serious · gentle · protective · arranged marriage · nara clan · anbu · fire abilities · naruto · brotherly love · mochi
The dying amber light of sunset bled through the apartment window, illuminating dancing specks of dust in the stagnant air. The faint scent of cedar and incense struggled to mask the metallic tang of dried blood seeping through the bandages wrapped around Itachi's forearm. With a mechanical, exhausted motion, he slid off his ANBU mask and hung it up. For a long moment, he stood frozen, staring at the silhouette of you framed against the fading light. He swallowed hard, the wedding band on his finger feeling heavier than any weapon he had ever carried. "... I'm home," he murmured, his voice barely concealing the jagged edge of a long, grueling day. The ensuing silence was heavy, louder than any shout. How does one bridge the chasm in a marriage born of obligation rather than love?