A/N: this chapter is kind of fast-paced... it was written on the evening before my first exam, and I was incredibly nervous. So I apologize for it being partially narration and partially with an actual scene.
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CHAPTER 7 – UNDERSTANDING
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After their wedding, they had to make their living arrangements work. And to make them work, they had to make sure their duties in the house were equally divided. After all, they were some kind of… house-mates, weren't they?
So, first of all, the laundry. Since both were used to doing it on their own, they decided to continue that way: each would do his own part. The cleaning of the house was divided between them: they would be doing it in turns. Also bringing the trash away would be done in turns.
To go shopping for food… surprisingly, it was something they wanted to do together, in the beginning at least. That way, they could discover what the other preferred and later be able to shop alone and buy everything that was needed and liked by both. Then they had to decide about the cooking. To Itachi's slight amusement, he found out that Sakura had many skills, but cooking was not one of them. She could make semi-decent meals, but she wasn't good in that field. And to her chagrin, Itachi just had to be very good. He was, in fact, an amazing cook. But he was also merciful, and didn't tease her too much about it. In fact, he offered to teach her. After hesitating for a while, she accepted. And to both their bewilderment, she learned very quickly. In less than a few weeks she had become quite a good cook, and she began to enjoy being in the kitchen, too.
However, she felt guilty for a while. He had taught her something. What had she done for him? The right occasion came a few days after she had begun her cooking lessons. She found out that Itachi lacked… good infirmary skills. That meant he was able to bandage an injury properly, but he didn't have very clear ideas about correct basic first aid. The fact that he actually didn't know something had made Sakura gape at him. However, remembering his kindness when had found out she couldn't cook, she had timidly offered to teach him some basic medical jutsu. He had accepted – she was one of the best medics in the world, only a fool would have refused – and had learned rapidly. After all, Sakura mused, he was a genius, and he wasn't happy about that gap in his many abilities.
So far, the arrangements worked.
They took turns in the kitchen and in using the bathroom upstairs. Cooking breakfast was something they usually did together, in companionable silence. Once they were finished, they informed the other of their plans for the day. Then they went to their work, Sakura to the newly built hospital she was running and Itachi to the strategic unit he was head of. Sometimes they had lunch together in one of the new restaurants. Many people had retired from being ninja and pursued other interests, among which there was also cookery. A lot of shops and restaurants had opened, right after their marriage.
The Senju-Uchiha couple usually met at home for dinner. They took turns in cooking – after Sakura had learned, of course –, and usually did the washing-up and the cleaning together. It was funny, but welcome, for both of them, to see the other in an apron and busy with domestic duties, instead of fighting and killing on the battlefield.
Sometimes, when they finished work early, they met at home in the late afternoon and spent the evening together, engaging in small talk. Other days they brought their work at home and completed it together in the large living room. There were two tables for a reason, after all. They sometimes asked the other for an opinion or an advice, and told each other what their day had been like. At first, it was mainly Sakura speaking. But, after a while, she also began to ask kind questions, so Itachi became used to tell her about his day as well. They also exchanged opinions on how it was going in the newfound peace, and things were surprisingly good. People were happy. It was working. Their arranged marriage had been worth it. And as Sakura had once said, almost without thinking, being married was not that bad.
And, even if he hadn't replied, Itachi had silently agreed with her, wholeheartedly.
One morning, when both had had the day off and had just cleaned up after having breakfast, Itachi asked Sakura if she had something specific in mind for that day. She answered that she was probably going to meet Shizune to discuss on some antidotes they were working on, but only in the late afternoon, because her Senju cousin was… busy… with Shisui for the morning. At Itachi's raised eyebrow, Sakura, blushing and averting her eyes, admitted that Shizune and Shisui had hit it off almost too well. Itachi smirked a little and then asked her if she would spar with him.
The emerald-eyed woman – after the blush had disappeared – was very surprised by his request, but agreed nonetheless. But not before deciding where to go for their training session. It wouldn't be good for the peace if they were seen fighting against each other, even if it was just for training. Also, considering their skills, it was best to go to a secluded area to not alarm anyone with explosions and massive destructions.
They went to a place in the forest on the other side of the mountain that was next to their house. The house itself was on the border of the village, so an entire mountain was between the spot they had chosen and Konoha. They began their training session by observing each other from the opposite sides of the decided battleground. Neither wanted to be the first to attack. Finally, Sakura lost her patience and lounged forward. The raven-haired man activated his Sharingan and tried to use his illusions on her. But she was smart. She wouldn't look him in the eye, not even once. Itachi made sure never to be on the receiving end of her fists, because he was well aware of the damage they could cause. Especially after he barely managed to duck another well-aimed kick that hit the ground and flattened a dozen trees. Sakura was careful to avoid his eyes, but she was also aware that he had many other techniques as well. He used other genjutsu that didn't require the Sharingan, but thanks to her affinity with illusions, she was able to dispel them all quickly and even respond to some of them. As he got closer they engaged in a concentrated taijutsu spar, in which his superior speed made it difficult for Sakura not to meet his eyes to discern his movements. He had to be very cautious, too, because the short distance made her chakra-enhanced attacks more powerful. For example, when she nearly missed his arm, he felt a bruise forming, because her chakra was surrounding her fist and close proximity was enough to cause damage. As they separated, the breathing of both was a bit laboured. As they began to use ninjutsu, everything became a blur, because they were able to counter each elemental attack, but only at maximum speed and concentration. After a while, both began to mix the various techniques' fields, without sticking only to one at a time. Ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu were combined and united with great nonchalance by both.
Their sparring session became really long, much longer than either had expected. Their abilities and skills were indeed amazing. But in the end, Sakura got distracted for a moment, and Itachi used that to pin her to the ground with his body, with a kunai against her throat. Both were panting hard.
The Uchiha slowly stood up, and held out a hand to help her get up as well. She accepted his hand, looked around at the damage they had caused – which was considerable – and then dared to look at his eyes, finding them luckily without Sharingan. He noticed this and asked her why she had completely avoided his eye technique. Not only did it require constant focus, it was so careful that it seemed as if she was deeply scared of it. Sakura averted her eyes again and replied that she didn't know what effect the illusions of the Sharingan would have on her, because she had another personality inside her head. Itachi seemed intrigued, so she explained that her 'Inner' had been much more present when she was younger, while now she was in a dormant phase. Sakura didn't know if and how she would act against the Sharingan. Itachi gently asked her if she wanted to try. After a few moments of hesitation, she accepted.
They found out that 'Inner' did indeed wake up and chased the intruded out of her mind, and with very colourful words, too. That meant that Sakura had a protection against the infamous Tsukuyomi and the other illusions of the Uchiha bloodline limit, and Itachi was fascinated by that. However, that didn't mean that Sakura could now be fearless of the Sharingan. She could free herself from its techniques, yes, but it still took a few seconds before she was able to do so. And a few seconds could mean life or death in a real battle.
Nonetheless, from then on, Itachi and Sakura made a point of sparring together sometimes, something they both found useful. It was also a reminder that war could still happen again. He was more powerful than her, but not by much, and she was a worthy opponent. They couldn't have a regular schedule, with all the things that had to be done, but they also didn't want to lose their skills. Therefore, when they had time, they trained together. And each time, a part of the forest paid the consequences. But they had made sure to inform the brand-new Council of Konoha about what they were doing, and the Council had agreed to plant some new trees from time to time.
They were now in the middle of summer. For the time being, peace was something concrete that was working. The Senju-Uchiha couple was getting along quite well and spent time together without problems.
On one of their evening together, they had less work than usual. They were one on each coach, relaxing a little.
Itachi decided to ask her something he had been curious about for quite a long time. He knew it was a personal question, but they were married, and if that didn't give one the occasion to ask something personal, he didn't know what did.
"Sakura, if you don't mind me asking… Your family…"
Sakura interrupted him. "You want to know about my adoption, don't you?"
Itachi was quiet. His silence told her she was right, but it also told her that he wouldn't force her to say anything. The pink-haired woman correctly interpreted that and said, a bit more gently, "It's fine. I was expecting you to ask much sooner. And you have the right to know, even if there isn't much to say." She made herself a bit more comfortable against the pillows. "I have no memory of my parents. I wasn't old enough to remember them when they died. Their death was because of an illness. Tsunade, as a medic, was called to cure them, but she arrived too late. I was just two or three years old. Feeling guilty, even if it wasn't her fault they had died, Tsunade adopted me and took care of me. When I grew up, she told me about the parents I had forgotten. I was already interested in medicine, but knowing that my own parents had died of an illness was what actually made me become a healer."
Itachi, very quietly, asked, "Do you know who your parents were?"
Sakura nodded. "Their surname was Haruno. They were civilians, even if it seems they had very good chakra control, which I inherited. But I am a full Senju member. I grew up among them; they are my family. In all the ways that count, Tsunade is my mother. And I am the heiress of the Clan. Please don't think," she averted her eyes, "that you married just an adopted orphan."
Itachi's eyes widened a little. Did she really believe he would think something like that? In an instant he was standing in front of her and regarding her seriously.
"I would never think something like that, Sakura," the raven-haired man said quietly, holding her gaze firmly, and then surprising her by sitting down next to her. "I am very aware of the merits of the woman I married." He saw his wife blush slightly.
Sakura was embarrassed at her husband's tender comment, so she tried to shift his attention towards something else. "What about you, Itachi? What about your family?"
He seemed a bit wary. "You have already met my parents, my brother and my cousins," he said. "That's it."
She wasn't happy about that answer, so she elaborated further. "I meant your childhood. What was it like?"
He tensed. He sat up and turned his back to her. "If you don't mind, it's not something I wish to speak about."
Sakura was on edge. She had never seen such a reaction from him. So she replied, with a lighter tone, "Alright." She changed the subject. "Did you hear the latest rumour? Kakashi asked Akemi out!"
Itachi relaxed a little and sat down next to her again. "Really?"
She nodded and continued to tell the details of the last shocking news. While she was speaking, Itachi found her hand and squeezed it briefly, in silent thanks for her understanding.
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A/N: I just had to mention Inner Sakura, since I never mentioned her in any of my stories before. And with Sakura's adoption I hope I explained why her surname is Senju.
Thanks for reading!
