The Hurt

I don't know what he's doing tonight. Every other night he looks at me like he wants to kill me. I know I look at him like I want to die. But something is different tonight. He's possessive. His movements aren't a blur of motion. He moves deliberately. Cautiously. Like he wants to make sure I know where he is. I move forward hesitantly, unsure if I should come close to him. He also moves forward, still careful with his movements.

I just don't understand. He acts as though he's afraid of frightening me. But frightening me is his greatest delight. He actually works to find new ways of scaring me. He moves forward again and I feel compelled to take a step back. The more I back away, the closer he comes. The eyes that watch me are midnight black and seem to burn me as he eyes me up and down. I'm surprised he hasn't turned the sharingan on me yet.

His hand raises up and I prepare for the harsh slap that I know will land on my cheek. It doesn't come. His comes up to gently cup my cheek and even as I lean into his touch, I expect some other, harsher treatment. Yet it still doesn't come.

His other hand wraps around my waist, dragging me to him. That hand starts unbuttoning my skirt and it drops to my ankles, leaving only the black skin tight shorts I wear for modesty's sake. He wishes to be rid of these too. The shorts also drop to me ankles, leaving my lower body naked to him. All through this, he doesn't look away from me.

My knees start shaking as his hands start unzipping my top. The bindings I wear underneath to hold my chest in start showing, but he doesn't stop there. My red shirt is tossed aside as he cups my right breast through the white wrappings. He takes out a kunai.

'Oh, here it comes. This is the hurt.' But it doesn't. He slices not skin, but my bindings, easily going through them like butter. Exposing me completely to his scrutiny. The hungry, fevered kisses I had come to associate with him are now slow and gentle, but with equal hunger in them.

I just don't understand. This isn't like him. The first time we had sex, he beat me nearly senseless. Of course, I had told him to hurt me. Badly. As bad as he could. Well, he did.

Switch POV: Damn Close Indeed

I'd like to take this opportunity to say that my brother is an idiot. Truly, he is an imbecile. He couldn't see what was directly in front of him. I know she loved (maybe even loves) him. I also know why she does this with me.

She tricks her mind into believing that I am him. Therefor, it's ok. Because then, the man who beats her half to death only to violate her body is really him. Him, punishing her. Because she feels that she needs to be punished. But, no matter how well she tricks her mind, her heart knows different. Never has she made the fatal mistake of calling out his name, not even accidentally.

She still knows exactly who does this to her. But now, her mind is confused. I can see it in her eyes. Because I'm not punishing her anymore. I'm rewarding her. Sick as it may be, I want the kunoichi to forget about my brother, because I want her to love me. Oh, I don't love her yet.

But the feeling is pretty close when I start rubbing her clit and she loudly gasps my name. Damn close indeed.

Original POV: Something Different

I don't understand him at all, but I guess that's what draws me to him.

His face remains a blank mask when my curious hand wanders to stroke his pulsing erection. But when the other hand strokes his cheek, I can see something cloud over his eyes...it's lust and something different.

Something I've never seen in such eyes. His hands alternately caress my sides and tease my nipples, making my breathing hoarse. I feel a strange sensation when he touches me that has nothing to do with arousal. My heart is going crazy, beating several miles a minute. I begin to recognize it for what it is.

It's a feeling I used to get looking at Sasuke.

It's a feeling I thought was gone.

Switch POV: Not So Asleep

She feels so much better when I take her slowly.

I sit here in my dark corner, watching her sleep, and that sensation I get is close again. It crawls like some flesh-eating disease, closer and closer to my heart.

Hm. Flesh-eating disease.

How accurate.

Sensing my time with her is up, I silently glide to the window sill.

"Itachi-san, matte..." Ah, so maybe not so asleep after all. "Do you..?" her question trails off, but looking at emerald green eyes, I have a silent guess at what she wanted to know.

Original POV: Koi

I'm certain he knew what I was going to say. Looking directly into his eyes, he says "Hai."

Not a question. A statement.

'Oh Kami, did he really just say that?! Did I really just ask that?!'

He leaned forward. "Go back to sleep, Sakura." He murmured, kissing my forehead. I've never actually heard him call me by my name. I liked it. The way it rolled off his tongue gave me the urge to kiss him.

I grabbed his arm, eyes pleading with him not to hurt me like Sasuke did so many times before.

"I, uh, Itachi, I...aishiteru." I said finally, unable to make myself shut up.

He pried my fingers from his arm. "Go back to sleep." he said firmly.

I could feel the tears in my eyes, but I refused to let them out. As I blinked them back, he cupped my face, turning me so the side of my head faced him.

"Aishiteru, koi." he whispered in my ear, placing a soft kiss on my neck before fleeing out the window.

"Coward." I mumbled, staring after him longingly.

Third Person

Two months later, Haruno Sakura disappeared, seemingly from the face of the earth. A few days after her disappearance, Naruto and Sasuke received a letter from her. It read:

Dear Naruto & Sasuke,

I'm sorry if I may have worried either of you, but I can assure you, I'm fine. I hope you can both forgive me for running away, but I just can't help who I love. I hope to see you soon, but I can't make any guarantees. I'll miss you every second until then. Don't worry about me, I can assure you, I'm VERY happy.

Love,

Sakura

Enclosed in the letter was a picture of Sakura being married...to Itachi. She smiled widely, clearly very happy as she beamed at the camera. Itachi looked like it was taking all his self-control just to endure the picture. Despite that, he looked like he was ready to devour Sakura right there and then. How sweet.

The End.

Btw, aishiteru means I love you and 'koi' is a term of affection only used by lovers, normally.