Warning: There will be a sex scene in this chapter, so if it will offend you in any way, please do not read.
Though they had said they would talk later, Sakura and Itachi didn't get the chance to talk for five days. For some reason, Pein had decided that it was alright for Itachi to go on missions again, and sent him on them constantly. Not only that, but Tobi seemed to be in need of her whenever Itachi was around. Suspicion began to grow in both of the victims as they were constantly pulled apart. Even at night, any time they tried to talk, Tobi would come in, offering something, or one of the other members would interrupt for some random reason. Now they were trying to find some way in which to interact.
On the sixth day of their separation, Sakura decided to go onto the training field to knock off some steam. As she got out to the field, she was happy to see it empty, a thin layer of mist covering it in the early morning. There was a cold breeze, and there was still a thick layer of snow, the clouds threatening more. Though it was cold, she was wearing a fishnet t-shirt over a black tank, sweatpants making up for some of the exposure of her upper body. She was glad for the freezing morning air; it made exercising so much easier. Putting on her gloves, she went up to some of the punching dummies, and began to beat the crap out of them. She didn't even feel the dummy on her numb hands, and once she began to kick it, couldn't feel it on her legs either.
This was how Itachi found her, kicking the crap out of the dummies, and when they were completely destroyed, she punched the earth once, creating a great split that ran for quite a few yards. Zetsu was not going to be happy about that. He watched, amused as she continued to go around the field, throwing kunai and shuriken at random targets, hitting all of them, and knocking down anything else she could find. You would never have guessed that someone so small could have so much power, and yet there she was, giving off so much power that Itachi was sure he could feel it emanating all the way towards where he was watching. He couldn't blame her though; he was also pissed off. He knew that Pein, and probably someone else in the group was working to keep him and Sakura away from each other, at least, make sure they didn't have any alone time.
He suddenly had to duck when she launched a boulder his way. Landing next to her, he grabbed her arm, turning her towards him.
"Letting off some steam?" he asked, taking some satisfaction in the surprised look in her eyes. Recovering herself, she pulled her arm out of his grip, and began to pick up some of the remains of the dummies, and her weapons.
"Maybe," she answered, voice clipped. His brow rose.
"You're mad at me as well," it was more a statement than a question.
A "hmph" was all he got in return. He watched her for a moment as she continued to pick up weapons.
"Are you going to tell me why, or are you just going to pout around like a child?" His question got the response he hoped for. First, she threw some of her kunai at him, all of which he caught or hit away, then she stormed up to him, jade eyes blazing.
"How dare you?"
"How dare I what? Ask a simple question?" he knew exactly what she meant, but felt that she needed to blow up at him, and decided to fuel the fire, though it was getting pretty hot and uncontrollable.
"You know exactly what!!! Six days ago, you kissed me. How dare you!" her hand flew out of nowhere, smacking him hard across the face. His head snapped to the side, but he just looked calmly back at her. "You should know by now how weak my heart is, and that I've come to care about you and the others, and then you kiss me! It was completely uncalled for, and in out situation, incredibly dangerous! Nothing can come out of it, and I don't want to even think about going any farther!" She began hitting him again, but he grabbed both her wrists, backed her up against a tree, and captured her mouth with his.
She fought as hard as she could, even though he had her trapped. All the pent-up anger at him and the others began to well up inside her, until she was suddenly kissing him back, all thought gone, replaced by pure, raw emotion. As he released her wrists, her hands dove into his hair and pulled him closer, her mouth harshly responding to his. When he began to pry her lips apart, she opened them willingly, giving his tongue entry, but would not let him dominate. Even as he hoisted her up so her legs wrapped around his waist, she still fought, though it was now for control of the kiss. However, he pulled back, looking up into her eyes, which were still flaming, but the anger was mostly gone.
"Better?" he asked, voice calm, but not quite cool. She nodded, and he let her down, but still remained close to her body, leaning close to her with both hands on either side of her head.
"Thanks," she said, slightly breathless. "I needed that. I've just been so frustrated. I'm so confused," growling in frustration, she dropped her head into her hands, and began to massage her forehead, trying to rub away the headache that was pounding between her eyes. He remained where he was, watching her silently.
After a couple minutes, she looked back up at him, smiling.
"This whole thing just sorta sucks," she said. He nodded, still silent. She sighed, leaning her head back against the tree. "So why did you do it?" her eyes were closed, her voice soft as she asked the question. He was quiet for a little while, trying to figure the answer out himself.
"Like you said," he responded softly, "I'm only human. You are so different from anyone else I've ever met. You were able to see my humanity, even through all the insanity, and lost all fear of me. In short, you intrigue me," her eyes opened, and when she locked them on his, there was laughter sparkling in them.
"I see. So how long is this…"intrigue" going to last?" she smiled, her tone slightly teasing.
"As long as you continue to surprise me. Besides, this is not just an innocent intrigue," his eyes darkened now, and a ghost of smirk appeared on his lips. "Seeing as I'm only human, primitive desires have a lot to say in this. I never gave into those urges, seeing as they were never that strong. Now that they have decided to attack me two-fold, I decided that I would experiment and see what happened," his answer made Sakura laugh.
"So I'm a prize?" she laughed again. "I suppose that's to be expected. Well," she pushed off the tree, bringing herself right up against him, and leaned her head up, her lips a centimeter from his. "I guess we can both do some experimenting. Since this won't be permanent, why not play with fire? I'm sure neither of us is afraid of being burned, seeing as we've already started," she whispered the words against his lips, then with a smile, ducked under his arms, and headed back to the hideout.
Itachi remained where he was, watching her go back into the mansion, heat still lingering in his stomach. Playing with fire. That was a very good description of it, fitting the danger in with the pleasure perfectly. Most of the danger now was the thoughts of keeping her with him until the very end, if he even got to the end. He was now trying to find ways out of dying, which was showing how much she had really infiltrated into his life.
"What do you think you're doing?" a calm voice drifted from behind Itachi, and he repressed the urge to grab a kunai and throw it.
"Leading her on so that way she doesn't continue to try and run away. You know how much trouble she was when she was actually determined to get away," Itachi turned, facing the masked face of Madara. "This way, she's much easier to deal with, and I can keep a better eye on her,"
"Are you so sure? Remember what my eyes can see, Itachi," Madara moved closer, and Itachi was sure his eyes were piercing right through him. "You can't become too attached. Sasuke nearly became a fatal problem. This girl could be even more lethal. She's incredibly powerful, though she doesn't flaunt it, and is even more intelligent. Not only that," his voice took on the slight lilt of a taunt, "you're only human. You've got to be extra careful to shut down all those emotions. We're so close to our goal, don't screw it up now," he was now a mere foot away from Itachi, his one visible eye boring into Itachi's.
"Once again, you're underestimating me. The last time you did that, I proved you wrong," Itachi's voice was cold, his expression harsh.
"Yes, but the last time I had faith in you, you failed. Your brother is still alive," Though his tone wasn't necessarily as hostile as Itachi's, a certain authority had slipped into it, warning Itachi that he was treading on dangerous ground.
"She's nothing to me, just amusement every now and again when she decides to do something unexpected,"
"Well, you certainly are lenient on her, even though she constantly questions your authority over her. I would have thought that you, out of all people, would never tolerate such a thing."
Itachi could tell that Madara was trying to nail him, prove that Itachi had gone soft. That was something Itachi could not let happen.
"I'm telling you, she means nothing. Once we're done with her, I'll get rid of her myself if you want me to," There was silence as Madara stared at Itachi, thinking.
"We don't need to get rid of her yet, she could still be of some use, but I will take you up on that. When I say so, you will kill her, and then we can go on with our business," he turned, walking back into the woods. "However, if I see anything that proves you're going soft, I will get rid of her myself, and you will not like the way I do it, though she will like it even less," with a wave and his warning still burning the air, he disappeared, leaving Itachi standing alone in the clearing. Or at least, he thought he was alone.
Sakura had come back out, remembering that she had left most of the shuriken scattered all over the place, and that the field itself was a complete disaster, and had decided to fix it. When she had walked out, she had seen Itachi, standing with his back to the woods, stiff as a board. Curious, and slightly worried, she had gone forward a bit, then froze when she heard another voice. Shock paralyzed her when Tobi emerged from the woods, but the voice coming out of him was not Toby's voice. She listened to the whole conversation, hidden behind one of the walls of the mansion, and had felt her heart plummet at their words. So, she was going to die. No matter what, she was going to die. Also, she meant absolutely nothing to Itachi. Not that she hadn't seen that coming, but it did nothing to numb the pain.
She had stayed a little while after Tobi had left, not quite sure what to make of the event she had just witnessed. Her mind snapped back into action once Itachi began to move back towards the mansion. With a start, she ran back inside, and headed straight for her room, locking the door. The instant her door was shut, she began pacing feverously. There had to be a way to get out. There was no way she could stay any longer, but knew she would have to. She needed to buy her time, act like nothing had happened, though she knew that would be futile. Still, she had managed to gain their trust, and knew that they were easier on her now, more relaxed. If she took advantage of that, there was a small chance she would be able to get away. This thought in mind, she headed to the stack of books she had put in her room that she had taken from Itachi's, and began to read, trying to get her mind away from everything she was surrounded by.
He knew. There was no other explanation. No matter what Itachi did now, Madara knew that Itachi had made the mistake of letting someone close to him. So what was he going to do? It's not like he could just ignore her, though she was doing a good job of that to him just now, but she was the one thing keeping his humanity intact, and if he wanted to see his plan through to the end, he had to keep some shred of his humanity. Now his thoughts strayed to her. Why was she avoiding him? She had locked her door, something she hardly ever did, and had put jutsus on it, making sure that no one could get in. Then it hit him. She had heard. A curse flew out of his mouth as the severity dawned on him. There was no way she would let him near her now. She figured that she meant absolutely nothing to him.
Angry and frustrated, with just a little bit of reckless alcohol to fuel both emotions, he walked out of his room, then went out onto his own balcony. He had already tested the balcony, and found it also surrounded by jutsus. Spending a couple minutes to identify them, he then made a few hand signs, and broke the jutsus. Even more frustrated than before, he leaped from his balcony, to hers. When he threw open the doors, he was satisfied to see her surprised face. However, the surprise did not stay on her features for long. Her brows drew together in anger, and her entire body pulsed with rage.
"What the Hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled, getting up from the bed to walk over to him, her movements gracefully dangerous. As he had done the first two times, he surprised her as he suddenly wrapped her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly. She put her fists up between them, trying to push him away, but he just held on, tightening his grip.
He had decided while he was getting into her room, that he was going to do this. If he was going to have to end things because of Madara, then he was going to give in to all of his desires, and emotions, for just one night. She continued to fight against him, even as he pushed her against the wall. Managing to break away from him, at least her face, she looked up at him, eyes ablaze.
"You can not use me this way!! I heard you earlier, and I can guarantee you that you will not keep me hear just by fueling some human weaknesses I very unfortunately can not get rid of!" She yelled the words, spitting them in his face, and began to fight against him again. He grabbed her wrists, stopping the assault she was launching on him, and looked down into her eyes. Then, ever so gently, leaned down and kissed her.
It was different from all the others they had shared; it was gentle and tender. Sakura was stunned, not quite sure what to make of the situation. She could feel his emotions pouring into her from the kiss, and knew that what he had said earlier was a lie to protect her. Once he pulled back, she could see a hint of pleading in his eyes.
"Did that feel like nothing to you?" he asked, slightly breathless. She shook her head, and felt tears start to well up in her eyes, but since he had her hands, she couldn't wipe them away, and one fell down her cheek. His brow furrowed, and he let go of one of her hands to wipe it away, then looked at her again, frown still on his face. "He really hurt you didn't he? My brother…" His hand stayed on her cheek, a gesture of complete tenderness and affection that made Sakura's throat constrict. She could only nod to answer his question. He nodded in return, and stayed silent for a moment longer. Going completely on instinct, and letting all thought power shut down, Sakura raised herself up on her toes, and pressed her lips against his.
She could feel his shock; had expected it, but was not quite ready for his reaction. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close and returning the kiss, but it was all done like he was holding something remarkably delicate. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, giving him permission to let go of his control. However, he remained gentle as he unwrapped his arms and untied the robe she was wearing, caressing the warm silk of the nightgown she was wearing. He hardly noticed the light crème color that matched her room as he slipped the robe from her shoulders, the silky material whispering as it fell to the floor to puddle at her feet. With a sigh, she completely melted against him, curving her spine so her body fit perfectly against his.
Painfully slowly, Itachi's lips left Sakura's and moved down her jaw, leaving a trail of fire behind. Sakura felt her blood boil as his lips found her throat and his teeth began to nip at the sensitive skin. She moaned and writhed against him as his teeth found her collarbone. As his lips moved to her shoulder, he brushed the straps of her nightgown down her shoulders so that the nightgown was barely clinging to her breasts. A gasp flew from her lips as his hand brushed over her breast right as he nipped on her shoulder. Her stomach clenched and began to flutter as she lifted his shirt off, slightly unhappy with the loss of contact, then began to undo his pants.
He found it incredibly charming how her hands trembled when she unfastened his pants. Once she got them off, he lifted her up into his arms, and walked towards the bed.
"Is your door locked?" he asked, pausing as he passed it. She nodded, and he continued to the bed, setting her down gently on the soft blankets. He straightened up for a moment, and performed a couple hand signs, which she knew made the room sound proof both ways, and made sure no one could come in. After he had finished that, he looked down at her, and felt all control slip away from him.
Her creamy skin was slightly reddened where his teeth had marked her. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were a brilliant emerald, glittering in the dim light. Almost as if possessed, he lowered himself down to her, right as she raised her self up to him, and captured her mouth with a new fervor. She felt the change, and returned it, excitement flooding her system. Before she could even comprehend what had happened, the nightgown was off of her, and on the floor. A soft cry escaped her as his hands roamed over her body, determined to know every inch of her. His palms and fingertips were slightly calloused, but she liked it. It suited him; the roughness. Wanting to see his reaction, she brushed her hands over his chest and stomach, and was pleasantly surprised when he moaned and arched his spine towards her.
Just like their relationship was in general, it was a battle for dominance. Somehow though, Itachi always managed to keep her beneath him. When his lips began to follow his hands over her body, Sakura became paralyzed. She had never felt anything so incredibly powerful and wonderful. A louder cry than before ripped from her throat as his fingers, then lips reached between her legs. Without her knowing it, he had removed her underwear, and was now mercilessly ravaging on her. Any brain power she had had left completely disappeared, and all she could do was writhe under him, crying out. He continued for what seemed like hours, and only moments, until she felt something in her stomach explode, and his name flew from her lips on a breathless cry. Her body melted back onto the blankets, her chest heaving as she tried to regain her breath.
He came back up to her, gently catching her lips in his own as her body shook slightly. Continuing the kiss, he got rid of his own underwear, but remained poised above her. Breaking away from her, he looked down at her, her brilliant green eyes barely visible underneath her lowered lashes.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked, knowing how easily a woman could be broken from such an act if she regretted it later, and also knowing that it had already been stolen from her. She nodded, smiling up at him. Not giving her time to think, he quickly slipped into her, causing her to gasp and arch up again. His pace was slow and steady at first, but once she began to moan his name, his pace quickened, and she matched it perfectly.
He couldn't think or breathe, and knew that she felt the same, for all she could do was moan his name breathlessly. Lights began to dance in front of his eyes, but he kept them open, staring down into hers. She hardly even blinked as she kept his gaze, and reached a hand up to brush his cheek. Turning his head, he pressed his lips into her palm, then bent to reclaim hers again as they both came, the kiss muffling her cry.
The air around them was stuffy and hot, but neither cared. They had wrapped the blankets around themselves once they had gotten enough energy to move, and were now laying side by side, arms wrapped around each other. She didn't think she had ever felt so content in her life. Though she knew she was betraying her village and her friends in the worst possible way, she was happy. Here was someone who truly believed in her strength, and who didn't always push her to the side. Not only that, he noticed her. Not as a friend or comrade, but as a woman. Sighing softly, she moved closer to him, and he just tightened his arms. There was silence for a couple more moments, then she spoke.
"It was two years ago, on a mission," though she started out vague, she knew that he knew exactly what she was talking about, though he remained silent. "We were going after Sasuke, but ran into some other rogue ninja, who were recruits of Orochimaru's. A fight broke out, and I was separated from Naruto and Sai, who were my companions. I managed to get rid of about ten of them, but I never saw the eleventh one coming. The other ten I thought I had knocked out got up, and held me down as each one took his turn," she paused, trying to keep a sob from rising in her throat. "Once they were done…I killed them. Naruto and Sai don't know. I couldn't bring myself to tell them, even though they knew something was wrong. When we got back to the village, Tsunade knew right away, and checked me out, just in case. I got lucky," she stopped, refusing to go any further. Itachi brought a finger to her chin, and tilted her head up so he could press his lips to hers. Though he didn't say anything, the kiss was all the comfort she needed, and once they broke apart, she rested her head on his shoulder, and fell asleep.
"Are you serious? She's an excellent healer. Why would you want to give her up?"
"Because she's causing a lot of trouble in my organization. This way, I can get rid of her without ever having it trace back to me,"
"But Itachi will come after us. If what you say is true, he will come after us, and never stop,"
"Oh he'll stop. He won't know what happened to her. Just make sure you don't leave any traces."
"Do you want us to keep her alive?"
"You may do whatever you wish to her. She's yours,"
"Thank you Madara. She will be of great use to us,"
"Again, just make sure none of it gets out Orochimaru,"
"I'm fairly sure Kabuto can take care of that. Can't you Kabuto?"
"Yes. It will be very easy now that I have my body back to myself."
The three men smiled at each other in the dark, and once Madara took off, he could hear Orochimaru's insane laughter as the snake master thought of plans to get the youngest Uchiha back.
A.N. First of all…Thank you so much for your reviews!!! I was seriously geeking out when I read the most recent ones. I'm a little nervous about this chapter, obviously because of the sex, but I hope you all like it! More reviews would be absolutely wonderful, you have no idea how happy they make me, and I must warn you, there will be rape scenes, and further sex scenes in future chapters. I hope that this doesn't offend anyone, I tried to make it as clean as possible, but still make it seem real. As a side not, to Sam, I would love to find a way to contact you. I love your review, and would like to talk in more detail with you. Now, to all of you, thank you again, and I hope to get the next chapter out soon!!! Slant agat! --Kat
