Again this is a beta corrected chapter. Please refrain from attempting to kill me for not updating the last chapter yet. I sent it to the beta earlier this evening, so just give me time. I would like to include my thanks to my beta,ViOlEt-KAt, I love what she has done.
-HarmonyRose-
Disclaimer: Wishing to own Naruto doesn't count, does it?
One Date
Next Morning
Itachi rapped firmly on the door to Sakura's house. He noticed that it wasn't that far away from the training grounds and it seemed that Sakura had her own training field, judging from the rough appearance and broken bits of earth that made up her backyard. He wondered who she normally sparred with. Sakura had to be pretty good to be in ANBU and when he thought about it, there weren't that many girls that were able to take the pressure. She might have even just gotten the position becomes of her influential connections. He would have to check to make sure she was able to hold her own against him, which was the main reason he wanted to spar with her. It wouldn't do him any good if she was a second rate ninja.
Finally, Sakura answered the door sleepily, rubbing her eyes gently. She was in a silk silver robe that made Itachi giver her a once-over. The sash for the robe accented her narrow waist, full hips and chest. "Hello Uchiha-san, what brings you here this early in the morning?" Suddenly her voice turned a little bit grumpier and suspicious, "If Sasuke needs someone to heal him then you can take him and his coconspirator to the hospital to someone who actually cares."
"You will spar with me," he said, his voice in that arrogant and condescending voice inherent to all Uchiha.
Sakura narrowed her gaze and was becoming increasingly agitated. He couldn't just wake her up at a quarter to seven and demand a sparring match, which he seemed to think he would win without a good fight. "No," was all she said and began to close the door.
Itachi flickered into her apartment. "It isn't polite to close the door on someone who is talking," he said in a smooth, unconcerned tone.
"Well it isn't polite to come into a person's home without their permission, Sakura retorted back with a scowl evident on her face.
"Come spar with me, my normal sparring partner was impaired last night by his teammate. It would be a shame if the Hokage found out that two of her top ninja were incapacitated. She might even make you heal them, being one of the top medical-nin," he cut off her objections quickly. Sakura knew that if either Kakashi or Tsunade found out, they would guilt her into healing them (or use force if she was really stubborn) and Sakura was not having that. She felt entitled to her anger; although she had to admit it was a little funny looking back.
"Fine Uchiha-san I will spar with you, give me a moment to get ready," Sakura conceded discontentedly, while inner Sakura threw a fit, "stupid, arrogant, Uchiha jerk, how dare he threaten us, we'll beat that pretty face of his in. We'll teach him to mess with us."
Itachi was bemused by this petite kunoichi. No woman had ever told him, "No," before⦠except those insufferable fan girls when telling them to leave him alone. Sakura came out of her room in her training clothes which included her tight black shorts, tan medic skirt, and red sleeveless shirt. "Come on, we can spar out back. Tsunade thought it would be better for the training grounds if I had my own training field," Sakura said as she walked toward her backyard. Itachi followed her. He wasn't quite sure how to take Sakura's comment about her being bad for the training grounds. However, when he walked onto Sakura's field he realized the reason. All over her field were massive holes, craters, and enormous rocks. It was rather impressive, but it wouldn't matter if she couldn't hit him, thought Itachi.
Sakura stopped in the center of the formally flat field and Itachi moved fifteen feet from her mirroring her fighting stance.
"Are you ready Uchiha-san?"
"Hai, begin," he stated.
Sakura instantly disappeared without forming any hand seals. Although, Itachi had only seen this once or twice he wasn't surprised by it, even some Chuunin had a few tricks up their sleeves. Plus there was no way he was going to show any emotion and let Sakura get the upper hand. Itachi was impressed when he couldn't sense her chakra at all, so he decided to take the fight seriously and activated his Sharingan. He scanned the surrounding area and was slightly surprised that he still couldn't sense her chakra when a burst of it appeared below him. Before he could react, Sakura attempted to grab his ankle and drag him into the ground, but Itachi jumped up at the last second. Sakura jumped out of the ground after him, only to form a fist and shatter the ground where he would have to land. Huge rocks and debris flew up encompassing Itachi, but when the dust cleared all that was there was a log.
Out of reflex Sakura blocked the oncoming taijutsu kick coming from behind her, and retaliated with her own. Sakura's years with both Sasuke and Kakashi proved useful to fighting against the elder Uchiha and his Sharingan. Her speed was on par with all three of them. Finally Sakura hit Itachi with a chakra filled fist and sent him flying. Itachi got up quickly, couldn't find Sakura, and immediately recognized that something was off, though he wasn't sure what. Then he realized that it was a genjutsu, a very subtle and strong one, but easy enough to break out of.
When he came out of the jutsu, he saw Sakura ready to kick him into another set of trees. He dodged and decided that he definitely needed to stop it up, since she could obviously handle it. He started to erect an elaborate genjutsu, but Sakura countered it before he could even finish. Her genjutsu and taijutsu were obviously up to ANBU and his level. However, Itachi knew her weakness. Ninjutsu. Itachi quickly formed the hand seals for the Grand Fireball Jutsu, while she was breaking out of the previous genjutsu she had put her in. She was quickly engulfed in the intense flames. As the flame cleared Sakura collapsed onto the ground and disappeared out of existence, it had been a kage bunshin, a clone that Naruto had probably taught her.
He glanced around and saw that the clone must have had and intricate genjutsu over the house, because when the clone disappeared he realized that Sakura had gone back to bed. Itachi was a pretty stoic person but, even the fact that she hadn't even bothered to actually spar with him was irking him. She had just sent a clone in her place, although he had to admit it was expertly done. Itachi transferred himself to Sakura's room. She didn't even stir apparently in a very deep slumber. Itachi smirked and took off his shirt, lay next to Sakura carefully so as to not wake her, and waited patiently for the next few hours, until Sakura woke up.
When Sakura did wake up two hours later, she was startled when she realized her legs were tangled with another person's and that she was lying on said person's very muscled chest. Sakura immediately tensed as she questioned what the hell she did last night. She slowly raised her eyes up to see Itachi looking down and smirking at her. Sakura blushed crimson and his smirk became more arrogant. "It wasn't very polite to leave you guest unattended like that," he stated in that infuriatingly calm voice of his.
Sakura scowled at him and then realized that she probably deserved that, so she laughed and replied, "I guess not. What time is it?"
"It is still morning, get up and get dressed and I'll take you out to breakfast," Itachi replied amused by her incongruent nature.
Itachi waited for Sakura in her living room, it was neat but, a little small for all the books and scrolls she had. Next to a tall bookcase, there was a stack of books reaching just below the height of the bookcase. He glanced at them and noticed that they were all medical texts or books of shinobi techniques. Sakura came out of her room dressed and ready for the day. Immediately, Itachi's eyes bled into crimson, looking for genjutsu and checking to make sure this Sakura wasn't a clone, and standing him up again. When he was thoroughly satisfied he turned off his Sharingan and saw her smug, gloating expression and she said, "Don't worry I can't resist free food."
He smirked, grasped her hand, and transported them to a quaint breakfast restaurant that thankfully wasn't ramen. Over the menu Itachi started the conversation, which was uncharacteristic of him but, he wanted to talk with Sakura, she utterly fascinated him. She was incredibly strong but, incredibly innocent as well and his jaded existence was drawn to her like a moth to a candle. "Do you always have Saturdays free?"
"Yup!" Sakura said enthusiastically then added on a slightly suspicious manner, "Don't plan on waking me up ridiculously early next Saturday."
"Alright I won't wake you up on just Saturday," he replied twisting Sakura's meaning.
"Hey that's not what I meant," Sakura cried indignantly, not wanting to give up her sleeping time, although she wouldn't mind waking up to how she did this morning. Oh no, I can't be falling in love with Sasuke's older brother, thought Sakura. She already knew that she was attracted to him and she couldn't be falling for him because he was heir to the Uchiha clan. He probably had an arranged marriage set up for him from birth or something. Sure he was mysterious and charming when he wanted to be, but she had to protect herself, she didn't want to get hurt if he did have someone.
Itachi changed his line of questioning, "Are you free next Saturday evening?"
"Yeah, I think so," she said uncertain of whether or not she should involve herself at all with the handsome Uchiha.
"Come to the Uchiha dinner then and wear something formal," Itachi politely commanded.
"Is it a party for someone? Do I have to bring a gift? You know Uchiha-san it is a little hard for me to picture you stoic Uchiha partying." Sakura commented trying not to laugh too hard but, failing miserably with just the thought of it.
Itachi definitely wasn't as amused as Sakura but, he supposed that she was probably right, "It doesn't happen very often, and yes it is a party for someone. I will take of a gift." Their food finally came and they ate in companionable silence. Itachi was glad of this because it gave him a chance to observe her. He noticed that she was very pleasing to the eye, it was a wonder why someone hadn't claimed her before and he was going to make sure that she would be his. Itachi supposed that he had her teammates to thank for her being single. He knew that Sasuke was very protective of his teammates since the clan elders hadn't approved of them in the beginning.
They didn't want Sasuke on a team with a Jinchuuriki, a female without a shinobi name, and lastly with Hatake Kakashi who they thought would tell and steal their precious eye technique secrets. He had no doubt the hyper blonde was protective of her, considering the way he protected even the least of his friends. Itachi had personally seen Kakashi being over protective, Kakashi thought of Sakura like a daughter and never failed to become a little "over enthusiastic" in a spar and land his partner in the hospital. He was one of the laziest and compartmentalized ninjas that Itachi had seen. (Come on, who allows a chalkboard eraser to fall on his head?) Mostly, it was Genma who never learned that whenever he opened his mouth and made a crude comment of Sakura he landed in the hospital. Itachi supposed he would have to thank them later.
After breakfast Itachi walked Sakura back to her house, and hurried back home as soon as possible, he did after all have to start preparations for a formal party.
