You Can't Plan Love
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I really do appreciate all the support this unconventional pairing is getting. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 4
The next day, Sasuke knew that something had changed. Shika had been acting weird all morning. Not that she ever acted 'normal' exactly, but still.
"You should just ask her." Aoda smiles at him.
That was easy for a snake to say and yes, Sasuke was having his Summon help him with reconstruction efforts. Aoda was strong and he wanted to help. So why not let him?
Sasuke sighs and shakes his head. "I don't know how to ask her about that." Truth be told, he didn't know the Nara Heiress that well.
Sure, they had been essentially living together for a couple weeks. That didn't mean too much though. The dark beauty was far too intelligent to let anything too important slip.
"Well, I find that the simplest approach is best when dealing with females." Uh huh. "If you just ask her what's wrong, she'll likely tell you. Your female strikes me as an honest sort."
His female? He didn't own Shika. Shika wasn't even his lover.
So Sasuke raises an eyebrow at that. "She's not mine." Hell, Sasuke wasn't even really sure if Shika considered him to be her friend or not.
Aoda was a snake though. Obviously, he wasn't used to the complicated mess that was human relationships. To the giant reptile, they must have all seemed insane.
"You share your territory with her." His Summon gives Sasuke a look of disbelief as if that settled the matter.
It probably did, for most animals. They weren't animals though. He and Shika were both humans and humans didn't own each other just because they lived together!
The Uchiha snorts as he hammers some nails. "Yes, but that's because Kakashi assigned her to babysit me." It wasn't because she was a lover who had decided to move in.
"You cook for each other." Aoda shakes his head again. "If you weren't Mates or in the courtship process, why would you waste your food on her?"
Again, that probably made sense from a purely animalistic perspective. That wasn't how things worked with people though.
Nothing was ever that simple. "Because she has to be here and I don't want her to starve to death." It would be a drag, as Shika said.
"Master Sasuke, I care about you a great deal." Uh huh. "Which is why I believe it is time that I explain a few things to you about females."
Oh for the love of tomatoes, Aoda couldn't possibly be serious. Did his Summon actually think that Sasuke needed him to explain about Kunais and Pouches?!
"Aoda, I already know that!" Sasuke tries his best not to scream at the serpent in frustration. "I'm not that naïve."
The snake actually smiles at him in response. "Good." He nods at Sasuke. "I don't really smell any rivals on her and you're both of age." Sasuke didn't like where this was going. "So I'm at a loss for what you're waiting for. From what I understand, humans can breed year round."
Sasuke groans. Why him? Why did this sort of thing always happen to him?
"Aoda, it's not that simple." Sasuke smacks his forehead. "Besides, I highly doubt that she actually wants to breed with me."
Shika would likely never consider it. She was too smart to really get involved with him. It was one thing to hang around his District because Kakashi ordered it. It would be another to actually become his wife.
The Summon shakes his head as he 'pats' Sasuke on the head with his own. "Humans just have really weak noses." What?! "She's receptive to you. Cautious, but receptive."
Great. Now, Aoda was sniffing Shika to see if she was interested. That was both touching and disturbing.
"That's nice of you to say, Aoda." Sasuke snorts at the snake. "But just because you think you smell something doesn't mean it's actually there or you could just be misinterpreting the scent."
Yes, that would have to do it. It was best to keep things as simple as possible for the lovable Summon. Aoda meant well. He just lacked any sense of tact.
"There is no misinterpreting the scent of desire." He gives Sasuke a dirty look. "How do you think my species has survived so long?"
Sasuke really didn't want to go into the evolution of Summons. Anyway, he needed to change the topic and quickly.
"Aoda, we've got work to do." The raven haired man shakes his head. "If you really want me to find a Mate, my territory needs to be in excellent condition."
Magic. It was like magic really. Apparently, that was all that he really needed to say to get the snake going.
"Yes, Master Sasuke." Aoda begins moving more materials. "Remember, a hot clutch usually yields more male hatchlings and a cool clutch usually yields more females."
Gods and Goddesses, what had gotten into the serpent? If Sasuke really wanted to seduce someone, he would have already done it by now. He just had to get a few things sorted out before he could start with making Hatchlings first.
Whatever. "Good to know." For now, he'd humor Aoda.
Besides, he still had to figure out what was wrong with Shika. She had been so blushy this morning and yes, Sasuke knew that wasn't a real word. It was now though.
On the other side of the village, Suigetsu winces. Karin was scary as Hell when she was mad. Her lung capacity was amazing.
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TWO IDIOTS!" The banshee shrieks.
Damn. He really needed to gag her or something because this was just not normal. How was it possible to be that loud?
Jugo winces as well. "It seemed like a good idea at the time." Great. Now, the friendly giant was going to rat him out. This was so not cool.
"What on Earth made you think that forging a love note was a good idea?!" Karin's hands were now on her hips.
They were nice hips. She might be pretty flat, but the woman had great legs and the hips were impressive. If only she would stop screaming so damn much, then she might be OK to be around.
He'd have to stand his ground though. "He needs someone to remove that stick stuck up his butt!" Suigetsu smiles at her, hoping that would pacify the vengeful woman. "That and he's always going on about how he wants to restore his Clan."
Sasuke was pretty easy to understand at the end of the day. He'd only had two goals and only one of them was left. So this was simple math. Really, really simple math.
"Well, let him choose who it is." She rolls her eyes at them as if they were both idiots. "What do you think he's going to do to the two of you when he realizes what happened?"
Suigetsu gulps a bit at that. Karin might be right. Sassy was going to be pissed, but hopefully less so if it worked.
"You worry too much." He tries to force himself to sound brave. "He'll be so happy about having a girlfriend, that he'll thank us."
Jugo sighs as smacks his forehead in frustration. "We're doomed." Well, with that attitude they certainly were.
What was the matter with his partner in crime? Hadn't Jugo ever heard of the expression, 'Fake it until you make it.'?
"Ino wouldn't tell me who the flowers were for." Karin was spitting bullets. "So what's going on? Who are you trying to set Sasuke up with?"
Hmm. To tell her or not to tell her? Suigetsu wasn't really sure which would work out worse for him in the end.
So he just shrugs and hopes for the best. "Doesn't matter." There. Maybe, she'd leave him alone now.
"OF COURSE, IT MATTERS!" That didn't work out so well.
Luckily, Jugo stands between him and Karin. Otherwise, the red head might have actually succeeded in smacking him. Which was clearly, what she had been trying to do.
"There's no need to fight." He smiles at them. "I'm sure that everything will work out in the end."
Suigetsu rolls his eyes. Jugo could be unexpectedly mushy at times. How that was possible given how long the other man had lived in the Sound Village was utterly beyond his understanding, but whatever.
Karin looks at Jugo as if he had truly lost his mind. "You can't just set Sasuke up with just anyone." Oh yeah. The red head was still obsessed with a certain Uchiha.
"We didn't set him up with just anyone." Jugo smiles at her. "We've written a note and sent flowers on his behalf to the one woman in his village, he seems to tolerate other than you."
That was a nice save. Though Suigetsu knew what was coming. They both did.
"If he tolerates me, why wouldn't you just set him up with me?" Karin flails at them. "That doesn't make any sense. I'm his teammate."
Suigetsu rolls his eyes at her as if that should be the most obvious thing in the world. "Because Sasuke has freakishly good hearing." Probably brought on by his supreme paranoia that had been honed to perfection from living in the Sound Village, actually. "So dating a banshee is out of the question."
That was probably the wrong thing to say. Suigetsu really did need to invest in earplugs because Karin was now completely losing it.
"I'M NOT A BANSHEE!" Suigetsu would beg to differ on that.
Jugo sighs and shakes his head. "To answer your question though, Shika." It was nice of the guy, really. The gentle giant was trying to save him from Karin's wrath.
Karin suddenly stops her homicidal rage. It was quite the impressive and stunning transformation. One moment, she was ready to beat people black and blue and the next, she was contemplative.
"That might work." She sighs and shakes her head. "I mean I wish it was me, but they've been basically living together for a while and haven't killed each other."
Suigetsu nods his head vigorously at that. "That's right." He grins at the banshee. "So that's gotta be a sign of true love or something like that!"
Karin rolls his eyes at him. Whatever. She knew he was right. That's why the red head wasn't arguing about his logic.
"I guess that's one way to look at it." Karin crosses her arms and shakes her head. "That or at the very least, it's a good sign." She glances at Jugo. "So what did the note say exactly?"
Jugo smiles serenely. "Well, I tried my best to make it romantic, but still Sasuke-like." Uh huh. That was quite the challenge. "I think she'll be pleased with it."
Back in the Uchiha District, Shika shakes her head as she sets about making lunch. It was such a drag. Cooking was annoying, but it gave her a good excuse to avoid Sasuke.
"Alright." She sighs as she sets the table. "I just have to think about this logically."
She was a genius. Thinking logically was kinda her thing. Which is why Shika was currently avoiding Sasuke.
She needed to come up with some kind of strategy for all this. It was just the lazy ninja had never expected Sasuke Uchiha of all people to fall for her. It didn't make any sense.
"Well, they do say opposites attract." She shakes her head as she glances at the note for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. "So if that's accurate, it makes sense in a really twisted way."
After all, she was lazy and smart. Shika wouldn't fight unless she had no other choice and Sasuke decidedly wasn't wired that way. He was driven, broody, and aggressive.
"Smart though." She looks towards the note. "I'll give him that much." He just let himself be led around by his emotions too much, but no one could deny he was a prodigy for more reasons than just his chakra reserves and the strength of his punches.
Maybe, that was why she kept looking at it. It was flattering in a way. Out of all the girls that had thrown themselves at him back in the Academy, Sasuke wanted her.
Dear Shika,
I know that this is going to seem sudden and foolish. You're someone who always thinks through every decision you make, but that doesn't make my feelings any less real.
I've grown used to you being here. It wasn't love at first sight. I was and still am coming out of the darkness, so I couldn't see as clearly as I do now.
I love you because you're the only person I can have a real conversation with. You're probably the only person I know who is smarter than me. You make me feel calm. Normal. That's something I haven't had in awhile.
I love you because I can count on you. I love you because you're brave enough to stay with me, when most people would run away screaming. I also love the fact you wear red lace.
So I got you matching flowers. I know that I don't have any right to expect you to give me a chance considering my past. It's a real drag as you say, but I have to try anyway.
Sasuke.
It was oddly practical and yet, romantic at the same time. Shika couldn't remember reading about a note like that before.
"I have no idea what I'm going to say to him." She sighs to herself.
Naturally, that's the moment when she hears the door to the house open and gulps. This might not end well. She had to think quickly!
Sasuke sighs as he enters the house and strides towards the kitchen. Aoda was right. Shika was an honest woman. She'd tell him, if he asked what was wrong.
"Shika?" The raven haired ninja enters his kitchen. "Are you alright? You've been acting a little off today." His kitchen that had red roses inside it.
That was new. If it was anyone else, they probably would have just assumed that Shika had gotten them. Women tended to enjoy decorating houses and such, but Sauske wasn't anyone else and he knew Shika.
Shika wasn't the kind of woman who would buy red roses on a whim. Nor would she address a card to herself.
"What's with the card?" He raises an eyebrow.
Something strange was going on here and Sasuke was going to get to the bottom of it. Right now.
Shika actually blushes. "You should know what's with the card." Huh? "You're the one that wrote it."
"I haven't written any card." Sasuke shakes his head as he reaches for it. "I don't know what you're talking about. Someone is clearly messing with you."
The card was nice. It was clearly intended to be a romantic one with the red rose background and wavy white letters done in his handwriting style, but he hadn't wrote it.
"That explains it then." He blinks. "Someone forged my handwriting and gave you a card." Sasuke glances at the roses. "They also must have gotten the flowers."
He didn't understand why though. Who would have a motive to make Shika think that he was in love with her? Who would know his mannerisms well enough to pull it off convincingly?
Shika stares at him and covers her mouth in horror. "So it wasn't from you then." No. It wasn't. "I'm such an idiot."
Sasuke rolls his eyes at that. "You're many things, Shika." They both knew she wasn't that. "You're no one's fool though. This handwriting is so convincing that if I didn't know better, I would say I wrote it and they've certainly got my writing style down."
Had he actually tried to write a love note for her, it likely would have been similar to the one on the card. Though Sasuke still had to find out who was behind this and why.
"I see." She bites her lower lip. "Well, whoever did this did an excellent job." She had thought it was real. "I w-was completely fooled."
Shika was stuttering. That wasn't a good sign. Whoever was behind this had really thrown her for a loop.
He knew that he shouldn't ask, but Sasuke would anyway. "When you thought it was real, how did you feel?" It was hard to gauge her reaction.
Almost impossible really. She could just be upset that someone was messing with them or upset that it wasn't really from him.
They had been growing closer over the past few weeks, but was that enough of a reason for her to be really upset? Maybe, her pride was just hurt. It was hard to find out you had a secret admirer who wasn't real.
"That doesn't matter." She shakes her head. "What matters is we have someone who knows your behavioral patterns will enough to pretend to be you and for some reason, they wanted to meddle in your love life."
Sasuke feels one of his eyes bleed red and the Rinnegan flash. "Of course, it matters!" Damn it. His emotions. They'd always been his Achilles' Heel.
He needed to get it together and get it together fast. Before he said or did something stupid. Itachi must be laughing at him from beyond the grave right about now.
"It doesn't!" Shika was half yelling at him now. "Now, who do we know who would be able to copy your handwriting? It would have to be someone close to you or with access to your writing at the very least."
Someone close to him? "Well, it damn sure isn't Naruto." The idiot couldn't have forged his writing like that. "I highly doubt it's Sakura or Karin." They both had feelings for him at once point. This didn't make any sense. "Suigetsu is too stupid to pull something like that off."
Sasuke frowns as he mentally ticks off the various people that might have done this. He didn't get why they had done this, but he knew without a doubt whoever was behind this definitely wasn't a stranger.
"Alright." She nods at him. "Well, if it wasn't Suigetsu, Sakura, or Karin, who do you think it was?"
One possibility was springing to mind. "Kakashi seems the most likely." He could certainly forge a signature and he had read far too many romantic novels. "He likes to meddle and he's clever enough to do this." Would he though?
Shika frowns at that as she blinks a bit too quickly for it to be normal. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke noticed something wet slide down her cheek. It was only one, but he couldn't have imagined it.
"Then we should go and talk to Kakashi." She shakes her head quickly. "It's a drag, but he can't play with people like this." It was a tear. "I don't care if he is Hokage, this just isn't right."
It didn't seem like Kakashi's style to be honest. Sure, he could have carried out a plan like this. To what end though?
"Alright." Sasuke nods as he heads off with her towards Kakashi's office. "Let's go and figure out what the hell is going on." That bastard was going to pay for making Shika cry.