It was a warm evening in Konoha, the spring weather keeping the village humid. The night sky was clear, unusual for the time of year; it was normally rainy, covered with heavy, gray clouds. Sakura lay deep in sleep, a mess of sheets and comforters collected at her hips, having been thrown off some time earlier. She could easily have slept for another twelve hours, but it was quickly interrupted.
A rock hit the glass of her window, waking her with a start. She sat up, looking about the room in confusion. She had been about to lay back down again, when another rock hit her window. She groaned in frustration, but got up nonetheless. It was nights like these that she always got her secret visitor. It seemed he was back again. Once more, a rock hit her window.
Sakura threw up the window, and stuck her head out. Sure enough, Itachi stood in the street below, another rock in hand in hand, waiting to be thrown. He smirked, the light breeze blowing about his black and red Akatsuki cloak. He pulled off the straw hat obscuring his face, and looked up at her with a smug expression. She shook her head in disapproval. She smiled anyway though, knowing him well enough to be able to guess his next actions.
"Itachi! What do you think you are doing here! You will get caught for sure this time, and we'll both get in trouble." She called to him. He could not be persuaded into leaving though, not that she expected him to. He was nothing if not determined. With the window now open, he disappeared from her vision, only to re-materialize, sitting on the sill lazily. She shook her head, but smiled at the same time.
"You do realize why I am here, do you not, Sakura?" He asked calmly. Sakura rolled her eyes at how relaxed he was in her room. It was almost normal to see the Akatsuki cloak, like it was a part of the room. She hugged him in greeting, forgetting that the light green, silky sleepwear she was wearing was too short for anyone to see her in. Itachi being there, all else was forgotten.
"I do not know why you decided to visit me. Care to explain?" She replied, smirking as he wrapped two sturdy arms about her torso.
"It is Golden Week. We are celebrating." He demanded. Sakura had almost forgotten. Last time they had visited each other in secret, he had told her as much, but it had been over a month since then, so it had escaped her thoughts. They really needed to find some way to meet more, but with his current status as an S-class criminal, no matter how innocent he was, it was nothing short of impossible.
"How do you plan on doing that, Itachi?" She asked, leaning closer to him, her face tilted upwards. He inclined downward to her, a ghost of a smile playing at his lips. His lips parted teasingly close to hers, letting her taste his sweet breath.
"I am taking you to an onsen in spring country." He murmured. She paused for a few seconds, letting the idea sink in, before reaching the remainder of the distance between their lips. The decision was sealed with a passionate, time consuming kiss. She knew what it meant for them to go somewhere like a bath house resort together, and she knew what he was going to expect some time during their vacation. She was nervous, but in the antsy, excited way.
Sakura packed her things, with the help of Itachi. Some things that he put in her bag surprised her, but he knew what to bring better than she did. For a second, Sakura thought about her parents, sleeping in the room two doors down. They would certainly be surprised to wake up tomorrow, her daughter missing, and with no intention in returning for several days. Neither of them knew of her hidden relationship with Itachi, so they would have no clue of where to look for her.
Itachi astonished her by removing his Akatsuki cloak, and leaving it on her tousled bed. He placed an envelope over that, and without any further ado, they left via the window. Sakura had not a single idea of what could be in the envelope, but whatever was in it, it would probably not please her parents. They would have to get over it, she decided, it was her life's choices who she loved, so they had no right to stop her.
The onsen Itachi took her to was not too far from Konoha, it was no more than a day's journey from the village. It was in a small, civilian town, out of the way, and quaint. Sakura liked the area, with its mountainous surroundings and ancient, graceful evergreens. Itachi must have known she preferred this kind of rural prefect to the boisterous cities most tourists went.
A young, feminine woman in traditional kimono greeted them, and once she looked up the reservation, she led them through the halls, until reaching the room reserved for them. Sakura realized how serious Itachi was, based on the fact that they were going to be sharing a room, but she brushed these thoughts off.
"I hope you enjoy your time in our onsen." The woman said politely, kneeling down to the floor to open the sliding door for them. Itachi nodded his head to dismiss her, and the woman left them to their own devices. Itachi shut the door silently as Sakura set down her traveling pack.
It was amusing to her that the woman did not give Itachi a second, suspicious glance, even though he was a well known criminal throughout the shinobi and civilian world. It showed how out of the loop the village they were visiting was. Perhaps that was why Itachi had chosen to take her there; it was the last place anyone would think to look for them.
Using her absentmindedness to his advantage, Itachi grabbed Sakura from behind, pulling her into him. She gasped in surprise, but did not object. He ran his nose along her neck flirtatiously, breathing in her strawberry scent.
"Take a bath with me." He stated quietly, his nose tickling her. Despite her want to giggle, she froze in place, utterly shocked. He was not one to wait, that much was certain. She looked out at the sunset from the open door to their little lanai, their day's travel taking its toll on her. She wanted to relax, and he would let her. Only then would she let him have what he wanted so badly.
"I will go get changed. Meet you down there." She murmured. He nodded his head, and they both went to find the dressing rooms. Sakura left the bamboo patterned yukata given to her by the resort on a shelf in the woman's changing room connected to the onsen, and nervously wrapped a towel around herself tightly.
She stepped out into the unisex bath area, and there was Itachi waiting for her, already lounging in the hot water. She bit her lip anxiously, a nervous habit she had picked up spending so much time around Tsunade. He turned his head lazily to see her standing there, a knowing smirk prominent in his features.
"Do I need to help you in?" He snickered. Sakura blushed, shaking her head in disagreement.
"Do not look." She ordered. Itachi spitefully covered his eyes with both hands, knowing it would irritate her. Sakura sighed exasperatedly, unwrapping the towel and setting it to the side, folded neatly. Sure that his eyes were still covered, Sakura slipped into the water and sat next to him. Annoyed, she splashed him.
"Was that so hard?" He asked, uncovering his eyes. Sakura crossed her arms against her chest, looking away in embarrassment. He took her flushed face as an affirmative.
"You and I both know that you have seen a naked man before." He said calmly. Yes, she wanted to scream, but for a totally different reason. Seeing a naked man when healing him was not the same, and she was sure he should have known that much.
"Your point being?" She asked stiffly. Itachi chuckled.
"Then you should not be so uncomfortable." He told her, wrapping a tentative arm around her shoulder. When she did not jerk away, he let himself relax, and pull her closer.
"It is not the same." She muttered, still too humiliated to look in his direction.
"I never said it was, but you have no need to feel so uptight with me, Sakura. You already know my every intention in taking you here, to an onsen. I would think you a simpleton if you did not." Itachi replied softly. Sakura turned to face him, willing herself to not blush. She did not want to give him anymore reason than he already had to think her childish.
"Of course I know your reasoning behind us being here." Sakura said, letting her eyes meet his obsidian ones. They were glowing with humor, and more than that, appreciation.
"Then relax." He whispered, kissing her wide forehead. Sakura sighed, leaning against his chest, letting the hot water unwind her tightly coiled muscles. Itachi watched as her eyes drooped shut in leisure, and listened as her breathing slowed. For a few moments, he thought she might have fallen asleep, but then she would stir slightly, or let out a little sigh. He took great joy in just watching her, never once doing something to provoke her, or break the silence.
It could have been a good hour before she stretched sluggishly. Itachi was, generally, a very patient person, but at this point, he knew she was procrastinating. He would not let her put this up any longer; if it had been his choice to begin with, they would have skipped the bath.
"I know what you are doing." He said, giving her an irritated look. She slumped, knowing the silly act would not work any longer. The gig was up.
"I am sorry, Itachi. I know what you want, I want it too... It is just that I do not know what I am doing. I do not want to do this wrong." Sakura mumbled, feeling foolish. She was the ignorant little seventeen year old girl, while she was sure he had experience in this field.
"Sakura, I do not know what I am doing anymore than you do. This is the first time I have ever been close to a woman. You will be my first as well, and I am not ashamed by that fact." He said, moving hair away from her face. She blinked in surprise, though she supposed she should not have been shocked by this set of news. He had always been too busy running from ANBU and with his espionage of Akatsuki to be with a woman.
"Take me to our room." Sakura finally said, feeling the anxiety build up inside of her stomach. Wordlessly, they both stood. They parted ways to go to the separate changing rooms, but once Sakura had the yukata back on, she walked out and Itachi was waiting for her.
Itachi scooped her up into his arms, and without any indignity, carried her through the hotel and to their private room. She watched as he rolled out a single futon, closed the door to the lanai, and then shut the lights off. Without him having to tell her, she slowly lay herself down on the futon.
He lay next to her; he did not want to make love to her until she was utterly at peace with the idea. Her limbs lost their stiffness, and he moved to ease himself into her. She looked up at him uncertainly, but she did not object to his actions when he lowered his lips to hers. He was quickly igniting a steady, fussy flame inside of her, making it beg to be stoked.
At a sloth like pace, he untied the obi to her yukata, and tossed it away. She writhed impatiently under him, searching to find some sort of satisfaction. Almost dotingly, he trailed his mouth down her neck, until finding a breast. She gasped in amazement from the sensation of his hot, wet mouth around her perked nipple, egging him to proceed. His hand minutely played with her free breast, massaging it in large circles and twisting the small rosebud until it was as stiff as its sister, before it moved south, down past her smooth, flat belly to tease her essence.
Itachi's eyes shot up to look at her face to assess whether this was too much, too soon or not, but found in quite the opposite. She looked pleasantly tortured, her body trying to coax him into further action. He acted in response to her desperation, probing a finger through her layers of throbbing, wet tissue. Her hips bucked, receiving his finger with more than just willingness. He pulled back out; Sakura groaned in disapproval.
She was ready, he was certain. With as much patience he could muster, he let her pull of his yukata herself, and waited for her to finish before continuing. Sakura looked down his body, her eyes lingering on his thick length. She knew that it would be painful, but her body already ached as it was, and it would even more so if she did not receive his very being.
For a moment, he simply loomed over her, taking in the sight to be seen. She shuddered, her body preparing to take him when her legs parted. Then he moved with care, twisting himself into her. Sakura groaned in a mixture of pain and pleasure, pulling his girth further into her cavern. He smoothly retracted, and just as quickly, inserted himself again, grunting softly.
White hot pleasure seared her core, coiling in excitement with every hardened thrust. It was not long before he had her gasping for air. Itachi listened to her every cry of delight, listened as she called to him passionately. She made his name sound so wonderful when she shouted it, their hips colliding repetitively. Only Sakura could say his name like that, he decided.
She could not be satisfied, the itch she felt for him only got harder and harder to ignore. She screamed for him, forcing Itachi to quicken his pace. He maneuvered himself inside of her, exploring places no other man had ever gone before, piercing deeper within until finding the bunch of nerves that set her ablaze.
Itachi had never heard such sounds, never heard something that pleased him so much. With some difficulty, he found the same spot again, hitting it violently. He repeated this again, making her back arch into him, and her nails dig further into his back, creating small, crescent moon indentations. He listened to her as she reached the top, as she let out one more shriek before falling. His hot, sticky seed spewed into her, covering her with everything that he was. He glided out of her, holding her petite, sweaty form in his arms.
They listened to each other's breath, neither of them able to form words. It had been the most glorious experience of either of their lives; something neither would ever be able to forget, even if they wanted to. Never had Sakura felt so throughly exhausted, and she soon fell asleep in her lover's possessive hold. Itachi remained awake, observing her as she calmly slept, her chest slowly rising and then falling with every intake of air.
He was sure that no other woman could ever make him feel as he did then. His eyes drifting shut in surrender, he let himself admit that he loved Haruno Sakura, and that he would do nearly anything just to be sure that she remained irrevocably his. No other man would ever be allowed to make love to her as he had just done, he had to make sure it remained as so.
Sakura woke as the sun began to rise, the nude body of her lover flush against her back. She felt two strong arms about her, and as she moved to sit up, they tightened around her. Itachi was, apparently, awake. She spun in place, not stopping until she faced him fully. He smirked lazily down at her, amused by her clear embarrassment. After the previous night, he had not expected her to remain so reserved. Her modesty was adoring however, what made her who she was.
"Good morning, Sakura. I assume you slept well." He said smugly, kissing her forehead in high regard. Sakura blushed wildly, hiding her face from view in the plains of his chest. He snorted.
"What is so funny?" She grumbled irritably.
"I had not known that you talked in your sleep." He spoke carefully. She laughed shyly, lifting her face from his chest to kiss him. He reciprocated wholeheartedly, before she pulled away.
"What did you hear me say?" She asked inquisitively. He smiled thoughtfully, remembering her words with great joy. Her face scrunched up in confusion and annoyance, her impatience for an answer overbearing.
"You said you loved me." He recalled softly.
She scoffed. "You already knew that, Itachi. I have told you that I love you almost a million times."
Itachi chuckled awkwardly. "Yes, I know. Still, it is nice to hear that even in your dreams, you think of me." She sighed in reverence.
"Itachi, when will you ever learn? You are all I ever think about." Sakura whispered, reaching up to kiss him again. After what had happened the night previous, she had not thought that even the simplest kiss would be able to consume here so entirely. Itachi was more than capable though, making her moan sweetly into his mouth. His hands ghosted along the skin of her back, just barely touching her, but enough to make her shudder pleasantly.
Breakfast was the only thing competent enough to tear them apart, with them both famished. Dinner had been forgotten absolutely, and neither of them had eaten anything since a lunch in the previous day. They ate a wholesome meal, consisting of fried butterfish, pickled vegetables, miso soup, and rice.
"Do you wish to see more of the village today?" Itachi asked calmly, placing his chopsticks down after finishing his meal. Sakura nodded her head, food still in her mouth.
She swallowed delicately and then proceeded in saying, "I would love to. I have never been able to act as a tourist before, even though I have seen most of the shinobi world."
"I hope you will not object to dressing up. I brought something especially for you." He stated, hoping she would acquiesce his small request. Sakura smiled mischievously, something Itachi had learned upon meeting her to be wary of.
"I will dress up for you, as long as you are willing to do the same for me." She giggled. Itachi snorted. He should have supposed this would be her only response to his wish. Thankfully, he had thought ahead before leaving the Uchiha hideout, and had brought something for such an occasion.
"I concur." He answered, much to Sakura's chagrin. Part of her had hoped that he would have been unprepared, and then she could have given him a little bit of trouble. She most certainly would have had to punish him for such a blunder, if it had indeed occurred. Well, on the bright side, she was getting to see Itachi all dressed up, something he had not done since the Uchiha clan was last alive and flourishing.
With that said, Itachi excused himself from the table, and went over to his bag to pull out a navy blue box. It was tied securely with a red ribbon, which was kept together with a pin in the shape of the Uchiha emblem. Sakura gulped. She was certain that whatever he had brought her to wear, it was more elegant than anything she had even set eyes on. She watched as he carefully opened the package, and then lifted its contents for her to see. In it was a tastefully woven, maroon colored kimono. She gaped at it, trying to figure out how he had something so beautiful in his possession.
"It was my mothers. She would have wanted you to have it." He elaborated. Sakura sucked in, disbelieving him. How could he ever let her wear something his deceased mother wore? It was too sacred for someone like her, she could never wear it.
"Itachi, I cannot wear that. It is too special!" She exclaimed. He smiled, and shook his head. His mother would have been very proud to see her kimono on Sakura, that much he was sure of. He would not take no for an answer, and so he returned to the table, and pulled her to her feet.
"You will, of course, let me help you put it on." He murmured into her ear. She blushed, but did not object. How could she? He shut the door to the lanai, and then returned to Sakura. Slowly, and observing her through half-lidded eyes, he untied the obi to the yukata she was wearing.
It slipped to the floor without him having to do anything, leaving her naked and cold. He did not wait for her to start shivering before taking the first layer, made of plain, white material, and putting it on her shoulder. She stood motionlessly as he took the second, final layer and wrapped it around her. With great care, Itachi coiled the long, indigo obi around her, and tied it with skill. He stood back to admire his work, and found himself pleased with it, and made her aware of this with a silent smirk.
"Are you going to let me dress you now?" She asked sweetly. Still smirking, he shook his head in an absolute no. She pouted, but reached to kiss him on the cheek anyway.
"Hurry up, then. We want to get out there before it gets too hot." She teased, standing back. He waited for her to enter the lanai before undressing.
While waiting for Itachi, Sakura put her hair up into a sloppy bun. She stood content, looking down at the decorative gardens below. It was sooner than she had expected when Itachi appeared behind her with a pair of tabi and zori. Sakura admired the elegant kimono he had dressed himself in, then let him kneel down and put the Japanese socks on for her, and then the heightened slippers. She was grateful that she could fit them comfortably.
"Sakura, I am almost tempted to keep you in here, all to myself. I would not be able to stand it if another man was allowed to look at you." He said smartly, standing up. She playfully whacked him, and with arms linked, he led her from the room and down to the busy village below.
"It is sort of funny how no one realizes who you are." Sakura whispered, following him as he brought her into a park.
"That is precisely why I brought you here. It is too remote for us to be recognized." He replied, placing a possessive hand on her small hip. Sakura did not notice how some men observed them with envy, and how they seemed to shy away as she and Itachi walked. Itachi did though, and thought it wise of them. He clearly was stronger than anyone else nearby, and they steered clear of him for it.
They wandered along the walkways, until they found themselves standing on a little bridge, overlooking the moving stream below. Itachi inched closer to Sakura, a confident arm hanging on her shoulder. Sakura watched as a fish below jumped out of the water and then landed gracefully back in, weaving around the white foam created by the speeding stream. Utterly at peace, Sakura lay a head on Itachi's shoulder.
"What do you want to do, Itachi?" She asked eventually, after having watched the stream for a while. He hummed thoughtfully, the leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"I would like to get some dango."
Sakura laughed melodically. "You have such a one track mind." She teased lightly. Itachi scowled, but knew she was right. Once he wanted something, he had the determination to not stop until he had gotten it. Sakura could have been a prime example. They had met around a year previous, and from the very beginning, Itachi had known what he wanted from her. Then he had felt no more than pure physical attraction, but as he grew to know her better, he discovered feelings he hardly knew existed. Overall, he had waited a year for her to be ready to receive him, and it had been his tenacity alone that had kept him going.
"That is what I love about you though. You know what you want." She purred, reaching up to kiss him. He met her lips with enthusiasm, pulling her fully into his arms. Those in public were generally disturbed by their violent entanglement, but neither of them cared. With Sakura in his arms, the world no longer existed to Itachi, and vice-a-versa.
"Let us get you your dango now." Sakura said as they parted.
"More later?" He murmured into her hair, caressing her cheek lovingly. Sakura remained silent for a moment, trying to regain both her breath and composure.
"You can have more now, if you so wish."
With no further invitation, his lips crashed down on hers, and they connected once again. She whimpered from his viciousness, unable to control his actions as he tugged her mouth open, and slid his hot tongue in with her own. Mewling in both agitation and appreciation, she hung both arms around his neck, pulling them closer still. His hands left her cheeks and trailed down the sides of her body, stopping to rest on either hip. It was these short moments that defined their feelings for one another, however frequently or distantly they happened to occur. Itachi somehow was able to tell her how much he really loved her whenever they kissed, though he found it near to impossible for him to voice these sentiments.
Sakura did not mind this, she knew better than anyone else how hard it was for Itachi to be close to anyone at all. The fact that he loved her, no matter how guilty he felt for it, was enough for her. She would not force him to state his feelings aloud, not when his vocalization was so deafening with every touch. His feelings surged through her electrically through his hands and lips, tracing to her brain and making her aware. She would be a fool to not understand his way of telling her he loved her.
"Now we can get dango." Itachi breathed, releasing his temptress from his bonding lips. She gasped for air, holding him tightly for support. Sakura sent him a necessary glare, as if to tell him he should have saved such endeavors for their room. He received his message from her brilliant eyes with amusement, but heeded her unsaid words nonetheless.
"Lead the way." Sakura said briskly, her breath caught.
"As my fine lady demands." He said politely, his eyes dancing. He held his arm out for her, and she gladly took it. Linked arm in arm again, they left the park cheerfully, in search of a dango shop.
It was not hard to thread a path through the crowds of civilians, with Itachi's natural forbearing aura. Without any consequence, they made their way to the local sweets shop, were they sat inside, waiting to be served. A young, sweet sort of girl came to get their orders, her hope clear when seeing Itachi's strong, lean build and handsomely aristocratic facial features.
"Tea and mitarashi dango for two, please." Itachi said well-mannerly. It was then that their waitress noticed that Sakura was there as well. Inwardly, she groaned in disappointment; he was taken for sure, just as all the good men were. With that, he turned back to Sakura, throughly dismissing her.
When the girl returned with the order, only to be more disheartened. Itachi was continuing his past actions at the bridge, kissing Sakura with no abandon. Without a word, she left the dango and tea on the table, letting them go on with no interruptions.
Sakura snickered knowingly, softly pushing Itachi off. "Poor girl. She looked really disappointed."
"You are terrible. I should have known that was for no good reason whatsoever." Itachi sighed disapprovingly. She said nothing, taking a stick of dango to feed him herself. He opened his mouth in waiting, humming in appreciation when he tasted the flavors of sugar and shoyu.
"I always thought that the dango made in small, unheard of shops were better, as apposed to that made in chain restaurants." He muttered reflectively. Sakura kissed his cheek wetly, knowing she should have suspected him to only think about his precious sweets. Not that she minded at all.
"Only you would take time to think out and compare dango from different shops." Sakura quietly taunted. He kissed her forehead before answering.
"Do not be so jealous, Sakura." Itachi said, stealing the stick of dango from her to get another bite.
"I am not jealous, Itachi." She grumbled, taking her own stick. He chuckled to himself, embezzling her dango. She cried out in protest, smacking him childishly.
"You have your own, so do not take mine!" She whined.
"I am 'borrowing' it, Sakura. You can have it back if you so wish, and if you can get it from me." He said, mouth still full. Grabbing him by the collar of his kimono, she pulled him closer, until she had his mouth on hers. Almost willingly, he let her take the half-chewed dango back, which she quickly swallowed.
"Do not make me do that again." She whispered, breaking away to sip at her tea.
Grinning to himself, he nodded his head.
Their snacks were completed in a comfortable silence, and by the time they left the shop, it was well into the afternoon. They returned to the park and took in all the scenery. It was almost dusk when Itachi walked Sakura back to the onsen. Sakura had never been allowed to spend so much time with Itachi before, and she found her self enjoying it greatly.
"Today was amazing... Thank you, Itachi." Sakura said as they entered their room.
"Will you be joining me for another bath this evening?"
Sakura looked skeptical. "Will we be skipping dinner again if I do?" She asked back.
"I will reframe myself."
"Then yes, I will take a bath with you again." She batted her eyelashes alluringly.
"I shall meet you down there, then." He stated, slipping out of the room. She breathed out softly, wanting to twirl about the room. She wished this vacation could last forever, that this was how her life normally was. Her and Itachi... always together... that would be heavenly.
In a daze, she managed to pull the thick kimono she was wearing off, and pull on the yukata again to meet Itachi down at the bath. When she got down there, he was already in the water, just as he had been last time. Excitedly, she practically jumped into the water to sit next to him. This bath was much more comfortable than the last one, and for the majority of the time, they spent making out.
Sakura supposed that they were lucky no one decided to use the unisex bath that evening. It was just as private as it had been before, which she was thankful for. She would have been beyond embarrassed if someone randomly decided to open the sliding door, and caught them tangled together as they were.
Karin sat in one corner of the woman's bathing house, scrubbing her shoulders with a bar of soap. Against her will, a choked sob broke free from the back of her
throat, tears following. It was not fair. Orochimaru had brought all of his highly ranked followers to an onsen, so this should have been her chance to get at Sasuke. He, however, was too busy remembering some girl from his past to notice her. Some nameless, faceless girl who he refused to speak about.
Anger overtook her, and in her frustration she squeezed her hand too hard, sending the bar of soap in her hand flying, and straight to a girl on the other side of the bath house. The girl, who had her back to her, looked at Karin, who now felt ashamed of herself.
Sakura picked up the bar of soap, feeling slightly confused, and as she walked up to the girl who had lost it, she realized she was crying. A gentle smile dawning her face, Sakura held the bar out for Karin to grab.
"Thank you." Karin sniffled, looking down in humiliation. Sakura looked past the girl's glasses, and found that she was really quite pretty.
"No problem. Mind telling me what is wrong?" Sakura asked sympathetically. Karin looked away in embarrassment, unsure of what to say. Here was some girl she never met before, and she was being nice to her, even though there was nothing to gain from doing so. She sighed. Perhaps it would be good to talk to another girl about her problem. Another opinion may be beneficial.
"I came to this onsen with a large group of people, and the boy I have been after for years is a part of it. The problem is, he does not even notice I am there, no matter what I do. All he ever does is think about this girl he used to know." Karin explained ruefully Sakura nodded her head. She could relate to the feeling of being constantly ignored by a love object, having been infatuated with Sasuke in the past. In a way, the boy she was describing reminded Sakura of Sasuke.
"If I were you, I would just keep at it. He is bound to notice how you feel eventually, if you persist." Sakura replied. She wondered what would have happened if Itachi had not been as persistent as he had. They probably would have never gotten to the stage they were now at.
"But... What about that other girl? She is all he will ever talk about."
"If that girl is not returning his feelings, then he will have to give up sometime. Then he will be free range."
Karin blushed, feeling so enlightened. How did this girl know so much anyway?
"How do you know he will do that?" Karin asked shyly. It was so out of character for her to feel insecure, but in the presence of this girl, she could not help but to feel uncertain in herself. Whoever she was, she was beautiful, not to mention graceful and kind. She had to be sure Sasuke did not see her, or he really would forget the old girl, and move on to the cute girl with pink hair.
"My... well I guess he is my boyfriend. Anyway, when we first met, I was still hung up on the boy who rejected me. He knew he wanted me to be his though, and he never gave up on me. He was always there, caring for me, comforting me when I needed him to, until I realized how much he loved me. If he had decided that I was too much to deal with in the beginning and given up, then we would never have gotten together. I do not think I would have ever found love unless he had shoved it right under my nose."
Well, Karin mused, it seemed that she would not have to worry about her meeting Sasuke, if she had a guy as it was. She felt she had to thank this man, whoever he was; it was thanks to him that she had found a new source of determination.
"You are so lucky. Do you think I could meet this bow of yours?" Karin asked carefully. Sakura blushed. Itachi was her bow? What a funny thought, calling Itachi something like that.
"I suppose so, as long as I get to meet this guy you like. What is your name?"
"Karin."
"I am Sakura. Nice to meet you." Sakura told the redhead girl. With that, they shook hands, neither of them realizing how chaotic either of their lives were about to get.
Sasuke did not like being forced into doing anything, but here he was, being dragged down a hall by Karin. All she had said was, I want you to meet a friend of mine, Sasuke-kun! Then away they went, down the maze of hallways in the onsen's resort. He did not care about Karin in the least, Sakura was the only girl he could ever love. Karin could shower him with love all she wanted, it was not going to change how he felt.
Itachi was humoring Sakura by letting her introduce him to some girl she had just met. Personally, he would much rather be back in their room, tangled in sheets with her. He would give her this much though. It would take no more than ten minutes, and then he could pull her back up to their room to wildly make love to her. He could wait ten minutes.
"Itachi, you better be nice." She reprimanded, already seeing how he would rather be elsewhere. He muttered something she did not catch under his breath, and they turned a corner into the next hall.
"Sakura-chan! There you are!" Karin called. Sasuke abruptly looked up from the ground in shock at hearing the name of the girl he had kept loving in all of the time he had spent with Orochimaru. "And this must be him! Quite a catch!" Karin continued teasingly. Sasuke stood still in horror at seeing his evil brother standing next to the girl he loved, an arm wrapped around her, as if he belonged there.
"Oh, shit." Both Itachi and Sakura uttered simultaneously. A thick atmosphere built overhead, almost dense enough to be tangible.
"Sakura? Itachi? What the fuck!" Sasuke yelled, reaching for his katana, only to find that he had not tucked it into the obi of his yukata. Karin watched this unfold in bewilderment. She felt out of the loop, and believed she deserved some sort of explanation.
"How do you all know each other?" She asked faintly. It was Sakura who managed to answer first.
"This asshole is the one I was telling you about! He was the one who rejected me all of those years ago!" Sakura shouted, more at Sasuke than at Karin. It was not her fault that she was in the middle of their mess. Protectively, she stood in front of Itachi, in case Sasuke decided it necessary to attack.
"Then this is the girl you never got over?" Karin asked numbly, turning to Sasuke. He nodded curtly, his glare focussed on Itachi and Sakura. Never had he felt so throughly betrayed.
"Yes, this is the little slut who I spent my years loving. Now I find she has been whoring around with my older brother, of all people!"
"I am not a whore! How dare you call me that!" Sakura shrieked. Itachi had to hold Sakura back to prevent her from pouncing Sasuke.
"Calm down, Sakura." He murmured into her ear, so softly that she was the only one to hear. She let out a deep breath, trying to regain some of her lost countenance, shutting her eyes momentarily. If anyone knew how to help her relax, it was Itachi.
"Sasuke, do not call her that. Sakura is most certainly not a whore, despite whatever you might think. You simply misunderstand the circumstance." Itachi turned to his younger brother, his eyes flashing red with displeasure. He did not like the idea of Sasuke talking about his lover so degradingly.
"That is where you are wrong, you bastard! If she is fucking around with you, then she definitely is a goddamned whore!"
"Stop, Sasuke-kun." It was Karin who interrupted his ranting, tears flowing down her face. She was hurt, puzzled, and moreover, tired. She wanted it all to disappear; Sakura and her lover, Sasuke's hatred for his older brother, maybe even Sasuke himself. It pained her too much, it was hard to even think.
Sasuke ignored her, walking the distance between him and Sakura, then grabbing her by the upper arm. "You are going to come and explain this to me, Sakura."
At first, Itachi kept his hold on her, until she sent him a glance, telling him that she needed to resolve the problem she had with his younger brother. He let her go, and watched with irritation as they went down the hall.
"I will not be long, Itachi." She called after him. He nodded his head in understanding. It went without saying that in fifteen minutes, he would retrieve her, whether she was ready or not. Fifteen minutes at the most, ten if he could not manage to be patient.
Sasuke did not stop until he had pulled her into a room, one which she assumed was his. He practically pushed her down to a sitting position at the table, and then sat across from her. He gestured her to start explaining, then crossed his arms over his chest. When Sakura saw the hard glare he was sending her, she quickly decided it was best she did as he wanted. Besides, the sooner she got the awkward explanation over with, the sooner she could go back to Itachi, or so she hoped. Sasuke would not stop her from returning, would he?
"I met Itachi a little more than a year ago. I had been still been unhealthily obsessed with you, and that was the reason we met. I had left the village late in the night to search for Orochimaru's hideout on my own. I had been desperate, and ran so fast that I was out of fire country before sunrise. I wandered helplessly for months, uncertain of where to go. I had no food, no clothes, no fresh water, and had injured myself, and did not have enough chakra to heal simple scratches. If Itachi had not found me, I would have died, without a doubt in my mind." She started, her voice calm and sure. Sasuke was enraptured, waiting to hear more.
Itachi stooped down to inspect the young kunoichi who was splayed on the hard forest floor, her vital signs week. He observed her under his sharingan eyes, scrutinizing her lack of chakra. She was thin from malnutrition, and covered with minor injuries. He looked to her crown of pink hair, noting the konoha hitai-ate proudly displayed there.
Kisame kneeled down next to his partner. "Know her?" He snickered. Itachi turned to Kisame, a grimace clear on his face. He knew his partner was trying to mock him somehow, and he did not find it amusing at all.
"I know of her, but personally, I do not." He replied dryly. Kisame snorted, seeing that his subtle taunting was not going to work, as if it ever really did. He stood up straight again.
"Are we going, then?" Kisame asked, his tone bored. Itachi shook his head and sighed.
"Go on without me. I will deal with the kunoichi." Itachi said, scooping the girl up into his arms and making ready to find a safer place to treat her. Kisame snorted, but turned to continue onto the Akatsuki base. He muttered something Itachi could not hear under his breath, no doubt something having to do with him being such a kind hearted mass murderer.
When Sakura's eyes opened, it was dark out, and she could hear the crackling of a burning campfire. Sitting next to the fire she could see the profile of a man. She shifted slightly, groaning from the pain, and the man turned to see what was wrong. Sakura gasped at seeing the familiar features she was certain could only belong to the very man she had set out looking for.
"Sasu-" No. It was not Sasuke, she realized. Sasuke never would have grown his hair out, nor had he ever had such dark shadows under his eyes. Sasuke's build was different too... more bulky, while this man was more slender, obviously someone who specialized in genjutsu. Then there were those long, sooty eyelashes that softly caressed his cheeks; she was certain that Sasuke had never had eyelashes like that. The man smirked smartly at her confusion. She paled, realizing who he had to be, if not Sasuke. She was in the presence of Uchiha Itachi, S-class criminal, mass murderer.
"I am afraid I am not Sasuke. Close though." He said smugly, clearly entertained.
"Uchiha Itachi." She breathed, fear flashing in her sea green eyes. The evil older brother to the man she loved, in the flesh. He surely would torment her; abuse her body and then dump her like the sick, sadistic bastard he was.
"The one and only." He said, bowing playfully. He noted her apparent fear, and wanted to laugh out loud. He had gone out of his way to save her, and she was terrified of him.
"Right now, you are probably thinking I am going to rape you, and then let you die." He teased. Sakura flushed, wondering if he had the ability to read minds. He shook his head though, before continuing. "I do not use women, Haruno-san, despite whatever Sasuke might have told you."
Her face scrunched up in confusion. "Then why would an S-class criminal, a decorated member of Akatsuki, bother with helping me?"
He sighed disapprovingly. "Your assumption is rather far from the truth. I am not as heartless as the picture people seem to paint of me."
"That is bullshit! You expect me to think you are some kind, caring person?" She shouted back at him. She prepared to jump at him, throwing off the cloak he had laid on her earlier. He looked away in slight embarrassment, trying to hide the fact that his face was a deep red. Not understanding, she looked down, to see her clothes were gone. All she had left was her black shorts, and it seemed that he had bound her chest. Meaning he had to have seen her chest unbound.
"What the fuck is this?" She roared, pointing to the tightly wound bandages. He stared at the fire, looking for something to say in the flames.
"You would have died if I had not done something to prevent it. So I tended to your injuries. I apologize if you were offended by my forwardness." He muttered.
Sakura let out a deep, faltering breath. She supposed she should have been thankful, it was because of him that she was still alive. Why he would save her was still beyond even her imagination, but he deserved her gratitude. To thank someone of his stature seemed almost degrading, but he had earned that much from her.
"Well, thank you, I guess." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Itachi snorted at her hesitant expression. He had not saved her to receive her thanks though, nor because of her connections to his brother and the kyuubi. There was something he had noticed in her face when she was laying motionless on the ground. She was beautiful, that was for sure, but there was a certain purity about her. She was nothing if not innocent, while he was the polar opposite. He knew one thing, he was going to make her his, one way or another.
"He returned me to Konoha safely, after discovering my reasoning for leaving. He understood my pain, even cared, and promised to find me again. Only a week later, Itachi found me training in the forest surrounding konoha, utterly alone. We talked, I cried like a child, and he stayed to comfort me. Every week, we started to meet there, until he became comfortable enough to tell me his deepest, darkest secrets. Itachi knew how I felt about you, but we began to trust each other more than anyone else, and honestly, he was a stubbornly persistent man. Five months after meeting him, I gave in. For the first time in my life, someone loved me unconditionally, and I loved him right back. It felt good to be needed."
Sasuke remained silent, processing all the information he had just been given. It was impossible to imagine; Itachi loving a woman, treating her with care and doting attention. He, who had killed everyone he was so wholly connected with, moving on to admire the woman who should have belonged to Sasuke.
Almost suddenly, the door slid open, showing a very impatient Itachi, and a curious Karin. Sakura assumed that they had been eavesdropping on their conversation, and he had now deemed it over. Instead of standing to meet him, she motioned him to join them. Sasuke did not looked pleased by this, but Itachi did as Sakura wished, and entered. With great trepidation, he sunk down next to Sakura, cautiously slinking an arm around her. Sasuke flinched at the Kodak like moment, only to remember that she belonged to him now.
"Deepest, darkest secrets, you said? Care to fill me in?" He finally asked Sakura. Both of them snorted in unison, meant to do no more than ruffle Sasuke's delicate feathers. Obviously, Sakura knew better than to inform Sasuke of Itachi's inner most thoughts and feelings. It was not hers to share.
"If you are so interested, why not ask me, Sasuke?" Itachi asked. Sakura took this as her hint to leave the brothers to their own devices. Gracefully, she stood, then looked between them both. Her past and present love.
"If I hear a single cry of anguish, there will be hell to pay." She said, hands on hips. Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly, not caring to listen to the woman who had betrayed him. As if to prove her sincerity, she stooped down, grabbed Itachi's chin, and crushed her lips down on his. He retaliated happily, an unsaid promise made that he would finish such activities later, in the privacy of their room.
She shot Sasuke one more glance, then left them to sort out their problems. Sakura shut the sliding door to Sasuke's room, giving the two men solitude. She was being uncharacteristically optimistic, but Sakura hoped things would work out, once Sasuke knew the truth.
Karin glanced nervously at the girl standing next to her. If Sasuke used to hold any regard for her, then she must have been a kunoichi of high rank, he would not be interested in anyone lesser. Sakura caught Karin's look, and smiled apologetically.
"It seems that you got in the middle of our complicated problems. I wish you had not been involved, or even known about our silly, complicated relations." Sakura said weakly. Karin scowled. Sakura was pitying her, and that was something she could not allow.
"Like I care if you are with Sasuke-kun's older brother. As long as he is still open for me." She mumbled, looking away. Sakura laughed, being reminded of Ino, and their years of fighting over boys.
"I am glad to hear it. I hope this will not change where we stand. You seem like a nice girl, even if you are under alliance with Orochimaru."
Karin frowned at the blatant disrespect to her leader, but she said nothing. Sakura was not someone to mess with, if she was running around with the likes of Itachi. As much as she loved Sasuke, and hated to admit that anyone was stronger than him, Karin was smart enough to know that Itachi was more powerful than him. She heard the stories enough to understand how formidable Itachi could be in battle. If Sakura was hanging around this man, then she must have been just as tenacious.
"What is Itachi telling Sasuke-kun?" Karin asked through a whisper, changing the subject. Sakura knew exactly what Itachi would be saying, but she did not feel it was in her place to tell Karin.
"It is not my secret to tell," she started, watching as Karin's face dropped, "but if you happen to be listening through the door, then it will not be my fault." Sakura thought it was only fair that she knew, seeing she was in the middle of it. All that mattered was that she did not tell anyone else.
Sasuke could not believe what he had just been told. It could not be possible, it had to be a lie. The only problem was that he knew it was true. It was too ridiculous for Itachi to make up such a story; it was not as if he had anything real to fear from him. Sasuke was getting stronger, but he was sure that he would never be strong enough to defeat Itachi in a fair fight. Itachi had no reason to lie to him about their parents deaths, and his explanation, scarily enough, made sense. It was all on orders.
After a few minutes of Sasuke not responding in any way, Itachi had to wonder if he was suffering from cardiac arrest. The poor, bewildered youth had his jaw hanging somewhere near the floor, his narrow minded head almost unable to wrap around the idea that Itachi was not the evil one.
"Do you believe me or not?" Itachi asked at last, unable to stand the awkwardness of their current standing. Sasuke closed his mouth, swallowing dryly. Did he believe his brother?
"I need time to think." He replied. Everything he knew was a lie. He had run off to Orochimaru for nothing. Sasuke could have stayed in Konoha, and life could have been close to perfect. He would have been the one with Sakura, and he might have even had children by then. Sasuke knew he was being unfair by still wanting Sakura to himself. If the story was true, then Itachi deserved Sakura more than he ever could.
"I will leave you to your thoughts then." Itachi murmured, slowly getting to his feet. It was disturbing to watch his brother's musings show so plainly on his face. Sasuke loved Sakura, perhaps not nearly as much as he did, but the feeling was there. As much as Itachi loved his little brother, there was one thing he could never let him take; Sakura.
"Do not leave the onsen." Sasuke said. If this was all farce, then he needed to be able to find Itachi again, and then kill him, like he should have when he first saw him. Itachi understood this, but what he had told Sasuke was no sham, and he had no intention in leaving the onsen before the holiday was over.
"Sakura and I are not checking out until the day after tomorrow." Itachi reassured him. Sasuke nodded his head, and Itachi left the room. Standing outside of the door, Sakura waited patiently. Upon seeing his face, hers lit up with a smile, and she jumped to meet him. She had been so afraid that Sasuke would instantly yell at Itachi, calling what he heard lies, and then fight him. She was emmencely glad this was not the case.
"He has gotten more mature, I see. I half thought this would end with a fight to the death." Sakura mumbled, hugging him. Itachi chuckled; Sakura always was worrying too much about him, but he was slightly put at peace for it. He had been concerned that after seeing Sasuke again, she would change her mind. However, this seemed to not be so.
Itachi glanced at the redhead girl, checking on her status. She was utterly unafraid of him, while twenty minutes beforehand, she had been cowering in his very presence. He knew that she must have heard the truth. The question was, from who?
"You told her?" He asked Sakura, nodding his head towards Karin as an indication. Sakura blushed, and looked away for a moment.
"It was not my secret to tell." She replied weakly. Itachi understood.
"So then you must have told her to listen in on what I was saying." He stated dryly.
Sakura smirked playfully. "Maybe."
"You know I am going to have to make you pay now, right?" Itachi whispered tauntingly into her ear. Sakura did not, for any reason whatsoever, object to his unspoken suggestion. Instead, she leaned into him mockingly.
"Only if you catch me." She replied, instantly disappearing out of his arms. Itachi snorted, she should have known better than to run from him. It would not take long for him to capture her.
"See you later, Karin!" Sakura shouted, turning the hall. Karin merely blinked, unsure of what to think of this public display of affection. She turned to see what Itachi would do, but found his standing in place, a calm expression on his face.
After giving Sakura a fair head start, Itachi dashed like a madman down the hall, moving so fast as to create wind behind him. Sakura knew that she did not have much, a minute's time, if that. When she thought about it, she sort of wanted Itachi to catch her; Sakura liked Itachi's way of making her 'pay.'
She changed directions, leading straight to their joined room. When she reached her destination, Sakura threw open the door to see that Itachi had beaten her there. Sakura should not have been surprised, he could read her thoughts exactly.
"I knew you would come here. Glutton for punishment?" Itachi purred, materializing from the spot he had been sitting in the room to appear behind her.
"Maybe I am." She answered. He shut the door with his foot, blocking out the surrounding world.
Sakura shifted in her sleep, instinctively inching nearer to Itachi. Her back was to him, until she squirmed, turning herself to rest her head against his bare chest. Itachi found it amusing to watch Sakura sleep, her impatience making her move about for the majority of the night. After she was still for a good minute, Itachi figured she was going stay in that position for some time, and so he carefully slinked an arm around her to place a hand on her naked back.
Groaning tiredly, Sakura stretched, and opened her eyes to a very naked man. "I am never going to get used to that." She muttered, tilting herself up from where she lay to peck Itachi's cheek. Itachi sniggered, leaning down to kiss her properly.
"I think you will." He replied smartly, nuzzling his nose into the hair at the base of her neck. She giggled, resting a hand on his head.
"Good morning, koishii." He mumbled, breathing in her heady scent. It was hinted with that of his own, after their late night romantic endeavors.
"Good morning, Itachi." She whispered back. Sakura liked mornings like this, when nothing needed to be done, and she could curl up with Itachi, not caring about anything but him. He was her everything just then, and she wished it was always like that.
"Sakura, there was something I intended to do, but got sidetracked from doing. Do you mind if I do it now?" Itachi said softly, after a long silence of nothing but holding each other.
"I do not mind. What is it?" Sakura asked, smiling to herself.
"Stand up for a minute." He stated. Sakura did not understand what the point in standing was, but she did as he asked anyway. As soon as she saw him get to a knee and take her hand though, it all made sense. Sakura felt herself go faint, but somehow managed to stay on her feet.
"Haruno Sakura, from the day I met you, no matter how cliche it sounds, I knew I was going to have you. I love you Sakura, and I do not wish to put my feelings for you off any longer. If you will allow it, if you agree to my offer, then I want to make you my wife. Will you be mine?"
"Always and forever." She replied, smiling through her tears of joy. Smirking proudly at her, Itachi slipped a ring about her finger. No longer needing them, Sakura's legs failed and she fell into Itachi's arms.
"It feels so surreal, like Adam and Eve, or something." She whispered, admiring the ring.
"And why is that?" He asked.
"Because we were both naked." She replied. For a moment he thought about it, and then he could not help but to laugh. She smirked, then smacked him playfully.
"Sakura, what do you think Adam would do right now?" He asked mischievously. Itachi loomed over her, as if to show off his power over her. Sakura giggled deviously, her hands playing over his body with lithe movements. Itachi was quick to return the favor, seizing both of her knees and pulling them apart with one sharp motion. She gasped, sensing his eagerness as his hands slid down her thighs. Sakura writhed under him, her body searching for him and his fulfilling heat, her restlessness making her act more flustered than usual.
"Calm down, Sakura, or I will not do anything at all." Itachi whispered mockingly. She stilled, but his actions contradicted his words. Instead of stopping as he promised, he trailed a line of kisses down her stomach, until his mouth found her core.
"Ita-chi! Ah! Do no-t do th-at!" She groaned, twisting. He held her hips as they bucked.
"Still yourself, Sakura." He murmured, licking the inside of her silky thighs.
"Bu-t, Itach-i! Y-ou are no-t bei-ng fair!" She cried, squirming.
"I am not trying to be fair, Sakura."
She was not sure if she was relieved or not when there was a knock on the door. Itachi lifted his head, glaring at the interruption. Sighing, he stood and grabbed one of the sheets laying about, wrapping it around his slender hips loosely. Slowly, he made his way to open the door.
"Itachi! you cannot just leave me here naked!" Sakura called to him. His hand on the door, Itachi turned back to her giving her a scheming smirk.
"Then I suggest you cover yourself. Though I doubt the maid really cares if she sees a naked woman." He answered, giving her just enough time to wrap another discarded sheet around her body. Itachi slid the door open, and Sakura leaped to the door to see what they were having for breakfast, only to see that it was not the maid with their meals outside, but a very flushed Sasuke.
"I came to say I believe you." He muttered, too embarrassed by what he had just heard them doing inside to look directly at them. Sakura squealed, jumping up for joy, while Itachi stood utterly still, waiting for the punch line of some sick joke. When it never came, the corners of his lips turned up coyly, a ghost of a smile showing through. He felt so relieved, and so set free. If Sasuke believed him, then others might as well.
"Should we tell him the great news?" Sakura whispered to Itachi, her voice subdued. He did not mind so much himself, but he wondered how many loops Sasuke's mind would go through when he heard what Sakura had to say.
"As you wish, Sakura." Itachi replied. Sakura nodded her head and turned to face Sasuke.
"We are getting married!" She told him, her words overflowing with enthusiasm. Sasuke stared at the unlikely pair, the news a total bombshell. He still loved Sakura, though it was quite obvious that she was not his any longer. It would be hard to see them together as man and wife, but he knew that Itachi deserved a good woman at his side, after the hell he had been put through.
"Congratulations. I will let you two be now." He replied faintly, turning to leave.
As he made his way down the hall, Sakura shouted after him. "Karin is a nice girl, you know!" After having put that thought in his head, the door shut and Itachi was allowed to ravage his fiancee in privacy.
Sakura's mother was past concerned for her daughter. Normally, she would not invade her daughter's solitude by going in her room, but it had been four days since she had last saw her. She knew her daughter did not have any missions, so it did not make sense for her to not have seen Sakura at all.
Slightly afraid it might be booby-trapped, she opened Sakura's bedroom door, finding it utterly empty. There was no sign that Sakura had even been there for the past few days. It was so unlike Sakura to get up and go without telling anyone. She entered the room, scanning her surroundings carefully. Her eyes fell to Sakura's unmade bed, and found a cloak, and on top of that, an envelope addressed to her.
She knew that cloak, there probably was not a single person in Konoha, civilian or not, that could not recognize the symbol of the Akatsuki. Franticly, she snatched up the envelope, quickly opening it to see what the infamous criminal, whoever he was, had to say for himself. She was shocked at seeing what the elegantly written letter had to say.
To the parents of Haruno Sakura:
You have no need to fear for your daughter's well being, she will be quite safe where I am taking her for the holidays. This may come as something of a shock, but I have been afflicted with your daughter for a reasonable amount of time. Though my allegiance does not currently lie with Konohagakure, that will change quickly enough.
As for my intentions in taking your daughter to an onsen for Golden Week (for that is where we have gone), I am happy to inform you that she will not bear the name the name of Haruno for much longer, but instead that of Uchiha. Do not fuss over this fact; she will, without a doubt in my mind, accept my offer in marriage. I love your daughter, and she returns these feelings. If you object to our pending union, then... I truly am sorry. It cannot be stopped. I wish you, her parents, peace of mind and, with any luck, that you will come to welcome the match.
Sincerely,
Uchiha Itachi
THE END!
AN: Thank you for reading my oneshot! I hope you enjoyed it, I have had this story just itching to be written for almost half a year now, so I am glad to have gotten it out at last. Please review!