I go a bit stiff at the mention of visitors, but I keep returning the hug my mother gave me.
Who could it possibly be?
The side of my head was still aching from the psychogenic fever I had last night, but other than that I'll be fine. I hugged mother even tighter and breathed a little heavily.
"It's alright darling, you'll be fine", she trailed her hand over my hair, "it'll all be alright", she soothed.
We unlocked from the embrace and mother looked into my eyes with a small smile.
She's hiding something...
"Don't cry darling", she swipes off the tear at the corner of my eye and rubbed my cheek lightly.
"Shisui is here", she smiled, making me go stiff.
"Sh-Shisui?", I blurted abruptly.
"He's in the living room", she informed.
Could he possibly know?
"He's out of the Hospital already?", I ask in disbelief as I search her face for a reply.
"Yes, he said he recovered pretty quickly from his wounds, although some scars are left on his body", she elaborates.
She motions for me to turn around and I comply. I sat there as my mother untied my long ponytail and began recollecting the locks of my hair into a tightly packed low ponytail.
"Don't you think you need a trim, Itachi?", she asks with her smooth tone of voice.
"Haven't really considered the idea really", I scoff in response.
"Well, I think that long hair suits you better", she remarked, making me blush in return. I scoff momentarily, then inquire the question that's pounding in my head.
"Mother, where is Sasuke?", I carefully ask, searching her face as a pit formed in my stomach.
"Oh he's off to training early with his team", she assures.
"O-oh...", I dropped my head low and clenched the duvet underneath my hands, "does he hate me?", I suddenly ask, taking her by surprise.
"W-what?"
"We got into an argument last night", I confess and release a heavy breath.
"...darling it's alright S-Sasuke was pretty worried about you when he woke up this morning", she informs, making my heart sink.
"H-he was?", I inquire in disbelief.
"Mhmm", she assured, flashing me a genuine smile.
"Mother I have to ask...", I swallow the lump in my throat.
"What is it Itachi?", she inquired, finishing the last touch ups on my hair.
"Will the Uchiha ever forgive me?", a pit forms in my stomach as I forced these words out of my mouth.
Mother breathed heavily then sighed as she played with my hair, "Itachi, most of them don't even hate you as you think", she begins, "they're just shocked that you had a hand in preventing the coup on our clan, if anything, they're proud of you and Hanabi. But I'd also be lying if I didn't say that some of them didn't take the news well..."
"But don't worry yourself with them", she advised, "because even they don't want this peace, which has been maintained for four years now to vanish".
"I see...", I muttered back in response.
"Itachi darling, listen", she starts again in a more serious tone.
"Your father and I...we owe you an apology", she breaths out heavily, "We're sorry for putting you through all of that. You were just a kid and life happened almost too soon for you. You had the weight of the entire village and the clan on your shoulders. You and Hanabi were too young to bear such burden. And I am deeply sorry that you had to internalize all of your feelings for everybody's sake".
YOU ARE READING
Red Butterfly
Fanfiction"The Namikaze clan huh?", Itachi took a step closer, his eyes calm, but fixated. I took a step further back as I kept reminding myself that this is no ordinary Uchiha. My face never gave away a glimpse of doubt as I smirked. "I heard that the Namik...
