Hello! This is my first one-shot ItaSaku and probably last, non-massacre. Sakura is 17 Itachi…24. it was dusting for so long in my docs, but today I thought why not giving it a try, polish it and post it, maybe someone will like it. I hope you will so… enjoy!
One day, in the distant future when I will rule the world, maybe I will own Naruto, till then I am a simple fan:)
The evening was warm and peaceful, the lenient breeze travelling through the blooming Sakura trees, on its way carrying the soft petals in the air. The settling sun coloured the village in a multitude of red and orange, finely lengthening the dark shadows. Happy voices and laughter was heard in the distance, as everyone seemed to hurry home after a busy day. It was Friday, and the atmosphere in the air was more relaxed, everybody was happier.
A tall figure dressed in black lazily walked between the streets, hand in pockets and his body almost relaxed, almost, because a shinobi is never fully relaxed. The man seemed to simply enjoy his walk, breathing deep the village's air after a mission.
He always took this road when returning home and Sakura found herself often looking at him from the window. The man had a strong aura, and when she saw him, her problems seemed to fade away as her mind faded away in a distant land.
Sakura looked at him and the corner of her lips widened in a sad smile. The quiet before the storm! She sighed looking at the giggling-girls that appearer from nowhere and everywhere at the same time and launched themselves at the young heir. Uchiha genius fan club. The unfortunate ANBU captain sighed, but turned around and greeted the girls. He was a well-mannered man, and even if he was annoyed by his fan-girls, because Sakura was sure he was; he still remained calm and composed. One of them tried to grab his shirt, but he excused himself and jumped on the roof. Only a few of them, the ones that were kunoichi, followed after him.
"Sakura, are you there?" asked a voice from inside the pharmacy.
"I'm coming!" replied Sakura turning her gaze from the vanishing figures.
Sakura's eyes traveled to the setting sun and she decided to close the dispensary and go home. She loved the place, being a medical kunoichi was her life, so even in her day off, she still liked to work. A pharmacy was exactly what she needed, and she even had her own lab in one of the small rooms in the back of the store. A medic never stops learning, Tsunade-sensei always said, and Sakura completely agreed with her.
Sakura looked again at the fan-girls that looked very sad and smiled to herself. She once was just like them, always chasing and trying to impress Sasuke.
"This was in the past, I'm not like that anymore," she mumbled justifying herself and turned around. Closing the door she turned she started to put the mixture bottles at their places.
"Who was there?" asked her Savako-san, giving her one of the bottles, so that Sakura could put it on the shelf.
"Oh, Uchiha and his fan-girls," she replied automatically propping the ladder on the wall. Getting up she started arranging the bottles.
"Poor thing…" replied the old lady that in reality was the owner of the store. Sakura was like a blessing for her, being old and weak, she wanted to close the pharmacy, but the young kunoichi insisted on helping.
"Yes, I don't envy him, he must be sick of it, and he even can't shove them off," she smirked remembering his mother. Since she was her son's team mate, Sakura was an often guest in the Uchiha main house. Yet lately after Sasuke rejected her feelings a few years ago, she started to rarely visit them, feeling awkward in her presence. She knew Uchiha Mikoto taught her sons to be well mannered, and very respectable toward women. Even when rejecting her, Sasuke never raised his voice nor he offended her, he just said that it isn't meant to be.
He told her that she isn't the one he wants next to him, that she is just a friend, more like a sister. Sakura cried three days long and on the fourth, she decided to revise her behaviour. After thinking a lot, she understood that being an obsessed fan-girl didn't help at all, on the opposite, it only ruined everything.
"He can't help it, that brat is damn hot!" giggled the old lady cutting off her thoughts and Sakura blinked owlishly.
"Savako-san!"
"If I am old this doesn't mean I don't have eyes to see a good looking man. The Uchiha heir is a fine specimen, no one can deny that," laughed the woman giving her another medicine.
"Well, yes he is, that is true…" mumbled Sakura and in the same second with the corner of her vision she caught some movements outside. Wrinkling her forehead in wonder she got down from the ladder and opened the door only to find a quickly walking Uchiha heir with an almost panicked look on his face. Almost, because he always concealed his emotions so well, that even his mother couldn't read him at time. Not thinking much, or not thinking straight one may say, Sakura stretched her hand and grabbed his elbow. Looking around she quickly pushed him inside and closed the door, turning the sign "closed" to the world. Sighing deeply she looked at the Uchiha that inspected her with his deep piercing eyes. Sakura pushed him further with a frantic look on her face, when she heard a hoard of girls marching right next to the shop.
"Sakura dear, is everything alright?" asked the old woman and Sakura quickly assured her that she was just thinking.
"About that raven haired Uchiha?" teased her the old bat and Sakura could feel her cheeks warming instantly.
"I have other think on my mind aside from Sasuke," she replied and entered the back room avoiding to look at the man standing in the room.
"I wasn't talking about the youngest," mumbled the woman and Sakura quickly ushered the young man in the storage room.
Soon the owner went home and Sakura remained alone with the man. Not wanting to embarrass herself further, she opened the door and inspected the road.
"All clear Uchiha-san," she said, not daring to turn around and look at him.
"I will be going then, thank you, Haruno san," he finally said and bowed his head at her.
Sakura tried not to shiver at the tenor of his voice. Nodding her head, she then blinked and bowed, mumbling a good evening and quickly turning around. The door closed after him and Sakura sighed propping herself on the door and closing her eyes. She felt exhausted suddenly.
The next day and the days after, Sakura threw herself in work with new power, trying to forget a pair of obsidian eyes and the trembling she felt hearing his voice. When the evening of the next saturday came, Sakura found herself relaxing at the apothecary with a cup of tea. Working with the herbs had its perks, Sakura knew which herbs to brew to make a wonderful tea. The mini shop started to be more popular when with the permission of Tsunade, she included the beverages for relaxing, pain and other things. Shinobi having an intense life often filled with stress, started coming after her tea, after the most paranoid of them made Sakura prepare the beverages in front of them. That's why Sakura arranged for a few tables in the left corner of the shop so anyone willing, could enjoy a cup of tea.
"How is your team? You must bring that loud mouth and that Uchiha prick, with you," Savako san said, taking herself a cup of tea and sitting down next to Sakura.
"They didn't come here a while," she added with a hum.
"They are busy but I will bring them, Sasuke is more busy with the entrance in the Konoha police and Naruto... well he's Naruto, always training and going somewhere," smiled Sakura fondly.
"You kids sure grow fast. It seems yesterday you were kids, that Sasuke running after his brother and seeking attention," the old woman mumbled eyes distant and a soft smile playing on her lips. Sakura though that old memories played in her mind and smiled too, taking a sip of her tea.
"Well he loves his brother very much," she finally replied and the old woman nodded.
The bell at the door clanged softly and the Savako san walked toward the entrance.
"Must be the wind…" said the old woman after checking the door and finding no one was there. Sakura looked around and thought she sensed someone, but then dismissed it.
"Do you love him too, Sakura-chan?" asked the old woman with a cunning voice and Sakura startled.
"Who?" asked Sakura slightly blushing at the intimate question.
"The Uchiha… the eldest one…" The pink haired kunoichi startled too and almost fell from her chair.
"Well, I can't say this is love Savako-san, after all I don't know anything about him, his likes and dislikes, plus I had the bad experience with his brother. He is…well… he is attractive, that I can say but…" mumbled the young kunoichi looking attentively at the cup in her hand like it was something very rare and interesting.
"But what Sakura-chan?" asked the matron busying herself around the store.
"I have too many rivals. Also I guess he hates fan-girls, that is what Sasuke always says, and he doesn't have nearly the same number of admirer. I mean, now I know that you can't love someone only for his good looks. A man is more than that; you have to understand him, his soul… A relationship is a sort of long term mission with complete trust and… I am not ready for this now," She quickly added passing her hand through her pink hair.
"But, if possible would you like to know him closer?" insisted the old vixen with a mocking voice.
"Savako-san, he isn't interested in me, besides, I am sure he already has an Uchiha fiancé since he was in a cradle. Knowing the Uchiha clan…"
"But what if he was? Would you fight for him?" insisted the old woman.
"I don't know, maybe…" replied Sakura in a whisper. But that whisper had so much force and assurance in it which made the old lady smile softly at the girl.
"Then I am sure you will have your chance," she smiled reassuringly patting Sakura on her hand.
The routine in Sakura's life didn't change much, except for the fact that she started spending more time at the herbal shop. The evening were pleasant and calm and Savako san was an interesting person. She still had her hospital duties, training and missions, but after war the world was much calmer, so Sakura often found herself helping the woman and simply enjoying her company.
"Ah Uchiha kun what a pleasure," Sakura heard the old woman exclaiming and she wondered how Sasuke returned so soon from his mission.
"Hey, I didn't know..." she started with a smile only to freeze seeing that it was the wrong Uchiha.
"Good evening Haruno san," Itachi slightly bowed his head so that his bangs shaded his cheeks more. Sakura gulped and mumbled a greeting, bowing her head too.
He wanted tea. How absurd that could be, Sakura thought. Then she convinced herself that everyone loved tea, especially old fashioned family like his.
"Ah Sakura dear, bring Uchiha kun his tea, will you?" asked her Savako san and Sakura nodded absent-mindedly, then panicked a little, but taking a deep breath, took the cup and approached the man in question.
"Enjoy your tea," she smiled politely feeling how her feet burn, wanting to run away from there.
"Thank you Haruno san," he replied and Sakura no longer wondered why his fan club was so large. His voice was like melted chocolate, enveloping her senses and transforming her brain in sweet cotton.
"Well then if that is..." she started and blinked when she was interrupted by his velvet voice again.
"It is quiet here."
"Y...yyes, it is," she mumbled nodding her head.
"Compliments on the tea, I hear it was your idea," he bowed his head taking a sip and Sakura gaped owlishly at him. She never heard Itachi talking so long.
"I...I yes thank you," she finally said and seeing the girls outside again couldn't help but ask:
"Fan girls again?"
He nodded sipping as his tea, then added:
"It seems they don't try to look for me in here."
Sakura smiled and said:
"Then I am glad we can be your escape plan, Uchiha san. You can come here whenever you need to hide. Enjoy your evening."
Sakura left, but continued to steal glances at him, his stoic profile, the way his long finger grasped the delicate cup... She gulped imagining the feel of those fingers...
"Get a grip Sakura!" she berated herself, shaking her head to clear her slowing brain of unwanted images.
She finally sighed in relax when the door closed after him. Praying that the old woman didn't see her idiotic behaviour, Sakura finally left home.
Her apartment was close to the shop so in five minutes Sakura was closing the door, wondering what the hell was she thinking.
"I am done chasing and losing my head after pretty boys!" she said to the image in the mirror and nodded.
"I will act strictly professional and... and... won't think about him," she swore to herself trying to brush aside the image that her mind was showing her not so kindly.
It was the last year when it happened. She was at the Uchiha compound with Naruto, for Sasuke's birthday. The house was full of guests and she was suffocating inside, so she took a stroll in the gardens. There she saw him, lying with a book under the shade of a large tree. He seemed so relaxed and so engrossed in his book that he didn't even see her. Well actually he was asleep, Sakura found out later that's why he didn't sense her, so she took the liberty and approached him.
With his head propped on the tree bark and his left palm supporting it, he was sleeping. Long, ebony eyelashes shadowed his high, sculpted cheeks and Sakura felt her breath caught in her throat. His face was more relaxed, the lines on his face not so deep and visible. Sakura thought that no man had to have such perfect milk white skin and so beautifully carved lips. Sakura's eyes travelled lower, toward his chest to distract herself from the traitorous thoughts in her mind. It didn't have the wanted result. The black shirt hugged his torso too perfectly, and the way his chest moved in slow motion of his breath... The book fell on his chest and Sakura startled, tensing like a deer next to a hunter. She didn't know what to do, to run or to stay and confess her sin of ogling him like a brainless schoolgirl.
Itachi didn't woke up and Sakura sighed in relief, putting her small hand on her chest to steady her beating heart. She looked around confirming that no one was around and relaxed a little more. The Uchiha heir took a deeper breath and Sakura though she will blank out, looking at the contractions of his muscles under the shirt. She was a doctor, but now those muscles had no medical valour in her eyes. Now she was a simple girl, admiring an attractive man. Everything else around ceased from her world, the song of the birds, the dance of the wind between the leaves, everything except him and her drumming heart.
Not thinking much and taking a great risk, she lowered herself next to him and examined his face once more, carefully trying to control her shaking breaths as to not wake him up.
"Only once... " she thought to herself and approaching him, planted her lip on his in a delicate kiss. Forgetting how to breath, emotions enveloping her entire being, she closed her eyes as she enjoyed the moment and savoured the sweetness of his lips. After a few long seconds that for her seemed too short, Sakura jerked back and run as fast as her jelly legs could carry her, touching her trembling lips with the tips of her fingers.
Since then, a certain Uchiha started invading her dreams and Sakura wasn't that happy about it. She didn't want to get hurt again, that's for the next weeks when Itachi started to appear more at the shop, evading his fan girls, Sakura started avoiding him fervently.
She knew she was contradicting herself and often felt like a cowering mouse, but the thought of being rejected by him, hurt. Better stay on the safe side, she assured herself but jumped hearing his voice too close to her.
"You are avoiding me, Haruno-san," he stated and his voice was a degree icyer than usual coldness. She felt the order in his voice and turned toward him, to look him in the eye only to mute and blink silently. Caught in the depths of those obsidian pools, she forgot how to breath.
"Have I offended you somehow?" he asked slightly raising his right eyebrow.
"No, I... no," she quickly assured him, shaking her head and taking a shallow breath.
"Then I would like to know why," he insisted, his face stoic and too damn close. So close, that she could feel his warm breath brushing her skin and sending shivers down her spine. Minutes passed but Sakura stood silent.
"Haruno san," repeated his voice and Sakura jerked her head back to look at him again.
"Too close..." she mumbled and Itachi raised a perfectly shaped brow.
"Close?" he asked slowly and Sakura nodded pinning her hands on his chest and trying to push him from her personal space. He didn't bulge, instead covered her small palms with his larger one and squeezed.
"Sakura," the sound of her name from his lips made her sigh softly and bow her head to cover the pink on her cheeks, praying that he won't hear the crazy hammering of her heart.
A pair of slender long fingers caught the tip of her chin and with a soft rub he lifted her face. Sakura thought she now resembled a tomato. Looking into her eyes in wonder, she only had time to gasp when his lips met her in a gentle nuzzle. As inspecting and letting her to decide, he took his time and caressed her lips with his stronger ones. As encouraged by her lack of resistance. he deepened the kiss and Sakura couldn't refrain her moan when she felt the tip of his tongue invading her mouth. Her knees almost gave away, but his strong hand caught her middle and pressed her harder to himself, so that she felt his toned muscles. Forgetting how to think, her small palms travelled on his chest toward his neck.
Suddenly he stopped and stepping away smirked.
"Now we're even."
Sakura's eyes widened in recognition. He was awake that time under the tree!
"Yes, we are," she sighed dejectedly, her head bowing in defeat, bangs trying to cover her eyes.
"Now it is my turn," he said and grabbing her hand he embraced her again. The kiss this time was longer, deeper and certainly hungrier. Sakura only moaned and encircled her hands on his neck whispering hoarsely:
"Yes, it is."