Okay. Let's see… Who should I dedicate this to? I guess it would probably be Fred and Mary Beth-chan from school. Thank ya, for reading it. I am so happy today. Mainly because the One Act Plays are temporarily out of my life, until a couple weeks from now. Then, we have to do it again! Yay! T.T
But Star Testing is so irritating.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I can only dream. Sigh, Kakashi…I wish I owned him. Live it up Kishimoto.
Small note: Flames are not needed. If you don't like something, don't read it. Any flames will be read and then promptly laughed at. Just sayin'.
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Welcome to Think Twice: Chapter 2: A Walk on the Promenade.
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The initial path they had been traversing split into two directions. Sakura was stuck in the middle, between two of the most different brothers in existence. She had had a brief flashback, to the times before she had trained diligently under Tsunade. She'd been useless in the shadow of her team, just as she felt useless against the two Uchiha.
"Sakura, let's go this way!" Sasuke pulled her to the left.
"Sakura-chan, this is the more scenic route." Itachi nudged her politely to the right.
"Why can't I just go home?" She muttered.
"Because as my guest, it is my responsibility to ensure you have a pleasant evening." Itachi placed unwanted emphasis on 'my'.
'Damn, does he ever miss anything?' Sakura thought as she pushed Sasuke off of her and into the dirt of the path.
"Sakura-chaaan?" Sasuke drawled, clinging to her hand as he stared up at her with big, tear-filled eyes.
"Sasuke, if you keep pulling on my hand, I'm going to beat you into next year." Then she added as an afterthought, "And, that face is really unbecoming."
Itachi smirked as he began to lead Sakura down the path he had chosen. "This way-"
"You!" She pushed him away as well. "I don't like being manhandled."
"Sakura, I apologize for earlier. I had merely come to escort you to dinner. I did not mean to see. Let that not affect you in your acceptance." Itachi straightened (if it was even possible), as if to portray a sense of dominance. Sasuke merely cowered in fear; Itachi had used this as a scare tactic for many years.
"'Acceptance?' Of what?"
"My advances." Itachi answered succinctly.
'What the hell…' Sakura stared blankly. "Huh?"
"I'm courting you."
"Since when?" Sakura felt her shoulders tense, she was preparing to flee straight to Tsunade.
"You won't get away." Itachi had observed her body language and found her out.
'Fuck! I need another tactic!' Her mind raced and singled out the most useful. "Itachi-kun?" She said, adding a taste of sweetness that made her want to barf.
"Yes?" Itachi felt needlessly pleased with himself, letting a smirk of satisfaction cross his face.
She took a few steps, closing the distance between them. Letting her hand touch his toned chest meekly. He stooped lower and she whispered slowly in his ear as Sasuke stared from his place on the ground. "In your dreams."
Suddenly, a stream of chakra was unleashed, flowing from Sakura's palm to Itachi's chest. It's purpose, however, was not to heal, but to rework and slow Itachi's chakra flow to his extremities, limiting all conceivable movement.
She quickly pushed him down and began to run, only to be stopped by Sasuke. He had risen from the ground and stood in her path, forming hand signs she absolutely recognized. "That jutsu!"
"Yeah. While you may not like my brother, there's no problem with me, is there?" It was less of a question and more of a Sasuke way to say: "You're not leaving without a fight."
"Sasuke, I've been whooping your ass for the last two years! Do you really wanna end up in the hospital?" Sakura sighed as she summoned chakra to her hands. 'One hit. I just need to get close enough for one… Fighting in these civilian clothes is so troublesome!' She avoided the snakes that had risen to grab her ankles and began her assault.
He ducked and swayed, avoiding her punches with skill almost on par with Kakashi's. "Can't seem to land a punch, Sakura? Your clothes are limiting you. Wouldn't it be better if I took them off?" He pulled out a kunai and managed to rip her shirt.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Sasuke?" She avoided some of his offensive maneuvers, but he still managed to land impressively strategic cuts to the fabric of her shirt (well, impressive for his goal), until she was forced to hold up what remained of the poor piece of clothing. 'Where the fuck is Naruto and his magic punch of enlightenment when you need him?' (Seriously. No Joke. )
"Well, are you done running, Sakura?" His mouth twisted into a kind of smile that one could only see on the face of Orochimaru.
"Not even close, bud." Sakura pulled off the torn top, revealing the bindings underneath. Sasuke's smile vanished immediately and his mouth went dry.
"I…uh-uh…" He collapsed into a heaving pile of Uchiha. "This…piggy…went to…market…" He rocked back and forth, leaving Sakura to stare for a minute and vanish into the smoke of her escape.
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"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune called out in warning as Sakura came running past her through the door.
"What is it, Shizune? I'm busy right now." Tsunade huffed from her place behind the stack of paperwork.
"Shishou! You've got to help me! Protective custody! Anything! Anything that will keep those two away from me!" Sakura paced, still in her bra and skinny jeans.
"Sakura, what in kami-sama's name are you wearing?" Shizune asked from where she stood near the door.
"Not important!" Sakura paused long enough to say.
"Explain." Tsunade commanded.
A half-hour of explaining later…
"WHAT!" Tsunade yelled.
"I don't know what the hell is going on, but it's creepy!" Sakura pulled the robe Shizune had fetched for her tighter around her body.
"Shizune! Fetch Uchiha Fugaku and his wife here. Quickly!"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade!"
Sakura and Tsunade were both pacing as Shizune returned with them.
"Hokage-sama?" Fugaku ventured bravely, knowing that Sakura's presence did not bode well.
"What is going on with your sons!" Sakura yelled.
"Sakura, I'm the Hokage, I'll deal with this." Sakura nodded at Tsunade. "What the hell is going on with your sons!"
"Well…Tsunade-sama…" Mikoto scratched the back of her head. 'Oh crap.' she thought.
"They are both are sleeping in their rooms, Lady Tsunade." Fugaku answered quickly.
"Don't be a smart-ass! Why the hell are they both going after Sakura?" Tsunade pointed as everyone in the room saw the chakra collecting in the tip of her finger.
"Um…Tsunade-sama?" Shizune worriedly had begun to inch closer to the wall.
"Both Sasuke and Itachi have explaining to do! I want to know the why, when, and why!"
"Tsunade-sama, you've said 'why' twice." Fugaku deadpanned as he moved his wife behind him, just in case.
"Please, let me explain. I think I understand a little of what is happening." Mikoto took a breath as she stepped around her husband. "To my understanding… Sasuke managed to catch Sakura as she was collapsing from exhaustion and went to remove her vest…"
"I was only wearing my bra underneath…" Sakura stared wide-eyed. "Our mission was so difficult none of my shirts made it…"
"Sasuke reacted violently and appeared at home." Fugaku sighed. "Itachi arrived at Sakura's apartment almost immediately after Sasuke left and was faced with the same scene as Sasuke."
"That's when I woke up and kicked him out." Sakura remembered.
"So, what you're saying is that both Itachi and Sasuke are reacting to years of suppressed hormones?" Tsunade sat down on her desk, knocking over the large pile of papers onto the floor.
"I wouldn't use…that word. It isn't like we didn't want them to make lots of little kids for us to cuddle and pass techniques to." Mikoto pouted. "But, I can honestly say that out of all the kunoichi, I'm glad they chose Sakura."
"Which would be fine, Mikoto, if it wasn't both of them!" Tsunade sighed. To say she cared for Sakura was an understatement; Sakura was like her daughter. Tsunade felt the need to protect her, though Sakura was definitely a capable kunoichi.
"Might I suggest Sakura choose one?" Fugaku asked. "Personally, I recommend Sasuke. He's her teammate and has been her friend for a number of years."
"I disagree, honey. Itachi is closer to Sakura's level and have enough trust to place their lives in each other's hands. Plus, Sasuke's personality doesn't exactly compliment Sakura's. Itachi is the much better choice!" Mikoto placed her hands on her hips.
"Stop it! My God, you act like I don't exist!* (lol… ) It's my decision! What if I don't want to marry Itachi or Sasuke? What if I like…Kiba…or someone? What if I just flat out don't like it when you're deciding my fate? Especially when it's my choice to make!" Sakura yelled. "I can't deal with this right now! I won't be coming to work tomorrow, Shishou."
"Take three days, Sakura." Tsunade watched as her apprentice vanished. She turned her head to stare at Fugaku and Mikoto. "You two are the most maniacal, snooping, genius parents ever!" Tsunade smiled as the other two hit the floor.
"What?" Fugaku asked dazedly.
"I wanted Sakura to marry soon. Who knows if she'll suddenly be killed on a mission? I wanted some of those grandbabies you mentioned!" Tsunade pushed herself off the desk and walked toward the couple. "I had started a list of possible candidates, but none seemed to measure up except Itachi."
"Just Itachi?" Fugaku frowned.
"Yeah. He's perfect for Sakura! Intelligent, handsome, and an accomplished shinobi. The only downfall I could find was that he wouldn't be interested, but that's been solved!" Tsunade and Mikoto began to talk about wedding plans and possible grandchild names.
"Okay…I have a question." Fugaku said in a reserved tone.
"Shoot!" The two women turned to face him. (Shizune was long-gone)
"Did you hear what Sakura said? What if she doesn't go for either one?" Fugaku sighed.
"Itachi always gets what he wants." Mikoto smirked. "A trait he got from his father."
"Urm…" Fugaku looked away. "But, do you really want her to be unhappy?"
"Itachi isn't what he seems. He could undoubtedly make her fall in love with him!" Mikoto smiled happily. "Sasuke is just too…childish to compare to his brother. Don't get me wrong, I love him. But Itachi is the better choice."
"Fugaku, lighten up! All you need to do is give Itachi some direction…advice and such. He'll figure it out on his own." Tsunade waved her hand. "Plus, I've got a plan…"
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This chappie is done! Cliffhanger…heheh…
Please review! I need to know your comments…whether or not you want another chapter…and I would also like the personal amusement of ridiculing flames.
-AJlovesKakashi 3
Thanks!
OH! I want to thank everyone who favorited my story and THANK YOU for the one review!
*This is part of one of my lines for my One Act. "If It Don't Hurt, It Ain't Love"
We're watching the video of the performances and my screaming this line made Mr. Mills jump a freakin' mile! It was so worth it.