I know I promised the Lee story first but it just doesn't sound quite right yet, so to give my brain a break I thought I'd write up an idea that's been jumping around. It's the ol' AU, they go to a fairly normal high school storyline. Yay!

Disclaimer: Still too many clothes on the many very fine Naruto men, so they're not mine.

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Genius' in all but love.

Genius' first strife

Sakura remembered well her first day at Konoha college. She remembered crying. She remembered the pale hand that had given her the handerchief, the wordless comfort he'd offered as she cleaned herself up and got 'back in the ring' so to speak.

Itachi Uchiha, the cold prince of Konoha high had shown her a rare kindness that day, but what had really started the tongues wagging was the repeated kindness' he showed her. She ate at his table, he walked with her to classes and he often took her a partner for projects. The nasty ones said he was just using her enormous brain, the one that was hidden behind her enormous forehead. The nicer ones said he'd taken pity on her, one genius to another, and took her under his wing to protect her from the bastards that were waiting to pounce on the kid. It was a hard school Konoha, and only the strong survived.

But the tongues went into overtime her second year in college, when the younger not so brillant brother of Itachi arrived in the school.

Konoha High.

Sakura stepped off the bus thinking happy thoughts. Today was the first day of her second year at Konoha High. This year she would actually know some people her own age at school. This year she would be the same age as the first years. Even if she was taking 6th form classes. She tried to ignore the whispers that followed her easily visible pink hair. Everyone here knew who she was, there was only one pink haired girl at school. Sakura Haruno, the child genius, the girl who's brain was so big (it matched her forehead) she'd jumped three years of college to start with the 15 year olds while she was still 12.

As if her own fame wasn't bad enough there was the fame to be had by being the 'subsitute baby sister' for the Konoha high's other genius, Itachi Uchiha. Speaking of the devil there he was leaning against the steps leading into the school's main building. Her breath caught a little everytime she saw him. It was a stupid crush she knew, but there was no harm in admitting that he was very handsome, if a little cold about it.

Today he wore a high collared chinese shirt in dark blue with long light coloured trousers. His long hair was pulled back into a careless ponytail. He never acted vain, he never needed to. Sakura paused tugging at the sweater of her uniform. As 6th form students they had the right to wear their choice of clothing, but Sakura just hadn't felt comfortable so she'd opted to stay in the uniform, hoping like that she'd blend in a little more.

Itachi raised an eyebrow when he saw her choice of clothes. Falling in beside her as she hurried past he easily kept pace with the shorter girl. Sakura tried to ignore all the heads turning as she walked past accompagned by the tall young man. She searched the crowd desperately for any familiar faces. Finding none she sighed. Leaving the crowd behind they entered into the senior rest room, passing through they arrived at the private locker area for 6th formers. Sakura scanned the ranks looking for one that wasn't already in use.

"Here." Itachi said opening a middle rank locker.

Sakura blushed a little but happily piled her books carefully into the empty space. Closing the door she blinked as a little pink and gold padlock was dangled in front of her eyes. Looking up she saw Itachi's dark eyes watching her closely.

"For your locker." He explained clicking it into place.

Taking out a little gold chain he turned her around and swept her hair to the side. Sakura almost gasped as his cool hands fluttered at the back of her neck fastening the chain.

"Your key." He said softly. "So you don't lose it."

"I don't lose everything." She muttered embarrassed.

Turning her back to face him, Itachi picked up the chain gently from where it touched her neck and held up the two keys one tipped in pink the other in blue. Sakura forgot how to breath looking into his eyes.

13 is certainly more interesting than 12.

She told herself over her rising hormones.

"Your key and my key." He said just as softly. "Just in case I lose mine."

He indicated the locker above hers, a matching blue and gold padlock stood guard.

"Huh." Sakura said trying for cool and unimpressed. "So where's your own copy? You better not think I'm running over here everytime you need your locker opened."

Itachi almost smiled. He reached under the neck of his shirt and pulled out a matching chain. Two keys were hooked to it. One tipped in blue, the other in pink.

"In case you lose yours." He explained.

Sakura felt herself loose what control she had of her temper and barely controlled the urge to stamp on his foot. That would be too childish. She settled for tipping her head back and marching out head held high. Pulling open the door to the corridor she was surprised when someone demanded,

"Oi! Kid. Is Itachi in there?"

Seething Sakura turned to confront the speaker. She may be dressed in a uniform, she may not be the tallest in the school, but she most certainly was not a 'kid' any more. Especially if her hormones were going to keep jumping like that.

"Yeah what's it to you?" She snapped.

Taking a good look at the speaker Sakura gulped and stepped back. It was like looking at Itachi only her age, and with a nasty temper. His hair was messy, it spiked out backwards on the sides. His eyes carried a continual scowling look and his face looked sulky. He was dressed, barely, in the school uniform. The white shirt hung out of the bottom of his crumpled blue sweater, the grey shorts were longer than the normal uniform and his shoes were already scuffed. Sakura just knew that by the time he got to class, if he got to class her inner self sniffed, he'd have at least three reprimands.

The mini-Itachi looked her up and down. Sakura knew what he was thinking, how did a first year enter into the 6th form's private area? Pushing past her, he shunted the door open.

"Hey! You can't go in there! That's reserved!" Sakura snapped pushing after him blocking his way.

"You were inside, or is it only open for the little girlfriends of the big 6th formers?" He said sharply trying to push past her.

"I'm a sixth former!" Sakura snapped back, pushing against him.

"Do you think I'm stupid or something?" He growled giving her one good push sending her sprawling onto the ground. Looking up into his eyes Sakura shivered

"Sasuke." Itachi's voice carried cooly into the room.

Sasuke stopped, the rage dissapearing slowly from his face. Looking up more or less coldly at his older brother Sasuke slipped a sneer onto his face.

"Father said to remind you that you have work to do this afternoon. You're not to hang around after school, he wants you to go home right away." Sasuke said ignoring the girl struggling to her feet.

"Fine." Itachi said.

Casting one last look at the red faced girl Sasuke smirked and walked out

"Do you know him?" Sakura asked straigtening her clothes, embarrassed and angry at being bested.

"He's my little brother." Itachi said a certain coldness in his eyes.

He sighed and looked at her. Resettling the chain around her neck as if he were nervous and need to touch her, Itachi looked carefully at Sakura's eyes.

"Sakura, I want you to promise me that you won't go near my brother."

Surprised Sakura nodded. A brief half-smile passed over Itachi's face and he patted her on the head. Watching him leave before her Sakura took a moment to control the dissapointment on her face. He'd patted her on the head, like a dog, or a kid. Just when she thought maybe she was starting to become a woman. Shaking herself free she hurried after him, it wouldn't do to be late for classes. She was a genius afterall, that took work.

After school.

Sakura sighed as the final bell rang. Gathering up her books she waited until the rest of the class had filed out before following. This was the only class she didn't share with Itachi, he had no interest in learning languages. She walked through the jostling crowd taking more than her fair share of jostles as she tried to fight the stream. Heading towards the 6th form area she finally fought her way free of the crowd and opened the door. It was empty except for the rubbish left lying around. She went immediately to her locker and took out her book bag and the text books needed for that night.

Opening the door she heard only silence. She walked slowly through the halls. Her parents worked until almost 7 o'clock, she spent the time afterschool in the local library doing her homework. Stepping outside she was surprised to see a large number of students still hanging around whispering to each other. Pushing through the crowd towards the pavement she stopped open mouthed at the sight of Itachi and Sasuke standing in front of a black limosine. Beside them a tall dark man stood. He looked down coldly at Sasuke as Sasuke animately explained something to him. Itachi looked more like a statue than anything else.

Suddenly spotting her Sasuke paused in his speech, then pointed towards her, restarting to talk even faster. Sakura raised an eyebrow and glanced at Itachi for help. Itachi had a tight look around his eyes, but he gave no clue as what was happening. Reshouldering her bag, Sakura turned determined to ignore them all and took a step towards the library.

"Miss Haruno." A deep voice said.

Almost against her will she obeyed the command in that voice. Turning she swallowed hard as he approached.

"Sir?" She almost whispered holding her books like a shield between her and the towering man.

"My younger son tells me you are a genius to rival my Itachi." His voice rumbled.

Sakura shook her head.

"No sir, Itachi... Itachi he's much better than I am."

For a moment a flicker of satisfaction passed over his face.

"I would like you to tutor my younger son, as his brother can do nothing with him." His voice did not ask, it commanded.

Sakura's heart beat wildly. Desperately she glanced over at Itachi for help. His face was blank but his eyes boiled with hate. Gulping Sakura said in a shaking voice,

"I'm afraid I can't sir, my Mother expects me home." She lied quickly, eyes on the ground.

His hand held out a slim state of the art cell phone.

"Call her. Tell her you will work for the Uchiha family as a tutor three afternoons a week. You will be well paid."

Behind him Sasuke looked furious, but unlike Itachi, his face showed it. With shaking fingers she took the phone and dialled the number for her mother's work.

Rather than let her speak, Mr Uchiha took the phone out of her hand the moment it started to ring.

In a forceful voice he informed her mother of the new arrangements. Her mother folded very quickly and Sakura had a moment to feel abandoned before she was swept into the back seat of the limosine with the three Uchihas.

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This one seems to be writing well, so I'll keep going.