Come

A chilling wind blew through the vacant dusty streets of the compound, past the barricades across the gates labeled Uchiha, through the lonely houses that held nothing but ghostly memories. It blew up to where he stood high above it all, almost seeming to melt into the dark night sky, and yet he seemed so detached from everything.

He didn't belong there. He hadn't for many years now, and yet he still seemed to be drawn to this haunting place.

A faint tickling of noise of soft sobs at his ear caught his attention and blood red eyes swept over the deserted compound.

There.

Kneeling in the middle of the main road was a small figure hunched over. Sharingan eyes narrowed in and took it in more accurately. He could now clearly see the outline of a female, a kunoichi by her dress, with bright pink locks hung over her face.

He had met this girl before. She was the kunoichi that had been on the same team as his brother, as well as the Kyuubi container. She was the one who trained under the Hokage herself.

How interesting.

A flicker of movement and he stood before her, his dark shape looming over the hunched girl. He had been so silent that she didn't even sense his presence until he spoke to her.

"Running away kunoichi?"

The sound of his silky voice caused the girl to twitch in surprise before looking up at him with frightened, yet pained, jade eyes.

Itachi was startled at the image of himself displayed in the girls damp eyes, but effectively masked his surprise. His visit to his old home had been so surreal somehow, and in that moment he had finally seemed to realize where he was.

But why had he come here?

The girl stared unblinkingly into his sharingan eyes, and realization spread across her face as she registered who he was.

And then, to his surprise, she shook her head.

"No, I'm not running away."

From the look in her eyes he understood.

"No, you aren't," he agreed after a pause, but now he wondered, "Then, what are you running to?"

Her eyes saddened and moved to the hem of his cloak, staring fixedly at a red cloud and spoke softly.

"I don't know."

"But, I doubt you will get far sitting in the dirt."

"No," she agreed before shakily standing to face him, wiping stray tears from her eyes as she did so.

Shoulders square, eyes sharp, chin held high, she faced Uchiha Itachi, one of, if not the, strongest shinobi alive.

Seeing her determination, Itachi allowed his mouth to curve up slightly in an amused look that was hidden by his high collar.

"What are you running to then, Itachi-san?"

Itachi didn't answer and instead stared off at some point over the girls shoulder. He didn't feel the need to explain to this girl that he did not run to or from anything, but merely felt he should come here and did so.

And when his hand, seemingly on its own accord, offered itself to the kunoichi before him, she looked at it with surprise and wonder alight in her eyes.

Time seemed to stop as the girl considered, for it was a great thing that was being offered. Both knew it and both felt it, and it couldn't be taken back.

But when a pale, yet strong, hand fell in his, and he griped it tightly and drew her to him, he felt a sense of relief that was alien to him, but there just the same.

A flicker, a rustle of a cloak, and the two were gone, leaving nothing but the dirt to resettle itself along the path.

A lone cherry blossom fell where the girl had once stood, and it sat for a time before the wind took it up again.


Well, my oneshots keep getting longer and longer, but it can't be helped. I enjoyed making this one a little more dark (cuz you know with Itachi it has to be). Next will be Kakashi because (excluding Naruto) he got the most votes. And, new to the board is a vote for Deidara. There actually was someone interested in Oro/Saku or Hisame/Saku, but sorry to say, I don't think I'll be attempting those pairings. But, I figure I could make an attempt on Deidara (eventually)because he is a pretty interesting fellow, yeah.

Votes:

Kaka/Saku 5

Naru/Saku 8

Kanku/Saku 2

Deidara/Saku 1

Keep voting for your favorite pairings folks, and thanks for the wonderful reviews!

--Miss Soupy