made perfect sense to come here, I ignored how badly I had treated you and, like a selfish child, wanted you to come back," Shisui responded sadly – with a quivering voice.

Itachi had to think about what he heard. He didn't have an answer right away – and it didn't seem that Shisui was expecting one. Over all, the boyish male, ever so happy, seemed defeated.

He seemed resigned – and Itachi despised seeing Shisui like this. This wasn't the Shisui he knew, he didn't recognise this Shisui. But he felt the anger flare up inside him, "Why did you avoid me? Why did you replace me?" Itachi enquired, disguising his fury as gentle curiosity.

It was silent yet again. No one moved, Shisui sighed, took off his sunglasses and looked at Itachi – his bloodshot, irritated eyes leaked water. His facial expression was pleading for understanding.

The sight tugged on Itachi's heart.

"I was angry. I was...scared," Shisui said above a whisper.

Itachi understood the angry part – they had fought before Shisui started avoiding him. The scared part, however, he didn't understand. Shisui began explaining.

"I was fifteen. My best friend at the time...we were together. But, his family wasn't accepting of our love, so we kept it a secret," Shisui adorned a distant look, "Whenever we were at school, we would sneak off in our spare time and just be with one another, however long time allowed. In empty, cramped janitor's closets or the furtherest field we could find – just being together...

I got to school one morning when I heard the muttering. I didn't pay it much attention until I heard someone say 'he killed himself after his parents beat him for being gay'. I remember how my heart froze. My world, my first love – he was gone forever. He had cut open his wrists in the bathtub and bled to death...I was prohibited from attending the funeral. Then I moved here."

Itachi's body went stiff, his eyes widened greatly and he rushed over, kneeling by the slumped over, miserable Shisui. Itachi lifted his head and wiped his thumbs across the forming tears, not knowing what to say. But Shisui wasn't finished. He leaned into Itachi's touch, "I thought I was losing you too... So I decided to leave before you could – maybe then it would hurt as bad as before. But it hurt like hell."

"I understand," Itachi whispered gently, "I understand Shisui. I think let's just stay here today, okay? You can't go to school in this condition and I'd rather spend the day with you," Itachi smiled fondly at the last part.

Witnessing the visible relief in Shisui's posture.

Choosing not to tell him of the sticky situation Kakashi's text last night put him in – choosing not to reveal its contents.

A/N: This serves as a reminder that although this book is ultimately LGBTQIA+ accepting, some are still struggling with discrimination and hate on a daily basis... Be kind to each other❤️