My very first ItaSaku... finally...

Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, something which is regretted by all hardcore ItaSaku fans.


Of Roses And Ravens


The smell of rain was intoxicating. He walked to the balcony, wishing to
savor it fully. Itachi Uchiha had always loved rain. It was cleansing. The
world was painted with a blur that melded colors and brought out the beauty
of the mundane in the most unexpected manner. For instance the glaring red of
a lady bug sheltering under a leaf or the vivid viridian orbs possessed by a
certain pink haired kunoichi. The former he was certain he would have
discounted, were the sun shining. The latter however, he was not so sure.

It was raining when he met Sakura. He knew his mother would disapprove of his
enjoying the shower spell, were he sitting on the balcony of his home. She
would demand he stay inside, out of the rain's evil, disease spreading
clutches. So he decided to seek shelter under a large banyan tree. The tree
was occupied by a sobbing mass. With pink hair, nonetheless. He approached the
girl, uncertain of what else to do. The mop of pink shifted, revealing
cerulean irises that were bright from the tears shed. He noted a large patch
where her head had been resting on her knee.

He took out the hand kerchief his mother had always insisted he carry and
proceeded to wipe her face with it. The girl started at the contact, but
provided no resistance as he wiped her face clean. It was relatively dry under
the canopy of the huge tree.

"What is your name?" he asked her.

"S-s..sa.. Sakura Haruno," she finally stuttered out. The name was rather apt
for the girl in question.

"Why are you weeping?" he asked

"It's nothing," she said turning away.

"Tell me, Sakura," he insisted, forcing her to face him. His eyes held no contempt,
only a genuine concern.

"Everyone said I have a huge forehead," she admitted. He did not laugh at her and
call her superficial as she had expected he would. Instead, he bent down and
kissed her forehead, and merely smiled in response to her astounded expression.

Itachi Uchiha was not someone who did anything without a reason. Yet the
reason for that particular action evaded him.

The pinkette looked shell-shocked at his actions. She raised her fingers to
her forehead and touched what felt like an indelible impression against her
fore head.


3 years later.


She walked toward the familiar form lounging against the lamp post. His raven
mane, oft tied in a ponytail, was left loose. She was frowning lightly as she
went to him.

"I got assigned to a team today Itachi," she said.

He enjoyed his…..acquaintance... with Sakura. She was bright, amusing and
unassuming. She was completely different from those of his demanding and
restrictive clan. He took in her current countenance. She was easily excited.
However something seemed to be bothering her. He graced her comment with a
nod, silently asking her to continue.

"I was teamed up with Sasuke and Naruto Uzumaki. I cannot believe that this
happened. I had to be paired off with biggest idiot in class. I don't know
what they were thinking putting him with me. On top of that we are placed on a
genin team under Kakashi Hatake. He showed up nearly two hours late and he
called us a bunch of idiots. And Naruto placed a duster on his head and he
fell for it and…." she rattled off, pausing only to take a breath.

"Kakashi Hatake is a very capable jounin. Although he is a capable ninja, you
must acknowledge the fact that he is human and so is entitled to a few
shortcomings. You must understand that the Sandaime has seen great potential
in you and so is placing under the tutelage of someone who can assist you in
tapping into that potential," Itachi said.

She smiled up at him. He found himself relaxing slightly. He did not
particularly like seeing Sakura distressed. She held up her lunchbox.

"My mother packed enough for two. Would you care to join me?" she asked.

"Not today, I'm afraid. I'm going to have to celebrate Sasuke's graduation at
home," Itachi said. His mother had insisted that he take the day off. She
nodded.

"I hope you enjoy yourself today," she said. He inclined his head in
acknowledgement before he disappeared in a swirl of smoke and ash. Sakura
breathed deeply, loving the acrid tang of smoky ash that was a sign of his transportation jutsu.


2 years later


He found her seated on a park bench. Her knees were drawn up to her chest. She
rested her chin against a knee and stared unseeingly into the watery depths of
the lake that were positioned close to the bench.

He felt discomfited to see her in such a state. Their failure in the chunnin
exams was the excuse that the Uchiha clan had used to force a wedge between
Sasuke and his teammates.

The clan grew weary of trying to force Itachi to conform to their ways and
Itachi's stubborn refusal to comply. They had then turned their attention to
Sasuke. Itachi disliked this particular turn of events. He was more than
capable of dealing with his clan. Of Sasuke's capability, he was not so sure.
Judging by the expression on Sakura's face, it seemed that Sasuke was
incapable of dealing with the pressure the clan put on him. He would have to
deal with the Sasuke soon.

First things first. He headed to Sakura. Over the past two years, Sakura had
grown fond of her teammates and was fiercely protective of them. He placed a
hand on her shoulder. She looked up, startled. She did not say anything; she
simply turned away and stared determinedly at the lake.

He found that it displeased him to have her upset. His quick mind narrowed
down the list of possible reasons to two.

One, she was upset about the way the Uchiha clan had requested for a dispersal
of team seven. And she somehow, blamed him for it.

Two, Naruto Uzumaki, her comrade from team seven was leaving to train under
the sannin Jiraiya, effectively ruining any chance of a requesting a rejection
of the aforementioned plea.

"Sakura," he tried again, tentatively. She swiveled an eye toward him. For a
minute, the expression in her gaze caught him off guard. The moment, thankfully,
passed quickly and he queried.

"Tell me what upsets you?"

She barked out a laugh.

"Shouldn't it be obvious Uchiha," she said, a steel edge to her words

It was the laugh that strengthened his determination. When Sakura laughed, it
was a sound-unrestrained and free. It was filled with her mirth, her love of
life. It left him wanting to hear more. The sound she made now was a cruel
mockery of her laughter.

"It is not. Which is why I am asking you to verify it," he responded.

As sudden as her outburst was the slump of her shoulders. Her eyes were
beginning to shine with an unusual sheen. Tears were pooling fast and before
the first of the treacherous drops could escape, she turned and fled in a half-blind haze. He followed her to the grove located deep in the heart of the
forest adjoining the park. He caught her as she stumbled on a root.

"Don't….." she whispered.

"What do you not want me doing?" He asked her.

The hiss emanating from the female was venomous enough to make the Uchiha think of retreating a few paces.

"That clan of yours is the entire reason my team has split up. Naruto has gone to train with Jiraya. Sasuke will be training with your clan and Kakashi sensei is going to be away on a three year long mission and I…" she trailed off at the end, her voice failing her.

Itachi viewed Sakura speculatively. "Kakashi tells me your taijutsu skills require sharpening and your ninjutsu does not have much power." At this Sakura looked, if possible, even more furious. Ignoring her sudden death glare he continued blithely "however the one thing he noted to be exceptional was your charka control. You could apply for a position as either a medic nin or a seal weaving expert as both fields require exceptional charka control."

Sakura's gaze trained quizzical gaze on Itachi. "And you're telling me this because?" she queried.

"It should be rather obvious which course of action to take here after" said Itachi as he turned and walked away from her, a fractional tug at the corner of his lip projecting his thoughts for a moment.