A/N: To those who read Sandman, I'm sorry it took so long for me to add a sequel. Truth be told the intention of Sandman was for it to be vague, mainly to just get the feelings across. This sequel would explain it, took a while for me to gather my thoughts. Anyways hope you enjoy. Btw, I will now be using Snuffleschifer26 for future stories.
Hmm I tried putting the link of Sandman here, wouldn't work though =S
Summary: Four years since she left, he saw a flash of pink in the corner of his eye. There she was standing a few feet away from him, as beautiful as ever, still made his heart do things he thought were impossible for a dead one to do, and completely out of his life.
RELAPSE
Chapter One
"-chi..Itachi." A sigh.
The exasperation in the voice got his attention. It wouldn't do to show he wasn't listening though, so he settled for lazily looking sideways at the dark haired woman, as if he was merely taking his time in giving her his full attention.
The woman gave another sigh, opted for studying the man first instead of saying what she had called him for. He was sitting casually in front of her, legs crossed. His right arm draped over the back of his seat, his left on the table, three fingers folded supporting his chin with his forefinger just below his eye.
Those eyes, which never failed to stop her breath.
She knew his mind was elsewhere, as it had been since they got married four years ago. But the obedient daughter that she was, she tried to push that at the back of her mind. Arranged marriages were of course normal with the kind of family they have. Purely for gain, it was her own fault she fell in love the first time she laid eyes on Uchiha Itachi.
She closed her eyes briefly before finally speaking.
"It's our anniversary Itachi, if you can't stomach being here with me today, at least try to pretend." She said quietly.
He continued to look at her with an unreadable gaze. She almost lost the courage to continue. Almost. She had specifically chosen the restaurant they were in because it held a certain memory for her. The exact seat they were in, right beside the large window giving them the view of the large plaza outside.
He had been staring at the white marble fountain at the middle of the plaza.
"Do you even remember this place?" She asked.
"It's where I proposed." He said after a few seconds, his voice devoid of any emotion. He looked out the window again.
Like a knife through her heart, but again she chose to ignore it. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She immediately held them back, she was raised not to show any weaknesses. No, she was stronger than this, it was a path she chose. She followed his gaze.
It was a nice day out.
00000
Four years of pleasing his family, four years of paying for his sins.
Yesterday at his office his wife dropped by and asked, no, it was more apt to say demanded, that they do something for their fourth anniversary. To avoid having a row with her, he agreed without looking up from the papers he was reading. It would be troublesome to decline.
Great, he sounded like his lawyer Shikamaru.
And today, his anniversary of all days. He was given his reward, or a higher form of punishment, depending how you look at it.
It was her, right behind the white fountain. Hair the same rosy hue, eyes sparkling brighter than the waters behind her, and that smile, the one she reserved for him. The smile that made him forget his cursed life. It was now given to someone else.
He moved his head slightly, to try and see who it was she was talking to. Long brown hair and eyes so white he wondered if the guy was blind. Rage came up unexpectedly, but the only outward sign he gave was an imperceptible twitch of a finger. That was still more than anyone had ever incited from him. Four long years and she could still set him ablaze.
He heard his name being called, for how many times he didn't know. It was another first, being distracted. He tried to move his thoughts away from the pink haired woman outside the window.
"Do you even remember this place?" He heard his wife ask.
Yes, it was where he first met Sakura, exactly where he was sitting. He remembered as if it were yesterday.
He looked outside, bored out of his mind. Konan was late. Pink flashed, he had to look twice to believe. It should have looked gaudy on anyone, but to her it was perfect, as if any other color would do her no justice. He watched as she sat at the edge of the fountain, her face filled with childish glee as she tossed a coin in it. He knew she was making a wish. He found he wanted to know what. With a plan formed in his mind he started towards her. He had never remembered following an impulse before, his veins filled up with excitement.
It was the beginning of their beautiful tragedy.
It was an unacceptable answer of course. It took a few seconds for him to come up with a logical answer.
"It's where I proposed."
Who'd have thought Konan's delay four years ago would give way to his biggest transgression. The proposal still happened the next day. He wasn't counting on the affair with Sakura to continue as it did. It was his fault that it went too deep. He knew she was the kind of girl who wore her heart at her sleeve. He had seen the signs, he knew how in every kiss, every touch, she fell for him more and more. And it took a while for him to realize, but he was with her every step of the way. In the end despite of his feelings for her, he still couldn't turn his back on his family.
To be more precise, his brother.
He had long ago vowed that his brother would be protected from the burden of being an Uchiha. Itachi, at the age of 6 understood the politics behind every move his father made, the meaning or his mother's pursed lips. He had adapted to survive the world he had been born in, he played the game and he won every time. It was all in preparation so that his brother wouldn't suffer, so he could live a normal life.
The only reason he stayed with his family. He remembered how the boy's eyes shined when it settled on him for the first time, and the moment those small fingers of Sasuke's enclosed his bigger one, he knew he was his to protect.
At 10 he had struck a bargain with his family, that they allow Sasuke to live a normal life and Itachi would do everything they asked of him. He will be the sole heir, he would take all the burden of the Uchiha.
Everything, but in his own terms. He didn't say it at the time though. But the family did learn not to cross him as he grew older. His only weakness, his brother.
00000
Sakura moved and his attention was drawn again to her. He saw a hand at the small of her back and he longed to break every bone. It was all he could do to stop himself from inhaling too deep. Every breath as it is seems like a shard of glass.
He recalled their last night. Her kisses forever engraved in his lips, her touch a constant reminder of how he burned for her. He remembered waking up alone in his bed, laying still for a moment and trying to make himself believe what happened was only a nightmare. He tried to rid himself of the desolation he was unprepared to feel. And he started every day since then looking at his door expecting her to turn up with a smile and eyes full of love for him.
Until eventually he couldn't take it anymore, he sold his unit. He married Konan three months after he broke up with Sakura, pushed the pink haired woman at the back of his mind and buried himself in work.
He knew he was hurting Konan, but she should know their marriage is that of convenience. Marrying her would be beneficial for the Uchiha, and that was top priority for them. He looked at Konan then, and knew he was telling himself another lie. She was in love with him, as plain as day.
And so he had to live with the guilt of betraying Konan time and again.
And so he had to live with the fact that the woman whom he had given his heart to was now forever out of his life.
He saw her throw her head back as she laughed at what the blasted white eyed man said. He imagined how musical it must sound.
It wasn't for him anymore.
He continued his meal in silence.