AN: So I guess I've been disappointed with Sakura in the manga and that has made this update particularly difficult as our little cherry blossum is finally doing just that. For those of you who had prodded me for an update, thank you, it helps to know that people care about this fic. Its been my own little caterpillar metamorphosis for my writing style.
But in brighter news, Madara is simply delectable and wonderful to write for...hehe. In defense for how I'm writing Sakura, she is emotionally bound, and therein lies her flaws. I think her loyalties stem from personal relationships or so I'm interpreting. The Madara kishi made is pathetic, and pisses me off, so I'm adding my own flourishes. Madara should, all farces stripped, be intelligent, cold and calculating, manipulating and abusive. This is how I'm writing him.
"Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face" -Nelson DeMille-
Itachi had accepted that his feelings for Sakura were less than professional as he walked deeper into the darkness. She was something more, something less than he had planned on. Emotional detachment was not a word to describe the intricacy their relationship had sunk to, had evolved into really. He had started off cold, calculated and completely separated emotionally, physically from her. She was a pawn in his game for larger conquest and a casualty of the way of the ninja, a way he was fighting against with everything he had and a way that she had committed to before him so her blood wasn't on his hands. Sakura wasn't something something he'd accounted for, or anticipated. She was spontaneous, a wild card in his completely planned agenda. Of course Sasuke's death had been so as well.
And she had nearly convinced him to tell her, oaths and consequences be damned, of that fatal night, a night he had sworn to take with him to the death. What was worse he wanted to tell her, to reveal the burdens he had carried for so long. He could not. Sakura was not yet strong enough to bear the toll his words would extract. And part of him, the selfish part of him did not want her to turn from him, as he knew she would. He was afraid of her reaction to his words, her rejection. Itachi closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead protector as he tried to think, but he lacked the ability. All he could see was cherry blossom pink hair, tan roughed skin from their travel and training, and chapped coral lips. Apple green eyes danced in his unseeing vision when he closed his eyes, her face traced on his inner eyes, and he hated her for it. Hated that she made him loose focus. Hated that he couldn't control her, and worse his reaction to her.
He was sinking in deeper than he had ever desired to go, going well beyond the point that he had ever wanted to get involved. He was a fool to think dipping his feet in, involving himself with a woman like Sakura wouldn't go this far. Sakura was...endearing, an enigma in a life like his and her charm was her persistent faith in what was good. Even if her good was a matter of perspective, it was real, nonetheless, because she believed it and though Itachi knew her good would tarnish, could recognize the illusions of deception that bound her, he could not bring himself to change it. She thought he was good and she believed it enough that it was starting to deceive even him. She had bound him with her bindings, wrapped him so tight in her that escape was unfathomable. He knew it was only a matter of time before her good tarnished, in fact, that he would be the one to tarnish it, yet he couldn't help but hold on. Whether it was her fault or not, he couldn't let go just yet.
Perhaps it was because his own innocence had been so hastily snatched away. Perhaps it was because he had none to hold onto and thus was reaching to her to save him. As if she could save him, as if anyone could save him at this point, but salvation wasn't the issue here. No, it settled more along the lines of possession. Itachi had so very little he felt possessive over, had hardly owned anything of true value his entire life. Anything that was his before the massacre belonged to his family, and he, really, had belonged to his family, as their chosen heir. Forced to do what he had to, to become the head of the Uchiha clan, forced to follow their every beckoning call, heed their every word. Itachi's eyes narrowed. He had thrown everything away so very long ago.
And yet his partnership with her was something he knew now that he would risk his life to protect, had already risked his life to protect. The only other thing he had felt so strongly about was his brother, Sasuke and that was fleeting at best, a few lifetimes ago, before he became who he'd had to. Before he'd sacrificed it all for greater power, for greater truth. But the comparison between those two were night and day. For Sakura... it was something else. Something he couldn't place his fingers on. Something he couldn't risk to define.
Itachi had no reservations about himself. Love wasn't something someone like him was capable of. He didn't expect that of himself, and didn't expect others to feel so inclined in return. No, he couldn't love her, couldn't give her what she truly deserved, what every girl wanted of the man she admired. Of course, this was assuming that Sakura admired him, a fact of which he was still unsure. It was safe to conclude that there was something more between them than simple comradery, or body chemistry, but the fact that she simply might be using him to discover the truth of her dead teammate, his dead brother, was something he'd thought of long before.
Was it manipulative, if they were mutually using each other? He wondered. It certainly wasn't healthy, but then again he wasn't the type to be in a healthy normal relationship of any sort anyways... No. He didn't want that, couldn't expect that with her, from her. He had his reasons for keeping Sakura close, for wanting her near him. She was useful still. She proved her usefulness daily time and time again and it was worth defying leader sama's orders to keep her so, because he couldn't see her untapped potential. She was so close to being pushed over the boards, to stepping over the line of her safely drawn boundaries. She would willingly come with him if he pushed her, if he used her. If he broke her.
Then why did you forgive her for letting Kabuto get away? Why did you allow her to follow you all this time? Why did you train her?
These were things Itachi wanted to keep buried deep within himself. Things he couldn't tell her, though she pleaded with him. She didn't need to know these things and he would not ever give them to her. Itachi had never wanted anything and even the smallest flickerings of these desires, these selfish longings frightened him though he couldn't recognize these signs. Itachi wasn't tied down to this plane of existence, in that sense he and his brother had been one, both seeking the end to fulfill their goals. There was nothing he desired more so than oblivion. In truth, he had never desired to see this many days. But if he could die with a new world order, with something better than what his father had given him, then what he had been forced to take, then he could rest in oblivion.
Itachi's eyes looked out among the forest. Strange. They were so close to the Konoha boundary they could have easily made it back to the village before morning. But that was odd that he'd even thought of that. The last time he'd been there was with Kisame and that was to try and gain hold of the Kyuubi and the unfortunate encounter with his brother. Sasuke...Itachi shook his head. He was dead and nothing, not sentimental praddle, nor wishful thinking would change that. And now he knew why. The flickerings of his chakra flared and Itachi's eyes narrowed. Speak of the devil...
He glared out into the darkness, hands searching inside his cloak for his kunai.
"Itachi..." The voice was dark, recognizable even if Itachi couldn't see him with his own two eyes, quite the contrary from his alternate personality, Tobi the happy go lucky rookie of Akatsuki.
"Madara..." Itachi's jaw clenched, fists practically shaking in their rage.
"No friendly greeting for me? After all we've been through, you cant even muster the sincerity of gratitude at my pains for you" He asked, his role as Tobi playing into his tone, Sharingan eye in his orange mask half mast in his glee.
Itachi said nothing, his grip on his kunai tightening.
"Pein kun has told me quite a few 'little' details about you that I find most... intriguing." He told him. Madara was looking for his reaction. Stupid as Itachi wasn't the kind to be baited by words.
"It seems you've stepped outside of your bounds this time, Ita- kun." He said saccharine tone dripping with sarcasm. Madara was pleased to catch him in any way stepping outside of his carefully drawn lines.
The kunai launched at him disappeared through a vortex of the maniacal bastards own doing. Itachi's sharingan were narrowed. He was moments away from summoning the Mangekyou and ending it here, now, just between the two of them.
"Ah, Ah, Ah" Madara warned, shaking his finger at him, anticipating the prodigy's thoughts. "Lets not be hasty. After all I've done you a great favor. I could have killed your little accomplice before I came to you about this matter. And if you loose this match, I can still have my way with her." He taunted.
"I need no favors of yours any longer." Itachi said, tone dark and sinister.
"You have no idea how much you have always thrived on my kindness, Itachi. So do stop being impertinent, shut that pseudo righteous self indulgent mouth of yours and listen to what I have to say to you." Madara replied, tone mimicking his, or perhaps it was the former. Itachi hated his longtime mentor more than he hated himself.
"I have already made ready for you, and in my kindness and forward thinking I have even thought to make arrangements in my plans for the Godaime's apprentice as well. Tomorrow, you, and your little accomplice, will join me at the Valley's end, where we will continue our plans." He told him.
"And what makes you think I would go along willingly with them? With anything you say? You killed Sasuke." Itachi snarled, fists clenched.
"Because you have no other option. Sacrifices had to be made, and you, of all people should know that. You will do as I tell you, or I will kill her myself and then finish what we started so long ago." Madara snapped, chakra boiling beneath the surface. Itachi's chakra rose.
"We will meet you tomorrow, but we will not die." Itachi told him.
He could feel the smug grin emanating off the ancient bastard and it grated on him like nothing else. "And what makes you think I won't kill you now?"
"Your desperate need for theatrics, your pathetic desire for attention. If you wanted to kill me you wouldn't have told me about the Valley's end. You wouldn't have revealed your hand before you dealt it. In your sick twisted mind you desire the tension, the theatrical angst and suspension because you have nothing left to live for" Itachi replied, eyes never wavering.
Madara smirked beneath the mask, eyes alight in amusement.
"You must know that your insolence has always amused me, Itachi kun." He started, eye widening in pure maniacal joy.
Itachi glared menacingly at him, half ready to summon the Mangekyou, but now as ever hanging off the man's every word. It was true that the old decrepit patriarch lived for theatrics but Madara was the only real father figure Itachi had, the only parental authority that had shaped him during his formative years. It was also true that Itachi could do no more, no less than let him finish it, and he hated the man for it.
"and I suppose it's my indulgence of your attitude that has brought us here, today. Therefore, I will give you this last indulgence but only because it amuses me to do so." Madara remarked.
Itachi paused.
"You will realize shortly that without my unfailing kindness and generosity you will die, and loose everything else precious to you left in your miserable life. You seem to think you have nothing left to loose and I will kindly rid you of that horrid little misnotion of yours." Madara was sinister and deadly in his intent, tone taking on his true motivation.
"I won't let you." Itachi snapped, kunai in hand.
The kunai was parried with Madara's own, and the two launched at each other with frightening speed. He had Itachi in a choke hold before the Mangekyou user could respond, three blades showed up, eyes nearly closed as he felt the pain of summoning it. Madara had senbon sticking into him, fading and blurring as the man hadn't quite summoned up his flickering ability fast enough/
"If you show up tomorrow with your accomplice and grovel for my mercy, I will spare your life and yes, even her miserable excuse for an existence." Madara panted, exerted from the efforts expended to punish Itachi's insolence. Itachi himself had improved, more than he had ever realized, and he was sure the young hellion was holding back on him.
"If you show up, however, with that little mouth of yours...." He squeezed Itachi's jaw hard with his other hand. Holding back or not, Madara still had the strength to crush him.
"I'll kill you, and make her my newest pet." Madara told him, holding him single handed-ly as Itachi choked for air.
He was loosing conciousness, scrambling against Madara's hold. The senbon weren't affecting Madara fast enough and Itachi didn't have very many options in this moment. He did the only thing he could think of to force the ancient Uchiha patriarch to release him. He summoned amaterasu. The black flames rose, and Madara shrieked, disappearing within his vortex, the crickets the only sound left in the glade of the forest.
Sakura stayed by the light of the fire clutching her knees to her chest. She felt hollow, numb after such an encounter. How could she trust Itachi? He stood for everything she was against potentially, though he had never answered her, had avoided the very question of it. He had killed the Uchiha clan with Madara though, and that was enough to condemn him. From the records it had said that he had tested his potential, that was the alleged excuse, but too many things didn't add up. Sakura bit her lip. That wasn't what her heart was telling her. That wasn't the feeling she got from him every time she looked at him, every time he looked at her, every time they mentioned it. Itachi had built up a web of lies so convincing that even he had fallen into it.
He told her not to trust him, but he had yet to break her trust, had surprised her at every turn of this twisted story. Sakura was surprised to realize that she meant what she said. She wanted to trust him, but it was so dangerous. Could she trust her feelings for him? Could she wager everything she had on this? On him? Could she blindly take this step forward? It meant sacrificing everything she had held dear, everything she had learned from her heartache. It meant leaving her completely emotionally vulnerable for him to have his way with and she hadn't done that since she'd begged Sasuke not to go. He hadn't taken her with him. He'd rejected her, nicely, but it was rejection all the same. Sakura was afraid, afraid of giving herself away again.
She felt the chakra signature, and her hair rose on the back of her neck, chilled to the core. She rose to her feet, kunai in hand as she charged through the brush. Itachi stumbled through the bushes and foliage, hand around his neck as he coughed.
"Itachi!" She exclaimed, heart constricting painfully in her chest, as she caught him. Panic rose, as she eyed his wounds.
Instantly she went to work, medic chakra glowing as she poured out, seeking his external ailments as she fought her rising panic. She was worried there were lacerations he wasn't telling her about. There were bruises around his neck in the shape of hand prints and yet when she looked around and scanned with her chakra there was no one there. Who had done such a thing and managed to get away so quickly? Bewildered, she set to those first, chakra healing them instantly as she took account of everything else. His eye. His eye was bleeding.
Itachi pushed her away roughly and clutched his eye, muscles spasm-ing in agony.
"No! Tell me what happened? Who was with you? Who did this?" Sakura demanded, green eyes piercing in their anxiety.
Itachi coughed, and nearly fell, if not for Sakura's supporting weight. She and he managed to stumbled their way back to the fire, where she helped him down, to settle his back against a rock. Still close enough to the fire to warm him, she summoned her chakra again.
"Who, Itachi?" Sakura asked in a hard tone.
"Uchiha Madara." He replied, wheezing as he looked up at her. Blood trailed down his eyes, as he released the Mangekyou, slate grey dull, and twitching and blood trickled from his lips, down his chin as he choked.
Sakura's eyebrows drew together, eyes wide. "Madara?" She whispered in horror.
"Aah." He replied, hand going to his eye the pulsing pain overcoming. "He is the true leader of Akatsuki." Itachi replied. Sakura grabbed the hand, stopping him.
Internal damage was extensive but now that Sakura knew who, she wasn't as surprised. He'd been lucky to escape with his life. Healing chakra flooded his organs, restoring the tissue. Grateful for him being alive, for not being left alone in this, Sakura held onto his sleeve, grip tightening.
"Tell me where it hurts" She murmured, brushing a stray piece of his choppy bangs from his face, green eyes alight with terrified worry.
Unable to fight her look, her worry, the pain excrutiating, he simply motioned towards his eye. His fingers twitched, as he avoided the impulse to clench and unclench them.
Sakura closed her eyes, concentrating her chakra on his eye sockets. The damage there was extensive as she'd originally thought on first meeting him. More than extensive. Itachi was going blind. Sakura bit her lip. Never had she thought she would be so conflicted over a man who was her enemy, supposed to be her enemy. Itachi rarely did anything that met her expectations, and just when she formed new ones he would shatter those without remorse. She was left with a dilemma. If she healed him, particularly his eyesight she would definitely be betraying Konoha, betraying any one else foolish enough to get in his path. She would put a weapon in his hands capable of destroying everything she loved. He would kill again and again without quelms or moral restraint and he had no love of Konoha. But she had healed him so many times before now. Blithely she had told him she wasn't betraying Konoha by doing so, and she had meant it, but he had- Madara and he had- It was different now that he had confirmed his stance.
"Sakura, do not waste your healing talents on me if it means betraying your sympathies." He told her with an exasperated tone, reading the expression on her face like words on a page.
"I thought you said that I lacked hate" She murmured, almost shy.
He had never been so open with her, and the fact that he was considering her feelings made her feel more giddy than she wanted to admit. The bubbly feeling in her heart and stomach were contradicting what her mind was telling her to do.
"You cannot hate me, you said it yourself." He retorted, coughing again into his hand. Blood and phlegm, not a pleasant sight. Sakura bit her lip, scowling. Itachi sighed.
"I do not wish for you to betray... others to save me. Your innocence is something I wish to remain...intact" He admitted hesitantly. It was well past time he was honest with her.
Sakura's eyes widened. It was the second compliment she had ever heard from him, and her eyes pooled with un shed tears as her smile lit, brilliant and bright. Blinking away her foolishness, she had no hesitation any longer. He was her partner, for however long and she needed him and she would be betraying that if she did not heal him.
Cooling chakra flowed to his eyes, the pain beneath them vanquished by her gentle touch. Skillful medical chakra, under her perfect control healed the bulbous swelling, the angry blood vessels in his eyes returning his retina's to their normal state, the nerves twitching in relief. Sakura analyzed the extent of the damage as she healed him. She could see the tear developing in his nerves, connecting the light that he took in all the way to his retina. She began to bolster the eye tissue, repairing the connection, and healing the scars impairing his sight. Itachi may have liked his scars, but these simply weren't healthy. The scar tissue was one of the reasons for his poor eyesight.
"I am not doing this to betray my country. I'm doing this because I'm your partner, Itachi and I need you alive. After this, I will return to Konoha and face whatever consequences there are for my actions. I'm doing this because... even if you won't tell me your reasons, I still trust you." She replied.
Itachi blinked, eyes clear, clearer than he had ever seen in years, and he turned his charcoal grey eyes to Sakura, summoning his Sharingan. It didn't hurt, and her face came into view clearly down to the very last detail in those green eyes of hers. Itachi was startled. She was beautiful, enchanting even in the light of the fire. Her pink hair which should have by all means been considerable annoying, obnoxious and loud was soft, pliable and supple as he threaded his hands in it, marveling at the vibrant colors that were found naturally there. Her face was soft, the creamy tan tones distinguishable and sublime in their coloring though there was some dirt there from their travels. He could see her, flaws and features, clearly and he blinked as if looking at her for the first time. In a way he was looking at her for the first time.
Sakura was enchanted at his own enchantment. He looked at her, really looked at her in awe, as if he'd never seen her before. Perhaps he was, Inner Sakura prompted and this truly startled the pinkette. His eyes could only take so much healing tonight, so she had dealt with the major effects of his pain, but it would take several more healing sessions before his vision would be completely perfect. Even still the difference was enormous, she could tell by the clarity in those crimson lenses. What she hadn't counted on, was the passion there too.
"You trust me?" He asked, confusion on his face.
It was adorable. Sakura couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. Uchiha Itachi was not someone she would have ever expected to wear a look of confusion and he was so cute with it on. Sakura stopped her laughter, not wanting to offend him.
Serene green eyes met his clearly, and she simply nodded, smile still playing at the corners of her lips and alighting those green eyes in cascading vibrance.
"Foolish girl..." He murmured, and pulled her closer, fire reflecting in those Sharingan eyes of his.
Lips, tongues converged as the heat between them flared. Everywhere he touched sent spirals of heat coursing beneath her skin, pulling on her fragile heartstrings. Swift ache met his every move, Sakura couldn't remember feeling so unhinged, wanting to be unbridled by him. She wanted, oh how she wanted.
His kiss was passionate, but not demanding, and certainly not rushed. He was taking his time in savoring her, and Sakura was enjoying it, enjoying him to the fullest. Her hands coiled in his hair, releasing the hair tie that kept his raven tresses manageable and she took a secret pleasure in mussing it She threaded her fingers in his black locks, the feeling of it soft, silky even. The scent of him, of the sandalwood of the forest and his musky masculine scent escaped with his freed tresses and Sakura breathed in deeply lost in the feel, the taste of him.
"Sakura..." Itachi released his hold of her, pressing her back, away from him.
Sakura eyed him, wondering what ever could be his problem, now of all times?
"I wont let you do this to yourself" He told her firmly. Even now he was protecting her, trying to keep her at arms distance. Sakura would have laughed were the matter not so serious.
"I choose this along time ago, Itachi. I choose this when I left Konoha. I'm not under any false illusions or pretensions about this, about us. I don't expect anything, I merely offer myself in it's entirety." She told him sincerely.
He could not mistake her words, though he wished with everything he had that she had not said them, that she had not offered. It seemed she was his greatest temptation.
"And while I appreciate that offer, I am not inclined to take it." Itachi replied arms around her shoulders. She needed to understand this. They couldn't do this. Not now.
"Love me, Itachi" She pleaded, locking her arms around his neck, breath hot and needy as she nibbled his ear.
Itachi felt his world grow undone, tangles unwinding in the chaos as something dark and primitive in him responded to her feeble words of desperation. He wanted her, had wanted her from the beginning of this, if he were honest. She was offering herself to him, and there was a good chance they would not walk away from tomorrow alive. She was flesh and blood and warm and soft in all the ways he needed her to be and this... thing between them, whatever it was that drew them together, was only growing, becoming denser, burning hotter and brighter all the time. She was his, had made that clear from the start and he had made her his over the course of their time together, had forced her to stay with him. He could keep her at his side, by sealing their fate, by doing this.
"Please..." Sakura pleaded again, her words tearing at the defenses he'd kept from allowing this to happen. She was stripping him bare of his emotional guards as her hands hooked into his akatsuki cloak, opening it and pushing it off his shoulders, as she straddled him.
Itachi barely managed to suppress his strangled moan, as she kissed him hungrily. He snaked an arm around her waist, his other hand tangling in her hair, pulling her closer as things grew wild. She arched against him, she hissed against his hot mouth, writhing, pulsing, burning.
"Itachi.." She panted, and he thought he'd never heard such a beautiful sound coming off of her lips as he took another drag of her sweetness.
It was human and primitive of him, wanting to hear her say his name in her heat, wanting her to desire him instead of his brother. Their first interaction she had said his brother's name and he had acted in his rage. The thought forced a possesive growl from him, as his hands pressed tight circles into her hip, spreading across the bone, to reach her delicious posterior. She gasped as he pulled her closer to his heat.
"Itachi..Itachi-wait-" She pleaded, and Itachi looked into her eyes. He saw the fear, the inexperience in her gaze.
"I- I've never done this before." She confessed awkwardly. "I'm just....the only guy I've been with like this has been Naruto- and-"
The name of her teammate had him seeing red. Pushing her off of him with her cry of protest, he stood on his feet painfully, grabbing his cloak.
Sakura stood, slumped and flabbergasted as she watched him glaring at her in vehemence.
"I-Itachi.." She began, confused, reaching out to him as she got to her feet. Itachi wanted nothing of it and side stepped the touch, turning from her.
"Wait!" She protested, grabbing his arm.
Itachi turned, harder and faster than she could have ever anticipated and suddenly she found herself retreating from his surmounting anger, from the aura of angry chakra surrounding him. Sakura wasn't as aware of her surroundings as she should have been and he practically pounced. She tripped over a log, falling to the ground and was surprised when he came down with her onto her. She cried out in pain, but he had hold of her wrists, grip bruising as he forced them back into the ground, body pinning hers to it. His knee between her thighs, forced them open, and he pressed forward before she could stop him, pressing ardently against her, grinding into her as he glared at her with unconcealed hate.
"Must you always talk of your tyrsts with other men with me, Sakura?" Itachi snarled in contempt, eyes full of fire.
Sakura's green eyes were wide with fright. "I didn't mean it like that-"She began
Itachi shut her up with his own lips, hard, demanding and commanding, commandeering her coherent thought as her mind fizzled and popped, electric tingles triggering her adrenaline. Oh gods she was afraid of him, afraid of his anger, of the coursing desire she felt overwhelming her in spite of his anger. But his anger was ruining this, ruining them. What should be done in desire, couldn't be done in anger. She didn't want him to channel his anger into this thing between them. Didn't want to be forced into this.
"The only name I want to hear you speak is mine" Itachi snapped, words harsh, as she moaned, his lips dragging sweat torture up and down her throat as he unzipped her vest hastily.
A hand dug into the creamy flesh exposed and she cried out in pain and pleasure as he touched her, kneading into her flesh eliciting delicious moans and sounds she couldn't possibly hope to keep from him. His hands moved down over the planes of her stomach and beneath her skirt, at the waist band on her shorts.
"I-Itachi" She murmured, breath hot and panting against his neck, cheeks flaming, lips kiss swollen as she panted. "Please-don't-ah-" She gasped.
Itachi released her, as if he'd been burned by touching her, standing up and turning his back on her as he clenched his jaw. He rubbed his forehead, realizing he was touching the slash on his hitae ate wondering what she was doing to him.
Sakura stumbled to her feet, her knees feeling weak. She was disoriented, dizzy from the head rush, from his touch and she balanced herself, hugging him from behind.
"I've never been with anyone like this, Itachi. You're the only one that has touched me like that. And I'm afraid of it, afraid of you and...and this...and what you make me feel" She confessed, voice small and insignificant as she mumbled it into the silk of his cloak.
Itachi felt his resolve crumbling, hating the pitiful sound she made when she confessed to him. He turned, arms wrapping around her gently, as he examined her wrists, unsatisfied with the marks he'd left. Sakura simply blinked and her chakra had healed them. He felt her head, making an unsatisfied noise when he discovered the bump, but she healed that too. He hadn't meant to hurt her, hadn't meant to let these feelings consume him so readily. Hadn't meant to be so wretchedly jealous of someone who had a significant portion of her heart already in tow. Sakura gave of herself so freely, never realizing the cost, the price it cost others, for her goodness. She truly was naïve.
And Uchiha Itachi was jealous, jealous of a teammate that held the keys to her heart so openly, that she gave her love to without consequence or remorse. He had seen the way she had treated him, had touched him. Uchiha Itachi was jealous of such openness, of feelings shared so easily, so willingly. The feeling overwhelmed his logical thought, his reason and he turned from himself, loathing his lack of control, of self restraint he was so famous for. He couldn't loose himself like this with Sakura. He couldn't surrender to these feelings. He couldn't give her this.
"I won't do this to you, Sakura." Itachi told her, touching her cheek, as he pushed tendrils of petal pink behind her ear.
"Why?" She asked, not understanding, of course.
"Because I can recognize that someone like myself doesn't belong in a world like yours" Itachi replied.
"Don't say that" She said, pushing her cheek against his hand that rested there, her hand falling on his as she embraced it, him. "Please don't do this"
"Yours world is a world of colors and hopes so bright it threatens the sun itself. I would only ruin that, Sakura. I would plunge you into a darkness so great and deep your light would extinguish and snuff out entirely. Ashes of the fire it once was. I won't do that to you. I can't. I would eclipse you and over take you immediately." Itachi told her, thumb brushing the stray tear that escaped.
"Or I might shine brighter in the darkness, as bright as the stars. Itachi, please don't push me away." Sakura begged, hands fisting in the black shirt.
He kissed her swiftly, feelings stirring beneath his skin. "We can not do this, Sakura. And further more, we need to discuss whats going to happen tomorrow. Madara came with his theatrics to tell me that I must bring you to the valley's end tomorrow morning or he will kill you."
Sakura's hold tightened. "I'm going with you."
"No, you are not." Itachi replied firmly. "Please understand, Sakura. I cannot let him have you." He told her.
"Then we wont. If I don't go with you, he'll simply come and find me. So let's defeat him. Together." Sakura said, eyes firm as she interlaced her hand in his. Itachi was shocked by her boldness.
"He is the most powerful ninja I have ever encountered, Sakura quite possibly the most powerful ninja in existence. This is no game or jest. He is more than capable of killing me and anyone who stands against him."
"and You are the only one who can face him because you know him. You were half blind, tonight. I can make sure you are able to face him" Sakura retorted.
Her belief in him, her faith as it were, flattered him. And she had a significant point. His eyesight before was nothing of what is was now, of what she had done, and he knew what to expect from Madara. Itachi looked thoughtful. Madara would expect him to grovel. He wouldn't be looking for a fight from them.
"You can't do this without me. I won't let you. You've taken me this far, Itachi. If you won't trust me, then trust the work you've done in me. Give me that, at least." Sakura told him green eyes firm.
Itachi sighed, weary of it all, the weight of everything. Things were drawing to a close and moving too fast for even his eyes to catch all the details. It was unraveling faster than he could follow and he feared this lack of control, this haste. One thing was certain though. He couldn't let Sasuke go unavenged, regardless of his feelings about his little brother. His brother had done nothing wrong, nothing to deserve dying, particularly at the hands of the Uchiha Patriarch. This was his chance to go after Madara, to finish what had started so long ago. Even if that meant sacrificing himself, and Sakura with him.
"Alright." He agreed. Sakura beamed at him.
And the two began to talk, to formulate plans until well into the night. Sakura rose to feed the fire, and they cooked their own packed rations, spreading their bed rolls as they talked. Dinner finished, they were still planning, Sakura next to him, sitting as their conversation ranged on and on. There was so much to talk about, methods of fighting, effective attacks and defenses, things to keep in mind about the nature of Madara. Sakura yawned, her eyes fighting to stay open. This was the most she'd ever heard from Itachi, the most he'd dared to share with her, and she was fighting desperately to hear him.
Itachi wasn't blind to her tiredness, but this was important. He had never talked so much at one point in time, couldn't recall a time in any event and his throat was nearly hoarse. He took a sip of water from his rations, and he realized that Sakura was asleep, nestled against the log. Her mouth was slightly ajar, but she didn't snore, her soft breaths making her chest rise and fall. Ninja who snored didn't make it through the night, or so the saying went so the fact wasn't surprising. Itachi sighed, running a hand through his mussed hair, the mess the little sprite asleep by his side had made and a smirk tugged at his features. His enigma, this slip of a kunoichi. Refusing to think about tomorrow, for tomorrow had it's own worries, Itachi wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, as he tugged his cloak off. She shifted in her sleep, but did not wake, and he draped it around the both of them closing his eyes and enjoying the comfort of having someone so warm so close.
It was ironic, really, that Itachi had discovered the joy of proximity the night before his alleged and almost certain death.
Sakura's eyelids fluttered, and she felt something warm around her. Blinking the sleep away, she realized she was on Itachi's bedroll, with his cloak draped around her and that morning had broken. Something smelled delicious. Over the fire, their porridge was cooking, but it looked like Itachi had gathered berries and added some spices to it. She rose, the morning chill causing an involuntary shudder. Itachi stood near the concoction, stirring it.
Charcoal grey met her own, holding a thousand things left unspoken. Sakura blushed under his heated gaze. He rose.
"Good Morning." He greeted. "I trust you are well rested."
She nodded shyly, and offered her hand. He took it, surprisingly, and brought it up to his own, brushing a chaste kiss on her knuckles.
"It ends today." He told her. She nodded, fingers snaring in her red vest, absent of it's konoha symbols.
He placed his hand under her chin, eying her. She looked up into his eyes willingly, her heart entrenched within their depths. The look made his own eyes darken, and he brought her into a searing kiss. His kiss tasted of sadness, of parting, farewell and sorrow and far too many things left unsaid, undiscovered. Sakura poured herself out into his kiss, tangling her hands in his hair, pressing herself against him as if she could sink into him. And to make sure she couldn't sink through him if she pressed enough. Itachi was real. He was real and this was real, and it just wasn't fair. Itachi's kiss gentled, and softened, and finally he released her to catch her breathe, as he filled the bowls for breakfast.
Sakura healed his eyes one more time, pouring a significant amount of chakra into them as she worked on the extensive tissue damage. Her chakra would be recovered by the time she arrived, so it made sense and gave him a greater tool to strike down Madara with. They would need all the help they could get. He was grateful for her adminstrations, a final kiss sealing their fate.
Breakfasted, well slept, all of their gear in perfect order, stretched and ready, as prepared as they could be for such an excursion, the two took off in silent haste, towards a doom they could no longer prolong. Today it would end, the question underlying the circumstances was exactly who would meet their tragic fate. Sakura prayed to whatever gods would hear her that it wouldn't be them.
The Valley of the ends, roared to life, the spray from the water fall filling the air with a chilling mist, a fog of was still early, though the clouds, the sky itself was grey. Of course Madara would choose a place of his past, a place he was hoping to redeem with today's victory. Itachi's eyes narrowed. They would stop him. It would end today. Sakura exchanged a determined glance, and nodded in approval, following him as they searched for Madara. Making their way further into Konoha's territory, they found what they were looking for. Green eyes stared in horror at the sight apt before her.
It wasn't possible. It simply wasn't real. Sakura tried to counter the genjutsu but nothing happened. This was real.