Previously:
After what Deidara could make out of the situation before she started sobbing while trying to talk at the same time, resulting in Deidara not really understanding what she was saying, but none-the-less, he comforted her. He sat on the boulder and pulled her in his chest and patted her back, while murmuring soothing words. God, he thought if any of the other Akatsuki members saw this…I'd never hear the end of it…
Not to their knowledge, Itachi was seeing them in clear view. He was sitting on a tree, one leg up. Doing a couple of hand signs, he disappeared in a whirl of silent ravens, fluttering away creating a whist of wind, rustling the leaves.
Ha! I just realized that the last chapter was 13 pages long!! 0.0 I had to go to the beginning chapters to check up on what I had written from before, because I forgot, and like, it was double-spaced and barely like two pages probably!! XDDD wow…just goes to show how much I've adapted to over this time.
DISCLAIMER!! I don't own Naruto.
Ahem…and I seriously have no idea where this chapter is going to go, so I'm just going to wing it. I have a vague idea though.
OH YEA!! And they're just friends, Sakura and Deidara, forgot to mention that.
The more Sakura got closer to Deidara, the more Itachi grew cold. He snapped more, replied less and became more distant with everyone, no one knew why, but the answer was obvious. He was jealous.
Sakura and Deidara were like the best of friends, he reminded her of Naruto, he was such a friend to rely on, it amazed Sakura at how he was an actual criminal, and he seemed so nice.
Deidara seemed to be her medicine, when he was around, she became so much happier. Slowly, she became to think that she wasn't so weak, thinking positively about herself. They never discussed what had happened from before, the day they first really met.
They seemed to rely on each other a lot, the more Sakura became friends with Deidara, the less she relied on Itachi and became close to him, but she still had that feeling of longing for him. Deidara and Sakura would spar, they would eat together and tell each other their problems and feelings, though Sakura would never bring up the subject of her liking Itachi, she would never dare…
"Ack! Ugh, it hurts…" Deidara groaned in pain, trying to sit down on the ground.
"Go easy on yourself, lower yourself slower." Sakura advised, doctor instincts hit in.
"And whose fault is it that I'm in such a predicament?" Deidara said playfully, wincing a little but finally settling down on the ground.
Sakura laughed out freely, saying back with a little smirk "Well, we were sparring, so getting hurt is part of the job."
Deidara looked at Sakura, a little amazed. It happened every time she laughed, it was so clear and crystal perfect. The sound itself was so sweet, he could listen to it forever, but that was only half of his liking for her laughing. Her face was priceless, when she laughed, she looked so happy, so care-free, and it made him feel so comfortable. It was nice to have a friend in the Akatsuki that seemed so much more…normal. Here, people laughed because of something funny like someone dying by torture or something. Deidara personally thought it wasn't funny, he much had rather laugh with Sakura, about nicer things.
She lay beside him on the grassy fields of where they were training, and sighed deeply, inhaling the smell of the wilderness around them.
Deidara hesitated before asking Sakura, "Uh, Sakura, Do you miss Konoha, un?"
There was a long pregnant pause before Sakura answered, she chose her words carefully, "I think that I do miss them, I mean they were my friends even till my childhood,"
Deidara looked a little pained, knowing that she would never be able to leave the Akatsuki and live with her friends, but she continued.
"But I don't know where I belong yet, I don't want to leave you here all by yourself." She laughed lightly, "You'd go insane, with all these homicidal criminals around you."
"You forget, I AM a homicidal criminal." Deidara pointed out.
"No you aren't, there's a difference. You don't NEED to kill, it is part of your job, you don't' enjoy it, you are just like every other ninja, like me."
"It's true, the life of a ninja is tough, sometimes you have to kill in order to live, or to get the job finished." Deidara said, it was evident that there was a lot of meaning behind those words, but Sakura didn't push it.
"Do you…want to go back?" Deidara asked.
"I don't know yet. I miss them, but I would definitely miss the Akatsuki as well, it's a shame that each place that I hold dearly, are enemies." Sakura said solemnly.
Deidara decided to change the topic and asked, "You know, Itachi has been acting very different nowadays, un."
"I agree, but I just don't know why."
"…I might have a feeling of why." Deidara muttered. He was the most observant person in the Akatsuki of these things. He knew that Sakura was the main reason.
Sakura grabbed his Akatsuki cloak so she was directly in front of him, enthusiasm and hope was definitely in her eyes, "Really?! Oh, please tell me, I want to help him."
Deidara sighed before saying, "Well, I'm guessing the reason is because…ahem…well, you see…uh-"
"Oh just spit it out already," Sakura said with mock anger of impatience, giggling while rolling her eyes.
"Well, it's because" Gulp, "he's kind of jealous that we have a bond." Deidara said, a little embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head with his hand, blushing a little.
"He's…jealous." Sakura stated again, not really believing the words.
"Uh…yeah, I think so, un."
"Bwa ha ha!! Oh my god, that's really out there though, Deidara." Sakura started laughing, clutching her sides because she was laughing so much.
"But it's true. I mean, think about it, ever since we've been becoming friends, he started to get more cold and distant."
"But, what's there to be jealous of? I mean, Itachi doesn't even really like me." Sakura flatly said.
'Oh, you'd be surprised' Deidara groaned in his head, but said something else, "You never know, right? He might like you because I've never seen him really talk to anyone else, really."
"I guess…but, Deidara, I can't really become his friend." Sakura said, while blushing a little, her cheeks matching her hair colour, it was kind of cute.
"Why not?" Deidara asked.
"Um, promise not to tell?" Sakura shyly questioned.
"I promise, un."
"Um…it's because I like Itachi, in uh, a way that's more than friends." Sakura was now fully blushing, in deep crimson.
Deidara chuckled a little while shaking his head. "Sakura, I've already known that for a really long time. This should give you more the reason to go up to him and tell him how you really feel."
Sakura pouted a little, shocked that Deidara actually knew about all of this for a long time, 'was it THAT noticeable?' she thought. "But why would it be a better reason to tell him? I don't' understand." Sakura said still a little confused of what he had just said to do.
"Because, Sakura," Deidara said, putting his hands on each of her shoulders so she was directly looking at her, "Itachi is impatient, I know this, but he's also very bad at recognizing feelings, he might take this friendship relationship the wrong way. He might give up on you, thinking you're already 'claimed', and I know that you two like each other, it'd be a shame if this opportunity in life was missed."
Sakura smiled a little weakly at Deidara, he was such a good friend, almost as if he was like her inner conscience, he had deep wisdom that not a lot of people knew of. He was such a good friend, she quickly pulled him in a hug and whispered, "Thank you, for being such a good friend to me." And she meant it.
Itachi looked at the scene, he felt a little sad, but was never shown; it was very rare for ANY emotions to go through his stoic gaze. When he actually thought he liked someone, it turns out she likes someone else, but he refused to be let up by it. He knew it was too late…but he would not care, he was Itachi, and he should've known, mentally beating himself, wasn't it him that said emotions drag you down? (A/N: I don't remember if he REALLY did say that, so don't use this as ref ; ) wasn't it him that said; you lack hatred? To his brother? He needed to hate, he need to despise, not love. It was a weak emotion, something that could easily rip you apart, he didn't need it, and he didn't need her.
Sakura used the rest of the day to search of Itachi, she checked everywhere, throughout the whole Akatsuki hideout cave, through the training grounds, around the grounds of the Akatsuki, yet she could not find him. Was he avoiding her? She felt a little dismayed and looked out the window in despair sighing, the moon had come out, and it was already dark out.
She decided to call it a day, but wanted to go outside, the air seemed to tempting and fresh, the night was so clear and crisp, the trees were so tall, looming over her, shadows casting about, engulfing her. Their smell of pine was entrancing. She used her chakra and channeled it to her feet, walking at a 90° angle and, when finally hitting the top of the tree, sat down on a sturdy branch.
It was so calm and peaceful out in the wilderness, she liked it in the morning, where the animals came out to do their daily things, getting food, grazing, the animals seemed to be so basic. Their life was so easy, so carefree. They didn't have to worry about killing, jealousy, envious, power, weaknesses…but then she thought back again, and…they did have things in common, in the law of the wilderness, the humans had picked up as well, killing was a necessity, it seemed to be the base of life, there was no way getting through it. Killing the weak was what happened in life, being envious of the others with power, jealous over others' mates. The more Sakura thought of it, animals and humans were quite alike.
She heard a little squeak, and immediately tensed up, pulling a shuriken out. The noise came again, on the branch right below hers, she crouched down cautiously to see a bird. Moving downwards to the next branch, she examined the bird. It seemed as though it was only a little baby bird that had injured itself. Looking around, she couldn't find a nest of where it had maybe fallen from and realized that they had probably abandoned their nest, abandoned the bird… It was sad of how its on mother abandoned its own child. She quickly scooped up the bird and lay it down in her lap, where it nuzzled her thighs, delighted to have the warmth of her cloak. Sakura laughed softly as she pulled chakra to her hands and helped heal its injured leg.
The little chick immediately fell asleep in her lap, and she decided to leave it there, it seemed in a comfortable position and after all the hardships it had been through, she couldn't bear to tear it away from its momentary comfort and pleasure. She looked at it, so peaceful and calm, not even noticing the smile she had on her face.
Sighing, Sakura rested her head on the tree trunk behind her, the night seemed to beckon for her and she helplessly surrendered to sleep.
Itachi tried to sleep but couldn't, the thoughts of a certain pink haired kunoichi plagued him. He was fed up with it and decided to go for a walk. Going around the lines of the compound, he felt a chakra user and quickly hid his, trying to recognize it.
It was Sakura's, but it was weird, 'why was she using her chakra? Was she in trouble?' He was momentarily shocked and worried but quickly was replaced with snide-ness and hatred. She betrayed him and left him, she had no need to feel sorry for her. But he was curious to check out what was wrong, so he quietly made his way towards the chakra source.
She was using her healing chakra to something in her lap, he squinted harder to see what it was, it seemed to be some sort of animal. He mentally scoffed, she was too soft hearted, to be a ninja, you needed to feel cold, otherwise if you killed someone, it would tear you apart.
She rested herself on the tree trunk and seemed to fall asleep. Once he did a double check to make sure she really WAS asleep, then he appeared in front of her.
Her face was covered with her tresses, while a gust of wind blew her hair away to clear her face. It was so angelic, so innocent. To think that she was at the age of 18 (A/N tell me if I made a mistake of the age and tell me please) and she was still unmarred. It was as if god himself was protecting her from the world, it seemed impossible.
Itachi looked in her lap and saw a bird, healed and sleeping contently in its sleep.
A cold wisp of air travelled in the air, going passed them, making Sakura shiver in her sleep. Itachi sighed, picking her up and the bird in one hand, transporting himself in her room.
It was the first time in her room, and Itachi had a sense of pride, unlike any of the other guys in the Akatsuki, so he didn't do what they would attempt, like looking in her clothing drawers and such. He just dropped her carelessly on her bed and put the bird on the bed table.
'He would not treat her like a praised possession, because she wasn't, he didn't care for her, he didn't need her, he would just treat her like how he treated everyone else,' he kept on muttering to himself in his mind.
Uhhh, my bad guys, I didn't think that this part would drag on so long, so I'll add another chapter really soon, to make up for this chapter and for making you guys wait so long T.T I'm REALLY REALLY sorry, but I've been busy. I'm really into this fanfic I just started, I like it so much. I don't know when this fanfic is going to end, but I think it'll either end really soon, or really far away…Yes! I know Itachi is really OOC'd but I can't help it, he becomes naturally OOC'd to me XD
REVIEW PLEASE!! They are the things that really keep me going, without reviews, I lose the will to continue the fanfic, it's true. Please tell me how you thought the chapter was and such, I personally thought it was really boring, but the next one WILL BE REALLY GOOD, I promise. AANNNDD!! It's the moment you've been all waiting for. It has a MAJOR SASUSAKU PART and it might just change this whole fanfic around into its rightful position.