The Uchiha family left in two cars for the main house. Kakashi drove one and Madara the other. Izuna always tagged along with Madara and behind him climbed in Shisui. The younger of the three turned to look and see if Itachi was coming , but wasn't surprised to see the other Uchiha hang back and stay close to Sasuke and Sakura, who were talking about the animal parks they could visit on days off.
Shisui was about to close the door when a pale hand shot out and gripped the door tight. Shisui blinked in surprise.
"Sai? What are you doing out here?"
The younger boy glare before tossing his duffle bag into the car and sliding in. In the front seats, both Madara and Izuna shared a look of confusion. Neither had been told Sai would come.
"Are you planning on staring the whole time or are you going to actually put this car in drive?" the droll boy snapped, buckling himself in and slouching far down in his seat. He turned his face to the window and slid even further down, so nothing below his nose could be seen from the outside.
"Fine. Don't complain if you change your mind halfway there, though," Madara said easily enough.
The eldest Uchiha brother started the car with an easy turn of his wrist. He watched through his mirrors to see Sakura follow Sasuke and Tobi into the second car while Itachi took the front passenger seat alongside Kakashi. Alongside him, Izuna yawned and settled down to nap.
Shisui laughed once the second car turned on. "They'll be fine. We better get going before too much daylight is wasted. You know Kakashi couldn't be a lead foot if he wanted to, and poor Sakura chan doesn't deserve to be stuck in a car with so many annoying brothers all day long."
"Yeah, yeah," Madara sighed easily, turning on his blinker and merging into traffic. He glanced back in his mirror once or twice more, searching for their car, and only when he saw them pull out onto the road did he seem to relax.
Shisui turned his eyes next to Sai, who was still staring out the same window, but no sported a pair of earbuds. Shisui pulled out out and grinned at the look on Sai's face. If it had been anyone else Sai would have said something, but when he saw Shisui he just glared.
Shisui didn't seem phased. "Good boy. Now, tell me why you decided to join us at the last minute. You didn't tell me you planned on coming."
"I didn't need to tell you anything."
Shisui pulled on the earbud's cord and the other side that was still caught in his ear tugged painfully, bringing his face closer. Sai bit the inside of her lip, looking to the front where Madara remained oblivious beside his dozing brother before glancing back over at Shisui.
"Hmm, maybe you forgot the last thing I told you. I'll admit, it was a while ago."
Sai slid his eyes to the side, looking away. "I didn't forget whatever stupid things you had to say to me."
Shisui laughed, and it sounded so cheery, but Sai knew better. Madara wasn't paying attention to anything that happened behind him, his eyes and attention were divided between the road in front of him and the mirrors that told him where Kakashi was on the road. The radio was on as well, soft, but loud enough to make their words hard to hear.
"My precious little brother is certainly cute today," Shisui chuckled, tugging on the earbud cord again. "But don't think you can lie to me as easily as you can lie to yourself or the others. I already told you to stay away from her."
"Did you forget what I said? She's still not comfortable."
"You're not paying attention. She's changed."
Sai narrowed his eyes and his words were deeper when he spoke. "Not enough."
Shisui kept smiling, but let go of the cord to pat his cheek. "Then remember what I told you the first time; I don't care if she is uncomfortable around us. We'll make her understand she's wanted around here and she'll come to love it with us. Considering what we've already done and what she's already accomplished, I don't doubt there will be a day when she truly loves all of us."
Sai reached out and yanked his earbuds back from where Shisui dropped them, scooting as far away from his elder brother as possible and turning to face out the window. He didn't look back to see what kind of face his elder brother was making.
"But that also means you too…" Shisui added in a softer voice. He too turned away and made himself content with checking activities out on his phone and responding to emails.
Sakura had taken Madara's advice and stayed close to Tobi and Kakashi, which wasn't that big of a deal since Tobi was the easies of all the brothers to get along with, and if she had to name a favorite he would be an easy pick. The pair of them played games on the ipad until they got stuck and had to bug Sasuke until he cleared the level for them. Apparently he was better at video games than he let on.
'That's only because I've already beaten Undertale before. Also, you really need to go back and get that Temmy armor.'
'It's too expensive.'
'Well yeah, that's why you need to farm for it-oh here, let me show you.'
It didn't feel like hours later, even after Tobi dozed off, but the car trip didn't last forever and before she knew it the rural details of her country began to develop outside her window. Half the day was gone before the started to see the boundaries of the Uchiha lands.
"All of this…" Sakura breathed, sitting up and looking out her window at the lands that sprawled in historic elegance. It was like stepping back into time. She glanced back at Itachi and Sasuke who were watching her with mirrored looks of amusement. This wasn't anything new to either of them.
"It looks bigger than it really is," Sasuke murmured, trying to sound humble.
"Oh please, little brother," Itachi chuckled. "It's nothing to sneeze at. You'd tire yourself out if you walked the length of the lands on your own."
"No one would want to walk the length of the lands on their own," Sasuke huffed.
Sakura looked back out the windows at the buildings and homes that dotted the country side. They looked like they hadn't seen a day after the first of the Mejin era. Absently, Sakura wondered if they had internet or iff they even had electricity. It was old, but elegant all the way through. Then there were the trees stretching up all around them as Madara and Kakashi turned down the road into the dark places. Minutes later the shade passed over them and was left behind as they emerged in a new clearing.
"We're almost there," Itachi breathed while watching her watch the windows. He swallowed and even with all the noise inside the car she thought she heard his stuttered breath. "I'm sure you'll love it when you see it."
"Or what you can see of it," Sasuke laughed. "It's a sprawling mess. You can't see all of it at once unless you climb a tree or something."
"How many Uchiha live inside the main house?" Sakura asked, still watching the exterior through her window. There was a small stone god on the side of the road and then further back she saw a wide tree wrapped in white talisman. There were paths all throughout the forest and she had no doubt each one took her somewhere extraordinary. She felt young again. Like there was magic in the breathing was easier.
"Less than fifty live in the main house, but there are over a hundred more who live in detached homes and guest houses. Only the elders and their immediate family can officially live in the main house, the rest who sleep under that roof are servants and there are plenty of them," Kakashi easily answered, speaking up for the first time since leaving the city.
"Many of them will be staying in the main house, though," Itachi added, glancing only once at Kakashi before his gaze returned to her.
"How many more?"
Sasuke huffed. "A lot. You won't be able to remember them all. Trust me, I'm related to them and even I don't know most of their names."
"That is not true for all of us," Itachi chuckled with a mischievous look in his eye as he turned in his seat to smile back at his brother. Sasuke flushed and looked down quickly.
Sakura hummed, absently. Madara had left her with an album the other night and she had put many of the photos and notes into her phone to review before hand. She committed a handful to memory, but didn't doubt Sasuke when he said it would be hard to keep up. There were so many and they all seemed the same stern, dark haired, dark eyed carbon copy of each other. Also there was an undeniable 'good looking' gene in the family. Too many boys and girls looked like they were made to model the stars.
They were lovely and it made Sakura want to sink in her seat when she thought of how they would be watching her and observing her. Madara had warned her of what they would be like. Sakura didn't think she looked like she could keep up with them-at least not without Ino to back her up and work the make up/hair detail. Sakura missed Ino, and missed the stability of being at home or with close friends. She wasn't safe here, but that didn't mean she was in danger.
Sakura breathed in deep, letting the wind from outdoors in through the crack. It was fresh and she could feel it in her bones. She wasn't safe, but she wouldn't be conquered by fears or feelings on inequality. She was stunning in her own way. She would be amazing in her own way.
"You okay?"
Sasuke's voice brought her back.
"Yeah, it's just kind of stuffy in here." Sakura smiled easily. "It's nice out here, away from the city."
Sasuke smiled and nodded easily. "Yeah, I know right? I always thought the outdoors were the best part of coming here, though, you could say it was the only good thing about coming here. It's like…the air is different or something."
Sakura laughed at his starry eyed expression. "Yeah, it makes me want to go out looking for Totoro or something."
Between them Tobi sat up stiff and wide eyed. "Totoro! Where?!" He turned sharply from one side to the next. "I want to see the Totoro, Sakura, where is he?!"
Kakashi laughed from the driver's seat and beside him Itachi only sighed in resignation, turning around to face forward again as Sakura encouraged Tobi to help her look out her window and see if he could find any forest spirits. And even though it was something Sasuke would never normally be caught dead doing, he played along as well.
Sasuke teased his youngest brother by claiming he saw the forest spirits and wasn't going to give any hints as to where. Even when Sakura pouted and whined alongside Tobi Sasuke refused to share his secrets. Sakura pretended to be really troubled until Tobi comforted her by telling her he would find a forest spirit for her.
"We're here," Kakashi called back to the rest of the car, slowing down as he pulled them into the stretch of driveway just at the base of a set of wide set stairs. At the base a trio of women in traditional dress waited with their heads bowed. Behind them were six different men who moved forward to help Madara and Izuna with their things.
Kakashi put their car into park and killed the engine before turning around to grab his travel book. Sakura watched from her seat how Izuna and Madara were greeted and catered to as they left the car, soon followed by Shisui and even Sai, though there was a distinction in how Sai was welcomed in comparison to the other brothers. Still, no one from the first car piced anything up, leaving the men and lady servants to tend to it all. Itachi climbed out and the maids were just as generous with their welcomes, though no one seemed to see Kakashi as he moved around to pick things up out of their trunk.
Sasuke exited along with Tobi, but Sakura turned around in her seat to speak to Kakashi through the trunk. "Are the welcomes always this awkward?"
Kakashi grinned. "You haven't seen them at their worst."
Sakura shivered, reaching over the headrests to grab her satchel. "I don't think I want to know what the conditions were for that time."
She started to pull her bag but Kakashi stopped her. She frowned and he only shook his head and pulled it from her hands. "No, if they see you carrying something it will count against you. Uchiha are too dignified to burden themselves, and you're only an Uchiha by marriage. You need to do your best to be acknowledged."
"But you're carrying stuff." Sakura frowned, remembering what Madara said about Kakashi, how he would have no supporters or no one cheering for him. He was just like Sasori and Pein. He was an outsider even if he still had one half of his blood stemming from the Uchiha.
Kakashi winked at her and the red of his eye-the one always hidden by heavy bangs-twinkled charmingly. "You're going to be fine. Don't worry about me."
Sasuke was beside her door, puling it open for her and standing in the way. Sakura looked up and saw that he was accompanied by Tobi. On the other side of the car were the maids and Itachi.
Sakura dropped her satchel and followed her brothers around the car up to the base of the stairs, not missing how close Sasuke stayed to her and how Tobi was always looking at her like he was watching her to make sure she didn't cry. Itachi stood at the foot of the stairs, hands in his pockets with his posture casual.
"This," he began to say, rolling his eyes to land on her before going back to the maids. "Is our beloved step-sister. Please show her the upmost kindness during our stay."
The maids looked her over and then bowed, smiling as pleasantly as they had with the brothers earlier, even if their eyes were a bit more narrowed. Sakura felt like a cow on the auction block. They had sized her up and would keep sizing her up as long as she was in their sights.
"Come now, Sakura," Itachi hummed, taking the first step on his own before looking back to wait for her to move with him. Sasuke didn't fall back, so together she and Sasuke took to the stairs with Tobi staying close behind. Sakura heard Kakashi come up behind them with a few things to carry, and further back the last few men took out the last few things from the car.
Sakura meant to count the steps, but she kept forgetting and dropping number the effort was near pointless after hitting thirteen. How many number of stairs there were, it took what felt like a full minute before they were at the top and in front of the actual house.
Two rows of men and woman bowed to the Uchiha brothers who were already ahead of them, and kept their heads down as Itachi approached with the others. Sakura felt like all the eyes of everyone present were on her, even though the faces of all the servants were cast down. She wanted to turn around, but Tobi touched her hand and she held it, giving it a playful squeeze. She walked through the rows of people without issue.
Once inside there were even more maids, but they were all older and the oldest of them was dressed better than the others. When she bowed, it wasn't as low.
"Madara sama, we are so grateful to see you have returned to us at last. Might we prepare you and your brother a drink in your rooms to help you relax?"
Madara nodded, tugging at the sleeves of his shirt and looking at the buttons there as if nothing else mattered more. "That would be acceptable. See to it my siblings are also taken care of with the upmost haste. We have traveled long and desire rest before the evening dinner."
Sakura glanced over at Sasuke to see him nod at her here. Yes, they had mentioned an evening dinner to her earlier, so this wasn't a surprise. It was just coming a little faster than she thought she was ready for.
Madara turned halway around to look back at Sakura, but when he spoke he was addressing the head maid. "Mei san, please make sure my step sister is situated in a room close to Tobi's. I would prefer she had the most privacy, but I would understand that if you are short on room with so many guests."
"Never for our most beloved sons," the old woman easily replied, still keeping her eyes lowered. "The household is at your service, young master. We shall see to it that it is as you wish." The woman named Mei bowed once more.
The ladies around her began to head off, one leading Sai and the other disappearing all together. Kakashi stayed behind with Sakura and Tobi while the rest of the brothers went off to find the rooms they had used for past visits. Sasuke looked back once before turning the corner.
"This way please," the woman said, turning and leading the trio down a hallway.
After a few steps Tobi tugged on Sakura's sleeve and she lifted him up easily. Sakura felt eyes on her back and turned to look behind her, but there was no one there. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her and frowning in disapproval. Why? Because of how she held Tobi?
"Here you are, Kakashi san," the woman said, stopping outside a door. She took another step and slid open the door to the adjacent room. "And for young master Tobi."
"I want to stay with Sakura," the youngest Uchiha mumbled, shivering in her arms. Sakura frowned, not liking how Tobi seemed to suddenly withdraw in fear. His eyes were darting and his posture screamed 'distressed.' Something was making him scared. Did he feel the eyes too?
The head maid stared the younger boy down and Sakura wanted to turn her body away and hide her youngest brother from those eyes. The woman seemed vile underneath all those sags and fake lashes. She reminded Sakura of a viper. "The young lady will have her own quarters at this end of the hall, but you are old enough now, young master Tobi, that you should be on your own."
"Tobi," Sakura whispered. "You can come and visit me whenever you want, I'll be even closer to you now than before when I was on a whole different floor." When he didn't respond she added, "Will you help me check out my room?"
Mutely, he nodded and Sakura followed the maid into the room. Tobi stayed in her arms as she checked out the traditional living quarters that were big enough for a bed and a sitting area with the back wall being converted into a sliding screen door that led out to the porch that stretched out around the interior sections of the house.
Once left alone, Sakura and Tobi opened the screen onto the porch and pulled out some cushions to sit on. There was a earthly zen garden with stone, pond, and fauna to watch. Tobi's room also opened up to the same porch, as did Kakashi's, Sakura suspected. There were a number of other rooms that had screens that opened up to the same garden, but it was large enough that a dozen people could be gathered to mull around and it wouldn't feel crowded.
"If you ever feel scared at night, or just want company, you can come to me this way," Sakura told Tobi, pouring tea for the both of them.
Kakashi joined them a moment later, sitting on the edge of the porch. He had brought snacks but warned them not to eat too much because there would be more food coming soon.
"Isn't this nice, though?" Kakashi asked after a moment of peaceful silence between them. "Not many have rooms in this wing, so we're virtually all on our own. This wing," he motioned to the other half dozen doors Sakura saw along the porch across the garden. "It's more modest and so only the guests the Uchiha don't care about are situated here. I don't know why they would put you here, Sakura, but it makes sense for Tobi and I. Hmm, Sai might be here too, now that I think about it. He's too much of an asshole."
"I don't understand that," Sakura said, looking back to where Tobi was chasing grasshoppers. "You and me, yeah, but Tobi's a full blood Uchiha."
"But you can tell he's…slow, right?"
Sakura felt her lips tug down. "Not developmentally." She had paid attention to his speech and helped with homework enough to know he was bright. He caught on to academics fast.
"No, but emotionally, he's still…he's the baby and he acts like it and they hate us because we coddle him. They say he gets too much attention. He won't turn out well like this, and they don't care as much, seeing as how the other brothers seem fine enough to 'work with' or manipulate." Kakashi looked down at his tea and took a sip before replacing it and shifting so he lounged along the end of the porch.
"There is nothing wrong with Tobi," Sakura said with conviction. "He has fears and anxiety and seeks attention. That's normal for young kids who don't have stabile parental figures in their life. He has you, but where is his mother? His father passed away before he could even get to know the guy, that's not the easiest thing for a kid so young to understand." Sakura felt her hands tremble. "Nothing is wrong with him."
"No, there's not. But that isn't how they see it." Kakashi took another sip. "Look at Sasuke and Itachi, look at Shisui, that's what they want out of Tobi."
"Tobi doesn't need to be any of that." Sakura set her tea down and stood up, breathing deeply. "He's a human being and he should be given the support and love he needs, not what they think is developmentally appropriate for a feudal lord." She stepped down and began to walk into the garden.
"Where are you going?"
"They catch grasshoppers."
"You'll get dirty."
The only answer Kakashi got was a laugh as Sakura slipped behind a flowering bush to chase Tobi through the hedges. It was enough to make him grin. She was more perfect than she realized, especially in how she cared for others. There was a reason Tobi ran to her more than he ran to him or any of the other brothers anymore.
Maybe Kakashi did coddle Tobi, maybe he did spoil Tobi in a way that was unhealthy. He would buy things for the boy and dote on all his younger brothers as his first love language dictated. He admitted to be near at a loss for how to sooth the boy out of a fear or care for Tobi during a bout of anxiety. Sakura took it all in stride and dealt with it like a seamstress would a tangle. Kakashi cut tangles or left them alone. Sakura sat down in front of the knot and picked through it, unweaving it until the loom was clean again.
He heard a squeal and looked up in time to see Sakura holding up a sad looking Turkish Calico. Tobi wasn't far behind. "We're naming him Sunny," she laughed before handing the cat to Tobi who held him with the upmost devotion.
And even though he knew they were being watched, there were always eyes on them when outside, he laughed without reservation.
Before they were called to dinner both Sakura and Tobi had found cats in the garden and were spoiling the animals with food treats. It was Shisui that came over with the latest black and orange Tortoiseshell cat. Sakura pointed to it and named it Bandit before the older Uchiha could even say anything.
Shisui laughed after a beat and let the cat down. "They don't have names, but if you want to name them, be my guest. They must have smelled your food. There's not usually this many out and about at once."
"Oh?" Kakashi hummed, looking up from his empty tea cup. "And how would you know, golden boy? You're always one wing up with the rest of the high rollers."
Shisui shrugged, sitting down next to Tobi and Sakura to pet one of the cats. "Sai was complaining about his room so we switched. He's allergic to cats, remember? It's a new development, just in the last year I'm afraid."
"Which is weird because the Uchiha are super huge fans of cats and I've never heard of one being allergic," Kakashi added, watching Sakura scratch her cat under his chin. They liked her, which was also odd and not the best sign if they wanted avoid making Sakura look like a desirable candidate for one of the Uchiha sons. Someone was going to see her getting along with the cats and take that as an excuse to force her into engagement with Sasuke or or one of the other sons…like Shisui. They were too superstitious.
"Sorry you got stuck in the lame quarter of the house with us losers," Sakura laughed, winking back at Tobi who laughed along with her. The boy who was shivering in her arms from hours ago was long gone.
"I don't think I'll mind it as much," Shisui replied easily enough.
In his mind Kakashi made a sarcastic comment about the Uchiha police officer.
"We should get ready for dinner. Someone will be around in a few minutes to summon all the siblings to dinner. If you're ready before they ring you don't get the evil eye."
"What do I need to do to get ready?" Sakura asked, letting her hand drop from the cat's head. The animal yowled softly in protest before scampering away.
Shisui shrugged. "I don't know, maybe something with your hair? Change your clothes? What do girls do to get ready for dinner?"
"It depends on the dinner and who you're eating with," Sakura sighed.
Shisui looked down and Kakashi narrowed his eyes at his suddenly demure posture. "Well, they're sort of impressive I mean, it's the first dinner together. What do you do if you are getting ready for a date with a guy?"
"I don't," Sakura answered easily enough before standing up. Her tone was a bit more clipped and she had to take a breath before speaking again. "But I'll put my hair back since it is dinner with the family and maybe put on a skirt. Hey, do these doors lock from the inside. I don't want anyone walking in when I'm changing."
Kakashi leaned over and showed her where the latch was and she thanked him before heading off inside. Tobi chased one of the cats down the porch, leaving Kakashi and Shisui on their own.
"What are you doing?" Kakashi asked in a subtle tone.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Shisui hummed, looking away towards the low sun making the green colored tiles of the roof take on a gold tone. "I haven't done anything."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "You're aiming for her." When Shisui stiffened Kakashi sat up and went on, his voice a tight whisper. "You forced Sai out of his room to get closer to her one purpose. You're an imp."
"I didn't do anything wrong," Shisui pouted.
"What are you planning on doing while here. If you make her feel uncomfortable-"
"I wouldn't!" Shisui looked to Sakura's door in apprehension before lowering his voice. "I think I understand her a bit better than that, and I plan on helping her stay comfortable as I pursue her. I think I can do that."
"You're no better than Sasuke."
Shisui snorted. "Sasuke? He's not the one you should be afraid of. Itachi contacted Momo chan. He's already reached out to his favorite aunt. What do you think he did that for?"
Kakashi swallowed, looking away. If Itachi was throwing in his lot it was a whole new ballgame. Sasuke was clumsy but obvious and sweet. Shisui was…sly every which way. Madara was a wild card, Kakashi didn't know how to read the Uchiha that supposedly took everything he wanted. Itachi used to be the one Kakashi thought of as the most level headed. Itachi was…efficient. If he was after Sakura as well, the game would be that much more difficult.
Kakashi's own personal dream of the small house and the home-cooked meals and the apron and maybe a child together was looking more and more unbelievable. It had always been a dream, far off and out of reach, but the moon was so much closer than the sun, and at least one of those had been touched my humans in his lifetime. He'd still dream, but it wouldn't kill him when the day came and his dream became impossible.
"Don't chase her unless you plan on giving her the best life," Kakashi finally murmured, looking up at Tobi and then back at Sakura's door. "Don't go after her unless you are confident you can do that for her. She doesn't deserve anything less than that."
"You think I don't know that?"
Kakashi shook his head. "I don't think you're half as good a person as she is." When he looked up at Shisui it was to glare at the sly Uchiha who was too good at his job to be a pure boy straight out of university. Kakashi knew there were nights Shisui came home with blood under his nails that didn't belong to him. "So yeah, I think it needs to be said again. To you and Itachi."
Shisui looked like he was thinking, half his mind was somewhere else, digesting Kakashi's words. "What about Sasuke and Madara?"
"They'll get their warnings too, don't worry." Kakashi stood, brushing the dust off his knees. "I don't want to make you my enemy, but I will if I have to. Don't hurt her." He paused and then added, "I'm going back first with Tobi. He needs to wash his face."
Kakashi walked away to find the youngest Uchiha and felt a little bit worse for the dream he left behind him. What would be best now is to work and act as Sakura's gatekeeper. However strong and resilient she might be on her own, he would be ready to stop what she didn't want any more of. And if Itachi and Shisui were already this eager, he had a feeling he would have to spend his weekend on his toes.
He paused in his steps and looked back at Shisui. The younger Uchiha was looking at the screen door that separated him from Sakura. His face was full of hope and there were stars caught in his lashes because he had a chance with her. He wasn't a bastard born, he wasn't too much older than her, he wasn't jaded.
Staring only made him angrier, so Kakashi turned and walked away.
Itachi barely paid any attention to anything else during dinner after Sakura walked in on Kakashi's arm. He knew there was food in front of him and his family members were surrounding him at the table, but she was far away from him and looking as lovely as ever with a new wave in her hair and minimal makeup. Shisui entered late and tried to take a seat at her end of the table, but was ushered towards the head where Sasuke and Itachi sat. Madara was at the far end, nearly at the head of the table between wizen, wrinkled elders along with his brother Izuna.
Sakura was the one most watched, but no one faced her fully. She was, after all, the reason for their visit. The Uchiha around her, the aunts and uncles, kept her from eating with questions after question. She would lift her chopsticks to her mouth only to pause as she answered yet another question about her future plans.
She tried her best to make it seem like she didn't mind, but Itachi liked to think he could read her better than that. Her shoulders were tense and the frame of her neck stood out, more swan like than before with the tension caught around her collar. It was as if she was holding herself back from flipping the table and running out of the room.
But then there was a ray of hope as one of the more cherry looking Uchiha but in and scolded the others for keeping the young girl from eating. She shoot her finger at them and then turned to Sakura, offering sweet words. Sakura brightened considerably before turning to her food. Itachi sighed. Good, Aunt Momo had intervened and planted the first seed. It was important that Itachi's friends were Sakura's friends.
"Not at all, the danger is only over exaggerated by those who don't know what they are doing," Shisui laughed, sounding louder than before. Itachi frowned as Sakura's attention followed the noise. It only lasted a moment though, before her eyes turned back to her bowl. Shisui noticed too and nearly wilted.
"I'm sure it's not as easy as you make it seem," one of the older men said. "But Uchiha have always had a natural aptitude for the police force since the days before our grandfather's grandfather. It's a noble tradition."
"Of course," Shisui added, sounding less eager.
Itachi watched his brothers, watched their eyes, watched to see where their attention settled and floated. No one paid any attention to the conversations with their elders. Everyone had eyes that flirted with Sakura's face though. Sasuke was the most obvious, but he wasn't the most frequent.
Shisui hadn't spent as much time with Sakura since he was always so busy and away at work, but it was surprising how strong he was coming on. There was something there, something that hadn't been there before. It felt like a secret between him and her, but it was too off to be a secret. Secrets made people nervous. If anything, Sakura seemed more confident and comfortable around Shisui. She was opening up more and more with all of them, but there were brothers she was closer with of course. Shisui hadn't even been on Itachi's radar until last week. It wouldn't do if Sakura started to prefer Shisui to himself.
Itachi faked another smile and answered a question from one of the Uncles on his left. He was good at multi tasking.
"So, what are your plans for after your career days?"
Sakura looked stunned by the question. "I…I would assume it would be retirement."
"Oh no, it wouldn't be good for the children to work through their childhood."
The younger woman grimaced. "No, I suppose it wouldn't be advisable."
Sakura lowered her eyes and returned to her food as another woman went on about her own husband working extra hard to provide and how modern people were so turned around when it came to traditional family roles. Sakura didn't respond but kept eating and it was clear to Itachi that she was biting back her words. She knew it wouldn't do her any favors to be honest with these people.
He wanted to say something, he wanted to stop the inquisition, he wanted to be the one she talked to late at night over dim lights about her most honest thoughts and dreams. He wanted to be the one she looked at.
Before much longer the first Uchiha stood and like that, the meal had ended and people began to move to the adjacent room for evening mingling.
Kakashi leaned over and whispered something to Sakura, making Itachi frown even as he rose alongside his uncles. Sakura nodded once and stood up with him, reaching for Tobi's hand and walking with him into the next room. He would be able to talk to her soon.
She naturally gravitated to a corner with more shadow and Kakashi followed. He was enough to keep a handful of more prudish Uchiha away, but not the women. They were in it for the gossip and Itachi had to stop where he stood. If he went over there now it wouldn't be in his best interest. He recognized the women around Sakura, major gossips, were like vultures.
'Pretend to be tired,' he thought hard in her direction. 'Set them off kilter. Ask them about their own children. Don't answer anything they ask.'
"So Itachi," he looked sideways at the older uncle who was still married to Momo, even if they weren't cordial with each other anymore. "Momo says you have your sights set. Is this true?"
"Uncle Baru," Itachi nodded. "I do not anticipate an objection on this matter."
"Ah," the old man huffed. "So it's true."
Itachi merely nodded.
"You should not set your sights so low, but if you should set your sights on someone, you should not fail. You will not be persuaded?" When Itachi shook his head Baru grunted. "All is well. I will hinder the other's advancements. They shall not steal a match under this roof."
"And…what will that look like?" He watched her and she was smiling weakly, touching her forehead, playing sick. 'Smart girl.'
"Don't worry yourself with those details. Concern yourself with your own strategy. She's not as stupid as she looks, neither is Shisui. Keep your eye on him and do not let your own force be diminished."
Sakura didn't last much longer, slipping away after a few short minutes, followed not long after by Tobi and then Kakashi. Itachi waited till more of the group fell away before excusing himself.
It was dark out, and the moon was a fat smile in the sky, making the surroundings just as soft and silvery as they had been the night before. There were still a few cats out, but none of them disturbed his quiet footsteps as he traveled from one wing to the other via the gardens where his shadow wouldn't be seen. He was a ghost over the pond, stepping on stones so briefly there was no loss of traction from one end to the other. He knew where they were housing her, the same way he knew where they were housing Tobi.
Aunt Momo had been kind to him.
He wrapped the back of his hand on the frame of her screen and she emerged a moment later, already ready for bed. Her eyes shifted to the side, trying to look around him for more faces. "Itachi?" her voice was cautious. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to check up on you and make sure you were really feeling alright. You're fine, correct?"
She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I just really wanted to get out of there. Don't tell on me."
"I won't." Itachi looked to the end of the porch where the other doors where and took a half step closer, lowering his voice. Any more and she would pull away, but he wanted to be as close as possible to her. "There was something else I wanted to let you know before going to bed tonight. I promise to go back right after."
"Oh?" she turned her head to the side, waiting.
"Kagami told you they would be looking to see who to pair you up with, romantically, among us brothers. We've never discussed that openly between the two of us."
Sakura grimaced and bit her lip, holding back words she wanted to say. She looked like she wanted to apologize, but she settled with saying, "This must be super awkward for you."
Itachi waited a moment before responding.
"I really did enjoy our time at the play, and your conversations…I always look forward to them. I love the meals you make and the things you laugh at always seem funnier to me now. I didn't anticipate this, but I've come to foster and attraction to you and I think you deserve the right to know." Itachi held her eyes and refused to look away. She wanted to look away but was caught. "I will be trying my upmost to pursue you and court you for my own. Don't ever misunderstand me on that. You may not see me as such now, but look on me with new eyes and wait for the day I make you fall in love with me."
He leaned in and then caught himself, stepping a half step away. There was no kiss, not handshake, no connection.
"Goodnight."
And that was how he left her.
Bonus: "Why are there so many cats out here on the porch? Who's feeding these animals and leaving toys out for them to play with? This is the Uchiha compound, not Neko Atsume!"
"Shh, you'll scare them away. I think Peaches might come today."
AN: More next time.
