Chapter 1: The Deal
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.
Sakura ducked as fast as she could to miss the incoming chakara laden fist aiming for her face. She swiftly kicked out her leg in a circular motion, hoping to hit her opponent. Unfortunately, she missed but was able to recover in time to backflip out of the way as a high heeled foot crashed down. The impact caused a split in the dirt about thirty feet long. "Hold still Sakura!" came a roar to the left of Sakura as master came hurling toward her, drawing her fist back. "Not a chance Shishou! What kind of apprentice would I be if I couldn't keep up with my master?!" Sakura challenged, catching said fist with a layer of chakara protecting her hand. It would be unwise to do otherwise, unless she wanted a shattered hand. They were only lightly sparring, as her master request. The pair were in her office when the busty blonde abruptly stood up, slammed her palms flat on the desk and stated that she needed to get out of that "damn stuffy office of hers".
"When are we going to step up my training Shishou? I want to take the ANBU exams that are coming up." Sakura inquired as she waited for the perfect time to strike from her crouched position in a bush, eying her teacher that was standing out in the open. "I'm sorry Sakura but, I won't be able to train with you for a while. As it is we are barely able to meet once a week, being the Hokage of a village doesn't provide me with very much free time." The statement earned her an abrupt appearance of her student standing in front of her slack jawed. "Wha- what will I do? I was really hoping you could be my sponsor!" she exclaimed. Mentally she gave a long groan, what was she to do now? The exams were only in a few months! "I'm sure you'll find someone to help you in time. Hell, Sakura, I have taught you everything I know. If anything you just need to strengthen you weaknesses." She had always known that her beloved mentor had great faith in her. She had to have to be willing to take her under her tutelage.
"Unfortunately I have to get back to my duties. Same time next week." It wasn't a question. The fact that there meetings aren't so frequent means there is no room to miss a session. "Yes Shishui." Sakura bowed to her teacher as she departed before flopping down on her back in the same spot on the ground she was just standing on. Well, that put a bit of a damper on things. Groaning out loud this time, she closed her eyes as she thought of people should could ask to help her prepare and be her sponsor for the ANBU exams. There was Kakashi but he was currently out on a mission and wouldn't be home for at least three more months at minimum. Yamato might be available but usually he's with Sai and they had been taking on mission after mission. She'll have to check to see if they were currently on one. She might even get lucky and train with both.
Sakura let out a sign, not wanting to think about it at the moment. Her body tensed a moment later and shot her hand out, catching the swift kunai that was aimed to strike in between her eyes. Twirling the deadly weapon on her index finger, she sat up in a straddle position and looked in direction it came from. "Uchiha-san" she acknowledged as she spotted the prestige man leaning against a tree she was just a mere few meters from. He was donning a tight, thin, short sleeved black shirt and standard jounin pants. His face looked impassive and a little relaxed with the shallow lines running down his face, on each side of his nose. His long, dark, raven hair was tied back in a loose ponytail softy swaying in the breeze. She lifted an elegant, pink, eyebrow as if to silently ask him what The Itachi Uchiha was doing there.
With the grace of the top ANBU captain that he is he strode over to stop at her feet. She was a little unnerved as he stood above her. His presence alone was intimidating and being this close to her wasn't doing much good to keep her heart rate down. On the outside she looked calm and collected but on the inside she was a mess. "Stand" he commanded. Her jaw slightly unhinged and then clinched shut as she narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?" she asked, making sure she heard him right. Sure he was a renowned ninja, elite of the elite, but that most certainly did not give him the right to order her around!
"I will not say it again." He stated with his head held high. She huffed as curiosity got the best of her, relaxing her face and complied with his demand as she slowly rose to her feet. The crown of her head reaching the underneath of his chin. "Get in to your fighting stance." He told her and observed as she reluctantly complied, crouching low with her right leg back and left leg forward, and turned her hips to face forward. She fisted her hands with right one tucked close to her sternum and the left one held out in front of her.
Sakura stayed in that position, trying really hard not to fidget as Itachi circled her like a predator, ready to devour his pray. He paused his revolution around her to stand behind her. She tensed even more, standing as still as a statue as she felt large hands rest on her shoulders from behind. "Relax." He said, bringing his face to the side of her face making his breath ghost over the shell of her ear. She couldn't suppress the shiver that worked its way down her spine as the hair on her arms prickle. How the hell was this fine specimen of a man supposed to tell her to 'relax' when he goes and does something like that?! I mean really, he has to know what he just did! He then proceeded to make slight adjustments to her stance. Such as, tucking her right elbow in, bringing the left one out a little more, and nudging her back foot a little with his to get her to widen her stance a bit.
"Remember the corrections I just made to your position." He stated as he stop and met his ebony eyes with her emerald ones. Sakura matched his intense gaze with curiosity. "What exactly are you doing?" She had been very confused ever since he appeared. "You need and ANBU sponsor do you not?" Sakura erected herself as she yet again narrowed her bright eyes. "But how-""I overheard your conversation with Hokage-sama as I was on my way home from training." True to his word, he was indeed ridden with dirt on his face and body. How did she not notice before? Oh right, she was blinded by his presence with confusion. Kami-sama was answering her prayers! This was just too good to be true, there has to be a catch. Itachi Uchiha doesn't normally go out of his way to help random people with such a big task.
"What do you want?" Sakura questioned, crossing her lean muscular arms and cocking her hip to the side.
He observed her contemplatively before responding. "I am in need of a female presence at my side." She quirked a thin brow as she urged him to go on. He turned his head to the side, intently glaring at a tree. Then let out a stressful sigh while running long fingers through his hair before turning his gaze back to her and continued "The elders of my clan are getting impatient as they are waiting for me to find a woman to court. They have a woman in mind and I have showed my disinterest but they are still pushing for the one they chose." The pinkette let out a sign of her own trying to get this right "So you mean to tell me that you need me to make the elders think that you are courting me in hopes to keep them from setting you up with another woman?" She pause thinking in over. "You'll help train and sponsor me for ANBU exams as long as I do this for you?" At that she got a nod in affirmation. She didn't have much to lose. It's not like she was currently in a relationship or anything and she really need him. If fact, it was safe to assume that they needed each other.
"Okay Uchiha-san" she put out her hand for him to take and sharply took back as a shock emitted between them when the rough pads of his fingertips touched her small dainty ones. She missed the look of intrigue from him as she looked down and flicked her hand then glaring at it as if it committed some at of betrayal. She looked up as a manly hand appeared in her line of sight to meet those beautifully dark eyes as she successfully joined her hands with his and shook.
"Itachi" he provided. "If we are going to effectively keep up this ruse we need to learn to be less formal, starting with my name." She figured that was a fair assessment, but if he could do it or not was the question.
A smirk formed on her pouty lips as the corner tilted up as she eyed him with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. Itachi was a little wary being the receiver of such a look. "You're are going to have to loosen up then Itachi." She said, purring out his name. Sakura was gleefully satisfied when she watched the way his whole body tensed and his right eye giving a slight twitch.
"Hm. Go back to your place and get changed. I am going to take you to lunch." She rolled her eyes at his authoritativeness. "Yes dear." With that they both departed to their respective homes to get ready.
Authors Note: I have a plan for the way that this story is going to go but I except any suggestions that y'all would like to see be added. Constructive criticism is welcome just don't be nasty about it I am a person and I have feelings. Anyways, thank you for reading and a review would greatly be appreciated (: