[verse] In Those Arms; Carrying All The Dreams As You Can - Tumblr Posts
Why was all of this happening? Why Itachi? Why him of all people?
After losing her own Father to the Nine Tails years ago, she knew the pain of burying a parent. To this day, the harrowing scene of the man she loved most in the world dying haunted her mind. The way he collapsed to his knees in front of her, blood spilled from his mouth, and he took his very last breath. That same scene that unlocked her Sharingan, the ‘curse of the Uchiha Clan’.
She sighed as she carried a tea cup and saucer filled nearly to the brim with green tea, his favourite, towards Itachi’s room. As she entered and saw said man sitting up, her brows furrowed.
“Itachi Uchiha… What have I told you about moving too much? I understand that you want to get up and go about your days like usual, but you need to allow your body to rest, okay?”
She placed the saucer and cup down on Itachi’s bed-side table and sat herself on the edge of the mattress, locking eyes with him and offering him a gentle smile.
“Need I remind you that I’m here for you? Whatever you need and however long you need me for, I’ll be here. We’ll get through this together, I promise you.”
She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat and reached over to place her small, pale hand on top of his larger, warmer one. He felt so welcoming, like she was home with him. These last few days taking care of him had been… A rollercoaster of emotions. Sadness, anger, hopelessness, she felt all of these things. But, seeing how much Itachi relied on her gave her a purpose. And not that she’d ever tell, but she truly adored helping Itachi eat and tucking him into bed of a nighttime. It was a routine that she knew would come to an end as soon as the male Uchiha had recovered, but she was going to enjoy it for as long as she could.
@izumi-uchiha-rp
ㅤIt felt almost sacrilegious, to dare complain about such small things - in the face of everything that'd come crashing down mercilessly within the past couple of days. Every time Itachi allowed his eyes to close, even if for mere seconds, the image was imprinted on the back of his eyelids; the lifeless bodies of his parents on the ground, bloody and desecrated and piled up like pieces of meat after a slaughter. An analogy not that far from the truth, though said truth was for himself to know only. Should the clan ever learn about the real circumstances of the deaths of their leaders, and the so-called trap they'd fallen victim to, no doubt that would be the final straw to break the fragile semblance of peace the village had been resting on.
ㅤOne could only stay so long in bed, though, toss and turn and tangle up in the covers, before the comfort of mattress and cushions began feeling more like a cotton-soft prison. What was he going to achieve, by resting in bed? Maybe heal the spread of cuts and gashes a bit all over his body, the actually responsible part of his brain would answer, not to mention his broken right arm that would remain incapacitated for a few weeks. Problem was, the other part of the brain, the one that was burning to start resolving all the issues risen from his parents' disappearance, was smaller but much louder. And, by the gods, it did not shut up. Even with the threat of a civil war mildly accounted for, Danzo could not be allowed to remain unchecked; what if, one day, he woke up and decided the Hokage was unnecessary to the village and must be removed, as well? Worse, what if he decided to set his aim on Sasuke next, for whatever reason?
Then Danzo would have to die, plain and simple, and treason be damned.
ㅤDanzo was already going to die, one day, when properly presented to justice for his crimes. Not only what he'd done to Fugaku and Mikoto, but also that gruesome arm secretly implanted with Uchiha eyes too many to count. But that would require time, patience, cunning, and, most of all, a foolproof amount of hard evidence. Rolling over yet again, this time almost enough to toss himself down the bed for good [and already paying for it, because it immediately sent a pang of horrible pain shooting up his arm and ribs], Itachi sat up with a loud sigh of frustration. That wouldn't do at all. He couldn't sleep anyway, even if he was supposed to be resting, so what was the point? So he shuffled over to the edge of the bed, ready to get up- ...and that's the precise moment Izumi chose to enter the room. Because of course.
ㅤ«...Technically, I am still in bed.» Or on the bed, to be accurate, but hopefully she wouldn't be fussing over semantics. That was his job, anyway.
If Itachi’s previous words had been witnessed by anyone else, they could potentially come across as harsh or unnecessary. To Izumi, however, they were simply him. The Itachi Uchiha she had been friends with since they were young children, the same one she cared deeply for and would drop everything for to tend to his needs.
Her midnight-coloured orbs locked with his own onyx ones and a radiant smile adorned her features as she felt Itachi’s fingers intertwine with hers.
“No need to apologise, Ita…”
She started to say, pausing after his shortened nickname slipped past her lips.
“I know that you’re just itching to get back out there, but please, cut yourself some slack. There’s no point in beating yourself up the way you are…”
She shifted herself closer to Itachi and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, a determined look appearing on her face.
“Whatever you need to do once you’ve healed properly, please let me help you. Right now, I want you to know that you’re not alone. I’m doing this-- taking care of you and Sasuke-- because I want to, not because I have to. I will always be here for you both, Itachi.”
Being this close to him, to the one person she had admired for so long, made her heart race in her chest. Yes, it was obvious to everyone how she felt about the Uchiha Prodigy, except for the young man himself. Would Izumi ever confess to him, you might ask? The answer to that is yes, but she would do it when the moment was right.
Why was all of this happening? Why Itachi? Why him of all people?
After losing her own Father to the Nine Tails years ago, she knew the pain of burying a parent. To this day, the harrowing scene of the man she loved most in the world dying haunted her mind. The way he collapsed to his knees in front of her, blood spilled from his mouth, and he took his very last breath. That same scene that unlocked her Sharingan, the ‘curse of the Uchiha Clan’.
She sighed as she carried a tea cup and saucer filled nearly to the brim with green tea, his favourite, towards Itachi’s room. As she entered and saw said man sitting up, her brows furrowed.
“Itachi Uchiha… What have I told you about moving too much? I understand that you want to get up and go about your days like usual, but you need to allow your body to rest, okay?”
She placed the saucer and cup down on Itachi’s bed-side table and sat herself on the edge of the mattress, locking eyes with him and offering him a gentle smile.
“Need I remind you that I’m here for you? Whatever you need and however long you need me for, I’ll be here. We’ll get through this together, I promise you.”
She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat and reached over to place her small, pale hand on top of his larger, warmer one. He felt so welcoming, like she was home with him. These last few days taking care of him had been… A rollercoaster of emotions. Sadness, anger, hopelessness, she felt all of these things. But, seeing how much Itachi relied on her gave her a purpose. And not that she’d ever tell, but she truly adored helping Itachi eat and tucking him into bed of a nighttime. It was a routine that she knew would come to an end as soon as the male Uchiha had recovered, but she was going to enjoy it for as long as she could.
So stubborn, and so incredibly smart. Those were merely two characteristics that she adored about Itachi. Being stubborn meant that he would not back down if someone or something challenged him or his beliefs. A more than desirable trait. Although, a mind like that could also get Itachi into trouble. That is where Izumi comes into play, to keep him grounded, so to speak.
Her heart throbs at the mention of her deceased Father, the memory of his death flashing in her mind. As traumatising as her Father’s death was to her, she shakes the thought from her mind and focuses on the Uchiha Prodigy who lost not only one, but both parents. This was not about her. This was about him, the one person she loved and admired dearly.
“I suppose we could do that… But first, I would like you to at least have a sip of my special green tea.”
Glancing at their connected hands, a faint crimson paints her cheeks and the pad of her thumb tenderly caresses Itachi’s knuckles. Oh, how she wished they could hold hands like this more often, just as they once did as children.
“O-okay-- I believe that the laundry should be completely dry by now. You stay here and I’ll bring it inside.”
With that said, the female Uchiha exits Itachi’s bedroom, retrieves a laundry basket and fills it to the brim with all of the fresh, sun-dried clothes that were hung out earlier that morning. Humming to herself, she strolls back into the household and ends up right back in Itachi’s bedroom.
“I fold, you put away. How does that sound, Ita?”
A genuine smile that meets her eyes appears on her features as she sorts through the clothes, joyous that she could help her crush feel useful. As much as she would rather him just rest, something as simple as putting away laundry shouldn’t do him much harm.
If Itachi’s previous words had been witnessed by anyone else, they could potentially come across as harsh or unnecessary. To Izumi, however, they were simply him. The Itachi Uchiha she had been friends with since they were young children, the same one she cared deeply for and would drop everything for to tend to his needs.
Her midnight-coloured orbs locked with his own onyx ones and a radiant smile adorned her features as she felt Itachi’s fingers intertwine with hers.
“No need to apologise, Ita…”
She started to say, pausing after his shortened nickname slipped past her lips.
“I know that you’re just itching to get back out there, but please, cut yourself some slack. There’s no point in beating yourself up the way you are…”
She shifted herself closer to Itachi and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, a determined look appearing on her face.
“Whatever you need to do once you’ve healed properly, please let me help you. Right now, I want you to know that you’re not alone. I’m doing this-- taking care of you and Sasuke-- because I want to, not because I have to. I will always be here for you both, Itachi.”
Being this close to him, to the one person she had admired for so long, made her heart race in her chest. Yes, it was obvious to everyone how she felt about the Uchiha Prodigy, except for the young man himself. Would Izumi ever confess to him, you might ask? The answer to that is yes, but she would do it when the moment was right.
“So close, Ita. You nearly had it!”
Her encouraging words just wouldn’t be able to cut it this time… She knew that much. This was Sasuke’s shirt we were talking about here, an article of clothing belonging to the most important person in the world to Itachi. Folding this shirt, as tedious as it was for someone with a singular functioning arm, was essential for Itachi to perfect.
“Hey now… How about we try this instead?”
Izumi carefully positions herself almost completely behind Itachi, her own arm taking the place of the Uchiha male’s injured one. If he couldn’t fold his sibling’s shirt with one hand, she was determined to assist him with completing the task one way or another.
“It may seem a little silly, but it’s like you’ve got both arms now, right? Let’s fold Sasuke’s shirt together!”
Standing on her tippy toes to peek over Itachi’s shoulder, the two get to work on Sasuke’s shirt. After a minute or so, the shirt is neatly folded and placed on a pile of perfectly folded laundry.
“See? We did it! You and me, Ita, we make a great team, don’t we?”
She giggles sweetly as she finishes up with the rest of the laundry. Of course, in the midst of Fugaku and Mikoto’s unfortunate passing, Itachi being seriously injured and young Sasuke needing assistance with his Academy work, Izumi had completely forgotten about her own clothes. How long had she been wearing the same purple top and pale, navy blue pants for?
“Oh-- Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes! It’ll just be for tonight, of course. Tomorrow, once Sasuke’s back at the Academy, I’ll be sure to pick up some of my own clothes from home.”
Opening Itachi’s drawers, she pulls out a black shirt with a high collar and matching pants and lays them delicately on top of Itachi’s bed. A blush creeps onto her cheeks as she reaches for the hem of her shirt, raising it slightly.
“I-Itachi… Would it be okay if I dressed myself in here?”
So stubborn, and so incredibly smart. Those were merely two characteristics that she adored about Itachi. Being stubborn meant that he would not back down if someone or something challenged him or his beliefs. A more than desirable trait. Although, a mind like that could also get Itachi into trouble. That is where Izumi comes into play, to keep him grounded, so to speak.
Her heart throbs at the mention of her deceased Father, the memory of his death flashing in her mind. As traumatising as her Father’s death was to her, she shakes the thought from her mind and focuses on the Uchiha Prodigy who lost not only one, but both parents. This was not about her. This was about him, the one person she loved and admired dearly.
“I suppose we could do that… But first, I would like you to at least have a sip of my special green tea.”
Glancing at their connected hands, a faint crimson paints her cheeks and the pad of her thumb tenderly caresses Itachi’s knuckles. Oh, how she wished they could hold hands like this more often, just as they once did as children.
“O-okay-- I believe that the laundry should be completely dry by now. You stay here and I’ll bring it inside.”
With that said, the female Uchiha exits Itachi’s bedroom, retrieves a laundry basket and fills it to the brim with all of the fresh, sun-dried clothes that were hung out earlier that morning. Humming to herself, she strolls back into the household and ends up right back in Itachi’s bedroom.
“I fold, you put away. How does that sound, Ita?”
A genuine smile that meets her eyes appears on her features as she sorts through the clothes, joyous that she could help her crush feel useful. As much as she would rather him just rest, something as simple as putting away laundry shouldn’t do him much harm.
Quickly stripping herself of her usual attire, Izumi slips into the clothes that she had chosen from Itachi’s wardrobe and smoothes them out with her hands. They were a little baggy on her smaller frame, but so, so comfortable. They smelled like him, too. Itachi had such a subtle, home-y scent which always put her at ease.
“Okay, I’m all finished! How do I look, Ita?”
She strikes a dramatic pose like a model on a runway and giggles to herself, amused by her own playfulness.
When Itachi turns to face her, she catches a glimpse of the light pink hues on his cheeks. Was Itachi actually blushing? And because of her?
She takes a few steps towards him and leans in close, their faces only inches apart as she observes his face intently.
“Ita, are you blushing right now? All this time I’ve known you, I’ve hardly ever seen you like this… You look really cute.”
As if now only realising how close they had gotten, Izumi locks eyes with the slightly taller Uchiha and swallows the nervous lump in her throat, a shade of pink flushing her cheeks to match Itachi’s.
It was as if the world froze around her and nothing else mattered in this moment except for the person she loved and admired who was standing right in front of her. So close. So temptingly close.
Taking a deep, encouraging breath, she closes the gap between them, shutting her eyes in the process, and presses her soft, plump lips against Itachi’s. A perfectly short and sweet first kiss.
“So close, Ita. You nearly had it!”
Her encouraging words just wouldn’t be able to cut it this time… She knew that much. This was Sasuke’s shirt we were talking about here, an article of clothing belonging to the most important person in the world to Itachi. Folding this shirt, as tedious as it was for someone with a singular functioning arm, was essential for Itachi to perfect.
“Hey now… How about we try this instead?”
Izumi carefully positions herself almost completely behind Itachi, her own arm taking the place of the Uchiha male’s injured one. If he couldn’t fold his sibling’s shirt with one hand, she was determined to assist him with completing the task one way or another.
“It may seem a little silly, but it’s like you’ve got both arms now, right? Let’s fold Sasuke’s shirt together!”
Standing on her tippy toes to peek over Itachi’s shoulder, the two get to work on Sasuke’s shirt. After a minute or so, the shirt is neatly folded and placed on a pile of perfectly folded laundry.
“See? We did it! You and me, Ita, we make a great team, don’t we?”
She giggles sweetly as she finishes up with the rest of the laundry. Of course, in the midst of Fugaku and Mikoto’s unfortunate passing, Itachi being seriously injured and young Sasuke needing assistance with his Academy work, Izumi had completely forgotten about her own clothes. How long had she been wearing the same purple top and pale, navy blue pants for?
“Oh-- Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes! It’ll just be for tonight, of course. Tomorrow, once Sasuke’s back at the Academy, I’ll be sure to pick up some of my own clothes from home.”
Opening Itachi’s drawers, she pulls out a black shirt with a high collar and matching pants and lays them delicately on top of Itachi’s bed. A blush creeps onto her cheeks as she reaches for the hem of her shirt, raising it slightly.
“I-Itachi… Would it be okay if I dressed myself in here?”
Izumi’s heart skipped a beat as she felt Itachi attempt to kiss her back. The way his hand caressed her burning, crimson cheek scrambled her brain almost as much as the eggs she had prepared for the two Uchiha boys that morning.
When the kiss was broken, she shyly met Itachi’s eyes, which were shimmering with the familiar glow of the Uchiha’s kekkei genkai. The Sharingan. His Sharingan.
“…Y-yeah, it was.”
Eventually, her brain caught up with her body and she glanced down at her feet, unsure of what to do next.
She did it. Finally, she was courageous enough to kiss him, the young man she had adored for so long. Unfortunately, she had been so busy day-dreaming about the said kiss, that she never really thought about what would happen afterwards.
“I… Oh! What’s the time? How about I meet Sasuke at the academy while you stay here and prepare the table for dinner later? I think I’ll make us all some okonomiyaki with extra cabbage!”
Cabbage. Itachi’s favourite food. Izumi would never tell anyone, but she would always include cabbage in the bentos and homemade dishes that she made for Itachi. She enjoyed seeing his face light up as he elegantly ate her food.
With that all said and done, Izumi hurriedly escorted herself out of the Uchiha’s household and made her way towards the Academy.
“Woah… What do I do now?”
She nervously mumbled to herself, the world around her became blurry as she lost herself in thoughts of Itachi Uchiha.
Quickly stripping herself of her usual attire, Izumi slips into the clothes that she had chosen from Itachi’s wardrobe and smoothes them out with her hands. They were a little baggy on her smaller frame, but so, so comfortable. They smelled like him, too. Itachi had such a subtle, home-y scent which always put her at ease.
“Okay, I’m all finished! How do I look, Ita?”
She strikes a dramatic pose like a model on a runway and giggles to herself, amused by her own playfulness.
When Itachi turns to face her, she catches a glimpse of the light pink hues on his cheeks. Was Itachi actually blushing? And because of her?
She takes a few steps towards him and leans in close, their faces only inches apart as she observes his face intently.
“Ita, are you blushing right now? All this time I’ve known you, I’ve hardly ever seen you like this… You look really cute.”
As if now only realising how close they had gotten, Izumi locks eyes with the slightly taller Uchiha and swallows the nervous lump in her throat, a shade of pink flushing her cheeks to match Itachi’s.
It was as if the world froze around her and nothing else mattered in this moment except for the person she loved and admired who was standing right in front of her. So close. So temptingly close.
Taking a deep, encouraging breath, she closes the gap between them, shutting her eyes in the process, and presses her soft, plump lips against Itachi’s. A perfectly short and sweet first kiss.
Still clad in Itachi’s clothing, Izumi kept herself fairly busy since Sasuke and herself returned from the Academy. Prepping for dinner, tidying up around the home, and of course, doing more laundry.
She didn’t mind this, however. In fact, she was more than happy to do all of these things… It kept the racing thoughts about her kiss with Itachi at bay. For a few moments, at least.
Besides, it was of most importance that Sasuke studied in his room and Itachi rested-
Well, he was supposed to be resting.
Upon hearing his voice beckon her from behind, Izumi placed the washing basket down at her feet, spun on her heels and faced the taller young man.
“Hm?”
She listened to his words intently, keeping her eyes focused on his lips, the same lips that had been on hers mere hours ago.
Feelings for her? Had she seriously heard that correctly?
Mentally pinching herself, she cleared her throat and took a few brave steps closer to him, almost closing the gap between them, before speaking.
“… You have feelings for me?”
A giant grin plasters itself to Izumi’s face, the smile meeting her midnight-coloured eyes.
“I don’t know if you know this, but… I’ve had feelings for you for quite some time now, Itachi. Not only do I think that you’re incredibly handsome, intelligent and skillful, but you also have a huge and caring heart. That’s the thing that I admire most about you, actually…”
Taking her chance, she closed the gap between them and carefully wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting nothing more in the moment than to kiss him once again.
“If you’d allow it, I would… Really like to be with you. To be your girlfriend.”
Her pale cheeks flushed crimson at her confession, matching the shade of Itachi’s own cheeks.
“I-I need to say this now before I chicken out! I love you, Itachi. I love you so much.”
Izumi’s heart skipped a beat as she felt Itachi attempt to kiss her back. The way his hand caressed her burning, crimson cheek scrambled her brain almost as much as the eggs she had prepared for the two Uchiha boys that morning.
When the kiss was broken, she shyly met Itachi’s eyes, which were shimmering with the familiar glow of the Uchiha’s kekkei genkai. The Sharingan. His Sharingan.
“…Y-yeah, it was.”
Eventually, her brain caught up with her body and she glanced down at her feet, unsure of what to do next.
She did it. Finally, she was courageous enough to kiss him, the young man she had adored for so long. Unfortunately, she had been so busy day-dreaming about the said kiss, that she never really thought about what would happen afterwards.
“I… Oh! What’s the time? How about I meet Sasuke at the academy while you stay here and prepare the table for dinner later? I think I’ll make us all some okonomiyaki with extra cabbage!”
Cabbage. Itachi’s favourite food. Izumi would never tell anyone, but she would always include cabbage in the bentos and homemade dishes that she made for Itachi. She enjoyed seeing his face light up as he elegantly ate her food.
With that all said and done, Izumi hurriedly escorted herself out of the Uchiha’s household and made her way towards the Academy.
“Woah… What do I do now?”
She nervously mumbled to herself, the world around her became blurry as she lost herself in thoughts of Itachi Uchiha.