A/N: Be sure to read & review Slytherstein & Lehrain's new chapters as well :)
Illusions of Serenity
Chapter VIII
"Reassurance"
…
Itachi stepped through the throng of trees, the wind instantly rushing past and billowing through his robes. He allowed the easy smile on his face to remain as he lifted his dark eyes to the pastel sky above, its magnificence every bit as captivating as it had been before. Looking out across the expanse of field, he analyzed the way the blades of grass and sparsely mingled flowers responded to the caress of the atmosphere.
He shifted his eyes slightly and allowed them to fall upon the girl beside him, analyzing her expression in reaction to the scene. He watched as a wide grin claimed her features before she outstretched her arms and closed her eyes. The wind was surrounding her as well, dancing through the strands of her rosy hair and instilling a few stray petals.
"Sakura-san," he began softly, beckoning her attention.
She turned and opened her eyes, "Yes?"
He looked to her hair and then tilted his head slightly before stepping forward and lifting a hand. He proceeded to brush away the amber colored petals from atop her head, "you have flowers in your hair."
Even as he said it, the recollection of his younger brother expressing the same statement entered his mind and Itachi accepted the memory without the pang of loss that usually accompanied it. He felt the flower petals slip through his fingers as he lowered his hand and glanced down briefly to witness their descent.
He returned his scrutiny to Sakura as a blush found its way to her face. She giggled then in an apparent attempt to ease the discomfort she was feeling. "It's windy and there are flowers. Where else are they supposed to go?"
"Hmm..." Itachi replied before shaking his head. "I don't seem to have any in my hair."
He watched as she lifted her gaze before smirking, "That's a shame. I feel foolish being the only one with them in my hair."
"No need to feel foolish," Itachi replied before walking past her and continuing at a leisurely pace. "It would not be the same if they were in mine."
"Aren't you pretty Nii-san?" Sasuke's young voice teased before he was joined by the gentle tone of their mother. "He's right, you look very attractive, Itachi."
Sakura caught up to him, "what's that supposed to mean?"
Itachi looked to the girl before tilting his head, "it compliments you better."
Sakura lifted a hand to her hair before proceeding to run her fingers through it thoughtfully, "I suppose it does."
Nodding, the Uchiha then averted his gaze to once again appraise the meadow. As he swept his eyes across he was greeted with yet another fragment of his past, one that he did not care to suppress despite the possibility of being accompanied by the horrors following those happier moments of his life. There was something about the place, however, that presented an overall feeling of comfort. Well, when beyond the presence of the insane inhabitants, of course….
"Sasuke," Itachi called out to his brother, a gentle smile across his face. "Don't venture too far."
The younger boy turned before nodding and returning the grin, "I won't, Nii-san. I Promise!"
Itachi sighed before reaching down and picking another flower, adding it to the collection already held within his left hand. He and Sasuke were creating a bouquet for their mother's birthday and both had agreed to spend the afternoon finding only the most perfect of blossoms.
He inspected each one before removing them from the ground, so as not to remove their presence unnecessarily. He nodded after some time, deciding that he had collected more than enough before lifting his head and searching the area for Sasuke. He frowned however, when he saw that the boy was nowhere to be seen.
"Sasuke?" He called, hastening his pace.
A relieved exhale escaped him then as she saw a familiar head of unruly hair making its way forward. Sasuke emerged a moment later before holding up his flowers with a triumphant grin. Itachi patted him atop the head and then knelt on the ground, directing his sibling to do the same.
"Alright, set yours next to mine and we'll arrange them all together."
Sasuke nodded and eagerly placed his findings beside his brother's. "Mom is going to love these, right?"
"Of course," Itachi nodded before proceeding to sort the blossoms by color.
There was silence for several moments before, as Itachi was turning to grab a piece of string to wrap the bouquet, he allowed his eyes to widen at the sound of a loud and prominent crunch.
Looking to Sasuke, the older Uchiha paused when he saw the boy staring innocently up at him whilst chewing on one of the flower stems he had cut off a moment ago.
"Sasuke," Itachi sighed before reaching forward and gently removing the plant from his brother's mouth. "That is not meant to be eaten."
"It's not?" Sasuke asked, appearing somewhat downcast by this news.
"No," Itachi shook his head, before smiling at the boy. "It didn't taste any good, right?"
Sasuke's lip pouted slightly as he considered the question. "Hmm…I guess not. It looked like it might, though."
"Flowers," Itachi explained, "are meant to be observed. They might look appealing but that doesn't mean they taste good. Outside appearances can often be deceiving."
"Oh…" the boy responded. "Well, aren't tomatoes flowers at first? How come they taste good and I can eat them?"
Chuckling softly, Itachi shook his head. "Some flowers turn into fruits or vegetable, but you can't eat them before they change. You have to know the difference between those types and the ones that stay the same. It is the only way to not be deceived by their appearance."
"So…" Sasuke replied, still thinking. "There are more types of food that were flowers first? Not just tomatoes?"
"Right," Itachi nodded, before lifting a single finger. "Such as Apples a-"
"I like apples!" Sasuke exclaimed with widened eyes.
"Yes," Itachi replied, "so do I. Plums, peaches, cucumbers and even cherries were all flowers first."
"Cherries?" Sasuke asked then, mulling over the new piece of information. "What sort of flower do those come from?"
Itachi lowered his hand and smiled, "the cherry blossom tree, of course. Like the one by our house."
"Oh!" Sasuke replied excitedly. "Those are the prettiest ones."
"Yes," Itachi again nodded, "they are the prettiest."
…
Itachi smiled at the recollection before closing in his eyes and inhaling deeply to remove it from his mind before any darker memories could accompany it. Those untainted days, prior to anything sinister or penetrating were best left separated and secluded. However, there was one aspect upon which he continued to dwell.
He glanced to the girl beside him, careful not to unnerve her with his sudden scrutiny. The cherry flowers, he confided to the brother he knew was no longer listening, those are still the prettiest. Yes, the petals suited Sakura's hair much better than they did his own, despite Sasuke and his mother's previous comments on the matter.
The girl lifted a hand to her chest as a distant smile found its way across her face. However, she suddenly turned and looked up at him, a curious recognition displayed within her gaze. He tilted his head in question, attempting to discern what it was she had just seemed to realize.
"Itachi," she suddenly voiced, though he detected a slight hesitance.
"Hmm?" He asked, though found himself curiously wary as to what she was preparing to say.
He watched as she bit her bottom lip nervously, "how many years older are you than Sasuke-kun?"
He briefly wondered where she was planning to direct the conversation though found himself responding all the same. "About five years."
The girl nodded before proceeding to measure her height against his, her hand coming to a stop against his shoulder. He was entirely confused now, though refrained from allowing it to show within his expression.
"Hmm, I think you were shorter then," Sakura stated.
Itachi then found himself unable to maintain the stoic expression at her words as he slightly furrowed his brows. "Shorter when, Sakura-san?"
She proceeded to tap her chin in response as the musings continued, her other hand still placed securely against his shoulder. "If he was eight, then that would mean you were thirteen."
Itachi felt himself instantly stiffen in response to what she had just said, eyes only subtly growing wider. I was thirteen when I…
He supposed he should have prepared himself to endeavor this conversation with her, though found he still did not know what to say in response. He attempted to formulate several scenarios through his mind as he waited for her to continue but found that none of them satiated the perplexity that was steadily growing. His haunting thoughts desperately attempted to break through his carefully guarded defenses and he found his eyes shifting away from her and down to the ground as he walked.
Sakura must have noticed his sudden unease as she withdrew her hand and remained silent a moment before continuing. "Did you ever go to the Ninja Academy after you graduated?"
Itachi blinked before returning his gaze to her. The confusion returned instantly and the unease slowly faded. "Did I…What do you mean?"
"I'm just trying to confirm something. Now answer my question," the girl ordered.
Immensely bewildered and finding himself ignoring his own wariness for the sake of obtaining clarification, Itachi responded. "I suppose I did, every now and then."
Another smile crossed the girl's face before she snapped her fingers, "That probably was you then!"
Itachi shook his head, "Sakura-san, I am going to be perfectly honest with you…" he paused before continuing, not wanting to anger her. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about."
"You don't?" she asked. "Would you like an explanation?"
Itachi smiled slightly before nodding, "Aa, if you would be so kind as to offer me one."
He was only relived that he had simply misinterpreted her earlier statement, thus granting him more time in which to contemplate what he would say to her when that conversation arrived. He was sure that it was inevitable, though wished to prolong it for as long as possible.
"Okay," Sakura responded before suddenly stopping. Itachi glanced back at her before halting his own steps and turning to face her. He watched as she then proceeded to sit upon the grass before meeting his gaze and patting the spot beside her.
He tilted his head slightly, again questioning why any of this was necessary before slowly nodding and approaching. He paused before lowering himself to one knee on the ground, glancing to her and indicating that she should continue.
Sakura released a sigh, "Alright. Let me think…this was about a month after Sasuke-kun and I started attending the Ninja Academy."
Itachi nodded. What was it she was so desperately trying to convey? A month after the Ninja Academy would have been…June. Only a few weeks prior to…
He simply decided to wait and hear what she had to say. Nothing was accomplished through speculation alone, especially when it concerned the girl beside him.
"I'll start from the beginning," she stated.
Again, the Uchiha offered her a nod to indicate that she could continue. Why was it he never seemed able to obtain a straight answer from her?
She smiled at him, "Ever since our first day at the Academy, Sasuke-kun showed talent as a Shinobi. Everyone saw it."
"Yes," Itachi replied, "he was top of his class, I believe."
The girl nodded, "Yes, he was. Anyway, because of this, all the girls in our class adored him, but I didn't at the time."
Itachi calmly waited for her to elaborate, opting against continuing his gestures to permit her continuance. How was he even supposed to respond to something like that?
"Until the day I mentioned, a month or so, my dad was late picking me up and everyone else was gone, except Sasuke-kun. I didn't know he was still there at first, but I did after he ran out of the Academy. He kept looking around and I was worried so I started a conversation with him. I was always curious how he learned to throw kunai's so well during practice so I asked him and he told me his brother taught him."
Itachi could not help but smile at the many memories of training Sasuke to execute various Shinobi techniques. The boy looked forward to those times more than anything else and he only wished he had been able to devote more time to helping him practice.
Looking to Sakura, he nodded. "Aa, I did."
"I thought that was very impressive," she continued. "And I said you must've been a great teacher, but he never answered me because, and I only just realized this, you showed up. He looked so happy to see you and hugged you as soon as he saw you. That was the first and maybe only time, I ever saw Sasuke-kun smile."
Itachi suddenly recalled that day, having only been sent to the Academy because his father had forgotten to retrieve Sasuke. His mother had been out of town and so left the task to her husband in hopes he would follow through. He often overlooked such things, a fact Itachi had always wondered at his mother for not considering. In any case, he could not help the slight glimmer of sadness from entering his eyes as the girl explained her outside perception of that ancient moment. Sasuke had always been happy to see him and completely trusted him more than anyone else in the world. Having taken that trust away…was still something every bit as acutely painful as the moment in which it had first happened.
"Sasuke…" he mused to Sakura aloud. "Used to smile all the time…"
The girl's smile fell in response, "He did? Who would've guessed?"
Itachi nodded before shifting his gaze to the expanse of field, again fighting off the specters of his past. Specters Sakura had succeeded in summoning for the second time in only a span of ten minutes. He could hardly blame her for it though, as his actions were solely his own. She had no idea how equally tormented he was by both his happy and sorrowful recollections.
He closed his eyes and allowed himself to revisit the scene she was describing, searching it for something he had completely overlooked at the time. Upon discovering what had been missing however, he forced himself to return his attention to her with a small smile.
"You were the child on the swing."
"Yes," she replied. "I was. Did you just remember that?"
"I did," Itachi nodded. "I didn't even notice you at the time."
Grinning, the girl replied. "That's alright. I didn't know it was you at the time either."
"Hmm…" Itachi mused thoughtfully, seeking to lift the tension that he inadvertently allowed to settle around them. He then lifted his hand and measured only a few feet from the ground, resting it against her forearm. "You were quite a bit shorter then, as well."
Sakura allowed her brows to furrow in response. "I was not that short, Itachi."
"Well, then…" he continued, lifting his hand just slightly higher, allowing it to stop beside her shoulder. "How about this?"
"Hmm," she replied, looking to where his hand rested. "Not even close."
Itachi then clenched his fist slightly as he debated whether or not to endeavor the urge that had suddenly entered his mind. He smiled slightly to himself before reaching forward and gently placing both his middle and forefinger against her forehead. He tilted his head then and lowered his eyes to hers, "how's that?"
He envisioned his brother briefly before the image of the girl before him reclaimed his full attention, her eyes widening in response to what he had just done. She shrugged, "T-that seems about right…Itachi."
Nodding, the Uchiha lowered and withdrew his hand. He wondered if he had been careless just then, in performing that signature gesture of his upon Sakura. However, he reasoned that all of his pretenses were worthless now with her anyway, his façade as a cold, unfeeling murderer entirely shattered. His only hope was that she would not encourage news of his behavior to reach his younger brother, though he somehow doubted Sasuke would be willingly to listen anyway.
He sighed and looked out over their surroundings once more, "you ready to continue, Sakura-san?"
"What?" she asked, still appearing as if she were somewhat bewildered. However, she composed herself after a moment and nodded. "Yes. Let's go!"
Itachi rose to his feet before looking to her and extending his hand. He felt a slight smile form as he recollected on the first time he had been in this situation with her. She had been so extremely furious with him…Hmm, strange how much of a difference a single day can make.
Sakura offered him a wide grin before placing her hand into his, "I promise not to shove it away this time."
Itachi nodded and his smile grew before he gently pulled the girl to her feet. He paused then as he glanced down, "You…have a really small hand, Sakura-san."
"What?" Sakura replied, following his gaze with a soft blush. "Maybe you just have a big hand, Itachi."
"Hmm," Itachi tilted his head as he continued his observation. "…no, mine is an average size." He looked to her then, "but I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's rather fitting, considering the proportions of its owner."
He again thought of Sasuke and at how strange the feeling was to be holding onto something so delicate within the grasp that had likewise brandished a katana to kill countless people. He marveled at how ironic life's simplest actions were, even something as harmless as helping someone to their feet. However, within that simple offering, there were many things implied, reminding him that he had not lost his humanity, despite the many grave offenses he had committed.
The girl laughed, the sound successfully returning him to the present moment. "So you're saying my hand is suited for me. In that case," she began before lifting her other hand and caressing the back of his gently. "Yours is fitting for you, as well."
Itachi was silent a moment, before nodding at her declaration. It had been awhile since anyone had reached out to him, since before the loss of his family. He realized then that he had missed communicating with other people in the way he used to, and wondered if it was wrong for him to be experiencing that connection again after what he had done.
Then again, he decided that he only had a little while longer in which to experience life before it would be taken from him at the hand of his brother. Considering this, he did not feel it was so very wrong to enjoy just a small amount of happiness before meeting the end he had always been destined for.
"Thank you, Sakura-san."
"You're welcome, Itachi," she replied with a smile. "Thank you for helping me up."
He returned her smile and nodded, "of course."
Lifting his gaze, he observed the position of the sun in the sky. Despite the delay, he reasoned they would still reach Gregor's settlement before nightfall, having already decided that he would be the only individual worth speaking to in regards to the 'trial'.
Itachi had barely registered that his hand was still being held between Sakura's when a sudden sound claimed his attention and his gaze immediately shifted to the right, where an individual was running towards them. He tensed and narrowed his eyes in order to get a clear view of the newcomer before gently steering Sakura out of his path.
The man came into clear view and did not even glance their way as he passed, far too closely for comfort, making his way across the field with only a single bag full of white envelopes. He had long, unruly hair and appeared as if he had no concept of what he was actually doing.
And so…it begins, Itachi thought with a soft sigh as the man disappeared over a hill in the distance.
Returning his attention to the girl, he caught the confusion on her face before she attempted to satiate that bewilderment. "What…was that?"
Itachi again sighed before shaking his head, "You remember when you laughed at my being placed within the land of madness? Well…there's a reason this place is called that." He only briefly allowed his gaze to drift to the hill. "The people here are…for lack of a better word, insane."
"Okay. Just out of curiosity, how insane are they?"
"It differs," Itachi replied with a shrug, "it ranges from a man beating his fish against the dock to having another announce his devotion to you as some representation of an ancient, aquatic god."
"Wait, someone thought you were a god?" Sakura inquired with a chuckle.
Itachi nodded, "yes, actually. Tinderwood was his name. An extremely eccentric sort of fellow. Perhaps you'll meet him, when we reach the village."
The girl smirked and placed a hand on her hip, "Well, then stop stalling."
A brow raised in response to her declaration. "Sakura-san," he began, "if you recall, I was not the one who decided to stop and sit in the grass to converse over something we could have spoken of while walking."
"Okay, but you were the one who made that comment about the size of my hand," she remarked. "We might've been there by now if you hadn't."
Itachi glanced down before finally withdrawing his hand and continuing past her, "You're just exaggerating now."
The girl scoffed in reply, "Well, so what?"
Itachi smiled and glanced back at her, "stop stalling, Sakura-san."
"Hmm," she lifted her chin and rushed to fall into step beside him. "Then stop responding to everything I say."
"I don't wish to appear rude," he replied simply.
Sakura suddenly smiled, a natural unprompted smile. "Don't worry about it. Itachi, I don't care what others say, but you're a true gentleman."
He glanced to her then, the amusement replaced with something akin to astonishment. He found he did not even really know what to say in response and so he relented to simply offer her a returning smile. Silence fell between them for a while until he finally decided to break it.
"In that case, Sakura-san," he began, "despite how you might come across to others…" he paused before looking to her, "you don't annoy me at all."
Sakura lifted her eyes to his, offering yet another smile. He speculated in wonderment how easy it was for him to smile around her, and how natural it felt.
"Thank you, Itachi. I appreciate it," she replied.
He nodded and then simply reveled in his surroundings, allowing his mind to remain clear from both thought and memory. The afternoon's temperature did not change, simply remained moderate and agreeable. The sun lowered slightly in the sky, the colors just barely beginning to shift into the iridescent hues of nightfall as Itachi saw the familiar slope, atop which the village could be seen below. From beside him, he heard the soft waves against the pebbled shore and could already smell the distinct scent of burning wood and herbs.
Ascending the incline, he paused and then glanced to Sakura as he pointed to the town.
"There's a man there we can speak with. He's from Kanashimi."
"Do you think he has anything to clean this out?" she responded.
Itachi furrowed his brows and looked to the girl, perplexed by what she had meant by her sudden statement. "Pardon?"
Sakura met his gaze, "my shirt. It still has a stain from that coffee I spilt."
Looking to the stain a moment he then nodded before reverting his eyes to hers, "it's possible, though it really isn't all that noticeable considering your shirt is red."
The girl's brows creased in response, "Now Itachi, this is you we're talking about. Normally I would trust your opinion, but when it comes to this, I don't think it's such a good idea…considering."
Itachi blinked, before tilting his head slightly in question. "Why would you not trust my opinion on this?"
"Well," Sakura responded. "Because of your eyes."
"Ah yes," Itachi nodded, "my eyes." He fought a smile, before looking out over the town. He then began to descend the hill, "in any case, let's just wait and ask the man if he can help you out with that."
"Okay," the girl replied. "I just hope he can."
He listened as the girl began to follow before slowing his steps slightly so that she could catch up to him. Continuing at a leisurely pace, he began to formulate in his mind how to best approach Gregor concerning their situation.
A direct approach will probably work best, he reasoned. Gregor seems like a very understanding sort of person.
As Itachi neared the settlement, he saw that the entryway was still collected on the ground in an indiscernible pile of rubble and that the tree in the town's center had shifted from a pale pink to a deep gold. He withheld his gaze from also searching the bushes beside the entrance for the carcass of that rabbit creature, certain that they had not even so much as bothered to remove it.
"Wow," Sakura suddenly exclaimed. "What happened here?"
Itachi looked to her and followed the direction of her eyes to the collapsed archway. "Oh," he wondered if it would be wise to explain Gregor's situation at the moment. He supposed he could eventually divulge that information, though opted to refrain for the time being. "Not sure."
He then walked past the scene before surveying the area and the civilians who were just beginning to emerge in response to the presence of Sakura and himself. There was something noticeably different about them, however. Rather than casting him glares and expressions of intense distrust, they simply glanced his way with a slightly guarded look before continuing on to pursue whatever purpose they were endeavoring.
No one approached until he walked to the center, wherein a lanky, cloaked figure approached, head bent low and steps slightly staggering. The individual stopped before them and seemed to analyze them both a moment before suddenly reaching out and grasping Sakura's hand.
Itachi tensed slightly and reached for the dagger at his side, prepared to attack if the stranger attempted any harm over the girl. "What are you-"
"Mmm," the cloaked figure responded in a deep voice as he lifted Sakura's hand to his lowered face. He then proceeded to audibly sniff it. "The smell…is better than the taste."
Itachi quickly proceeded to grasp Sakura's wrist, effectively removing her hand from the man's grasp before lifting the weapon to his chest, careful to hide it from any other onlookers. "Move along."
The stranger released a throaty chuckle before stepping back and hastily maneuvering around the pair before rushing away and leaving the town altogether. Itachi waited until he was out of sight before relaxing his guard and returning the dagger into the folds of his cloak.
He looked to Sakura before releasing her wrist, "remain vigilant with these people. I had one attempt to kill me within the first village I came across."
Upon saying this, Itachi felt a sudden force of impact on his shoulder and turned to see Snake-skin, who had just delivered him a firm punch. The man observed the Uchiha a moment before lifting two fingers, a pointed stare in place.
Itachi nodded and the man moved along, his business with him obviously concluded for the time being. The Uchiha smiled slightly before returning his attention to Sakura.
"Who is this person we're meeting?" the girl asked, surprising him slightly in that she had not opted to even comment on the past two individuals. "You said he's from Kanashimi, right?"
Itachi nodded before turning and indicating a small stable a few feet ahead, "he lives there."
"Ohh…" replied before snapping her fingers, "he's your informant, isn't he?"
Itachi allowed for a very soft laugh as he recalled when she had used that same term the day before. He nodded, "yes, that would be him."
He then began to make his way toward the establishment, catching sight of the same horses and reasoning that Gregor was most likely indoors as he was nowhere to be found within the stable. Hopefully he has not already succeeded in ending his life… Itachi approached the door and then gently proceeded to knock upon the aged wood.
He waited only a moment before the latch lifted and the familiar face of Gregor Youngling appeared from within the house. He looked confused at first before recognition set in and his eyes widened. After glancing around the general vicinity, he eagerly motioned for Itachi to enter.
The Uchiha nodded before looking to Sakura and stepping aside for her to enter first. Gregor's eyes fell upon the girl and he looked to Itachi in question.
"She's my travelling companion," the Uchiha explained. "Sakura."
Gregor smiled then and waited for them both to step across the threshold before closing the door. He turned back to Sakura and extended his hand, "well met. My name is Gregor Youngling."
Itachi watched as the girl accepted the man's hand, "Hello It's nice to meet you, too. As you've already been told, my name is Sakura."
"It's a very pretty sounding name," Gregor complimented before withdrawing his hold and turning to Itachi, "I did not expect to see you back, my friend. Why have you returned so soon?"
The Uchiha looked to him with a sigh, "something has come up. We came seeking your insight, Gregor."
"My insight?"
Itachi nodded once more and Gregor then lowered his gaze as if pondering what he had just been told. He was silent for several moments before indicating the table. "Why don't you take a seat and I will prepare some tea. We will go into the details then." His gaze shifted to Sakura, "do you like tea, miss?"
The girl giggled slightly in response to his question and then briefly looked to Itachi, "Yes, I do. What kind do you have?"
The man shrugged before turning to his cabinet and pulling out a wooden box containing loose-leaf tea. "Just the standard flavor. There are some components of herb and mint as well as a hint of spice."
Catching Sakura's eyes, the Uchiha patiently awaited her reply.
"Spice, huh?" she replied with a pleased smile. "I like that. I would love some."
Gregor nodded, returning the smile before turning and beginning to prepare the hot water.
Itachi moved to sit in of the chairs, resting one hand upon the table as he casually leaned his cheek against the gently closed fist. He observed as the man pulled three mugs out and placed an equal amount of tea within each, The Uchiha inspected him a moment longer before lifting his eyes to Sakura.
"What if I wanted to sit there, Itachi?" Sakura teased as she caught his gaze.
The Uchiha smiled slightly, "You were stalling again, Sakura-san."
The girl allowed for a false pout that instantly reminded him of Sasuke before she moved to take the seat beside him, "This chair is probably better anyway. Serves you right."
"Perhaps it was my intention that you should have the better chair," Itachi replied.
Her eyes exaggeratedly widened, "Itachi! I'm honored you thought of me!"
Itachi tilted his head, "Why so surprised, Sakura-san? I seem to recall you having referred to me just earlier today as a 'true gentleman'."
"Okay," she conceded. "I'll give you that one. However, it feels like this gentleman thing doesn't give much benefit to you."
"It's not supposed to," Itachi explained. "it would defeat the purpose, I think."
"Hmm," she responded. "So why do it?"
"Well," Itachi pondered her question before again looking to her, "because I want to."
From the corner of his eyes he saw the kettle steaming and Gregor proceeding to pour the water into mugs to allow for the tea to steep.
"That doesn't exactly answer my question," Sakura persisted, prompting him to return his full attention to her.
Itachi allowed for a slight look of confusion in response. What was she actually trying to get at? He did not really ever pause to assess why he acted the way he did, only behaved in the ways he saw most appropriate to the situations presented to him. Perhaps it had simply been due to the way he had been raised, or perhaps it had just been an inseparable part of his core personality. In any case, he narrowed his eyes slightly at the girl in an attempt to discern her thoughts, "are you perhaps actually trying to determine why I'm acting this way towards you in particular?"
The girl scoffed and crossed her arms in response, "Don't be ridiculous. I was just wondering why someone would choose to be a gentleman. Simple curiosity."
"Hmm, well then," he responded, smiling softly. "I suppose it's not always a choice. It's just a part of who I am."
"It makes you…unique," Sakura replied with an answering smile.
"Does it?" he asked, somewhat curious. Did she not encounter many others who would act the same?
"Yes," she nodded. "Though I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be considered 'gentleman', they still behave in different ways. Isn't 'gentleman' basically a title anyway? It's up to you how to act under this title and that's the difference. It reflects your own unique personality."
"I agree that everyone is unique," Itachi nodded, "but merely holding that title does not explicitly make me unique. A fact you amended when you stated that it simply serves to reflect my defining characteristics, right?"
She shrugged. "Yes and no. I was saying that it defines your personality, which makes you you. And the title also contributes to who you are. They both make up your unique self."
Itachi was silent a moment, before only slightly leaning forward. "Mind if I ask you something then, Sakura-san?"
"No."
He nodded and considered his question carefully, knowing what might be brought up if he were to ask it at all. "How much do you really even know about me?"
"Only what I've seen and heard. Why?'
"Because, I figured it was appropriate to the present context," Itachi responded simply. "What is it exactly, that you have seen and heard?"
He wondered if she was purposefully being vague. Despite having a personal aversion to the topic, he still had a difficult time understanding why she appeared equally reluctant to endeavor it. He also suddenly noticed that Gregor seemed to have stepped outside for whatever reason and only hoped the man would return alive.
He was surprised, however when she laughed and decided for an obvious joke. "You have a split personality."
Itachi sighed, lowering his eyes. Apparently she was not ready to answer that particular question, though he supposed he could understand why. He nodded, "alright then, Sakura-san. We'll discuss this sometime later then."
Perhaps it was for the best, after all. They had a lot of important things to focus on at the moment.
"Okay, Itachi," Sakura willingly complied before she allowed her eyes to fall upon his hand. "You said your favorite color is purple. Why are your nails painted that color?"
"Uhm," Itachi followed her gaze to his polished fingers. That explanation would involve bringing up Akatsuki, a completely different yet less penetrating matter all in itself. "It's…just part of the uniform, I suppose."
"Who designed that uniform?" she asked.
He smiled slightly, "you disapprove of it?"
He honestly did not even know who the original mastermind behind the unique clothing had been, though he reasoned it had either been Pain or Madara. The red clouds, he knew, represented Amegakure while the polish might have just been an added quirk thought up by the latter, as his ideas were often outlandish.
"Well…" the girl began, apparently considering. "It doesn't seem like the sort of thing that would really compliment anyone's appearance. And it's very obvious who you are when you see the red clouds."
Itachi nodded, "true, it does. I believe it should be more covert, definitely. However, as most in the organization aren't necessarily concerned with a confrontation, covert was obviously disregarded as being unnecessary." He paused, "and I'm sure they weren't designed for appearance sake."
"Or someone's cheap," she responded with an added smirk.
"Aa," Itachi nodded, amused that she had somehow picked up on that small fact. "Our financial advisor does not allow for excess spending."
Her brows creased thoughtfully, "Financial advisor? What sort of organization is Akatsuki?"
Itachi tilted his head and was silent a moment, "well…I'm afraid I can't really divulge too much information on that point. I'm not even privy to everything concerning Akatsuki's intentions."
He did not want to place the girl in a position where she might be targeted for knowing too much about the organization, as both Pain and Madara could be completely merciless when the situation demanded.
"You're not?"
Itachi shook his head, "No. We're an organization of some of the most notorious criminals of our time. There isn't exactly a great amount of trust there. We also have past affiliations to different countries, some who have been enemies for countless generations."
"Oh," Sakura stated. "They sound like very dangerous people. Itachi…why did you join a group like that?"
He lowered his eyes slightly, pondering how he should respond to that. He could not necessarily offer her an honest answer without the very vital piece of information concerning his clan's massacre. Therefore…he looked to her and smiled sadly. "I'm one of those notorious criminals, Sakura-san."
He watched her gaze fall and her expression shift from simple curiosity to disheartened realization. It reminded him of how Sasuke had looked at one time, though significantly less severe it nonetheless instilled an equivalent regret. He wished he could give her an honest answer but he just wasn't sure he could.
"You're right, Itachi," Sakura replied after a moment before looking to him and offering a smile. She then attempted to break the tension, "where's Gregor with that tea?"
Itachi glanced to the door a moment before looking to the stove, where the tea still sat brewing. He then slowly rose before walking over and picking up two of the mugs. Hesitating only briefly he glanced around for something to sweeten it with and, spotting the desired container he sat both cups down in front of Sakura before grabbing the sugar and placing a fair amount in each.
He placed the jar back where he had found it before returning to his seat and lifting one of the cups to take a sip, delighting in the taste. Placing it down upon the table, he guardedly lifted his eyes to Sakura, uncertain whether or not she had really recovered from what he had said. Perhaps he simply should not have answered her question at all.
In any case, he knew he had to somehow correct his error. He did not like seeing her upset like this, especially over someone like him.
"Even though I'm classified or," he looked to her pointedly, "'titled' as a criminal, I will admit that you probably know me better than anyone else in that organization, as that's all they see me as."
Well, all except for Madara at least and…he suspected Pain might know something also. They, of course, only did because they knew the truth of his past whereas the girl before him knew nothing.
He found that he did not even want the girl to view him as a criminal at all, though he hardly understand why that was so. Perhaps he had simply enjoyed, more than he previously realized, having at least one person in the world acknowledge him as something more. Or perhaps, it had been because he did not want to see the same look on her face that had continuously haunted him since destroying the happiness of his sibling.
Sakura did not respond right away as she instead took a long sip of tea, withholding her gaze until she had set her mug back down. Finally lifting her teal eyes to his she responded, "I don't even know how well I know you. It's not that comforting knowing the fact that I might only know you better than a bunch of criminals who couldn't care less."
Itachi allowed a small shrug, "I feel like I can be myself around you."
He did not feel as if he had to hide himself from her, perhaps due to the strangely calming atmosphere of Yokusei or perhaps simply due to the presence of the girl herself. In any case, he only hoped that he was making the right choice in dropping his guard.
She titled her head and regarded him curiously. "Are you saying you don't act like yourself around everyone?"
Itachi smiled slightly, "Aa, everyone but you."
"Really?" she asked with a sudden blush before she averted her gaze and lifted her tea to take a sip.
He exhaled softly as he saw that he had succeeded in restoring her pleasant demeanor. Nodding, Itachi also lifted his tea and took another sip. He again smiled and looked to her, "hell yeah, Sakura-san."
She returned his statement with a laugh, the sound prompting his smile to slightly widen. "You're very good with words, Itachi."
"Thank you," he nodded.
"You're welcome, Itachi," Sakura replied before smiling. "You said before that Sasuke-kun used to smile all the time. What about you?'
It occurred to Itachi then that perhaps she was a great deal more observant than he had assumed originally. Inadvertent certainly, but always effecting. In answering, he knew he would be offering her just a slight insight into his past. However, he also knew that it was nowhere near enough to reveal all that he was obligated to hide.
"I did," he replied simply.
Sakura displayed a warm smile, "It sounds like you were both very happy."
He observed her a moment before again nodding, "we were."
A silence fell before the door opened and Itachi lifted his eyes to see Gregor returning, an apologetic expression on his face.
"Sorry about that," the man stated, "had to feed the horses."
The Uchiha nodded and watched as the older man prepared his own tea before taking a set across from the pair. "Now then…what is it you need, my friend?"
Itachi glanced to Sakura a moment before shifting his attention to Gregor with a nod, trying to determine how to properly explain the situation.
