thanks to the people who reviewed. i'm glad you're enjoying it!
to everyone else: without your opinions, i don't know how to make the plot/story better.
*~R&R~*
When Sakura woke up the next morning, she was so comfortable she snuggled deeper into her blanket and didn't bother looking at her phone or alarm clock. It was a nice day to sleep in. The sun wasn't glaring in through her blinds and the birds weren't chirping as loud. Hopefully, it would rain and Sakura could blame her tardiness on the weather.
But of course, peace and quiet never stayed for too minutes, her door flung open to reveal Naruto completely naked except for his striped blue boxers.
"Sakura! We heard what happened on the train yesterday! Are you okay?" Naruto grabbed her arms and pulled her into a sitting position. Sakura clenched her fist to punch him when she opened her eyes and saw Naruto's bare body.
"Holy crap Naruto, as close as we may be at least put some pants on!" Sakura pushed him away. "And I'm fine so go away!"
Naruto rushed to his room and came back with grey sweatpants. He pulled Sakura back up. "You didn't see the murderer?"
"If I did, I don't think I'd be alive. Besides, I was in the bathroom."
Naruto's eyebrows scrunched together. "You were in the bathroom? What were you thinking? What if the murderer decided to go into the bathroom and saw you there?"
"Oh, I'm sorry I just happened to have to go when the murderer decided to kill someone." Sakura snapped. "Remind me to hold it in the next time a murderer rides the A train."
"That's not what I meant, Sakura. I'm just worried about you." Naruto looked at her with his bright blue eyes. Suddenly, Sakura remembered Deidara's beautiful eyes and how he directed her to the bathroom.
"Sakura? You okay?"
Sakura pushed him off her bed and pulled the sheets over her so she could go back to sleep. "I'm fine. Go eat breakfast or something."
"Sasuke's being a bastard. He says he can't digest his cereal so early in the morning if he sees my face." Naruto glared at the framed picture of the three of them on Sakura's headboard. "Anyways, he's going to probably check up on you too."
"Tell him not to. I'm trying to sleep here, and you two aren't making it easy."
Their screaming doorbell rang once again, and Sakura threw a silent tantrum beneath her sheets. "I'll get it." Naruto hurried out of her room. Sakura quickly crept out of bed and locked her door. That would keep Sasuke out and Naruto from returning.
As Sakura settled back into bed she heard Naruto's voice rise from a muffled tone to a highly indignant exclamation. Not bothering to see what was going on, Sakura stuck her head under her pillow and tried to sleep in that position. However, someone stormed up the stairs like an ogre and knocked wildly at her door.
"Go away!"
"Sakura, open up! Voldemort's here!" Naruto hissed.
Sakura threw another silent tantrum. "Naruto, if you don't stop spewing out nonsense and waking me up, I'm going to take all of your ramen noodles and soak it in apple vinegar." Naruto hated apple vinegar.
"I'm serious! Itachi's here!"
Sakura sat straight up. The pillow over her head dropped to the floor and Sakura quickly stumbled out of bed. "You idiot, he's not Voldemort. His name's He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Welcome!" Sakura quickly ran a brush through her hair and changed into her pajamas. She had been in the clothes she wore yesterday and that would not do. She didn't want to impress him, but she didn't want to disgust him either.
Sakura unlocked the door to see an angry Naruto waiting outside. "Where's Sasuke?"
"Trying to make the she-devil leave. He just barged into the living room."
Naruto led the way down the stairs and into the living room where Itachi was sitting casually with his arms spread out on the headrest. Sasuke was spraying Itachi with the spritzer Sakura used to water the plants on the windowsill. Itachi took no notice of Sasuke.
"Uzumaki. Sakura." Itachi nodded. "So you were awake."
"What's it to you?" Naruto asked defensively. "Sasuke, what the hell are you doing instead of getting rid of him?"
Sasuke threw the spritzer at Naruto. "You try dragging his ass out the door."
While Sasuke and Naruto bickered, Sakura noticed Itachi's eyes were solely on her. She felt her heartbeat quicken from fear and embarrassment and escaped to the kitchen. Sasuke's half-eaten bowl of cereal was still at the table. Sakura grabbed it so she could dump it in the sink before Itachi could see. As annoying as he was, Itachi would probably report to his parents that the three of them were living in a pigsty with half-eaten bowls of cereal lying on the table and that wouldn't be good.
"I trust you weren't foolish enough to tell either of those two what you presumed about yesterday's murder?" Itachi came in through the kitchen door silently. Sakura choked on thin air.
"What," Sakura coughed. "Does it matter?"
Itachi stood across the table and watched her wash the dishes in the sink. Sakura couldn't meet his eyes; they would either be glaring at her murderously or filled with contempt. She tried ignoring him. When she finished with the dishes she moved towards the kitchen door.
Itachi moved swiftly in front of her. When she moved left, so did he. When she moved right, he did as well. She tried stepping forward to see if he would step back but he stayed still. "Jerk!" Sakura snapped.
"Oy! Stay away from Sakura!" Naruto roared. He and Sasuke rampaged in and pushed Sakura back so Naruto and Sasuke stood in front of her.
Itachi looked entertained. "Is there a reason I can't even talk to your roommate?"
"We don't want her to get tainted by your corrupted ways. Besides, who knows what kind of STD you have on your hands." Naruto sniffed.
The corner of Itachi's lips turned upward in an irritating smirk. Sakura caught herself admiring his attitude.
"Sakura and I have something to discuss."
"What?" Sasuke asked quickly. He turned to glance at Sakura briefly. Sakura looked back at him with feigned innocence. The momentary loss of mind when she thought Itachi was cool was no more. He was still Sasuke's annoying, successful older brother.
Itachi's eyes turned to her. "Our relationship."
"What the fuck are you saying?" Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all exclaimed at once.
"He's either high or drunk. Someone call the cops so they can arrest him." Sasuke reached for the telephone but Itachi poked his forehead hard enough to push him back.
"Sakura, I don't think this is a good time to talk. Maybe somewhere a little more private would be appropriate." Itachi emphasized the last word. Naruto and Sasuke bristled at once.
"Whatever you have to say, just say it here."
Sakura put the bowl down uneasily and pushed past Naruto and Sasuke. "I think we should talk outside, Itachi."
Itachi's smirk grew wider. Naruto and Sasuke both began yelling at her.
"You idiot, don't you know what he wants?" Sasuke snarled as Naruto yelled, "He's the she-devil, Sakura!"
Sakura whacked them both. "First of all, you two need to stop being so juvenile. Second, we do have something to talk about. And third, you all need to realize that I am eighteen years old and perfectly capable of handling myself. I appreciate your sentiments but you guys have to stop butting your heads into my business."
A stunned silence entered the room without warning. Naruto and Sasuke looked shocked and hurt while Itachi looked slightly surprised. The minute she saw Naruto and Sasuke's expressions, Sakura knew she said something she shouldn't have. She only said it so they would stop questioning her and Itachi but somehow the wording didn't come out right.
When she left her house two years ago and her parents told her she wouldn't be welcome back, Naruto and Sasuke were the ones who comforted her. When Sakura had her heart broken, they were the ones who went after the guys and beat them up until they had to be hospitalized. They were the ones who picked her up from the hospital when it was too late for a young girl to be out alone. They were the reason she had the will to make something of herself.
Before Sakura could apologize, Sasuke punched his fist straight into the kitchen table. A loud crack sounded from both the table and his hand but Sasuke didn't bother checking either one. He stormed out of the kitchen and Sakura heard the slam of the front door. Sakura followed him outside to his motorcycle where Sasuke was getting ready to ride.
"Sasuke, your hand-" Sakura feebly questioned. Sasuke didn't pay any attention to her and swerved around her to leave the driveway. She felt guilt wash over her and walked back into the house.
"Naruto, Sasuke's riding and I think his hand might be broken."
Instead of Naruto, Itachi rested his hand on her shoulder. "I'll get him." Itachi handed Sakura a business card. "It's my number. If I call, you better pick up." He left without saying anything else. Naruto left the house without saying anything either.
"Shit." Sakura sighed.
The train ride was like most days when a murder didn't occur. Naruto and Sasuke didn't return by the time she left and Sakura left three messages on Sasuke's phone before leaving the house. All throughout the train ride, she kept checking her phone, to no avail. Sasuke was thoroughly pissed at her. When she checked her phone after she hung up her coat at the office, there were no new messages.
"Dr. Haruno, I think you have to check this patient."
Sakura started when a nurse knocked on her door. "What?"
"You have a patient."
Sakura frowned. Normally patients couldn't request doctors unless it was someone who stayed at the hospital regularly. Sakura followed the nurse to one of the rooms and almost cried in relief when she saw who was sitting on the bed.
"Sasuke! Do you know how worried I've been?"
Sasuke didn't say anything to her. Sakura pulled a chair over and began feeling his hand. Sasuke didn't show any sort of pain on his face but Sakura caught his body flinching when she moved his knuckles.
"Why would you go riding a motorcycle right after punching a table? As pissed off as you may be, you should know better." Sakura stood up to get a cold compass from the freezer. "You need an x-ray but we'll ice it first. How does it feel?"
Still no response. "You not talking to me isn't helping you. If you're still mad, which I assume you are, then I want to make it perfectly clear that I'm not apologizing. I did nothing but stand up to you and you got mad. That's because you're a bully."
Sakura gently pressed the compass onto his hand. "But I also want to say I know why you get mad at me when you think I'm being careless. I really am happy you care about me so much. It's just that when both you and Naruto gang up on me it's like you don't know what I'm going through. And even though I would love to tell you at times, I can't. So you can stop being Mr. Poutyface."
"I'm not pouting." Sasuke grunted.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Yes, I forgot your bottom lip is unnaturally bigger than your top. Okay, let's go for your x-ray."
Besides having three broken fingers, Sasuke's entire right hand was going to be useless for the next five weeks. Naruto, who had sent him up while he found a spot at the hospital parking lot, was gleefully spiting him.
"Ha! Looks like someone won't be showering alone for a while." Naruto grinned. "Let's get Itachi to help."
"Dobe, if you don't shut up-"
"What, you're going to choke me with your broken hand? Good luck with that." Naruto snorted. Sakura smiled; it was a relief to see Naruto wasn't mad at her anymore.
"If need be, Naruto you can help him shower." Sakura ordered. Naruto's smile slid off his face.
Sasuke didn't look pleased either. "As if I'd let the dobe near my body."
"I didn't want to clean your body either, bastard."
"Then I guess I'll be the one doing it." Sakura said cheerfully. "You can wear your swim trunks and I'll-"
"Forget it." Sasuke quickly interrupted.
Naruto agreed. "I'll help the bastard."
"I don't need your help, idiot."
"Bastard, you need my help!"
Saura smiled. "Now, let's go home and get something to eat on the way. Sasuke, where'd you leave your motorcycle?"
"He just made it down the street before his hand started swelling." Naruto snickered. Sasuke kicked him in the shin. "Kiba helped us bring it back."
"Oh Kiba. We really should invite him over sometime."
Naruto made a face. "And risk getting rabies?"
"Naruto! Don't be rude."
"What? He's not here." Naruto looked around.
"You're such a jerk. Okay, you guys go down and wait for me in Naruto's car. I have to go get my coat and bag." Sakura didn't even get to finish because Naruto and Sasuke already began walking away at 'you guys go'. "Jerks." But she didn't blame them. They didn't like hospitals and they liked the doctors even less. Seeing doctors working on their own studies and projects that needed test subjects was bound to scare people who normally wouldn't mind the hospital.
As Sakura grabbed her bag and coat from the room, her phone started vibrating from the coat pocket. It was an unknown number. "Hello?"
"Are you alone?"
Of course. Itachi Uchiha would somehow find her number and call her right when her shift ended. "Not for long."
"How's my stupid brother?"
Sakura held the phone in between her ear and shoulder as she locked her office door. "He won't be able to use his right hand for at least a month. Thanks to you."
"You're the one who told him to mind his own business. I must admit, I admire your ability to draw such a response from the two fools you live with." Itachi drawled.
"Once again, you implying that I'm a whore doesn't make me want to do whatever you're calling me to do."
"I can't leave you alone."
Sakura snorted. "Is that some sort of pick up line sons of politicians use to get girls?" She walked to the elevator and waited for the doors to open.
There was silence on the other end. "Once again, that was a funny joke that you managed to make into an awkward silence." Sakura sighed. "But if it's me spilling the beans that you're worried about, you don't have. I didn't and I'm not planning on telling anyone. Besides, I'm not crazy enough to mess with Akatsuki."
"We can't take your word for it. The safest way to make sure you won't tell is by constantly watching you."
"So what, you're going to stalk me?"
"No. That would be the safest way, but we have lives to live."
"And people to kill?"
Sakura heard a sharp intake of breath. "Sorry. Go on."
"Someone has to be with you while you're out in public. So we decided you should-"
"Join Akatsuki?" Sakura laughed.
"Date-"
"Oh my God. No, no, no, if this is like one of those cheesy movies where I have to date you to keep a secret I won't do it."
"Deidara."
Sakura paused. "Oh. Wait what? I'm not even supposed to know him!"
"You will by tomorrow." Itachi hung up without even a farewell or a hint of what he meant.
Sakura began cursing Itachi in steady streams of vulgar threats put together. Sakura tried kicking the elevator doors in frustration when they actually opened and her foot wobbled until they hit a firm shin.
"Oh crap." Sakura whimpered as she looked into the brown eyes of her very angry and slightly bruised mentor.
When Itachi hung up from his phone call with Sakura, he took another shot of hard vodka. Itachi, Deidara, Tobi and Sasori were at a private bar that was reserved for them. While Itachi was drinking from the counter, Deidara and Tobi were in the entertainment area while Sasori was by the sofa-bed.
"Oy, Itachi. Did the pink doctor say she was okay with dating me?" Deidara called. He was playing darts with Tobi.
"She doesn't have a choice in the matter." Itachi shook his next shot of vodka and stared into the cup, deep in thought.
Deidara watched carefully as Tobi first spun himself, then spun the dart into the board with incredible accuracy. "Did she say anything to your brother? Is she breaking up with him to be with me or is she going to be two-timing?"
Itachi laughed. When he did, the entire room went silent. Sasori stopped flirting with his pretty secretary and looked up. Itachi shot back another glass of vodka.
"My stupid brother broke his hand because he got mad his girlfriend stood up to him. Turns out, she's not even his girlfriend." Itachi said it more to himself than to anyone in the room. He nodded to the bartender. "Get me some champagne."
Deidara left Tobi and joined Itachi at the counter. "Celebrating?" Deidara raised his eyebrow. Itachi smirked.
"In honor of your new girlfriend, and my stupid brother's broken hand." The bartender poured champagne into two glasses. Deidara raised his to Itachi.
"To my new girlfriend." He drained the glass before he left to resume his game with Tobi.
Itachi's smirk faded and he took his own glass. He raised it, and then sipped it slowly. Sasori ditched his secretary to join Itachi instead.
"If you're interested in her as well, just date her. It'll be better for two Akatsuki members to be watching her."
Sasori ordered three cocktails while Itachi contemplated. What Sasori said was right. Itachi wasn't interested in the childish girl his brother broke his hand over. Her long pink hair was too eyecatching and the way she avoided situations was immature, at best. With her small figure and big green eyes, she could be mistaken for a freshman in high school. Itachi, who had been with plenty of women before, would be able to feign a love war for Sakura. He watched Deidara throw darts at Tobi who had apparently insulted Deidara and was now running in circles trying to avoid the blonde menace. Itachi took another sip of champagne.
Deidara wouldn't mind a little competition.
i have no idea how i came up with all of this but once again, tell me what you think!
