Itachi kept a sort of library in his home- it was a tiny space where he undoubtedly spent most of his time. The walls were covered with shelves of books; only the windows and the door to his room were permitted to breathe.
Sakura let him enter his room first with an idea formulating in her head. She entered and shut the door behind her, twisting with her fingertips to lock it and Itachi stopped in his tracks.
He turned and there was a challenge in his gaze. Do you really think that will keep me in?
Sakura answered it with a message of her own sent through her bright green flood lamps. You can't run forever in your own house! "How do you still have eyes when Sasuke has yours?"
Itachi sighed, thinking honesty would get this over with faster. The guy had nothing to lose- he wasn't at all ashamed of anything he did. Like Sakura, he had no regrets. "These are his." Sakura gasped at his words.
"So you still have…" She trailed off miserably.
"The Mangekyou, yes, but I can turn it off now, see?" He showed her for good measure and smirked when she flinched.
"Why didn't you just tell Sasuke you're alive?" Sakura demanded, feeling for the brother who felt the weight of his brother's death on his shoulders. "He knows what you did for him. Heck, I think the whole Konoha knows that you did what you did for your little brother."
"Because I want him to continue the clan." Itachi said. For once, he was the first to look away from piercing eyes. He honestly didn't think he would make much of a father.
"Why?" Sakura asked, strangely concerned.
"I don't believe I'm worthy of love and… I'm gay." Itachi said the last one sarcastically, but she went on to believe him.
"So that's why there's only one bed!" Sakura said, the 'realization' dawning on her. She was perfectly fine with homosexuals. In fact, this made things much more comfortable for her.
Well, if what she believes simplifies things… why must I ruin it? Itachi thought to himself with a hidden smile. "No. I have an extra mattress in the closet."
"Um…" Sakura knew the next piece of info would disturb him greatly. "Itachi, I have a problem." He raised a brow to both her statement and the use of his first name. He watched her play with twitching fingers uneasily and his curiosity spiked. "I'm kind of similar to a heat seeking missile… I have to hug something warm when I'm fast asleep or I'll go looking for it subconsciously."
"What did you do to quell it in the past?" Itachi asked, very concerned now, with a frown appearing on his lips.
"I got a puppy." She smiled at the thought of her cute little poodle.
"And on missions?" Itachi cancelled out that first suggestion- he despised pets. They would create disorder and chaos into his house.
"I slept nearest to my closest female friend or not at all." Sakura said, remembering how she had once affected Neji Hyuuga, with a blush spreading across her cheeks. "Don't worry about it though, you're gay and you won't notice until morning and I'll probably wake up earlier-"
"I hardly sleep." He interrupted miserably.
"Again, you're gay. It shouldn't bother you." Sakura said, dismissing it with a wave of her hand.
But, Itachi thought, that part isn't even true! In a long time, Itachi didn't find the appropriate moment to curse. I suppose he was given it now. Well… if she startles me in my sleep and I attack her and kill her… it will be her fault and not mine.
Later that night when Sakura was about to tuck herself into the covers, Itachi reentered the room after showering and dressing for bed and she was reminded of something.
"Why do you consider yourself undeserving of love?"
Itachi didn't even face her and he arranged his clothes in the closets on the right side of the door- the left side was left for Sakura, even though she didn't have any others yet. "Because I have never felt any of that towards another human being- it has made me such an effective killer."
In spite of herself, Sakura shivered. "But you loved Sasuke."
"Look how that turned out." Touché, Sakura noted. Sasuke wasn't that messed up anymore but he had gotten so obsessed with getting more and more powerful that it was kind of hard getting him focused on anything else.
"So how exactly do you expect him to continue the clan?" Sakura asked, wondering what his game plan was.
It was quite simple actually. "You." He had thought about it for a while now.
Knowing Sasuke, well, he never really had any sexual contact with anybody. But now that he had less and less to do… he was going to go look for it. And the female he was comfortable and familiar with happened to be… And Itachi would do his best to get her out of here as soon as possible.
Itachi looked up and saw Sakura staring at him, open-mouthed. "What's wrong? You've been longing for him, haven't you?"
She looked down, disappointed in herself. "That's the thing... I don't really know anymore."
Now that would be a problem, Itachi thought to himself. He walked over to the bed he was currently sharing. "Sakura, Sasuke is undoubtably the best choice for you."
"Yeah. And you would know- gay and all." She agreed. Thank Kami the lights were turned off. Itachi looked like he was ready to snap her head off as he went under the covers as far as possible from Sakura. "But I thought Neji would also be quite a charming catch…"
"Sakura… shut up." Itachi growled in spite of himself. You belong to the Uchiha clan. I have decided it- it will be done.
Itachi found himself unable to sleep through the night, thinking about how he'd soon be in the heat-seeking arms of Sakura Haruno. It bothered him greatly. Honestly, everyone needed their personal space even if she promised he wouldn't notice.
Maybe he should have told her he wasn't gay so she would insist on him sleeping on the sofa and try her best not to heat-seek.
He was worried that she would be dead in the morning from one of his impulsive, defensive attacks. He decided that he would tie her up in her sleep.
Gently tugging the covers from her, he realized she was wearing only one of his white tees and a long robe that had a slit up to her thigh. No. I am not touching her ever.
Finally, he pulled the covers back over her, rolled on to his back, crossed his arms over his chest, and fell into troubled sleep.
He was right, as usual as he had woken up ahead of her at about two in the morning. To his immense chagrin, he was lying down facing her. She had her left hand wrapped around his waist and her right hand over his heart. Their feet were entangled and if he moved at all, he would wake her up and it would result into alien sensations.
He contented himself into staring at her for a while. He couldn't deny that she was beautiful and it pleased him to think that the clan's descendants would be very attractive. Why not keep that side of the Uchiha reputation alive? They'd have perfect porcelain skin and the eyes of angels, but one or two might inherit her terrible hair.
While musing about pink-haired sharingan wielders, Itachi Uchiha fell asleep again.
