and the scarry skies above
blindeye
He's nineteen when he first gathers the courage to seek out his sensei's apartment and take her up on her invitation.
Standing in front of her door, he hesitates, hand resting against the cool wood. He is a ninja of the highest caliber and faces death every day, and yet the mere thought of knocking has his nerves tingle with excitement and a reluctant sort of fear.
Itachi is nineteen when, staring at the door in front of him, he realises that what he wants from her, needs, really, and what she is willing to give can never compare.
Can never match.
He is still nineteen, but feels older, more subdued, by the time the Kyubi attacks later that same day, its rampage swift and brutal as it claws its way through the village. Many are dead and more injured before any coherent plan of attack is formed. Itachi's team fall back for a breather and Sakura flits over, patches them up quickly. They are about to launch back into the fray when Shisui flickers into existence next to Itachi.
Danzo wants the Uchiha guarding the villagers.
So he goes with his cousin, ever the dutiful soldier, but he cannot help one last worried glance at his sensei. Equal parts pained and determined, her eyes flick from the raging monster back to him. "Go," she orders. "We'll be fine."
Every step of the way, he thinks.
He will hold her to her promise.
With a heavy heart and fearing for her life, he leaves. Returns hours later to find her sobbing in another man's arms, and despite the fact that he is usually placid and hardly ever stirred to emotion, something ugly rears its head inside his chest.
"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan, you really don't have to cry! I'm fine, don't you see? I'm here, I'm here. I'm –" And then he breaks into tears as well and they cling to each other like drowning men amidst the rubble that once was Konoha's main square and Itachi can only stand and stare and turn away because this is not something he wants to see.
Ever.
A/N: Thank you guys a lot for your reviews! I hope you all had a good start into 2020. Hehe, I'm so glad you like this story and feedback is always so positive! You guys are really cute and sweet about it. You always make me smile. Thank you for reviewing, and thanks to the guest reviewer from Mexico – I feel you. I always have a lump in my throat as well when rereading everything, but then again I am very partial as this is my precious baby... I'm so excited to show you guys where this is going!
On another note: aaaaaaargh, I'm running out of chapters. And theatre week is coming up and I probably won't have time to write more and I'm getting all hectic and flustered over here. I still have a couple pre-written, but to save myself some trouble I'll probably bang out some more tonight and fix them up as I go along – I'm feeling inspired. I also do kind of have an idea for another ShisuixSakura bouncing about in my head (if you're into that, you might want to read rosegold. Not the story I'm most proud of, but it was fun too write. I'm also kind of itching to re-write colder spots, because while I was super proud of it while I was uploading, now I see so many things wrong with it… You live and grow, I suppose. I also highly suspect that by the time I am through with this story, I'll probably hate myself for it as well. But it can't be helped.
Happy update Friday!
Lots of love,
planless