I'm uploading all of these at once, so I don't have anything witty to say anymore.

Enjoy.

Dark Horse

Chapter 11: Mark My Words

Shisui isn't quite sure what to do. After Kakashi's untimely interruption, Sakura had fled back to her room and left Shisui standing in the hall like a fool. Kakashi had only laughed at him and asked if Shisui wasn't going to chase her?

So here he stands, outside the closed door to Sakura's room. He wants to knock, continue their conversation, but he isn't quite sure what else there is to say.

Suddenly, the door is yanked open and he is staring at Sakura's amused green eyes. She smiles at him. "Are you doing stand there all day?" She asks, turning away and striding back into the room, door left wide.

Shisui opens his mouth and then closes it again. He shakes his head with a smile and follows her, the door closing with a quiet click. Her room is warm, lit by the noon sun, dappling the pale sheets. Her things are piled neatly on the dresser, her cloak flung over the back of a plush armchair.

She goes back to the dresser, digging around in her bag for something.

"Sakura, I…" Shisui trails off, still lost for what he wants to say.

She takes pity on him, turning with a knowing smile, eyes dancing. Her cheeks pinken slightly, just enough to see. She is holding her hands behind her back, hiding something. "Don't hurt yourself." She teases. "I know what you mean, even if you can't say it."

He shifts, fiddling with his belt and the empty place on it for his dagger. It still hangs at Sakura's waist, a little too large for her.

"Come." She says suddenly, sitting on the bed. "I have something to show you."

Shisui moves to her, curious. She is cradling something in her hands, hiding it from view and she smiles at him secretly as he sits, angling whatever it is away from him. After one more smile, she opens her palms and shows him what it is she is holding.

It is a little sand golem, the tan colour of it glittering with crushed crystal. There is a scarlet tattoo circling its little hands and feet and a light grey circle on its face. It sits in her hands, and then, before Shisui's eyes, it moves.

It sits up, shaking out its arms before standing. It looks at Sakura, featureless face somehow disapproving.

Sakura giggles at Shisui's dumbfounded look. "A gift, from my brother." She explains, poking the little golem gently in the forehead. "He is worried about me and has sent a vicious guardian to protect me." She coos, stroking the golem.

The golem swats at her hand, obviously offended and Shisui laughs at the ridiculousness of it all. He hadn't known Sakura had a brother. He reaches out, rapt by the curious little doll and the golem jabs at him angrily.

"Now, now, none of that." Sakura chides, curling her hands around the golem protectively. It waves its hand at Shisui, less intimidating than adorable. She smiles at her closed hands and then at Shisui. "He worries far too much, insists on sending his little minders. I do enjoy teasing them."

"I didn't know you had a brother." He murmurs, still intrigued by the sentient sand.

"Your people call him Tanuki, or the God of Wind." Sakura says at his questioning look. "He's not a god, rather just a grumpy old man with no sense of humour." She looks lost in thought for a moment, eyes smiling. "His name is Gaara."

Shisui isn't quite sure of what to think. Gaara, the Tanuki God of Wind. He had heard stories of a furious sand beast that commanded wind, he had never imagined it would Sakura's brother.

"He's really quite sweet." Sakura says, opening her hands again. The golem is still, sitting now and she leans forward to set it on the table beside her. "I think he would like you."

Shisui opens his mouth to respond but never gets the chance, because there is a knock on the glass. They both turn, to find Munin perched on the sill, eyes bright and curious at he peers at them.

Sakura sighs as Shisui rises to collect the little role of parchment on the birds ankle. Munin cries once and then flaps away, obviously off to find Itachi.

Shisui frowns as he reads the summons from his uncle. A second visit, in less than twenty four hours? What could be so important that Madara asked to see him again?

"Urgent news, I take it?" Sakura says and Shisui turns, to see her watching him, hands folded neatly in her lap. He doesn't want to leave, but he cannot raise Madara's suspicion by being late.

"Unfortunately." He says. He hovers near her side, clutching the parchment. For a moment, neither of them move.

He wants to draw her close but isn't sure whether his touch would be welcomed. So instead, he settles on a smile and a squeeze of her shoulder. "I'll be back after dinner." He says. "I'll bring Itachi and we can play cards."

Sakura says nothing, and he swallows before turning away. The mood had soured so quickly, and he hates to see her alone in that room, but he cannot earn Madara's ire now, not when they are so close.

"Shisui!"

He yelps when she grabs his collar, spins him around and yanks him back to her. They collide, hard enough to make them both stumble and then she is leaning up and pressing her lips against his.

Her hands leave his collar, cup the side of his neck, the back of his head as she pulls him closer.

It is a desperate, messy kiss.

Shisui relaxes, raises his arms to pull her up to him. She feels much smaller like this, in the circle of his arms. Her fingers tangle in the hair at the nape of his neck, it makes him shiver and she smiles against his mouth.

He tilts his head, to deepen the kiss, forgetting all about Madara's summons. All he can think of is the spitfire of a woman in his arms and her lips on his.

Her hair is just as soft as it looks.

Sakura pulls away suddenly, abruptly and he finds himself disappointed. She smiles up at him, cheeks red and eyes bashful. "We shouldn't keep his Majesty waiting, should we?"

Shisui would rather not talk about Madara right now. It must show on his face, the stress and worry that Madara's name brings to his stomach, because her face falls as well.

They stand in silence for a few heartbeats, until her hands slide from his hair, holding his face in her hands. She forces him to meet her eyes, green and earnest. "Come back to me." She says.

It sounds like a plea.

Shisui frowns. She sounds scared, and there is a tinge of fear to her green eyes, worry in the line of her brow and mouth. "He doesn't suspect anything." He tries to reassure her.

Sakura's hands slip from his face, leaving the skin there cold. They brace against his chest as she settles back onto her heels. Her eyes never leave his face, flicking over his features, as if she is trying to see something there.

"Promise me." Sakura demands, as she blinks rapidly. "Come back to me, Uchiha Shisui."

He drops his head, presses his lips to hers in a brief kiss. "I promise." He murmurs against her lips.

Her fingers clench in the fabric of his shirt as she presses up against him. Unlike their first kiss, this one is unbearably sweet and chaste.

Then suddenly, she pushes him away, her shove making him stumble back a step.

"Now go away." She says brusquely, covering her mouth and turning away. Her hair falls over her face and Shisui smiles, tilting his head to better see the blush on her cheeks.

Shisui salutes her, jaunty and confident and she scoffs at him, waving him away. "Of course."

He leaves Kakashi's inn feeling lighter on his feet than he had in years.

Shisui eyes Madara warily. Another meeting, not twenty four hours after the first?

Something is wrong.

There is tension in the air. It feels thick and oppressive. This tension is filled with secrets and long harboured rage and bitterness. Madara can feel that something is coming, but he does not know what.

Shisui would like to keep it that way.

"You have the look a man in love." Madara says, rolling a wooden ball in one hand. His eyes are not on Shisui, but on the ball, focused, intent.

It is not what Shisui expects his uncle to say. It brings the knot of worry back. Madara does not know Sakura is in the city, but even so, the idea of Madara finding out about his and Sakura's burgeoning relationship frightens him, chills him to his very core.

"Please tell me she is not some low born whore." Madara continues, throwing the ball up and catching it.

Sakura is the farthest thing from a whore. "We had hoped to keep it secret…" He smiles off to the side, playing the part of secretive lover. "Her father is not the kindest of men."

Madara snorts. "He will have no say in the matter." He says briskly, rising from his desk.

Shisui tracks Madara's movements around the desk. His dark-haired ancestor sets the ball on the desk with calloused fingers.

"So distrustful." Madara says, a smug smile curling his lips. "I have no interest in your slut, nephew."

"She is not-"

"Oh calm yourself, boy." Madara interrupts, rolling his eyes. Shisui fights the urge to snarl at the more powerful man. "You and your misplaced sense of honour. Possibly the most annoying thing your father taught you."

Shisui swallows his rage. "Did you need something from me, uncle?" He asks instead. He wants out of this room. He clenches one fist at his side, feels his knuckles strain with his fury.

Madara slinks closer, eyes like fire. "You leave tomorrow." He says sharply. "You've had enough time to recuperate, visit your whore and enjoy yourself." His voice is acidic, furious and for a moment Shisui thinks he knows about their plan, about Naruto, about Sakura.

"So soon?" Shisui pretends to think, brow furrowed. "The legion is not ready-"

Madara's face smooths over. "You'll go alone. The legion will follow after."

And then Shisui understands.

Shisui will never reach the front. Madara intends to have Shisui alone and vulnerable, intends to take his eyes when Shisui has no allies or anywhere to flee to.

Madara may not know what they are planning, but his paranoia has kept him alive all these years. He knows something is coming and he is preparing for it. Shisui's eyes will grant him power.

That cannot happen. There is a heavy sense of dread in his stomach as Madara stops in front of him. They are the same height, though Madara seems so much more imposing, the weight of his stare pressing down on Shisui's shoulders.

"At dawn." Madara says.

Shisui has no choice but to agree. "Of course, uncle." He murmurs, dipping his head.

Madara clicks his tongue, reaching out to straighten Shisui's collar. "You may be the oldest, but you are perhaps the most useless of my nephews when it comes to dressing yourself." For a moment, his voice sounds fond, and Shisui thinks he could be anyone's doting uncle.

Then Madara's hands tighten on Shisui's collar and his uncle's whole body goes taut. Shisui looks at his uncles face, sees it whiten, sees something like shock flicker across this face.

"I know this scent." Madara whispers, yanking Shisui forward. "I know this-" His jaw clenches as he tugs on the collar and Shisui realises too late that as brief as their embrace had been, some of Sakura's perfume must have clung to the thick material. "This is her scent."

Shisui tries to pull away but Madara holds fast.

Madara's eyes are wide with betrayal and insanity.

The room is silent, thick with fury and rage.

"You traitor." Madara snarls, shattering the calm. His eyes bleed red and his face twists with rage.

BITCH YOU THOUGHT.

Madara is totally the type of person to smell people. You know I'm right. I will die on this hill.

Also, hilariously, I had the first draft of this chapter happen way differently. It was also way more dramatic. It was so dramatic in fact, that I thought it might actually be too extra for the most extra clan in the Naruto-verse. So I toned it down lol. Originally, Sakura was going to sneak onto the castle grounds (for some reason?), make out with our handsome hero in a bush and then get discovered by Madara.

Thought the scent thing would make it more creepy. Because Madara.