Title: Sister (Ch.3)

Authoress: Mistress Krane

Summary:Daughter to the head of one of the biggest corporations in Japan, young Sakura is only five years old when her parents are murdered. Fleeing for her life with only a necklace and her memories, she is found and adopted by the Uchiha family, who take her in and raise her as their own. Growing up in a setting of warmth, love, and happiness, it was only a matter of time before a single event sent her spiraling back down into the mysteries of her past. high school AU, ItaSakuSasu

Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

A/N: Another chapter up and ready to go. Sorry about the extended wait between chapters, my faithful readers, but the lengths of these end up being quite the little monsters. Anyway. More notes at to come at the end.


The wind howled menacingly, rattling the window as Sakura stared up at the dark clouds through the glass. The forecast called for heavy rain for the remainder of the day if she remembered correctly, but as much as she loved storms, the thought of walking back to the house in the midst of one wasn't the most pleasant.

She turned around in her chair situated beside the front office, leaning her head against the wall.

It was weird that she was waiting for Naruto, Sasuke, and Itachi today.

Apparently Itachi had been requested specifically by his teacher for some kind of peer tutoring with one of his classmates with him acting as the tutor. Not seeing any real reason to refuse, he'd been a good student and complied. He wouldn't be back for another fifteen minutes or so.

Well, at least Itachi had a legitimate reason for his delay.

Because Naruto and Sasuke sure as hell didn't.


[A few hours earlier]

"Come on guys, I swear I won't be late for gym! Let me just turn this in to Iruka-sensei really quick. Two minutes tops."

Sakura and Sasuke turned around to stare at their antsy blonde friend with similar expressions of incredulity. He held an unrecognizably wrinkled set of papers in his hands and looked like he was about ready to piss his pants.

"You never turned that thing in?" Sasuke asked sharply, eyes narrowing. "We worked our asses off finishing that with you last night, dobe."

"I couldn't find it when he called for them at the end of class, but he said if I turned it in before his conference period he'd still give me full credit," Naruto explained, leaning to glance at the clock behind them anxiously. The post-lunch rush was coming soon, and they had to leave now.

Sakura pinned him with a withering look before glancing over at Sasuke. His expression had smoothed into one of mild irritation, and he met her gaze in silent question. He seemed indifferent enough to where it was really up to her.

"…If we go with him we can make sure he finally turns the damn thing in for good," she decided, bringing her hand up to drag it down her face heavily.

"Thanks Sakura-chan!"

Naruto wasted no time in linking his arm through hers and tugging her at an almost-run down the hallway. Sasuke tagged along rather easily, remaining calm and brisk in his walking pace as they weaved through the corridors hurriedly. The shrill dismissal bell spurred the blonde and his pink-haired attachment into a frantic start, and he adjusted his speed with a sigh.

Sakura turned slightly in Naruto's hold to catch sight of Sasuke trailing after them, and she instinctively reached out to secure his blazer sleeve in her grip as students filtered out of the classrooms in waves. She gave him a small smile, and she couldn't blame him for not returning it as he allowed himself to be pulled along through the gathering crowds for the second time that week.

"Do you still have teme?" Naruto asked over his shoulder, still pushing through the people determinedly. "We're almost there."

The trio rounded the corner and Sakura recognized the hallway that held their literature classroom. She spotted their destination three doors down.

But of course it was on the opposite side of the hall.

They were presently within the flow moving toward the other end of the corridor, which was helpful in moving them forward, but getting to the other side entailed going against the opposite current of students.

Her suggestion to continue on their current path before switching streams once past the room died in her throat as Naruto's impatience sent them headfirst into the other side.

The pull from both sides seemed to intensify: Naruto's from his increased effort to work through the crowd, and Sasuke's from said crowd's multiple attempts to pull him along with them. She fixed what she could, pulling closer to the blonde while tightening and jerking the popular Uchiha closer to her by the sleeve. Sasuke's annoyed grunt sounded closer to her ear at the action, but she paid him little heed as they finally reached the classroom.

Naruto pulled them into the room with a final tug, and they were sent sprawling through the doorway. Sakura released her holds immediately to avoid any embarrassing trips or falls, regaining her balance without much trouble. Beside her Sasuke had caught himself and closed the door securely.

"Can't we get anywhere together in this school without becoming a human chain?" Sakura complained, rubbing her upper arm lightly.

"I wouldn't count on it." Sasuke's dark eyes followed Naruto's movements, standing with his unoccupied hand in his pocket. "Dobe, are you turning in the damn paper or not?"

"Iruka-sensei isn't here! How am I supposed to turn it in?" Naruto was looking around the empty room restlessly, waving the paper in his hands around in the air.

He met Sakura's concerned gaze briefly, thinking. Then, unbidden, a scheming gleam overtook his features, and his eyes shifted to Sasuke. The Uchiha stiffened.

"Hey, Sakura-chan. Why don't you go ahead to the gym and tell Gai-sensei that we'll catch up in a few?" Naruto suggested. A relaxed grin bared his teeth, but Sakura caught the slightest of twitches at the corner. "Teme and I are going to find a way to turn this paper in."

She noticed the way his cerulean eyes were drifting to Iruka-sensei's desk, and she pieced his plan together in less than a second. The paper's were most likely held in one of the locked compartments, and the idiot was actually considering breaking into it and slipping his report inside. Her mouth dropped open.

"You can't be serious! Naruto-"

A hand came up to cover her mouth firmly, and Sasuke turned her head to glare hotly at Sasuke. He was standing behind her, frowning as his angled breath slid across her cheek.

"Calm down, Sakura. You're acting like we've never done this before." He didn't seem happy about the situation, but she could see that he was resigned to helping his best friend. "Just go to class and act normal. We'll catch up."

She growled behind his hand, unwilling to go without a fight, but Naruto had already turned toward the desk and Sasuke was leading her to the door. He overpowered her without hurting her, and she scowled as he released her outside of the classroom. He blocked the doorway with his body.

"Go to class Sakura," he repeated, this time with a smirk. He reached over and began to slide the door shut. "Wouldn't want you getting in trouble, would we?"

His arrogant features disappeared behind the door just as her fist connected with the spot where his face had been. Her scowl softened into a simple frown as the lock clicked from the inside, and she took a step backward into the empty hallway.

There wasn't anything she could do about it now.

Turning away from the classroom and breaking into a slow jog, Sakura began to make her way to the gym, wincing at the loud bang that could be heard through the walls. She didn't change her pace, believing firmly that Naruto and Sasuke would be fine without her bailing them out.

They wouldn't get caught.


Kami, they had gotten caught. Imagine that.

Iruka-sensei had been the one to find them, having forgotten some files for his conference on his desk. They had been in the process of finding the fifth period stack in the drawer when he'd stumbled across them. From what they'd told her, his expression had been an interesting mix of horrified and pissed.

Considering the circumstances and how much trouble they could've been in, Iruka-sensei had practically given them a free pass. It was common knowledge that he had a soft spot for Naruto despite his mischievous tendencies, and as far as he knew Sasuke was just a good student that had never misbehaved before in the past.

Because of this he hadn't reported the incident to the headmistress and hadn't even filed a formal detention record. The only thing required of them was to repair the desk and accept the deducted credit on their reports, though it was still shocking that he had even agreed to accept Naruto's paper.

Sakura shook her head. Unbelievable.

The hallway stretched out before her, and after a number of minutes staring at nothing but empty space she caught sight of her new Pre-Calculus teacher rounding the corner. His eyes were downcast, focused on some documents balanced on his arm with a thermal mug he had grasped in his hand. In his other hand he carried his suitcase for work and a pen. She couldn't help thinking that if he were any less coordinated everything would have tumbled out of balance by now.

Not wanting to startle him by yelling a greeting Sakura remained quiet, watching him casually make his way down the hall. His mask from the previous day was still in place, and she wondered if he would ever come to school without it. Judging from the outlines under the form fitting material, he was probably quite handsome beneath it.

Wait. She had so not just gone there.

Kakashi chose that moment to look up, and the fact that he'd caught her staring and blushing darkened her cheeks further. If he noticed her discomfort from where he was standing he didn't say anything about it, and as he approached her she willed the color to fade from her face.

"Good afternoon, Haruno-san," Kakashi greeted, coming to a halt a respectable distance in front of her. "You're still here so late after school?"

"I'm waiting for my friends," Sakura explained with a smile, standing politely to offer him a bow. "Do you have another meeting with the headmistress, Hatake-sensei?"

The fabric of his mask shifted as he smiled, and she averted her eyes to prevent any more potentially inappropriate thoughts from arising. It wouldn't be good to get flustered with him so close.

"No, but I managed to snag a parking spot close to the front entrance," he explained, sounding amused. She hoped it wasn't because of her. "So coming this way would be the quickest route to my car, ne? Unless you can point me in the direction of a shortcut."

Sakura laughed at that, still keeping her eyes firmly away from his face. His chuckles were accompanied by a light, successive tapping noise that she realized was the rain. She turned to look outside.

"Wasn't expecting the rain today," Kakashi commented nonchalantly, drawing her gaze back to him. He was looking at the items in his hands thoughtfully. "Guess it pays off to actually listen to those weathermen once in awhile."

"Do you not have an umbrella, Hatake-sensei?" Sakura asked, concerned. With everything that he was carrying though, she doubted that he would even be able to hold it up for himself if he'd had one.

"Mine broke a long time ago. Never found the time to buy a new one."

Sakura frowned at him, and smirked upon seeing her disgruntled expression. It wouldn't be good if he caught a cold on his second day on the job, but he didn't seem the type to be all too concerned with his health. He looked like he would be laughing at the umbrella concerns etched into her face waiting to spill out if not for common courtesy.

"Don't worry Haruno-san. A little rain never hurt anyone," he said lightly, settling for a grin instead of laughter. The look on her face must have told him that she still didn't believe that, so he attempted a placating gesture as best he could with occupied hands.

"But if it'll make you feel better, I'll go and buy one. Today."

Oddly enough, the promise appeased the pink-haired first year. The stubborn glint in her eyes faded and she was left smiling pleasantly at him once again. The health of others was something she always paid special attention to, and she disliked seeing people ignoring things that could damage their bodies willy-nilly.

Her lips quirked up further at the sight of his raised brow, but she changed the subject easily.

"So how were the rest of your classes? I hope they went well."

Kakashi couldn't help smirking at the generic yet somewhat personal conversation topics. He was starting to like this girl more and more.

"They did go well, thank you. No doubt because of your advice to slow the speed of the lessons," he told her appreciatively. The eye crease that she was rapidly becoming accustomed to made its appearance. "The students seemed very receptive to the concepts, and some started getting involved after awhile. You've helped me greatly once again, it seems."

Sakura blushed at the compliments, shifting uncomfortably. "I really didn't do anything. I'm sure they enjoyed your teaching methods."

Piercing charcoal eyes observed the pinkette curiously. Only moments before she had held an air of assertion and determination about her, and now she seemed docile and delicate. Neither of the countenances were insincere, and the fact that they were so readily interchangeable fascinated him.

When Kakashi didn't reply Sakura looked up to find him watching her with an unreadable expression. Heaving dealt with such expressions in the past, present, and the potential future with her Uchiha companions, she huffed in irritation before catching herself. This was still a teacher she was talking to, after all.

"Is something wrong Hatake-sensei?"

His eyes cleared at her question, but she still couldn't read what was behind them. She restrained a frown.

"Hn? Nothing's wrong." The smile shifted into a grin.

Sakura blinked owlishly at her silver-haired teacher's boyish expression. The hint of a sparkle in his eyes was accompanied by his comfortable slouch and wide smile, and she couldn't help simply staring at him. He seemed so much younger than all of the other teachers, she noted idly.

Realizing that her train of thought was veering uncomfortably close to the wrong kind of category once again, she shook her head once to clear it. Thinking about her teacher in a way that was anything less than professional wasn't the smartest thing to do. Especially only after the first real conversation she'd had with the man.

Kakashi shifted slightly and adjusted the mug in his hand, seeing the inner conflict that flitted across her eyes. It only lasted a moment though, because she adopted a concerned frown at the movement, mistaking it for discomfort.

"I'm sorry, you've been standing there with all of those things this entire time," Sakura apologized, holding out her hand in an offer of assistance.

He hesitated at the unexpected offer, but submitted to the earnest light in her gaze. He handed her his mug and documents.

"Do you need help bringing everything to your car?"

Kakashi shook his head, bending down and setting his suitcase on the ground. He opened it and placed his pen into one of the inner pockets before looking up at her.

"I'll manage as long as these documents don't get wet," he replied, gesturing to the papers with a smile. "But thank you for the offer, Haruno-san."

Sakura obligingly handed over the documents. Feeling awkward looking down at her sensei, she lowered herself onto the balls of her feet in front of him and offered him a warm smile. She turned the thermal mug over in her hands, curious.

"I didn't take you for a coffee person," Sakura said thoughtfully.

Feeling unusually bold and inquisitive, she flipped the small cap open and sniffed casually, missing the way Kakashi tensed at her actions.

This smell…

Her eyes widened in surprise and she tittered off balance. Kakashi's hand shot out to keep the thermal from spilling onto her as she landed on her rear with a small 'oof.' The two stared at one another for a moment before exchanging sheepish smiles.

Offering her his other hand, Kakashi pulled both of them up from the ground. His fingers had closed over hers around the mug, enveloping her hand, and upon seeing the tint of red across the bridge of her nose, he loosened both of his grips and let his arms fall back to his sides with a small cough, unused to dealing with such situations.

"Ah, are you alright, Haruno-san?"

She nodded quickly, smoothing a stray lock of hair and tucking it behind her ear. Recalling a vague memory of Itachi smoothly pointing out to her not long ago that he'd noticed the gesture to be a nervous habit of hers, she froze and dropped her hand.

"Umm, yes, I'm fine…" She found herself averting her eyes again.

The silence was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for both parties as neither knew what to say. Kakashi, feeling responsible and recognizing that he should say something to lighten the atmosphere as her teacher, struggled to find the right words while Sakura tried to piece together a decent apology for her behavior.

They were both saved the trouble when a third voice chimed in lightly.

"Fancy meeting you here Sakura-chan. Already chatting with the new teacher, hmm?"

Relief filling her at the welcome distraction along with a twinge of almost irritation at her friend's lack of manners, Sakura turned to Deidara with a frown she didn't really mean. Her eyes flickered over to Kakashi and then back to him pointedly. She received an impish smirk in return.

"Okay then. How's it hanging, Hatake-sensei, yeah?" he greeted laxly, raising his hand in greeting to the older man.

Keeping her jaw firmly in place at his blatant disregard for propriety, Sakura looked over sharply at Kakashi, only to find him smiling politely at the blonde.

"Good afternoon." He didn't seem to mind Deidara's lack of formality, and Sakura released an inaudible sigh. Deidara's smirk widened at the sight, but he refrained from commenting as Kakashi continued, "I'm sorry, I can't quite remember your name…"

"Just Deidara is fine, un."

"Deidara-san. If I'm not mistaken, you're in my fourth period along with Haruno-san, correct?"

Deidara nodded. Sakura was watching him cautiously, and he grinned at her expression when he nodded casually. "Yep."

The outburst tumbled out before she could stop it.

"Hatake-sensei, please excuse Deidara's behavior-"

Kakashi silenced the flustered pinkette with a wave of his hand, chuckling. He tacked 'respect for authority' onto the growing list of characteristics for her in his mind.

"It's alright Haruno-san. I want my students to feel comfortable around me," he insisted, noting the way she was glaring daggers at the unrepentant third year. By the way they's referred to one another and interacted thus far he could tell that they were quite close, and he mentioned so teasingly.

"The two of you appear to be quite comfortable around each other as well. Are you involved together?"

Two interesting reactions ensued following his purposely incorrect inquiry, both similar in their embarrassment but varying in displays.

"N-no, it's not like that, yeah. Sakura-chan and I are friends," Deidara stuttered, cheeks pinkening. Compared to Sakura's, his complexion still looked downright pale; she was beet red and darkening. "We've practically known each other forever."

The perceptive teacher didn't miss the way the blonde's eyes continually shifted over to the Sakura to gauge her reaction to his words as he spoke. It was clear that he cared deeply about her, but whether or not it was in a romantic way remained to be seen.

"Deidara's right. We're just friends," Sakura reinforced softly. Her face was still three shades darker than her hair, but her voice was steady. Either she wasn't as affected as Deidara, or she was controlling her reaction a lot better than he was. He was willing to bet that it was the latter from what he could tell from her somewhat troubled expression.

"Oh, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I didn't mean to make things awkward," Kakashi apologized, looking guilty and surprised.

He didn't want to offend them by allowing his amusement to manifest into a smirk, so he kept his features firmly set as Sakura rushed to reassure him. Deidara, blush lingering, kept his eyes trained on the wall, grunting his forgiveness.

This was certainly an interesting development that he, as a secret romantic himself, was looking forward to watching. But as it was, the subject was still touchy at the moment.

He had best be off.

"It's been nice talking to you, Haruno-san. Deidara-san. But I have to get going," Kakashi announced once the air had lightened up a bit. He picked up his suitcase from the ground.

"Sorry for bothering you for so long Hatake-sensei." Sakura smiled slightly, feeling the sense of normalcy return as they said their goodbyes.

"See you," Deidara waved shortly, feeling similarly. The smallest of smirks had returned, and Kakashi smirked as well.

As Sakura returned the thermal to her teacher she remembered just what had shocked her earlier. The force had made her stiff when the scent registered in her mind, causing her misbalance, but she didn't allow that to excuse the actions that had resulted in their discomfort afterward. She owed him something of an explanation.

"Umm, the reason I was so surprised earlier was because I recognized the smell of your drink."

Kakashi froze abruptly, mug in hand. His gaze became intense and piercing as he eyed her contemplative features. Deidara, too, was watching her curiously at her tone.

"You've smelled that before?" Kakashi asked guardedly.

She didn't seem to be paying attention to the edge on his tone as she nodded thoughtfully. Her brows furrowed.

"I remember…the tea fragrance. From when I was little. I…I used to drink it all the time before…"

A sharp pain cut through her head as she struggled to remember, and her vision spun as she stumbled forward. A persistent, aching throb was pounding against her skull and she vaguely registered fumbling into a pair of strong, steady arms as black spots blotted her sight.

"Itachi?" Deidara's shocked voice floated into her ears, and as she breathed in the comforting scent of musk and pine surrounding her she knew that Itachi was holding her. "Where'd you come from, hmm?"

Itachi didn't reply, adjusting his arms around her. Trying once again to remember, her eyes tightened shut as another stab of pain came sent her reeling and the Uchiha squeezed her form gently to his chest in response. She couldn't see what was happening, but she could feel three pairs of concerned eyes on her.

"What happened?" Itachi's voice was low and just short of threatening, and Sakura didn't have to guess twice to know who he was addressing. He wasn't going to blame Hatake-sensei for this.

"It wasn't anybody's fault. I just got dizzy," Sakura answered quietly, fighting against another throb. She couldn't understand why trying to remember was hurting so much.

Even though it was obvious that he didn't believe her, Itachi didn't push any further. Sakura forced her eyes open dazedly, and found his deep obsidian eyes boring into her with solemn concern and intent. From this distance she could see his worry for her clearly, and she offered him a small, reassuring smile.

Turning her head, she caught Kakashi looking at her with guilt accompanied by an almost indiscernible amount of interest. She didn't want him blaming himself somehow.

"You said you need to get going, right Hatake-sensei? I'll be fine," she reassured him, smiling. She couldn't help adding teasingly, "Unless you need me to remind you where the front door is."

The friendly jibe appeared to loosen some of the tension in his posture, but even as he smiled she could easily see his slight anxiety.

"Thank you, but I think I'll manage. I'll see you three in class tomorrow. Feel better, Haruno-san." The playful tint was absent from his tone, and she frowned.

He turned with a short wave, one hand in his pocket and the other carrying his suitcase. The way he carried himself suggested almost laziness, but she could still pick out the tense set of his muscles as he walked. The troublesome mug hung loosely from his hand, and its contents reminded her of the health issue she'd brought up earlier.

"Hatake-sensei, you need an umbrella!"

Kakashi stopped just as he rounded the corner, and his chuckled echoed down the hallway. She couldn't help thinking that he was laughing at her in some way, but she brushed it off. She was just relieved to see his posture slacken almost completely.

As her teacher's form disappeared from sight Sakura turned to look at Deidara, who she realized was laughing as well. He was looking at her with a peculiar expression.

"It isn't raining, Sakura-chan," he informed her, gesturing loosely to the window. A grin was threatening to break across his face as she saw that, true to his word, a layer of heavy clouds remained lacking the rain itself.

Tamping down her annoyance, she told herself that at least she had made her sensei feel better and had prevented his potential catching of a cold or flu.

"Are you alright Sakura?"

Itachi's soft question blew against the nape of her neck, and she shivered lightly at the sensation. In her comfort she'd almost forgotten that he was holding her in a place near the front of the school where, despite the late hour, the wrong people might see them.

"I'm fine, Itachi-kun. You can let me go."

Her words were gentle as she attempted to pull out of his hold, but rather predictably he allowed no such thing. Her cheeks pinkened in embarrassment when he pulled her closer to his chest instead, his arms tightening protectively as he prompted her to look at him.

"Is your head still in pain?" he asked, ignoring her weak reassurances. His features were carefully blank as he studied her with an almost clinical detachment. "Do you feel nauseous?"

Used to his straightforward questions and seeing that she wasn't getting out of this until he was fully satisfied, Sakura gave herself a mental checkup. The pain in her head had mostly receded and her stomach was far from queasy. It didn't seem like the sensation would be coming back anytime soon. She sighed.

Her hand ghosted against the Uchiha's cheek soothingly, a sweet smile forming on her lips as his features thawed under her fingers.

"I'm fine," she said again. "Stop worrying."

Itachi's eyes warmed.

"You cannot prevent me from doing so."

Sakura lowered her hand, shaking her head. She couldn't prevent the flood of color to her cheeks for what felt like the millionth time that day at the muted sincerity to his words. Itachi didn't say anything further on the subject as he finally loosened his grip on her.

Not completely withdrawing from him Sakura turned to look at Deidara. Her blonde friend appeared preoccupied as he stared at the rain that had evidently picked up again outside.

As she observed his unusually thoughtful expression, Kakashi's mistaken assumption popped into her mind. The longer she thought about it the more troubled she became, and she figured that it would be best not to dwell on such things for long. Absently, she wondered if he was thinking about it as well.

Without warning, like he'd felt the weight of her pressing stare, azure eyes slid over to lazily meet probing emerald. His heavy disposition lightened and adopted its usual teasing quality when he caught her visible chagrin at being noticed, and he grinned.

"Hey, I know I'm sexy, but you don't have to stare at me like that, un."

His playful wink earned him an eye roll and a glare.

"Says the junior who's never had a girlfriend before," Sakura pointed out dryly.

"You know I'm waiting for the right girl," he replied, unaffected. He waved a dismissive hand.

His gaze sharpened suddenly, and even from a distance she could detect his concern.

"But you're absolutely sure that you're fine, hmm? Wouldn't want you fainting on us."

Pulling away from Itachi completely to demonstrate her health, she nodded.

"I feel fit as fiddle," she announced with a smile, stretching out her arms full length on either side to stretch. The muscles in her shoulders popped and a sigh escaped her. "Don't worry."

Her long, pale arms stretched directly in front of her as she strained to loosen her joints as well, and she found herself vaguely confused when the blonde smirked impishly. Emerald eyes watched him warily.

"What?"

And then Deidara was approaching her, shaking his head as he laughed quietly. His arms were around her before she could figure out what he was doing and, stunned, she brought her hands up to rest lightly on his back.

"Holding your arms out like that is like an open invitation, you know," he mumbled into her hair, his chuckles rumbling against her cheek. His arms were wrapped securely around her waist.

"Deidara…" Sakura's voice trailed off in surprise, not knowing what to say. She relaxed into his hold, leaning against his chest as his laughter slowed to a stop.

"Don't go collapsing out of nowhere on us like that, yeah." His voice was serious as he pulled back enough to look at her fully. It seemed that it was his turn to fuss. "Okay?"

Sakura's gaze softened, and she wondered just what she'd done to deserve such caring friends.

"Okay."

Deidara's resulting smile had her pulling him close again with a smile of her own. The same earthy scent of gravel and honey that always seemed to stick to him smothered her senses, and she tightened her grip on his blazer briefly. They hadn't been this close in a long time.

The third year holding her was having similar thoughts as he idly smoothed the ends of her long pink hair. He wondered to himself when it had grown out so much, noting that the strands almost fell to the small of her back. Last he'd checked they had barely reached her mid back.

"Deidara." Itachi's soft voice pulled him out of his idle musings.

He looked up at once at the undertone of warning, but the Uchiha's eyes were focused down the hallway.

When he didn't elaborate Deidara followed is line of vision intently. For all intents and purposes the corridor appeared empty, but knowing that Itachi wasn't one to play with him like that he strained his ears as well.

The telltale echo of footsteps sounded, and the accelerated clicks of their heels grew closer. Whoever it was seemed to be running.

"Shit." He cursed lowly. Sakura wouldn't like it if someone saw them like this. He attempted to pull away.

Then a familiar head of spiky blonde hair and its dark haired partner in crime sprinted into his line of vision. He and Itachi released invisible sighs of relief.

Sasuke and Naruto slammed into the lockers on the opposite wall with a loud bang, not appearing to have made an attempt to slow down to lessen the impact. Deidara felt Sakura jerk in his arms at the clatter before turning her head sharply in their direction with a glare.

"I won, Sasuke-bastard!"

"You wish. And what did you call me, idiot?"

"Oh. I meant Sasuke-bitch. I win."

Sasuke had to forcibly hide his angered twitch as he peeled himself from the lockers. Naruto, grinning, followed suit.

"You're delusional, you son of a-"

"Vulgarity, Sasuke." Itachi interrupted before the harsh word could spill from his younger brother's lips.

The bickering first years turned at the voice, noticing their small audience. Naruto's grin widened, sensing a resolution to the argument, and proceeded to question the witness.

"Ne, Itachi, I totally beat Sasuke's ass, right?"

Itachi seemed to deliberate thoughtfully for a moment.

"You both arrived simultaneously."

The elder Uchiha's deadpan was lost on Sasuke, who had taken to glaring at Deidara instead. The honey blonde was holding Sakura in his arms with an almost cocky grin, though his arrogance was lost on the pinkette who was glaring in their direction.

"Deidara. Let go of Sakura," Sasuke demanded coldly.

Naruto snapped to attention at the prospect of his best female friend receiving affection from someone other than Sasuke, Itachi, or himself, forgetting the fact that he'd tied in the race. His cerulean eyes zeroed in on the two as well.

"Hey! Get your hands off of Sakura-chan!"

Sakura's glare intensified at their idiotic behavior. They always overreacted whenever something like this happened; it was Deidara for kami's sake, not some random pervert.

"Stop acting like idiots," she told them with a roll of her eyes. She offered Deidara a small smile before dropping her arms and stepping away. His arms dropped obediently, but an amused smirk remained as he watched the irritated duo. "Deidara is my friend, just like you guys. There's no need ot get all worked up."

"So I can hug Sakura-chan whenever the hell I want, yeah," he interjected smugly, grinning at Sakura. She couldn't help smiling wryly at his declaration.

As expected, Naruto and Sasuke didn't take kindly to this. They were in front of them in a heartbeat.

"Like hell you're going to smother Sakura-chan like that."

"I never said anything about smothering her. Hard of hearing, hmm?"

"My hearing is just fine!"

"Naruto-kun, don't yell. We're still inside the building."

"You aren't seriously going to just let him hug you whenever he wants."

"Is it so hard for you to believe that we're friends, damn it? It's not like he feels me up or anything."

"Exactly, un."

Deidara, highly amused by now, looked at the three underclassmen glaring in different directions. He glanced over at Itachi, who appeared almost bored as he stared out the window at the drizzle, and decided that maybe it was time to shove off.

A thought occurred to him as he reached into his pocket for his keys, and before he knew it he was asking.

"Do you four need a ride?"

Curious stares were automatically shot in his direction at the question. He had to keep himself from sighing. There was no taking it back now.

"That would be much appreciated, Deidara." Itachi's soft voice followed shortly after a small bout of silence.

"Thank you," Sakura added. She glared at Sasuke and Naruto, daring them to protest. They appeared mutinous, but said nothing. "You saved us from having to walk home in the rain."

"No problem," Deidara grunted, pulling out his keys and twirling them around his finger. "Let's get out of here, yeah."

X

For one reason or another, Sakura preferred to do her homework on the back porch. She liked to think it was because of the fresh air and lack of distractions.

Tucking her completed biology worksheet into her binder and sighing, the pinkette leaned back in her chair. The air felt damp and heavy as the rain continued rather mildly, and she contented herself with listening to the taps of the droplets as they landed against the roof. The final weeks of the spring seemed to be squeezing out as many showers as possible, not that she minded in particular.

It could have been a few minutes or an hour that she spent lounging there and listening to the rain. A wry smile curled her lips as she remembered a time when she'd been afraid of thunderstorms. The notion was amusing, considering she now found them rather comforting.

"Do I get to know the joke?"

The dry, almost bored question came from over her left shoulder.

"Nope. You wouldn't get it anyway," Sakura half teased.

Out of the corner of her eye she noted that he'd come to stand beside her seated form. Now she could see his frown.

"It sounds like you're implying that my sense of humor is worse than yours," he almost snorted softly. "Which is impossible."

She laughed at the idea of Uchiha Sasuke of all people claiming to have a better sense of humor than anyone.

"I know you're jealous. Your bitterness is to be expected."

"I'm not bitter."

"Keep telling yourself that. Denial is a normal part in the process to recovery."

Sasuke tilted his head to glare at the pinkette lightly. She knew that he wasn't really upset by his relaxed slouch, and just offered him an innocent smile in return.

He didn't comment, and after a long moment he redirected his gaze to silently disregard the conversation as if it were beneath him. Sakura almost rolled her eyes outright. It seemed he was picking up on some of his brother's habits.

"So did you need something Sasuke-kun? Or did you just come out to bother me because you missed me so much." Sakura reached over to the table to straighten her books and papers impulsively.

Sasuke watched her obsessive movements, releasing an exasperated sigh.

"Kaasan asked me to come get you. She's waiting in the kitchen," he informed her.

Adopting the sudden urge to irritate his best friend he pulled her biology worksheet from within the pile, succeeding in moving the papers out of position as he read over it curiously with a smirk. The answers all looked correct, as expected.

"Alright. I'll be over in a minute," she said testily. Snatching her paper back with a glare, she finished arranging her things and stood to gather it all into her arms. Sasuke surprised her by choosing to carry a couple of her binders, but only grunted when she sent him a questioning glance. "Thanks."

Deciding to drop off everything in Sakura's room first, the two went back into the house and ghosted up the stairs. The rain could clearly be heard against the walls and the roof of the unusually quiet house as they padded down the hall.

They arrived at her room quickly enough, moving to set everything beside her schoolbag. Once everything was placed they headed down to the kitchen.

Mikoto was fluttering around the room when they found her, movements graceful but hurried. The Uchiha matriarch continued about collecting her supplies for a few moments before taking notice of the two standing at the door. Her trademark obsidian eyes lightened in relief at their presence.

"Thank you for bringing her Sasuke," Mikoto smiled, barely pausing in her actions as she addressed them. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything Sakura-chan."

"Don't worry Mikoto-san. I'd already finished my homework when Sasuke-kun came to get me," she assured her.

"Good, good."

Mikoto continued on, apparently lost in thought as she chopped a carrot into thin strips. Sakura and Sasuke remained in the doorway almost awkwardly, waiting for some form of instruction or explanation for their summoning. When it didn't come for a few minutes, Sakura finally asked.

"Did you need help with something?" she prodded carefully.

Almost as if she'd forgotten they were there, Mikoto jumped slightly at her voice. A sheepish smile made its way onto her kind features as she finally slowed to a stop, turning to fully regard them.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little frazzled. Fugaku will be home in around two hours and he mentioned the possibility of an associate joining us for dinner." Ever the perfect hostess, she was understandably stressed with the slight shortness of time. Her distress was visible from across the room.

"I've already got most of the meal going here, but I realized we're almost out of hoisin sauce and completely out of umeboshi. I hate to send you two on foot in this weather, but I think Itachi-chan fell asleep and I don't want to wake him. He always seems so tired. Can you go to the store for me?"

Sakura nodded obediently, elbowing Sasuke when she caught his soft sigh.

"Yes kaasan."

"You can count on us."

"Thank you. You two are lifesavers," Mikoto said gratefully. Gesturing with the knifepoint in the direction of the door she added, "Don't forget an umbrella. We only have one at home right now, so you'll have to share. Feel free to buy another one at the store if you want."

Recognizing a dismissal when they saw one, Sakura and Sasuke hastily retreated from the kitchen.

Upon Sakura's insistence they made their way to the hallway closet where she pulled out a pair of light brown flat boots and a pair of old tennis shoes. She shoved the athletic shoes into a reluctant Sasuke's hands before sliding on her boots over her sweats.

Footwear sufficiently taken care of, Sakura closed the closet and proceeded to the front door, Sasuke in tow. Leaned against the wall was the same compact umbrella that they'd had for years, small enough to fit into a purse or handbag. Sasuke bent over to pick it up, eyeing it dubiously.

"We're supposed to share this." Thick disbelief colored his voice.

"You'd better believe it." She held up her wallet and house keys and motioned to her pocketless state. "You're on umbrella duty. I don't want anything falling into a mud puddle by accident."

"Hn."

Sakura ignored his irritated grunt and pulled open the door. It was pouring buckets outside, but the thankfully the wind wasn't out of control.

She ushered Sasuke out of the house before locking it behind him, and when she turned around the umbrella was already stretched open. He signaled her over to join him under the minimal cover and it wasn't until she arrived at his side that she noted how little protection they would have.

Without warning the Uchiha stepped down onto the muddy dirt path, leaving her no choice but to follow. A waterfall of rain instantly cascaded down her exposed arm and, surprised, she skirted closer to Sasuke with a muted squeak.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and sighed, adjusting the umbrella. Also taking note of her anxious proximity to him, he deliberated shortly before deciding to offer her his arm. He wasn't surprised when she accepted it gratefully.

"Sorry."

He almost didn't hear her mumbled apology over the pounding of the rain. A small smirk nudged the corners of his lips.

"It's fine."

Sakura's grip on his arm remained secure on his arm for the rest of the trip.

The sidewalk provided only some safety from the treacherous streets that narrowly avoided flooding, and though Sakura suspected that Sasuke's shoes must've been soaked through he never said anything. He never mentioned her invasive behavior, and she idly wondered how uncomfortable he was as they walked the last few streets to the small market.

Before they knew it they were entering the modest establishment, the cool air providing a stark contrast from the muggy and humid air outside.

Sakura winced at the audible squishing of her boots as she unlatched from Sasuke. He watched her amusedly as he shook off the umbrella and set it down beside the door, joining her without a single squeak of his rubber shoes.

"How can you do that?" she asked with a frown. "I swear it's impossible."

"There's no need to be jealous," he told her condescendingly. A mocking yet teasing tone edged his words, be he didn't add anything further as he began walking to the produce section.

Sakura couldn't help her grudging smile as she followed him.

It didn't take long for them to gather the needed supplies. Under normal circumstances she would have dawdled around for quite some time, but with their unfortunate time restraint the made their way over to the register.

The woman working the register smiled warmly as she rang them up.

"Is this all for you today?" she asked politely as her fingers punched over the keyboard.

The routine inquiry served as an abrupt reminder to Sakura that Mikoto had offered them the option to buy another umbrella for the return trip. She tossed Sasuke a questioning glance, but he answered with a subtle shake of his head.

"Yes, that will be all," Sasuke replied coolly.

The woman nodded and moved to print the receipt after accepting Sakura's money, but a frown appeared between her brow. She fiddled with the machine for a few seconds, unaware of Sasuke's silently growing impatience, before looking up at them with a guilty grin.

"I'm sorry, it seems the printer is out of paper. Please excuse me."

"That isn't-" Sakura's attempts to tell her that they really didn't need a receipt were brushed off as the woman scurried off before she could finish.

Her breath escaped her in a sigh, and beside her Sasuke scowled.

"Kaasan will be expecting us soon," he complained, just barely refraining from glaring at the retreating woman's figure.

Without a word he walked in the direction of the exit, retrieving the compact umbrella before coming back to Sakura's side.

"We've made decent time," she pointed out. Emerald eyes ran over the umbrella and the slowed rain outside, lightening in the hopes that the walk back would be a little less troublesome. Sasuke noticed this and refrained from rolling his eyes at her incessant worrying. "And we probably don't even need another umbrella."

Sasuke grunted his agreement, eyes searching for their wayward cashier. His sharp gaze caught sight of the middle-aged woman just as she approached them, paper in hand.

"I apologize for the inconvenience," she said as she refilled the machine.

"These things happen for a reason," Sakura assured her with a smile. "Right, Sasuke-kun?"

He cast her a disinterested glance. "Hn."

Sakura frowned, reaching over to take the umbrella from Sasuke. She missed the added gleam to the cashier's eyes as she jabbed him with the end and leaned closer to hiss in his ear, "Would it kill you to be a little more social? Be polite."

The pinkette withdrew with a sweet smile.

Slightly dreamy eyes regarded the disgruntled Uchiha and his innocent-looking female companion wistfully as the older woman handed Sakura the receipt.

"If I may say, it's always a pleasure assisting such a beautiful young couple," she sighed with a smile. "Oh, to be young and in love."

Sakura almost gaped outright at the completely incorrect assumption. Her face warmed and she was abruptly reminded of the similar occurrence earlier that had involved Deidara. The chances of it happening twice in once day had to be almost nonexistent, and yet it was happening again.

"We're not…together in that way," she said quickly. "We're just good friends."

Much to her consternation, the woman didn't seem to believe her. She continued to smile even as she handed a stiff Sasuke their bagged goods.

"Childhood friends?" she asked knowingly. The way she was regarding them made Sakura a little uneasy.

"Yes. Childhood friends." Sasuke's tone was bordering on sharp, and almost rude. But he was clearly uncomfortable.

"I see. I apologize for misunderstanding," she said, sounding polite but unrepentant. It was obvious that her opinion hadn't changed. Still, she bowed and continued, "Thank you for shopping with us. Please be sure to keep dry."

She eyed their small umbrella, a brief flash of mischievous amusement curving her smile.

"I would advise keeping close."

Wanting nothing more than to escape the increasingly awkward conversation, Sakura just nodded with a forced smile.

Soon she and Sasuke were hurrying out of the market, umeboshi and hoisin sauce in hand. If she'd thought that the trip back had been uncomfortable for Sasuke, the trip back was going to be doubly as bad with her riled as well.

She stifled a groan.

Great.


Kakashi looked up curiously as a streak of pink crossed his peripheral vision.

Sure enough, there was Haruno Sakura appearing to be rushing out the market doors accompanied, curiously enough, by a raven-haired young man. A fine silver brow lifted at the sight.

It looked like a certain pink-haired first year had another male companion. One that she felt close enough with to bring on domestic errands.

Their conversation from earlier provided him with much to think about. Thoughts drifted through his mind as she perused the rack of umbrellas situated a few feet away from the registers.

Sakura was a genuinely caring person; that much was obvious.

Her concern for his wellbeing had revealed to him the more determined, stubborn facet of her personality as well that obviously wouldn't tolerate any chance of harm befalling others, especially harm that could be prevented.

Along with that trait, however, was the shy and easily flustered part of her that was normal among girls her age. Her blushes, he found, were quite easy to trigger, which amused him greatly.

Bundled together with her bright intelligence and many more undiscovered aspects that came together to make up her unusual character, he found himself becoming increasingly intrigued with her. Her reaction to the smell of his tea only served to reinforce his suspicion that she was of vital importance to his current goal.

A pang of guilt coursed through him as he recalled her pained attempt to dredge up a certain memory regarding the smell. He wondered about the very likely possibility that if he continued to pursue this cause, then more of her pain would follow. The notion was certainly an unpleasant one.

In any case, he would continue his current course of action.

Observation.

"Ah." He murmured his quiet approval of a simple black umbrella mixed in the collection of vibrant hues, reaching over to pick it up by the handle. He found no damage to the product and proceeded to the next available register lazily.

"Good afternoon Hatake-san," greeted the cashier with warm familiarity. Kakashi looked up to find light brown eyes trained on him, crinkled into a smile. His lips curved into a small smirk. "It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise, Shizuko-san," he returned, handing her his intended purchase. "I trust you've been well."

She laughed, wasting no time in scanning the item and relaying the price to him.

"I've been as well as you'd expect," she sighed. Accepting his payment and pulling out the change, she rolled her eyes fondly when he rejected the money with a raise of his hand.

"Keep the change." His quiet insistence brought another smile to her lips. She had long since tried stopping him, and instead settled for heartfelt gratitude.

"Thank you." Handing him his new umbrella, she developed a grin that held the telltale signs of gossip and leaned forward excitedly. "Ne, I saw the cutest couple in here a few minutes ago," she chattered. "The boy was one of the most handsome I've ever seen, and the girl was pretty little thing with pink hair – pink, of all things!"

"Ah, is that so?" he asked curiously, playing along with an amused smirk.

"They denied it of course," she continued airily, dismissing the notion with a wave of her hand. Then her grin widened. "But that's how it always starts between childhood friends. You could see the love between these two, Hatake-san. It's only a matter of time."

Kakashi shook his head in light exasperation, used to his friend's overdramatic tendencies. The fact that Sakura was childhood friends with yet another handsome man didn't escape his notice. He tucked the tidbit of information away for later.

"Well it was nice talking to you," she said pleasantly as she handed him his receipt. "Thank you for listening to this crazy old woman's ramblings. Please come and see us again soon."

"Have a nice day Shizuko-san." The silver-haired man nodded, smiling beneath his mask. He turned and made his way toward the door.

Back braced to push through the exit, he paused just long enough to put his new purchase to work before continuing out the store.

With the smallest of smirks he sauntered carelessly through the rain, new umbrella in hand and raised over his head. Oh, if only Haruno-san could see him now.

She would be so proud.


He was awake before she came into the room.

Her characteristically light footsteps sounded just outside the door moments before she entered. She seemed to hesitate a few steps in, movement ceasing for a number of seconds before she continued over to his bedside. The sweet smell of peaches and mangos was more prominent than usual, and he guessed that she'd just taken a shower.

He counted to five in his head by the sound of her even breaths. Then he felt her shake his shoulder gently.

"Itachi-kun."

The elder Uchiha opened his eyes, blinking up at the pinkette languidly. She was peering down at him worriedly, emerald eyes roving over his features.

"I'm sorry for waking you up. I know how much trouble you have sleeping." She shifted her gaze over to the window, and he saw that it was still raining.

"Do not worry," Itachi murmured, sitting up.

Reaching over to retrieve his customary elastic band from his desk, he secured his hair into its low ponytail and moved off of his bed. He immediately to fix the sheets and was only slightly surprised to find that he had assistance.

"Fugaku-san is inviting one of his associates over for dinner," Sakura informed him casually as she straightened the sheets. Smoothing the black fabric with her fingers, she continued, "Mikoto-san requested that you be ready in twenty minutes."

Itachi nodded, noting Sakura's semi-formal blouse and jeans along with the damp towel hanging on her arm. He mentally decided on appropriate attire for himself as he pulled the sheets up to cover the pillows placed neatly at the head of the bed.

"I should go check on Sasuke-kun and make sure he's getting ready," she said to herself thoughtfully, drawing his attention. She was toweling the ends of her hair absently about to turn to the door, and he watched her movements with a sharp eye.

"Sakura." Her hands ceased and she turned to look at him curiously. "Are you feeling alright?"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation, a knowing smile curving her lips as she resumed toweling her hair.

"Didn't I already tell you that I'm fine?" she asked with a small laugh. "Don't worry, Itachi-kun."

Itachi studied her silently, and finding nothing outwardly wrong nodded once. A lingering frown remained. "Aa."

Sakura's smile softened, and he felt an odd sensation in the vicinity of his chest at the sight before she turned back to the door. "You should go ahead and start getting ready. I need to make sure that idiot of a brother of yours isn't taking too long. Again."

As the door clicked shut Itachi released a measure breath. The dissolving feeling wasn't entirely unpleasant, though he could still feel the slightest lingering pressure clenching in his chest. Unable to identify the emotion he padded to the bathroom, unsatisfied.

His mild displeasure persisted even as he undressed and stacked his clothes neatly to the side. He turned on the shower moments before stepping in, unfazed by the chilling spray that washed over him.

Sakura.

The sight of her pitching forward had suddenly quickened his pace greatly in order to steady her, and her dazed expression had unsettled him greatly. Deidara had looked on in understandable concern, but he hadn't failed to notice that their recently appointed Pre-Calculus teacher had been present as well, looking on with a mix of guilt and expectation that made him instantly suspicious. Sakura, as expected, was quick to defend the instructor.

Hatake Kakashi.

Itachi's mind strayed back to their decidedly odd initial encounter two days prior.

Having been returning to his classroom from an uneventful trip to the library he had seen the silver-haired man coming in his direction. He had intended to continue past without a word, but was surprised when the older man attempted small talk. His expression had appeared open, but Itachi was able to discern a veiled guard beneath that made him wary.

And then the man had deliberately mentioned Sakura. Almost as if he were fishing for information. He couldn't help stiffening at the thought of her associating with the stranger in any way other than was absolutely necessary.

And now Sakura seemed to be slowly warming up to him. The thought wasn't an agreeable one.

Turning off the now-warmed water, Itachi reached out for a towel. He stepped out of the shower, drying himself before wrapping the fabric loosely around his waist.

Sakura would not appreciate his input in her personal relationships, so he would decide on an alternate course of action.

He pushed the thoughts away to be regarded at a later time. Striding back into his bedroom and heading to his dresser he pulled out a crisp, black button up, dark slacks, and a pair of boxers and dressed. He was fully clothed in less than five minutes.

Deeming himself presentable, Itachi left his room and stepped out into the hallway. The always-pleasant smell of a home-cooked dinner floated through the house, and he descended the stairs with a twitch of his lips. Light conversation could be heard from the dining room as he entered without a word.

Two pairs of dark eyes similar to his looked up at his arrival, but the livelier of the two surprised him.

He certainly hadn't been expecting this particular associate for dinner.

"Why, good evening dear cousin," the younger of the men seated greeted enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. "Fancy meeting you here."


A/N: And the plot begins to thicken, slowly but surely.(:

I confess that there are hints of a possible DeiSaku branch introduced here, and I apologize that there weren't any earlier warnings to those of you who may be averse to other possible pairings throughout the story. But my muse simply doesn't seem to want to keep Sakura's cutesiness contained to just the Uchiha brothers, it seems. ^^"

So, right here, I'll admit that there is the possibility of some MultiSaku coming up in the future chapters. (though I don't take back my statement that there will, in fact, be one clear winner in the end)

Shizuko is my OC, by the way. I haven't decided whether or not she'll be included later on, but as of right now, don't forget about her.(;

Thanks for all of the continued support you guys, especially my faithful reviewers who stick with me no matter what comes up. I feel like I don't tell you all enough how much you mean to me.(:

Yours truly,

Mistress Krane