Characters are slightly OOC, especially Itachi.

This is based on the song "Surrender" by BarlowGirl.

Disclaimer: ItaSaku kids haven't overrun the series. (And I'm not Asian.)

Surrender

Sakura looked down at her reflection in the water. Since she was young, she'd planned out her entire life: got to the Ninja Academy, graduate, master her kekkai genkai, become Tsunade-sama's apprentice.

Yet here she was, a Chuunin who couldn't even master her own bloodline limit or keep her team together. Naruto had gone off with Jiraya to train while Kakashi had taken Sasuke with him. Not to mention that Tsunade refused to train her.

She bowed her head with a sigh as she rested her arms on the rail of the bridge and petal-colored hair fell to cover her face. The pinkette rested for a moment before pushing herself upright, resolve written on her pale face.

"I'm not weak. I'll show them what I can do," she vowed.

"And just what would that be, Sakura-san?" a satin voice questioned.

Sakura stiffened.

"Uchiha-san." Her tone was strained.

He positioned himself against the rail, just opposite of where she stood and facing her back.

"Sakura-san, you didn't answer my question."

"I don't see why I should, Uchiha-san."

It's not as if I am of any real interest to you, she thought wryly.

His onyx eyes narrowed at her statement.

"Who is it you want to prove yourself to?"

She crossed her arms, back still to him. Might as well give him this. "Tsunade-sama, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, Sasuke." Me.

"Ah." Now he understood. "You wish to be stronger," he whispered in her ear.

"How-"

She whirled to face him only to find Itachi had trapped her with one arm on either side of her, resting on the railing. Mentally, she berated herself. She should have detected him moving. Then she noticed their close proximity and tried to repress a blush, though she only half-succeeded which caused the prodigy to smirk down at her ever so slightly.

"Let me train you," he whispered. "You'll be stronger than you could ever imagine."

Her jade eyes held his onyx ones for a moment, then looked away into the trees.

"I… I don't know."

Her plans, her dreams, her everything. How could he ask her to give all that up?

"Sakura-san…"

"I had a plan," she answered his silent question.

Of course. She always planned things. If she accepted his proposal… It occurred to him just how hard this really was for her.

"You can't plan for everything, Sakura-san."

She sighed and looked down at her feet. "I know, Uchiha-san."

"Sakura-san, look at me." He lifted a hand and used it to turn her face toward his. "I can make you stronger than even our lady Hokage. And I don't mean to be rude, but you could do much better than Jiraya-san or Hatake-san, even if you don't let me train you." The back of his hand stroked her face and she blushed. "I see the potential you have. You could be such a beautiful, formidable kunoichi."

Her jade eyes searched his face, his eyes, for any sign of insincerity, of amusement, but couldn't find any, shocking her.

"Let me train you, Sakura-san." He lowered his voice, making it more gentle as if he was… pleading? "Or, at least, let me in."

She knew what he was meant by "letting him in." But could she? Could she let him in, let him train her? Could she really deviate from her plans? He saw the gears turning I her head and backed up to give her space.

Memories washed over her: Tsunade's refusal, her father's disappointment, her own teammates leaving her behind, the constant teasing, always being called weak. No one had offered to help her. Kakashi only had time for the boys and her father was too busy on missions to train her in the ways of her kekkai genkai.

But then there was Itachi. He had come to her, asked her. He had sought her out. She made up her mind.

Jade pools found his onyx ones. "Itachi-san, yes."

The unspoken "to both" was just as loud as her words and he gave her a small, rare smile as he approached once more. In the back of his mind, he made note of how pleasing his name sounded as it rolled off her tongue. His eyes darkened slightly and he closed the distance between them with chaste kiss on the lips.

"Then it looks like we have some work to do, Sakura-san," he whispered.

She smiled up at him. "Alright."

Somewhere in her mind, the part of her that was still a little five-year-old girl wondered if she would ever be able to plan again. Another part of her, the one that was squealing because the Itachi Uchiha was kissing her, promptly squashed the little five-year-old part and stuffed it in a box. As Itachi leaned in for another kiss, Sakura couldn't help but smile.

This is better than anything I could have planned, she thought before his kiss scattered all her thoughts.