A/N: So it's the first actual chapter of the new and improved story "Our childhood memories". I hope you will read it and tell me if I had improved any. Generally, all the reviews, beside flames are kindly welcomed!
Disclaimer: All I own is my computer and this plot; please do not steal it from me!
Great thanks to one of my wonderful betas 'rosepuppy' who kindly checked this chapter for any and all mistakes.
Also great thanks to Fire Valkyria who is working on chapter 2 and has already beta-ed chapter 7!
Ageintaor:
Itachi - 10
Sakura - 5
It was a warm spring evening at Konoha-Gakure and the time of blossoming trees. The oncoming festival of Hanami. Many bright shades of pink petals flew delicately in the air as the cooling wind carried them around.
A small girl sat at the huge base of an old cherry-blossom tree at the outskirts of the now deserted park. She sat there sobbing quietly with her head hidden in her small hands. Her whole body was covered in cuts, scratches and bruises from the other children who were teasing the pink-haired girl about her slightly wide forehead and unusual color of hair.
The clothes she wore were bloody, torn and littered with small holes which were received from her bullies as they had cruelly thrown (thankfully small) rocks at her quivering and beaten form.
Sakura didn't notice the young boy who was slowly approaching her until he was right in front of her. He stepped up to her and bend down so he was crouching on his knees. She haven't noticed him at first because of her weeping, but when he delicately – as if it would break her fragility body from too much weight on – put a hand on the girl's shoulder and asked with a cold yet still concerned voice.
"Hush little one, what has happened to you?"
She jerked from his touch surprised and looked into his dark eyes, then gasped quietly, suddenly scared even more. The young boy had the same eyes as one of Sakura's bullies. Sakura looked away as more fresh tears slipped from her already red and puffy eyes and then whispered between shaken sobs.
"Ple-pleas d-don't h-hur-hurt m-me."
The girl's voice was cracked, quiet and barely audible. The newcomer strained his ears to hear her hiccuped plead. He frowned at the situation at hand. Why would he hurt her? He wondered and after a moment voiced his inner question.
"Now, Why would I hurt you, little one?" The raven-haired boy inquired with the soft tone he used to use with his little brother when he was younger.
"Y-you look just like h-him, just ol-older. " The pink head stuttered, unsure if the older boy would get mad at her just as the others.
At that he just rose an elegant black eyebrow in about a millimeter and asked once again, but it didn't really sound like a question though, more like a cold command that was heard by her everyday.
"Girl what has happened to you?"
The child flinched at his colder tone of voice and bent down her head, unable to look him in the now sharper and calculating eyes as she whispered, trying to choke back her sobs.
"I- I was in the park o-on the s-swings, and then other chi-children came up to m-me. The-they first j-just stared at me w-with smirks. I didn't know w-what they wa-wanted from m-me, so I asked the-them if they wanted to p-play with me, b-but they just laughed at that. Then Sa-Sasuke-san, the one of them, started calling me names and the rest followed him in doing so.
They called me a pi-pink-haired freak, u-ugly-fo-forehead, crybaby, forehead-girl, wea-weakling and such. They said that I am un-unworthy of living, of begin a kuno-kunoichi, or even of breathing theirs air and that it would be for the best if I would just k-k-kill myself.
They were always doing thing like that to me, but after a moment they started to throw rocks at me. I- I didn't kno-know w-what to d-do, so I- I just ran as... as fast as I could a-and ca-came up he-here to this pla-place, and just s-sat un-under that tree as I- I always d-do. I- I just wa-wanted to be-be friends with them. I ne-never had a-any."
As she finished her story she again burst out into uncontrollable weeping. It was just too much for her little hear to bear. Little crystal - clear drops of salty water were falling down from her eyes to no end. Marring her tear stained cheeks with a new batch of freshly produced tears.
As she cried with her head still bowed, she suddenly felt something warm, very, very warm. She looked up and saw this strange boy who were actually nice to her, hugging her to his chest, in a very tight embrace.
Itachi's arms were entangling Sakura into a shield from everything. That's how it felt to her. From her parents who were always disappointed in her abilities. Who always wanted her to do things better, always wanted her to train more and harder, always were lecturing Sakura at how she should do this that way and how should she do that this way instead, always were away from her when she have most needed them. And she was just a little child. A little girl for god's sake!
She have never felt like this before in her short life.
She have felt so safe..., so protected..., so precious to him. Like never before. A boy who she just met. In that moment, when Itachi were embracing the little pink head, she would trust him with her life, even if they have just met a mere minutes ago.
As if Sakura's hands were on their own, they snaked around his neck and hugged him back as tightly as she was able to.
She inhaled the boy's scent as she breathed. He smelled of the clear rainwater. She always loved the scent of rain. It was so refreshing and gave Sakura a feeling as if all of her sadness was washing out of her.
Then barely, but still, she could felt him relaxing a little bit into her shy hold. Itachi's hot breath was tickling her neck. Sakura blushed furiously after realization hit her, of how exactly close they were then. And the young Uchiha heir didn't seem to be too eager to let go of Sakura's little, blood covered body.
But, all good things must come to an end.
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE POSTED AS SOON AS CHAPTER TwO WILL BE BETA-ED.
I HOPE YOU WILL REVIEW AND TELL ME IT'S WORTH CONTINUING.
LOTS OF LOVE
Cherry-chan