Naruto: As the Heaven's Cried
A/N: Go on. You know you want to ;)
As the Heaven's Cried
First Date
"I can't believe I let you rope me into this," Sakura muttered to Sasuke as she stripped out of her shirt and pants behind the safety of a changing screen. She had just spent the last three hours being plucked, curled, and primed under the admonishing care of the staff of one of Konoha's best beauty salons. Now they were back at Sasuke's parent's house where she needed to change before her…date?
No, not date, she decided with a huff. There was no way she would agree to go on a date with Sasuke's older brother, especially when the man hadn't even asked her to be his companion (that title left a sour taste in her mouth worse than date). She was just doing a favor for Mikoto-san, accompanying Itachi to a function to the hospital where she worked and where the Uchiha family sat on the board of directors.
"You could have said no to Mother," came Sasuke's droning voice and Sakura shoved her head out to glare at one of best friends. He knew she couldn't say no to Mikoto-san, especially after her and Uchiha-san's generosity had put her through medical school without requesting anything in return. She was forever in debt to those two.
"I still don't know why it has to be me," Sakura huffed as she turned to stare at the dress. Sasuke had had her approve it a week ago, the black silk forming a modest scoop neck that left her arms bare and had a modest slit on the left side. It was beautiful – and far, far, far outside her price range – and after a year of wearing scrubs, Sakura felt like letting out a girlish giggle at being able to dress up.
"You work there, for one," Sasuke reasoned as Sakura slid the material on. "And your residency is under Tsunade, who is both the chief physician of the hospital and the head of the board."
"So, pure politics?" Sakura huffed as she settled the material in place before reaching for the strappy heels she had picked out to go with the dress. "Then why all the fuss of taking me to the salon?"
"We do have appearances to keep up."
"Oh? And do I suffice?" Sakura asked as she stepped out from behind the changing screen. Sasuke scanned her over as Sakura rested her fists on her hips before turning away.
Use to seeing her in scrubs or in the comfortable loose clothing she preferred when not working, Sasuke tended to forget that underneath Sakura was an attractive female. The stylists had worked on her hair until it felt in soft waves around her face and down her back, while the subtle makeup made her skin glow and her eyes seem even brighter than normal. Combined with the dress that showed off her modest but well proportioned curves, tonight Sakura looked stunning.
Not that he would ever admit it out loud as a sly grin appeared on Sakura's face as she watched him.
"Hn."
"You think I look pretty," Sakura sang as she went over to her friend, wrapping her arms around Sasuke's neck as she grinned at the blush on his cheeks. If not for the fact any romantic feelings between the two had been crushed since high school, Sakura would have teased him more. Instead she settled on a quick kiss on his cheek before heading to the door. "Thanks, Sasuke-kun. Now, let's not keep your brother waiting."
Shoving his hands in his pants Sasuke slowly followed after Sakura, wondering how his usually stoic brother would take Sakura's appearance.
sSs
"Itachi-san? I hope I haven't kept you waiting," Sakura said as she stepped in to the family room once downstairs. Over ten years of friendship with Sasuke meant she also knew quite a bit about Itachi and one thing about the elder Uchiha is that he liked people to be punctual.
"Ah, Sakura-san," Itachi said as he rose from the chair he had been sitting in and Sakura felt her mouth go dry. Dressed in a black tuxedo Itachi looked masculine and attractive – not that he had ever needed the help in the first place – she quickly checked to make sure drool wasn't escaping from her mouth. Swallowing nervously, she watched as he quickly took in her dress and appearance before moving to join her. "You look…nice."
Nice? She looked nice?
Any appealing thoughts about Itachi quickly disappeared to be replaced by irritation when Sakura remembered how much she suffered to reach this point and all he said was that she looked nice? Stupid, arrogant Uchiha! Nice is what you told your grandmother or aunt!
"Thanks. You look…satisfactory, yourself," she ground out softly and Itachi quirked an eyebrow for a second before he smiled softly.
"Ah, my apologies," he offered when he stopped next to her. "Let me correct myself: you look beautiful, Sakura-san. Thank you for accompanying me tonight."
"Better, Itachi-san," Sakura smiled in return.
"I aim to do my best," he murmured before glancing past her. "Sasuke."
"Brother. You'll be late," Sasuke said from the doorway and Itachi nodded before motioning Sakura to go ahead of him. Turning, Sakura caught the speculative look on her friend's face that was quickly masked as they walked past but he ignored her inquisitive look as Sakura and Itachi gathered her coat and purse before leaving the Uchiha mansion.
"Well, well, isn't this an interesting sight to see," Tsunade said as she stopped in front of Sakura and Itachi, a Cheshire grin in place. For once dressed to play her part, Tsunade had her voluptuous figure covered in a green wrap dress, her long blond hair twisted up and held in place by ivory chopsticks. "Sakura, Uchiha."
"Shishou," Sakura returned, a nervous smile in place. Nothing good came when Tsunade had the look of a cat playing with a mouse.
"On a date, are we?"
"Ha!" Sakura snorted, fisting her hand on her hips. "As if. I'm just accompanying Itachi-san as a favor to Mikoto-san."
The entire car ride from the Uchiha mansion to the hospital had been one long awkward silence. Sakura didn't know Itachi well enough to start a conversation with him and it didn't help that every time she glanced over at him he seemed to be staring at her from behind half-lidded eyes. By the time they finally pulled up she was seconds away from gnashing her teeth together in frustration.
"Oh ho," Tsunade said before turning to Itachi. "Well, let's go put those Uchiha looks and manners to good use. We need funding to keep us going for another year. And Sakura, don't forget to smile for these money-bags."
"Shishou," Sakura sighed in despair of Tsunade's rough attitude only to blink when she felt a warm hand on her back. Snapping her head up, she blinked when she found Itachi guiding her through the crowd with his usual calm appearance. The contact was surprising but not unwelcomed as he easily maneuvered them through the large crowd and once they stopped it immediately removed itself.
For the most part it wasn't as horrible as she expected and several times she found herself in long conversations with people who were actually interested in her work at the hospital. Only a few were excruciating boring – or completely naïve on what it meant to work in a hospital – but Sakura was entertained and amused to watch Itachi make comments that went over their heads but had her grinning. Itachi also knew how to play his part of the evening well and kept her well stocked on wine and food and away from some of the older board members who were notorious perverts.
Several times they were left alone long enough to engage in their own conversation. Itachi was more reserved than Sasuke but Sakura knew him well enough to even get him to talk with her the few moments they were alone. The conversations were rewarding as he was more than intelligent enough to keep up with her and they explored a wide variety of topics over the course of the night. It was odd to think that she had known him for so long but only now actually started to understand who he was as a person. And, more importantly, like what she learned.
Two hours in, Sakura excused her to use the restroom and seek out some silence before moving out to the small patio to get some fresh air. She knew she was leaving Itachi alone to speak with Danzo, but she disliked the board member who so often clashed with Tsunade on how the hospital should operate and she disliked the way he had looked at her even more.
She was enjoying the nice spring breeze when she heard someone come up behind her and turned to see Itachi approaching her.
"Have I stayed out too long?"
"No, I stayed in there too long," Itachi told her as he stopped next to her. This time the silence that settled between them was comfortable and Sakura smiled softly as the wind teased at her hair before glancing over at Itachi. Finding him watching her, Sakura raised an eyebrow in question.
"What? Is something wrong?" she asked as she looked down. Had she spilled food sometime during the night? Did her lip gloss smudge? Did she have toilet paper stuck to her?
"No, nothing is wrong," Itachi told her. "Thank you for accompanying me tonight. Even if it was for my mother, I appreciate your company. It has made the evening more enjoyable than most."
"Oh," Sakura said, blinking before smiling at Itachi. "Well I can't say it's been a total bore for me either. You make a good date, Itachi-san."
"I thought you disliked the term "date"?" Itachi asked her, his usually unreadable face showing curiosity and humor.
"Oh, well, see…it isn't a romantic date, but it's not just "companionship" because that still sounds dirty," Sakura rambled with a slight scowl before turning back to Itachi only to snap her mouth shut when she realized he was smiling at her. No vague tilt of the lips, no smirking when he felt superior, actual smiling. "So it's a date, but not a date date…see?"
"Quite," Itachi told her softly before taking a step forward and effectively pinning Sakura against the railing, watching as her lips formed a surprised "Oh" at the action. "And what about next time?"
"Next time?" What next time? He couldn't possible mean –
"I fully intend for us to have another date, Sakura," Itachi informed her and for a second Sakura blinked at him before frowning.
"Why?" She had known Itachi for years and he had never shown any interest in her, so why all of a sudden did he want to go out with her?
"As I said, I enjoyed myself this evening, something which has not happened in some time," he explained. "You are an intelligent female and are rather straightforward, which is appealing after being around women who play coy."
"Don't forget simpering and pandering," Sakura teased him, having met some of Itachi's other dates in the past and not being very impressed.
"Yes. I realize now that is not what I want," Itachi shrugged and something in Sakura warmed to the implication that what he wanted was her. And she couldn't deny she wasn't slightly curious about the change in direction their acquaintance had taken after tonight, not if it meant she got to see more of the Itachi that was revealed tonight.
"I'm free next weekend." Her mind made up, Sakura felt no reason to hold back anymore. Her decision was rewarded by Itachi giving a small smile and Sakura returned it with her own, anticipation building in her at the thought of next weekend.
"It's a date then."
"A date it is."
Ending A/N: Gasp! Two in a week! That hasn't happened since I started writing for this. I hope you enjoyed it. I debated on trying to work a kiss in, but I like how this one focused more on the start of a new relationship rather than just on romance.
More this weekend I think. I've been motivated by reading Cynchick's story Perception. It's bittersweet, but very, very good. Check it out.
Disclaimer: Nah...
