forever:
letter.
Dear Itachi,
I want you to know I love you.
After all the time we've spent together, my affection...
This sounds fake. Really fake. Snooki fake. Ah, she's such a pickle. A giant, bronzed, irritating pickle. ISN'T SHE SO AWFUL?
See, I've gone off topic. I was trying to sound all serious, but I can't express how I feel on paper. I'm making a fool out of myself here. I kind of hope you find this endearing or something like that. Paper isn't good enough to say how I want to hold you... Just... You probably already know this. Since you know everything. I wanna talk to you, though, face to face.
Just meet me tonight, at the river?
Love, Sakura.
Hope you'll be there.
beginnings.
"Will you go out with me?"
"...Sure."
"Sasuke, STOP LAUGHING."
"I could shoot him for you, if you want."
"Where's the gun?"
And it was the start of a beautiful relationship.
mornings.
"Ita," she hummed, running her hand through her lover's inky black hair. "Y'know something?"
"What, Sakura?" He said. She loved how soft his voice was in moments like these - it was like she was, and would always be, the only one for him. She curled into the crook of his arm, nuzzling his neck. He smelled like the morning dew, she noted with a smile.
"I'd never go back."
God.
"What God would tear us apart?" Itachi said coldly, fingers - almost like claws - tightening on Hidan's wrist. "Who would dare to separate me from the girl I love?"
Hidan's lips moved soundlessly. He had thought it would be fun. Bothering Itachi was always fun. But he had never piqued him like he had now.
"I'm sure she'll be fine. By.. By Jashin, she'll be fine." No profanity. He was terrified.
Itachi's lips were twisted into a snarl. "She better be fine."
Love could make one cruel, Hidan thought as Itachi whirled away. He could hear the eldest Uchiha's stifled sobs.
It was good, then, that Hidan was not in love.
He just liked Kakuzu. A lot.
sweetheart.
"Itachi," she breathed, clutching the chain to her chest. "It's beautiful. I'll always wear it."
They shared a hopeful, secret smile, and she traced the inscription on the necklace. Forever, forever, forever. Just the two of them.
"I love you." Sakura said. She was surprised at the rush of feeling that followed her words. "I love you," She whispered again.
"Enough to marry me?" Itachi said quietly.
"Of course," She said, her smile frozen in place and her breathing shallow. "Of course."
"Will you wait for me?" He said.
"I think the question is will you wait for me?" She giggled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She hated how she had to go up on her toes, but it always seemed to amuse him. And she was delirious with excitement, disbelief, and just love for this man.
"I'll always wait for my sweetheart," he said, closing his eyes for another kiss.
dance.
She circled him on the battlefield. "Just give up!" She screamed. "You've done everything you had to, just give up!"
His eyes, as red and as blazing as fire, were sad. "I've always admired your determination, Sakura Haruno."
"Just give up!" She shrieked, the blood of her teammates on her hands. "You ruined my life - and now I'm going to destroy you."
"Won't you dance with me?" His voice was so alluring. "Just a quick dance in the sky..."
And he was a bird and it was a gen jutsu but oh, she wanted to, she wanted to.
Wanted to be his partner, wanted to dance in his arms.
But how could she...?
"Just once dance," she whispered as the knife slipped from her hands, and her heart from her chest.
hope.
"What'll we name her?" Sakura smiled tenderly, wearily, lovingly at her baby. The life that had sprung from her and her husband - a baby to cherish until her dying breath.
"Nozomi."
ice cream.
"Itaaaa, have some!" Sakura waved the spoon in Itachi's face. "It's much better than your dango, anyway..."
She stopped, horrified. She had just insulted the DANGO. The second love of Itachi's life... no, third. Sasuke was the second. But still. It was one of the very, very few loves of Itachi Uchiha. She gave him a weak smile and held up the spoon nervously. "Ah. Do you want it?"
Itachi grabbed her shoulders and kissed her. "Don't need a spoon. Tastes better on you."
hair.
"ITAAAAAAAA!"
"...Hn?"
"... Our hair is all tangled up."
first kiss.
"Oh, um, uh, how do we do this?" Sakura whispered, sixteen and cold in the back of Itachi's car.
"Just close your eyes," Itachi murmurs, voice as gentle as the rain outside.
She closes her eyes, and sees stars.
alcohol.
Sakura's fingers loosely gripped her glass as she slurred through vixen- red lips. "Ita, man, you need to find a better job! Like a belly dancer. Or the ice cream man! That is the shit, Ita."
He smirks. "Seems like you need a new job as well, Sakura- san?"
"I am an actress. A FAMOUS ACTRESS." She banged her glass on the counter, a pout on her lips. "I was in NINJA WARS, for crying out loud, how can you forget?"
"You're a doctor," he reminded her gently. "You shouldn't be drinking this much." He whisked the glass away, ignoring her anguished mewls.
"Well, you have to have a dream job. What's your dream job, hm?" She huffed. "I know you don't like this job, like me no likey mine. Likey like like." The girl was in hysterics.
"My only job is to protect you," He murmured, and she stopped laughing, eyes wide.
"Oh, Ita..."
wedding night.
"You look so beautiful," Itachi smiled, taking Sakura's hand.
"Wonder what my husband thinks, eh?" She smiled back at him. "He's such a lucky man."
Itachi couldn't agree more.
summer.
"So you gonna go see Itachi?" Ino grinned, plopping down next to Sakura on their favorite bench.
Sakura pushed her friend playfully, blushing. "Yeah, and so what?"
"Sooo," Ino lowered her voice, "if you marry him, we might be related!"
"What?" If this was another one of Ino's crazy plans...
"My cousin is dating his brother! If they get married, and you and Itachi get married, we'll be real sisters!" Ino crowed, punching her fist into the air. "How awesome would that be?"
"Awesome, yeah." Sakura smiled dreamily. Marrying Itachi!
Ino's expression hardened. "But be careful. He's an older guy, yanno?"
"I will," Sakura promised, and lost herself in her daydream.
to see you again.
"That was him," Sakura whispered faintly, grabbing Naruto's arm. "That was Itachi."
Naruto was already snarling. "I'll rip up that bastard for leaving you, Sakura- chan! And... he took Sasuke..." Naruto's voice faded into a mumble.
They stood watching the man that had shattered both their lives.
homecoming.
Sakura runs to him, jumping into his arms. "Itachi, you're back... you came back!"
"How could I stay away from you?"
She's crying, he's kissing her tears away, and they're thinking maybe they can finally have their happy ending.
We've had our ups and downs, I'll admit. We've been through so much, but I think it just made us stronger.
I love you. I love you, I'd do anything for you. I've done everything for you, and you've done the same for me. Thank you.
I hope this lasts forever -
and knowing you, this will.
I love you - love you till the end of time.
end.