Nevermore

Orange and yellow waves crashed around her and she sunk deeper and deeper into the tide of sunflower blooms. Swallowed by the tall and prickled flora. It wasn’t until she came to a small clearing did she break down to the ground and let out a loud wail, falling backwards till she smeared dirt into her pale green shirt whilst she rolled around in pain. It took a lot from her to refrain from crying out in front of Itachi, though she wouldn’t have made much of an impression if she hit him and immediately started crying. After all, she didn’t need to give any of those kids a reason to make fun of her. She clasped her hand to her chest and fastened her bottom lip between her teeth, she hadn’t felt this much pain since Itachi had sliced her hand open. She almost forgot what it felt like to be in genuine pain. After a couple minutes of ceaseless sobbing, she opened her eyes and squinted at the morning sun. She hadn’t thought about what would happen after this. She couldn’t go home, her mother would be absolutely livid that she missed school. And she certainly couldn’t go back to school, not after that horror. With a sigh she cupped her hand under her chin and closed her eyes, letting the remaining tears roll from her lashes to her rosy cheek. Maybe it was all the crying she had done, feeling sorry for herself and all, she preferred to blame it on the warmth of the beaming sun. Whatever the case, she fell into a void of dreamless sleep quicker than she could count to ten.

“Uchiha Hinamei is a stupid girl.” The light voice carried over her and drifted down until she roused from sleep. She made the mistake of opening her eyes and quickly recoiled, blinking away the shock of the darkening sun. Standing above her was a halo of dark hair, scattered around like some disheveled child. She would know that cynical flit of speech anywhere.

“Shisui-san, go away.” She murmured, turning over and burying her face into the crook of her elbow. A sweet smile found her lips until another laugh found its way under her barrier.

“Or what? Are you going to punch me too?” She opened a single eye and glared, promising something if he didn’t shut up. But as always it was mindlessly ignored. Shisui sat down above her head and crossed his hands, throwing his dark eyes up at the blue late afternoon sky. “You know Hinamei, you shouldn’t be so hard on the kid. He tries really hard, constantly.”

“You’re wrong. Itachi-chan is acting different. He doesn’t even want to be seen around me. How can you agree with him?” The girl pushed herself up on small hands and quirked an eyebrow at her visitor. Could he really be so naïve?

“Maybe if you understood him a bit more you would understand he’s only trying to protect you.” Before she could say anything in response he continued. “Don’t you think those kids would try even harder to ridicule you if they saw you two as a team? In his eyes, he’s taking away a reason for them to hate you, he’s making you a nobody so you don’t have to be treated like somebody worth their time.” He laughed at his own words and shook his head around. “He wouldn’t ever admit it but he really likes you Hinamei-kun!” She slowly moved her eyes up Shisui’s body. He was so carefree and wild, not someone she would generally expect Itachi to be interested in…but she could see why.

“You must be lying.” He abruptly stopped his laughing and narrowed his inky black eyes at her low confidence. It was a second later he flickered next to her in the grass. It didn’t matter how long she was around him, she knew she would never get used to his inhuman like speed. His hands tangled themselves along the long grass and he smirked. Not to be mistaken for sarcasm, he winked at the smaller girl by his side.

“Tell me, have you seen him talk to anyone else at your academy? Has he ever walked home with anyone else but you? It’s not like he doesn’t have other options, he just chooses you over the others. But don’t expect him to be falling in love with you, or whatever you strange little girls daydream of. I hope you know, Uchiha men never fall in love.” He stretched out on the grass until the edge of his stomach came into view, to the side of him Hinamei stared relentlessly at the outstretched blue sky.

“That’s a stupid thing to say, everyone falls in love at some point or another.” The wind brushed against her sun-kissed skin and she smiled as her hair rippled into view. “Even someone like Itachi.”

“Take it as you will, one day you’ll grow up and see life isn’t how you seem to think it is.” He slowly sat up and looked at her with a sideways glance. “I don’t know what you see in that head of yours Hinamei, but one day it’s going to be the end of you. Pull your head from the clouds.” He ruffled a hand in her hair and sighed, almost seeming to relish in the beauty of the fair day. “You shouldn’t have hit him.”

“I know, I feel bad enough Shisui-san, don’t think I don’t.” He smirked and stared out over the endless yellow blooms that marked the filed ahead of them, his mind somewhere else by now. The two sat in silence for a while, neither one wanting to break the soft serenity that had fallen over them. Finally, Hinamei snapped from her train of thought and tore her eyes towards Shisui. He was still smiling. “How did you find me anyway?”

“Itachi told me where you would be, he was worried about what had come over you and asked me to make sure you were safe and feeling better.” The small girl lifted her head and smiled, a coy expression tugging on the corners of her lips.

“Liar, Itachi didn‘t ask that of you.”

“No, he didn’t. But he did ask me to find you and make sure you didn’t run away or anything too brash. But even that, it’s more than he would do for anyone else. Don’t forget it.” He let out a wide yawn and stretched his arms high above his head, returning with a crooked smile on his face. “Will you be alright if I go then?”

“I’ll be fine, thank you Shisui.” He waved her off as he stood up, stretching his shoulders and rolling his head around until he heard a pop. He gave her a small salute before darting off through the flowers and leaving her to her own thoughts. Her hands reflexively toyed with the hem of her shirt, threading each fold gently between small fingers. She knew she shouldn’t have hit him, it was stupid and reckless. At least if he was asking about her she knew he couldn’t be too mad. Could he? She shook her hair out. It didn’t matter anyway, she had bigger things to worry about now. Like what her mother would say when she heard what Hinamei had done, the girl shivered at the thought. “Sorry Tou-san,” Hinamei said out loud before dropping back to the floor on her back. “I guess I’m just not cut out to be a ninja.” She sighed and flipped over on her side, reaching out and plucking the small baby flowers from the ground. The least she could do was bring Itachi a peace offering.

The sun was lowering every minute, before Shisui had came she nearly slept throughout the entire day. There was at least one thing to thank his prying nose for. By the time she finished making a flower crown the sun was closing in on the horizon, the sky a mixture of soft blues and bright flaming oranges. She stood and with her wreath in hand she tore off through the flower field, mind set on finding Itachi and talking this whole mistake out. The road back from the field, which was near the academy, was long and winding. It stood over a tall cliff like structure that led down to the waters edge. Nearly five minutes into her departure, she found she couldn’t run much longer. People brushed past her, the night was alive with the sound of people and busy shops. It was a festival night, where families went out, played games, and stuffed themselves until they couldn’t eat any more. As she walked along the edge of the street, she even made eye contact with kids from school. Most of them ignored her but some dared to whisper. She quickly averted her eyes the other way. The water’s edge sparkled with the light of the setting sun and soon her eyes found a lonely figure perched on the edge of the dock, his feet dangling far above the water’s reach. It could have been any kid but the emblem on his back told otherwise. Suddenly, she found the energy to run again, dipping down a side trail that led down to the water’s edge and straight towards the dock. Itachi’s cold eyes met hers before she even reached the dock. “What do you want?” He asked, redirecting his eyes to the distant horizon.

“I-I wanted to apologize for this morning. I’m sorry ‘Tachi, I shouldn’t have acted like that.” To her surprise, Itachi snorted and smirked at her apology. She didn’t know whether to be offended or relieved.

“It’s not like it hurt or anything, you really just made a spectacle of yourself. Feel sorry for that.” She took a few more steps forward until she pulled herself onto the dock, making a comfortable spot next to the far away child. Slowly, she scooted closer towards him. He cast a sideways glance at her before huffing and turning away. “Don’t get too comfortable, I wasn’t planning on staying long.” But Hinamei wasn’t listening, when Itachi turned towards her to see why she hadn’t answered he found her staring at her hands. Her face was a blank mask of something he couldn’t place. “Hinamei?” She shook it out and the glimmer in her eyes came back.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention!” She grinned sheepishly and glanced back at her hand, a surprised look found her face. “I almost forgot! Itachi, I made you something.” She cooed, raising her hand and shaking the flower crown around. Itachi eyed the piece with disdain before pushing her hand out of his face.

“Well I don’t want it.” He said matter of factly, her face dropped instantly and he almost looked like she was going to cry.

“You don’t understand Itachi-chan, I made this for you so you wouldn’t be mad at me anymore. You can’t just say you don’t want it, you have to take it!” She pushed it forward again and he deepened his frown.

“I said no,” he turned away from her this time, pushing his legs the opposite way so his back was nearly facing her. “Now get out of here.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he was actually enjoying the silence before she irritatingly intruded. A small movement on his head caused his eyes to snap open, he glanced at the snickering girl to his side. He gently felt a top his head and once his fingers wrapped around the delicate petals of her crown, he tore it off and threw it into the water. It floated ahead of them like a boat. Her eyes softened and she let a smile grace her lips, it never was about the wreath anyways.

“Can I stay with you, please?” She asked softly, watching the wreath float onwards past them. Itachi watched her with wide eyes, it was possible he might never understand her. Finally, he looked away, feeling uncomfortable as he realized he had been staring.

“I don’t care what you do.” He said darkly, facing back towards the water he refused to look at her. She was an odd one, any person in their right mind could realize that. But that wasn’t all, he couldn’t place what else was lurking underneath. She was deeper than she gave way to, sadder it seemed. He was brought out of his thoughts as she giggled softy, he opened his mouth to tell her to shut up until she immediately brought him to silence.

Hinamei bent over and delivered a quick kiss on his cheek, her laughter like bells as she watched his cheeks turn the shade of a strawberry. And maybe, she wasn’t as deep as he thought she was.