The Flower That Blooms in the Darkness

A long minute passed, us staring at one another.

He caressed my face.

I was too shocked to say anything.

No words escaped my lips.

Not even when his fingers left my face and onto my neck.

"Natsumi, a response would be nice." He chuckled as he said this.

There are people out there who would actually offer the chance to love something like me.

Amazing.

I have to say something, now.

Before it's too late.

"Itachi-chan...there's something I need to tell you." I said, guilt plaguing me.

"Then tell me." He whispered.

I shivered.

He is not helping things.

"Do you remember earlier, w-when Koji gave me news ab-bout Orochimaru?"

His lips went back and forth across my throat, so I stuttered some.

"Yes. What about it?" He murmured.

"Well....wh-what if I told you the r-rage that fueled me then wasn't m-mine?"

Honestly, I don't think he was paying a whole lot of attention to what I was saying.

I think he was more occupied with my neck, because all he said was: "Hm...."

"When he was talking about 'Yumi-san', and I lost my temper. Do you remember what I said?" I prodded.

"Natsumi, you don't have to do this." Itachi-chan said, and bit down.

I gasped.

Dammit, Itachi-chan! I'm trying to tell you something important here! Listen!

I pulled his face up to mine.

"Yumi is a real person. A real entity. She resides in me. I was chosen as a baby to be her vessel. I had no say in the matter." I said firmly.

"Natsumi, why are you telling me this?" I started to say something, but was interrupted. "I said I love you. That means that I love you, no matter what your past is, no matter what you've done. I love you, Kuragari Natsumi, because you aren't perfect."

I gaped at him. He kept going.

"I don't care if you've got the nine-tailed fox inside of you! Natsumi, all my life, I've been walking around, trying to find peace for what I did. You Bring me that peace, Natsumi. When I'm with you, I can laugh, and smile! I haven't smiled in so long, Natsumi, let alone laughed! I'm at peace, but only with you."

He smiled. "You bring the best out of me, Natsumi."

Shit! I thought I could maybe go with Dei-chan, but not now!

Why me?

Oh well. Might as well embrace this.

Which is exactly what I did.

Literally.

I closed the space between us, and hugged him.

Tears rolled down my face, as I realized what I had to do.

One of us needs to be taken out of the picture.

And it's not going to be Itachi-chan.