Thanks for reading! I don't own any of Naruto! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every other Saturday!

—

The next few days passed without consequence.

Sakura didn't think that her interaction with Itachi was of importance.

Who knew?

Itachi may never mention anything about it again.

In the meantime, Naruto didn't try his luck with asking Sakura for another date.

It had been obvious to both of them on their night out that they were the best of friends…

And that was all they would ever really be.

Besides, Sakura learned shortly after her date with Naruto that Hinata secretly admired him to an almost embarrassing degree.

Sakura didn't want to stand in Hinata's way.

Unlike most of the other single omegas in the village, Sakura wasn't really concerned with dating.

Sakura was very committed to her work as a medical nin and that was enough for the pinkette.

Sakura had spent her life loving Sasuke and she had grown to accept the fact that her love may never be returned.

But Sakura didn't need Sasuke to love her.

Sasuke had escaped the darkness. He was healthy and, maybe in his own way, happy...

And knowing that was enough for Sakura.

Who needed a mate anyway?

Sakura had plenty of friends.

—

However, just because Sakura was very passionate about her work didn't mean that her job was easy.

One night, after a grueling day at the hospital, Sakura sighed to herself as she picked up her purse from her locker in the staff break room.

At the hospital, there were some days that were full of joy and victory.

Also at the hospital, there were some days that were full of stress and struggle.

It had been one of those days.

Sakura tried to use her fingers and comb down the parts of her pink hair that had become so frizzy during her shift as she stepped out into the night.

With a sigh, Sakura began to make her way home.

"You look tired." A voice said as Sakura passed by the little stream that ran along the edge of the village.

Sakura stopped and looked over, blinking in surprise.

There, beside the stream, under a tree, sat Itachi.

The eldest Uchiha had made a small fire and was roasting a few fish over it.

"Itachi," Sakura nodded. "I….I am tired. It's been a long day."

Itachi rotated his fish on the fire and looked back

up at Sakura.

"Would you like some?" Itachi offered.

Sakura thought it would be rude to say no, and the pinkette was very tired….going home and cooking sounded terrible.

"Sure." Sakura said with an exhausted smile.

Sakura walked over and sat down on a tree stump beside Itachi.

Itachi didn't say much else while he served them their fish.

They ate in silence which Sakura thought was awkward, but Itachi seemed content.

Sakura wondered if maybe she should ask Itachi how his day was…..

Or compliment his cooking…..

Or…

Something…..

But when Sakura thought about it, any kind of small talk or meaningless conversation seemed like it would annoy Itachi, just like such things always seemed to irritate his younger brother.

Perhaps the Uchihas just found ordinary chats dull and pointless.

Just then, Itachi's voice rang out, shaking Sakura from her musings.

"Do you enjoy your work?" Itachi asked.

"Um…..yes, I enjoy it very much." Sakura said, managing to smile and nod in spite of her exhaustion.

"I can tell." Itachi said simply.

"Oh? You…..you can?" Sakura asked, blinking in surprise.

"It takes someone truly dedicated to find real fulfillment in what they do, day in and day out. I admire someone who can be devoted. It's a rare quality." Itachi explained.

Sakura nodded at Itachi.

…..What was she supposed to say to that?

Sakura would have asked Itachi if he enjoyed his work, but she didn't want to stir up any connotations about Itachi's dark past so she stayed quiet, deciding to let him lead the conversation.

For a few minutes more, there was none and Sakura began to agonize.

Did Itachi think she was rude for not saying anything?

She had to say something!

"The fish tastes very good." Sakura said with a sweet smile.

Itachi looked at her intently. "I'm glad that you think so. I didn't know that I'd have a guest for dinner."

Sakura silently turned Itachi's claim over in her mind.

So Itachi hadn't planned to conveniently sit beside the stream that he knew she would pass on her way home?

Sakura shrugged the thought off and finished her meal.

Itachi had already devoured his fish, but even once Sakura was done, he sat with her by the fire quietly for several minutes.

Sakura felt a little uncomfortable in the silence but Itachi once again, looked perfectly content.

Is this how Sasuke grew up? Sakura wondered to herself, thinking about Sasuke's preference of quiet as well. Did anyone speak in their house?

"Do you not like it?" Itachi asked Sakura as if he could read her thoughts.

"Like what?" Sakura asked.

"The silence." Itachi replied.

Sakura smiled nervously. "Oh, no, it's not that, it's just-"

"When I was much younger, I learned to appreciate the quiet. Sometimes, when you share the quiet with someone, you can learn alot about them." Itachi explained.

Sakura once again, didn't really know how to respond.

She never thought that talking to Sasuke's older brother would be like speaking to a human riddle.

"I guess I'm just used to things being really busy, you know? There's not much time for quiet or meditation at the hospital. Everything's so rushed!" Sakura explained with another smile.

Itachi and Sakura were sitting close together, maybe a little too close together.

Itachi reached out and gently took Sakura's hand, clasping it firmly in his own.

"Slow down, Sakura." Itachi instructed, looking deep into the pinektte's green eyes. "Slow down with me."

Sakura was a little apprehensive that Itachi had suddenly grabbed her hand but when he closed his eyes…...

Sakura obeyed.

Sakura slowed down, with Itachi.

They sat there for a few moments in peaceful silence, with their hands clasped, and their eyes closed.

Sakura heard an owl in the tree, the gentle sound of the nearby stream…...

Sakura could feel Itachi's presence, sense his chakra flowing around her...

Likewise, Itachi could feel Sakura and her aura was one that he enjoyed very much.

Sweet, innocent…...with just a little spark to it, but nothing overdone.

A squirrel brushed against Sakura's leg and broke her concentration.

The pinkette started suddenly, shaking her and Itachi both out of their mutual meditation.

"Oh, I'm…..I'm sorry." Sakura apologized quickly.

"That's alright." Itachi said, looking at the flustered pinkette.

Maybe it was Sakura's imagination, but she felt like Itachi had crept closer while they had been meditating….

Surely not, right?

"Well, it's getting late. I don't mean to eat and run, Itachi, but I have to go. Thank you for dinner." Sakura said with a kind smile as she stood to leave.

"I'll walk you home." Itachi replied, standing with her.

It was a statement, not a question.

Itachi put out his fire in a few seconds while Sakura stammered, trying to politely refuse without being rude. "Um, listen, Itachi, I really appreciate it, but I'm perfectly fine, I can look after myself. I don't want to trouble you, you don't have to walk me home." Sakura explained.

Itachi looked at Sakura and blinked, "I know that you don't need me to protect you, Sakura. I'm walking you home because I want to."

"Oh….alright." Sakura replied slowly.

Sakura was glad that it was evening because the shadow from the tree hid her blushing face.

Together, Itachi and Sakura walked back to her apartment silently.

Sakura took her keys from her bag once they approached her door.

The pinkette didn't know what to expect as she faced Itachi.

Was he going to try to come onto her?

Would he kiss her?

Would he ask something unexpected?

No.

"Good night, Sakura." Itachi said simply.

"Good night, Itachi." Sakura replied politely, giving the older Uchiha brother a polite nod.

Itachi hesitated, the alpha found the pinkette intriguing.

"Maybe we can share some fish again sometime." Itachi said.

"Yeah…..that'd be nice." Sakura smiled.

Itachi did not smile back, but Sakura thought she saw a glint of happiness pass across his dark eyes before he turned and walked away.

Sakura opened her door and bent down to collect the day's mail that had been shoved inside her entryway when a voice called out.

"Tch. I can't believe you just did that."

Sakura instantly looked up and turned her living room lamp on.

This time, it wasn't Itachi who was waiting for her to get home…

It was Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

And how do you guys keep breaking in?! Sakura wondered.

"I'm here to make sure that you don't do something you'll regret." Sasuke scoffed.

"And what would that be?" Sakura asked as she narrowed her eyes.

Sasuke shrugged.

Sakura was baffled.

What did Sasuke care about her or her life?

Sasuke was very aware of how much Sakura loved him, but he had made it clear over the years that he didn't feel the same.

…...Or was that not actually true after all?

Sasuke's scowl made Sakura smirk. "You're jealous aren't you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes widened and he frowned at Sakura, "What?!...No!"

Sakura giggled, "I get it now, you're jealous! You don't want me to go out with your brother because it's an insult to your ego!"

That wasn't the only reason why Sasuke didn't want Sakura to fall into Itachi's arms…..

Sasuke grit his teeth in anger. "Look, Sakura, I'm just here to help! Do you know what he's capable of? Do you remember what he did?!"

"What he did?!" Sakura exclaimed. "Do you remember what you did?!"

As Sakura spoke, she put a hand over her chest, in the same spot that Sasuke had punched through when he was lost in the darkness….

Sakura had never seen Sasuke's onyx eyes so full of remorse as that bitter memory passed through his mind…..

"I can't wait on you forever, Sasuke." Sakura said quietly.

Sasuke looked at Sakura like she just slapped him hard.

"Look, Sakura…..I…" Sasuke said slowly, putting a hand to his face.

Sakura blinked, waiting anxiously on what Sasuke would say.

Would Sasuke finally admit that he felt something for her?

He had to!

Tonight it was clear that he did, at least to some degree…

"I just don't want to see you get hurt…. more hurt." Sasuke said.

Sakura's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Nope, not yet.

Sakura sighed while she bent to pick up a letter that accidentally slipped from her hand. "Thanks, Sasuke, but I-"

Sakura stopped speaking when she felt a sudden breeze…..

The pinkette realized that her window was open and Sasuke was gone.

Sakura shook her head and walked over, sitting down on her couch.

What a night.

Itachi…

Sasuke…

To make things worse, her heat was coming soon.

Oh dear….not that.

The pinkette frowned and started to go through her mail.

A coupon….

A bill…..

A letter from the Hokage.

A letter from the Hokage?

Sakura furrowed her brow as she opened the document and read over it.

An assignment.

Sakura smiled.

Hmm, a breath of fresh air…...

The pinkette laid the letter on the table, shut the window, and closed her curtains before she took a shower.

Sakura had been assigned by the Hokage to travel to Suna and train some medical nins there for a brief time.

What a welcome vacation!

Sakura could at least be sure of one thing….

There would be no Uchihas hiding in her room there!