Once Sasuke and Naruto took their leave, Itachi picked up the tab only to be stopped by Kurama who insisted on footing the bill.
The whole drive home was nothing but tension. Kurama could feel it through his mating bond. There was something wrong with Itachi but he didn't know what was causing it. Was it Naruto's incident earlier? Was Itachi worried that Kurama would also lose control of himself and use his charms on Itachi against his will? Did Itachi ot trust him?
His mate probably wasn't aware of how hard he had been restraining himself. He wanted to cherish the CEO and become the mate that Itachi desired. Although it wasn't his nature to run a business on a long term basis, he did so in order to ease the burden on those fragile shoulders.
On the other hand, Itachi couldn't help but observe Kurama from the reflection in the rear mirror of the car. As he allowed his mate to drive them back, throwing off the paparazzi easily with some low levelled illusion magic, the CEO couldn't help but wonder why Kurama would settle with someone like him.
The fox demon was perfect in every sense of the word. He was handsome, charismatic, capable and considerate. Kurama could bewitch just about anyone he desired and it didn't have to be Itachi. True, Itachi wanted this man for himself and usually, what an Uchiha wanted, an Uchiha will get. That only applied to the mortal realm where the Uchihas were Kings. Compared to a powerful fox demon, they were nothing.
Insecurity was a feeling foreign to Itachi Uchiha but he knew it like an old friend. Back then when their parents passed away suddenly, Itachi was left to defend an empty castle. If it weren't for Sasuke behind him who was young and still needed his big brother's protection, Itachi might have commited suicide from all that hopelessness. He took over the Uchiha Empire when he was only in his twenties. Dropping out of university and facing the cunning board of directors hadn't been easy but Itachi managed it somehow.
Back then, he still wore the pride of the Uchihas as a shield against the uncertainties faced in life. Right now, that name meant nothing in front of such a handsome demon fox bachelor. The CEO didn't know how poor he truly was as an individual until now. Other than the prestigious family name and wealth from an enormous empire, Itachi had nothing.
He was a hollow shell of a human being, no different from the rest. Why would Kurama stay with someone as horrible as him?
The car stopped in the private driveway and Kurama got out first. Itachi waited inside as the fox demon walked around the car to open his side of the door for him. As the CEO, itachi was used to having his assistants do things for him. Lately, Kurama had replaced them all and that made Itachi wonder why such a powerful fox demon would take care of all the menial chores for him like a mere servant?
Thinking back about it, Itachi had recently taken to waking up in the morning with breakfast already made for him. At lunch, Kurama also brought homemade bentos. His house was also sparkling clean and none of the cleaners had done anything since Kurama decided to take it upon himself. His shirts were ironed and laundry never piled up. They'd fallen into a rather good domestic routine even though Kurama at work was as sharp as ever. The meetings were never double-booked, the documents were always arranged neatly in a pile that Itachi worked easily with. He never had to contemplate much on any of his received proposals because Kurama does the first round of screening for him.
Knowing fox demons, they would not do things that they didn't like. Itachi didn't know if he was a target that Kurama was chasing after but it really didn't make sense for him to be Kurama's targeted prey. Naruto did mention that Kurama moves fast on his prey and leaves once his objective has been accomplished. Why would the fox demon play the long term game with him? They were mates by circumstances. Did that mean that Kurama only did this out of a sense of duty?
That hurt even more when Itachi thought about it. Not only was he worthless and unattractive, he has also somehow become Kurama's deadweight. Not to mention, he was human. There was a huge difference. Itachi would one day grow old and die but time wouldn't even do any damage to Kurama who could live for thousands of years.
"What's wrong?" Kurama asked in a low and gentle voice as he held Itachi's hand.
The CEO hasn't even looked up even once since they got out of the car. The distressing feelings only grew stronger and right now, Kurama recognised it as fear.
Itachi allowed Kurama to hug him and shift them to the couch with Itachi on his lap. He leaned into the muscled chest and inhaled the scent that was unique to the Hunter. Kurama's long crimson hair tickled him but Itachi didn't mind. It felt like a curtain shielding him from the world and Itachi closed his eyes, listening to the steady heartbeat.
The fox demon allowed his mate to do as he pleased and endured the troubling silence. The horrible feeling tugging at their soul bond eased a little but it didn't disappear. Something was still troubling Itachi.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Itachi paused, his mind weighing the options. Should he asked Itachi why he chose him to become his mate and risk spilling all his insecurities, chasing the fox away by showing how ugly he truly was on the inside? Or should he just pretend that nothing was wrong even though the soul bond was probably telling Kurama otherwise?
"Why did you choose me to become your mate?"
Whatever that was bothering Itahci, Kurama didn't think this would be it. How could he answer Itachi that it was an instinctual thing? He felt drawn towards Itachi like the moon to the Earth. He was unable to tear his eyes away from the beautiful man and wanted to protect him from everything. He wanted to own and possess Itachi from the hair on his head down to the nails of his feet.
"We were fated to be mates, Itachi. It's how it works for demons like us."
Itachi frowned, feeling sad. "You don't get a say in it?"
Kurama shook his head. "Not really. But I'm happy that the mate I was given is such a beautiful creature."
Itachi blushed lightly. Kurama was a smooth talker and while he knew he shouldn't believe it, he couldn't help but be shaken by those words. They sounded so sincere.
"Hey, why aren't you looking at me?" the fox demon lifted Itachi's chin to tilt it so that their eyes met.
At this point, the gentle gesture was like a prison. Itachi was being held by that powerful gaze with nowhere to run or hide. His mask wasn't in place and the CEO didn't have any strength left to pretend in front of the demon who'd gained control of his heart.
Kurama wasn't prepared for tears to start falling from his mate's eyes. He panicked slightly and quickly wiped the tears away, unsure of how to make them stop.
"Please don't' cry," he begged as the tears continued to fall. "Tell me what you want, if it's something that I can do, I'll do it. If it's something you don't like, I'll fix it."
Itachi didn't know what took control of him. Those words started a fire in him that he didn't know and suddenly, the CEO couldn't stop himself.
"Sleep with me?"
The words stunned Kurama and short circuited his brain when Itachi pressed his lips against his. tasting his human mate with his tongue, the hunger he tried so hard to suppress returned with vengeance.
If that was all it took to stop the tears, Kurama would give Itachi a ride he'll never forget.