||| [T] h e [C] a f e |||^Itachi Uchiha^|||-Chapter Twenty Seven-

Chapter Twenty Seven: Final

"The rule of siblings; if your siblings get something you wanted, 1. Try to take it, 2. Break it, or 3. Say it's no good."

~Patricia Fleming

Mariko sighed deeply. It wasn't the end of the world. She knew that deep in her heart that there was a way to fix this, all of this. She turned on her heel and walked back into her home. Something that was truly ironic laid on her floor. She picked up the straw hat and set it on the wooden chair. The tiny bells jingled as she walked up the stairs and into her kitchen. 'And if this doesn't work out…' She questioned herself, even though the answer was so obvious. Maybe things were better like this. He was an S class criminal anyways. If anyone had ever found out about their relationship God knows what would happen. And Kyou…

He probably hated her. How could he not. He actually liked me…She slammed her fist in the cupboard. Wooden splitters began to fly in all different directions. She three her head back in satisfaction with her hole. Looks like I still have some strength left in me.

"Now why is it that ever time I see you your always pissed?" A male voice had spoken up behind her. She turned her head and snorted.

"Go away." She whined, "You're like that fly that never ceases to bothering me."

The brunette haired male smiled at her. His eyes then wondered to the dent she made in the wall. He lectured her about damaging their Mother's property and then helped her pull her hand out of the cupboard. They found out that not only did she break the drawer, but also three glass cups.

"I hadn't even felt them." She stared down at her now bandaged hand. Small tear drops of blood had leaked through the cloth and gave it mahogany tone. Ichiro brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Why are you here?" Angry started to rise in her voice again, "When I say no once, I mean it."

"It's not about joining him any more." He paused, "It's never going to be…ever again…about him."

She cocked an eyebrow at him, "It's like your trying to tell me something important, but I have no idea what you are talking about Ichiro."

He tensed his shoulders, but then relaxed. He stood up and started to walk up the stairs to her room. She fallowed him like a puppy. "Ichiro?"

He opened the door and allowed her to come in, she did, and he closed the door behind her. He took a seat on her bed and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Mariko…" He locked his blue orbs with her green ones. "I just escaped."

{*}

Deidara was fed up with Itachi's complete lack of social skills, sure he was the type of person who had rarely discussed any of his current thoughts and feelings, but he was using a different type of silence today. Deidara punched is arm and spat "Will you stop pouting. God, you can be such a baby un."

Itachi glared at him but hadn't said anything back to the blonde terrorist. He knew Deidara was just being immature and there was no point in trying to stand up for him self. He was as stubborn as a horse, and arguing with him would be a waste of time. Itachi carried on being quiet.

"You do realise that she has no interest at all in that kid un." He crossed his arms, "You didn't even give her a chance. I bet you she's crying right now. Yeah, you made he cry. How does that make you feel Itachi un?"

"Stop talking, Deidara."

"Stop acting like a stuck up bitch, Itachi." He mocked.

Sometimes Itachi would think to himself about how he might have acted at Deidara's age, but the answer was never close enough to compare with the blonde's immaturity.

"I've risked so much to be with her. I've been waiting for something to go wrong so I can end it. And I have." Deidara had gotten a glint in his single eye.

"Then why are you pouting."

"Because you piss me off."

"I can live with that un." Deidara smiled as he brought his hand up just below his nose and create a hand sign, which caused the large boulder that hide the base to open. The two had walked in, one being happy and the other 'pouting'.

{*}

Mariko had stared down at the wooden floor, her head was cradled in her hands and her brother had fallen asleep beside her. The candle lights were blown out from the gust of wind through her bedroom window. Mariko had learned quite a lot of things that afternoon. The news her brother shared with her played through her mind. She could feel a certain pot in her heart that had filled in the dark hole in her chest. She now knew why exactly her brother had left Iwa in the first place, the things he had done, the millions of times he had tried to escape and his gratitude for being able to still breathe. She told him that she would help his as much as she could, and she even offered him a job at the café. He told her that he'd really appreciate it. She also shared all her life experiences with him and her cat (of course). They had laughed and eventually he fallen asleep.

Mariko sighed deeply. For the first time in a long time…Mariko felt that everything was going to alright again.

& then she slept.

{*}

Two months later

Mariko was finishing up her last cigarette before going back into the café to finish her shift. Her brother had promised to take care of her customers for her while she took a break. She hadn't minded his request at all.

In the last two months Mariko and Kyou had become closer then before, but he did have his eyes set on the new waitress his sister had hired. The peppermint café had been rated as a four star restaurant in all of Iwa. They weekly received kages' from different countries and were tipped over a hundred gold coins in a day.

She and Ichiro had made enough money from working that they had decided to leave their home for a year travel to other countries. Mariko was a bit antsy at first, but Ichiro had convinced her otherwise. She warned him about thieves and bandits, but he also told her that he had specialized in ninjutsu from a sage. They were leaving tonight.

Mariko had dropped her cigarette and stepped on the bud before heading back inside the café. Kyou had waved to her and her brother had come out with several plates.

"Thank Kami your back. I think I lost all feeling in my arms." He set the plates down and smiled. "One just wants a marble cake. Table number seven."

She nodded and took a porcelain plate and a slice of cake and walked out into the crowd of hungry people.

Kyou looked over at Ichiro and cocked an eyebrow, "What?"

"You could have easily brought that slice of cake for the customer; you were just out there and even came back with the marble cake in your hand."

"Yeah, I know…but you know what. A brother's gotta do what a brother's gotta do Kyou."

"And what's that exactly?" He put two mugs of coffee and a waffle on a tray.

"You got to get out there and see for yourself," Kyou tilted his head and Ichiro pulled back the silk blind that concealed them from the crowd of people. "Table seven."

"Ah, I see."

"Now enough questions go give the people their food." Ichiro demanded and 'lightly' pushed Kyou out of the kitchen.

"Hi I'm Mariko Kain, and…" She looked down at the figure and stopped herself from gasping, "S-since Ichiro won't be here I'll be your hostess for the evening."

He looked up at her and smiled. She swallowed the lump in her throat and passed him the cake. She was about to turn away when he caught her wrist and shoved something in her hand. She didn't wait until she got back in the kitchen to read it. In her hand she found the bill he paid and a note.

"Meet me at the stone bridge tonight at 8:00 p.m.

I have a lot to explain,

But I'll start it of like this;

I'm sorry."

~Itachi Uchiha

She turned her head hoping to meet his coal eyes, but instead found an empty chair and table.

She smiled to herself and hugged her arms around her body before realising what else was missing from the table he once sat in, "He took the plate!"

A/N: Unfortunately this is the last chapter,

But you have to admit that it was pretty cute ^^

Thanks for reading.

I love all y'all

xoxo