-x-

The rest of the festival after that felt forced, and awkward. Sakura was stuck in her head, replaying that moment over and over again. Izumi leaning into Itachi, looking up at him, talking familiar to him in a way that Sakura ached to. How easily Izumi had melted back into his life after years away, Sakura being replaced so easily.

It was bittersweet.

The way their relationship hinted at the start of something great, and beautiful and potentially historical, but it ended too quickly.

"Shit, Sakura? Are you okay?"

She looked up from the ground into the concerned eyes of Shisui, who looked mildly panicked. "F-fine" Her voice cracked, and she realized that she had been crying. Somewhere between quiet tears and full out sobs. Embarrassed, she turned around, rubbing off the tears with the sleeve of her yukata.

Thankfully Shisui had led the both through some deserted backstreets on his way to take her home. So, no one was there to witness her momentary weakness.

"Y-Yeah, I'm good." She let out a shuddering breath, before her face morphed into another held-back sob, and buried herself into her hands. "God damn it."

Shisui had one hand mid-reach for her but stopped short. Hesitating. "You like him."

It wasn't a question; it was a fact. A statement. Something he already knew, but please say no, please, please.

"Yes," she whispered through clenched teeth, trying to hold back the dam of emotions. "I like him so much but it feels like the rift between us keeps growing and growing," she looked up and Shisui felt his heart squeeze at how broken she looked. "I just want things to go back to the way they were. I miss him. Not just because I like him, I miss him as a person. A friend. And Izumi-san is so beautiful, and has known him for years and can be so close to him and I can't do that."

She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with a sniff, and looked up at the sky. "Sorry I'm so pathetic. I fell in love with the wrong Uchiha again. God, maybe I'm not cut out for love. I don't think I can-"

"Fall in love with me instead," he blurted out, hand reached out to grab hold of her forearm, pulling her closer to him. She stumbled from the geta, falling into his side. The words echoed in her head, refusing to register before she looked up. He was blushing, but his face was serious.

"W-what?"

"I like you, Sakura." His other hand came up to caress the side of her cheek, still wet with stray tears. "So... just look at me, okay?" His hand slipped from her forearm to her waist, pulling her flush against his body and she blushed, her eyes falling to his chest, unable to keep his gaze. "Look at me," he breathed, pulling her face up with his hand on her chin.

Then he leaned down, his lips hovering over hers. "If you don't tell me to stop, I will kiss you."

She felt the softest brush against her lips, his breath on her face. It felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest, it was beating so hard. Oh god, he was going to kiss her. Has she even been kissed before? Fuck, is she having her first kiss with Shisui?! She knew she had to stop this, say no, say something, so when a squeaking groan came out, it startled both of them enough to pause. "I-I-…Ino…"

He pulled back, a confused look on his face. "…the Yamanaka?"

"She loves you," Sakura couldn't help but intake large gulpfuls of air when Shisui put a little more space between the two of them. This man is so dangerous.

He took a step back, his hands lingering on her body, lost in thought. She wondered if he was replaying all the moments they had ever interacted together.

"I-I shouldn't have said anything, she would kill me if she knew I told you," she tried to subtle take a step away from him, but his damn hands were like iron cages. "But she's my best friend and she's loved you for years. And I-I can't…"

His laugh was soft, his hands yielding on her body, almost reluctant to let her go. "Sakura… I have barely spoken a handful of sentences to her. I don't know her, but I do know you." One hand reached up to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, before lingering to touch her heated cheeks. "I'm not saying you need to give me an answer right now. I just want you to think about this, and realize that my cousin isn't the only Uchiha in this village that wants your attention."

Leaning into the touch of his warm hand, she let out a shuddering breath. "I still like… him."

"I know you do." He pulled lightly on her arm, back into the comforting circle of his arms. "Even when you and he become friends again, I want you to consider me too."

She nodded against his chest, feeling herself melt and relax more into the touch. A comforting gesture that felt really, really good. When was the last time she was hugged just for comfort sake?

"… can we put this conversation on hold, Shisui?" Her voice small, she looked up at him, the bira-bira in her hair jingling with the movement. "I don't want this to affect our training."

He shook his head. "Even if you come to hate me between now and Spring, I wouldn't stop our training." A corner of his mouth quirked up in the hint of a smile. "You're my favorite student, after all."

Sakura groaned, rolling her eyes. "I'm your only student, Shisui-chan." With his arm wrapped around her shoulders, he pressed a chaste kiss into her hair and began walking again. "Also… I have something I was thinking about for a while."

"Hm?"

"This yukata? Whose is it?"

He frowned, glancing down at her. "Why do you think it belongs to someone?"

Lifting up the sleeve of her right arm, she showed him the two stitched in symbols. "I recognize the Uchiha marking, but this crescent moon one is unfamiliar."

Sakura knew she said the wrong thing when his face fell slightly, a sadness in the crease between his eyebrows, the downturn of his lips. "That's… that's a long story, for another time, Sacchan."

She flinched with a grimace. "Shisui, I-I'm sorry, I didn't-"

He shook his head, squeezing her shoulders. "The yukata was my mothers, who then handed it down to my baby sister."

"You have a sister?"

"...had. Her name was Natsuki. She was a casualty during the Winter Uprising."

-x-

A/N: Just a short update to clean house.

It really amazes how many of you have switched sides in this story from Itachi to Shisui.

I can see why, cause Itachi is SO being stupid right now. But he's got his reasons. Which we'll learn about later on.

But go figure that Shisui would be the first to make his move on her. I didn't forget about Ino, but get READY for that smackdown when she finds out.

Just so you know, I'm still on the fence of whether to keep this ItaSaku or change it to ItaSakuShi.

Guess I'll find out in the end.

Leave a review on your way out!