I could always call you when I felt frozen inside. No matter if it was midnight or a few hours before sunrise. I had my reasons. I was the doll. 'The talented prodigy himself, beautiful like a statue. And he has such good manners! He's so serious! Laugh, little Itachi! And that melodical voice! Are you happy to have a nice family like this? Every kid wishes for this. He'll become really great, I can sense it. You've got a good reason to be proud of him. By the way, how is he doing at training?'
I knew those words. From relatives, from villagers, or strangers I didn't even know. The Itachi they saw would always nod like a good, shy boy in his age and laugh when someone made a joke. You know I hated that. As soon as I was in my room, I threw onto the bed and wanted nothing more than rip everything apart. The whole evening. Like a paper someone else had written on a story, I wanted to rip it apart. Anyway, I wasn't able. My father didn't like me. I don't think I liked him neither. He was, like the people say, the man who got a child from his wife and formed it after his will. I felt like that, too. The pain was cold. His words cut into my heart sometimes, it started to bleed. The cold pain made my heart slowly freeze. And the blood froze with it. I don't know how often I cried. Because I was damned helpless. I couldn't break free. My mother wanted to treat me like their son, my father wanted to treat me like a weapon. Not hard to guess who won.
I still now when it began. I stared out of the window, feeling to cold night breeze on my skin. I hadn't changed my clothes, even the kimono I wore at the meeting this evening was so tight I could almost not breath. I had a kimono, but not for the New Year. Other kids wear it on this day, or at night, no matter. I wasn't allowed to go on those festivals. I wasn't even allowed to leave the ground of the clan because I wasn't old enough for the academy. Stupid. Nobody would actually believe that. I almost couldn't believe it myself. Well, I wish I couldn't.
When there were no events and my father wasn't in a good mood, I wasn't even allowed to leave my room. I spent those days with watching little windmills made of colorful paper. I had no idea who made them and why they were under my window. Nobody would put up effort for me. I was a cold-hearted bastard, maybe beautiful, but untouchable. Who touched me, got stung. Like a white lily. No one expects great danger from a boy who isn't even at the academy. That thought was the trap I used to protect myself.
I watched the curtains dance in the wind and forced myself up. It was a full moon tonight. The house was unusually clear to see. I hated to see that, but I couldn't tell the moon to stop shining. The new moon was better. Everything was bathed in a blood-red light, and everything seemed to breath slowly, waiting for its prey…
I heard leaves rustle and ran to the open window. One of the trees. Its old branches were slightly shaking. I quickly took off my kimono. I had still thin, black clothes under it which cling to my skin almost uncomfortably. But I was able to move better. Besides… I would never jump heroic out of the window, in my underwear, smash the tree into small pieces and burn it down, just to find out that the stranger was the housemaid, that would start screaming girlish afer she saw me like that. Unnecessary to tell that I would catch a cold then (author's note: I may use OOC. But certainly not this way.).
Soundless and qiuck like a shadow, I cautionly climbed down from my window to the garden. I already practised, and luckily I seemed to be talented for creeping as well. Or maybe it was because I didn't weight much. Stories like 'eat more, you're not getting bigger like this…' I knew, too.
The cold, whistling grass touched my bare feet. Nights of the full moon were made for fantasies like this. I couldn't say that I didn't like this sort of poetry.
The branches vibrated. I didn't know if the stranger had noticed me already, it was also possible in this unusual brightness. But I was told otherwise when I saw someone jump down from the tree and look into every direction. My eyes narrowed. The person wasn't much taller than me. I might have been weak from my body. Yet I was fast and skilled in fighting with others stronger and bigger than me. That one wouldn't have a chance. I felt my blood rush faster. If this stranger got in here, he had to be pretty good. Or our guardians were weak, I didn't know. It didn't make the difference.
Slowly, I moved towards the figure. It didn't react, then suddenly, the head turned into my direction. I knew it had been a stupid idea to creep in this brightness. To defend myself, I didn't know useful jutsus at that time. Well, at least I could test the usefullness of my self-created moves now.
Without any warning (please don't imagine what it had looked like with a warning), I rushed forward, not quite towards the stranger, a little more left. He seemed to be surprised by it. I supposed, more my the fact that I didn't ran away screaming to get help. Who would seriously regard a little boy as a danger?
Actually, I was quite excited. This was my first real fight. The training was… well, it was like someone played the punching-ball for a doll which was not allowed to get a scratch. My father often looked at me with an expression in his eyes which said: When you grow up, I'll train you so hard that you won't be able to stand up anymore and end up spitting blood at the ground in the dirt. I wished sometimes for that. For pain that could make my soul go limb. At least I wouldn't have to feel my own weakness then.
My opponent wasted no more time. He threw himself at me. I wasn't at the ground with both feet, and so he hit me and we fell down. At that time, I saw a white Anbu-mask. It was just a copy for children, I knew, but it made me a bit uncomfortable to see the unchanging, some sort of scary expression of the animal-mask.
I used the time he needed to orientate to ram my ellbow into his stomach (and was happy he didn't… let's say 'got his stomach-contents out'…) and change to positions. I was on top now, but I wasn't strong enough to pin his arms. Unluckily, I hadn't brought any weapons with me. Father didn't allow me to 'play with sharp objects', of course. But I had some wooden kunais. Not very hard, yet enough to cut skin deeply. Anyway, they were in my room, hid under the matress.
I felt him struggle in a way that was more a reaction from his brain to get free from danger than a professional movement. I could hear him pant hard. He had strenght, but no matter how strong his muscles were, he wasted his power by punching places I could easily dodge or make way.
I didn't know how long we were rolling on the grass, both searching for weaknesses. If that was the feeling of a fight, it was great. Sure, that sounded ridicolous. I still had to learn almost everything for a real fight, not this match with someone I only knew he was male, because, well there were a few 'signs'.
Suddenly, I felt something at the thigh of my opponent (author's note: It's not like Itachi would be touching there knowing, 'cause he is first not pervert and second too young for knowing about the birds and the bees. More information about 'that' later.). I would have slapped myself if I have had a hand free for that. Totally busy with fighting, I didn't notice the kunai. Quickly, I moved one hand down while I shielded my face with the other and pressed my knees into the ribs of the other. The bag opened, and I pulled one of the sharp objects out. The cold iron was cold and heavy. It felt good in my sweating palm, and the iron sparkled in the moonlight. I cut the bands of the mask and threw it away carelessly - after all, I wasn't planning to keep it nor search for it.
The boy squirmed, but soon stopped as he felt the blade at his throat. His fast panting filled the cold night air.
"Who the hell are you? How did you come here?"
I hissed between gritten teeth. A cloud moved from the moon, I could see his face now - and I almost dropped the kunai. It was a boy in my age, maybe a bit older. His skin wasn't as pale as mine, as far as I could see in the white light, but I was sure he was from the clan. His black hair was short and spicy, one strand was longer and bound together with a few pearls. His big eyes blinked in sursprise, even if he didn't look like he was going to cry every moment.
He needed time to catch his breath, than it was my turn to be surprised again. He grinned. A boyish, stupid grin, I thought disgusted. But I knew that this boy was defenetly not stupid.
"Me? I'm your cousin. Well, one of your cousins."
I raised an eyebrown at him. He seemed to know me.
"Your name, you moron."
The boy smiled a bit calmer now. He didn't seem to be bothered about the blade at his throat anymore.
"Sure. I'm Shisui. And I got in here from the dojo from my parents."
He wiped his forehead with the back of his arm and took a deep breath.
"And why?"
This guy was starting to get on my nerves. Especially with this carefree attitude. Who did he think he was?!
My thoughts were interrupted as he looked directly into my eyes.
"To see you."
He shifted when I didn't move at that answer and cleared his throat.
"Sorry… You don't weight much, but would you mind getting up from me? I won't run away, I promise."
The wink was easy to understand. I mentally shrugged it off and sat on the grass beside him. Shisui sat up und patted his clothes. He wore the Uchiha-symbol on his shirt, like every child from the clan.
"Yesterday your dad… I mean Uchiha-danna told us about you. That you're a prodigy, how strong you already are… Well, I don't doubt it, still… no one from us as ever seen you. I wanted to see if you are… really alive, I mean."
I felt at once the urge to stand up and just leave this brat here. He understood nothing. Besides, it was very nice that people of the clan doubted my existence. They could as well say I was never born.
I got up and went to the door, without looking back at Shisui. I heard him stand up, too. No matter, should he go to hell and greet his ancestors. None of my business.
"Wait! Where are you going?!"
"To sleep. And you should go before someone sees you here. I could imagine you'd get beaten up for sneaking around here."
I answered coldly. He didn't move. Such an idiot. Really.
"Itachi-kun?"
I turned around. How dare he…! Calling me like that…
"What?!"
I spat, getting angry now. Shisui just smiled, his hands behind his back.
"I know we'll meet again. See you tomorrow, Itachi-kun!"
Then he ran away. I stood there, paralyzed. I don't know for how long. Later, the cold breezes reminded me where I was and I got back into my room. I also don't know why my heart was suddenly beating faster. It interrupted the icy melody it played before. There was no answer in the dark. Just those words. See you tomorrow. I knew what that meant. Maybe… it wouldn't hurt to see that brat again. Just against the boredom. Just for fun. I never knew fun. I would get to know, maybe. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe never.
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Chapter notes: This is my first English story about Itachi and Shisui. I put in much effort, but there might be mistakes, especially grammatical ones. Shisui isn't metioned much in the manga, but he's not an OC.