Chapter 1- Throw Away Sadness
Sakura's Pov
My chance!
Falling, the whooshing of air around her as her hair whipped wildly around her. It came back and thrashed at her closed eyelids.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto.
"Sakura!" Sasuke.
Bastards.
You don't care.
So stop pretending you do.
Her body flipped around, she knew that the ground was coming closer.
You know she almost expected Kakashi-Sensei to come out of nowhere, and save her.
But he wouldn't because he wasn't here. That's why she choose this mission in particular for her plan. It was foolproof. Nothing would go wrong because she'd spent weeks planning it. Nothing would stop her. She'd throw away her old life, and she'd start new. Without the expectation of being the same as her teammates holding her back.
A quick hand sign of a jutsu that she'd practiced for this moment later, and a form, her exact replica was kicked down towards the rocks, where as she, flew into the ice covered river.
She heard the smash of fake bones on sharp rocks just as she heard the smash of ice. She knew that the river was beginning to thaw. That's why she had not only picked the mission because tracking something in the Land of Frost was extremely hard, but also because she could leave those two liars so much easier in this country.
She couldn't go up for breath now, so she continued to swim. Opening her eyes, Sakura did a jutsu that Sasuke has taught the team a while back. A simple jutsu that would continue to circulate blood even when the user was cold. It would keep her from freezing, for now anyway.
We need to hurry!
I couldn't agree more!
Swimming until she absolutely had to get a breath, Sakura didn't feel any different. From the distance, she could hear Naruto's anguished cries, nothing from Sasuke, but that was to be expected, the emotionless prick.
She couldn't get out of the river yet, she knew that if they were to send a team of ANBU to find her, she'd be screwed. She took into account the fact that they'd most likely bring ninja dogs as well. That wouldn't be too good, they'd have her tracked down within a couple hours no doubt.
Sakura knew that she wouldn't even able to keep up the simple body warming jutsu for long. The last time that she'd used this jutsu was when it was first taught to her and Naruto. That had been months ago, and even then, Sakura could only keep it up for about two hours before she felt completely drained. Although her reserves had grown a considerable amount, that would make for no difference in the end. She needed chakra, she would have to conserve hers if she was going to do this right.
Damn, she thought as she neared the waterfall that she'd made sure was on the map.
Sakura quickly braced herself, this might hurt. It was the same sensation as it always was. You fall, your stomach feels like it's going up, you clench your throat to keep from vomiting. The same old Hara. Thankfully the jutsu kept her from feeling much like it scorched her nerves, she was unbelievably happy for that. She swam up to the surface, feeling for the bank so that she could start running. She needed to be two steps ahead of everyone else, or, she thought back to her very long list of worst case scenarios, something bad would most certainly happen.
Wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand, Sakura looked at her surroundings. Only hearing the subtle shift in the leaves that were almost non-existent.
Nothing...
Good...
Throwing herself up onto a solid surface, Sakura looked up to find it beginning to snow.
Perfect, she thought.
She really had planned this just right. Everything was going according to plan. The storm would continue to rage for a good couple days. No one would find her now. Smirking Sakura threw on a cloak that had been concealed in a plastic package, in her backpack, over her shoulders. Pulling the hood down to hide her very noticeable hair, Sakura began to walk.
Into the forest went a new person. No longer was she Sakura, the weak link of team 7. No longer was she poor, pathetic, little Sakura. She was anew person who would make people watch her back now.
She didn't know that there were two more people in this forest either, heading to a nearby town, her exact destination. They adorned Black Cloaks with the signature Red Cloud emblemed on them.
Cozy...
Was her only thought as she stepped into her first stop. A cute quaint little town, not yet affected by the storm.
She knew that it was unwise to make a stop this early on in her journey, but she needed rest. And food, and if she was being honest, a nice long hot shower.
Taking her time when walking through this cute town, Sakura noticed a variety of shops, mostly clothing stores. They all had beautiful exterior designs.
While Sakura marveled at the many pretty things in windows. Two people walked right behind her. Straw hats pulled over their faces. One was very tall. The other was considerably smaller than the former, but they always said that big surprises come in small packages.
No more window shopping! We need to find a hotel!
Argh! I know!
Shaking her head, Sakura quickly ran down the street, dodging multiple people Sakura couldn't help but accidentally bump into someone.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" She quickly excused herself. The person that she bumped into just nodded and continued to walk. Sakura decided that she need to keep going before the storm reached the little town, but something caught her eye.
No, it wasn't something in a window, it was something on the ground. It was a beautifully crafted kunai. The blade was sharpened to perfection. The wrappings around the hilt were a dark red. Sakura quickly bent down to pick it up.
Oh wow...so beautiful...
Sakura looked closely at the blade, she could make out something, but it was far too dim out here for her to see anything. So she decided to check it out when she got to her hotel room.
Swiveling her head from left to right, Sakura quickly found a little inn that was sure to hold her for the night.
Pushing past people Sakura made her way to the rotating doors. This place seemed pretty high class. She looked around and quickly found the name.
The Palace
What a lovely name! She thought.
The place was decked out in everything that a simple genin like herself could only imagine. All of it must've cost so much money!
Her stomach dropped when she saw the long line. It'd be a miracle if she ended up staying in a room tonight. She wouldn't get her hopes up that's for damn sure.
Making her way to the back of the line, Sakura waited. The people in front of her seemed to be calm. Well one of them did.
"Ugh, this stupid ass line isn't moving! Itachi isn't there another inn around here?!" The tall, what she assumed was a man, either that of a very masculine woman said.
"Hn." Well, that was brief.
Remembering the kunai, Sakura quickly took it out of her pocket, to see what was engraved on it.
In beautiful cursive hand writing was two simple letters, initials.
I.U.
"Hmm, I wonder who this belongs to?" She mumbled on to herself, but the shinobi enhanced hearing of the men in front of her heard her quiet rambling.
Looking over their shoulders' one of the men's eyes widened underneath his straw hat, the other just looked on confused.
"I can help whoever's next!" Yelled a woman who was clearly hinting at the men in front of Sakura. Sakura looked up just as the two men looked away. The line had grown smaller while Sakura was inspecting the weapon. There were only two people in front of the people who were in front of her herself. So the line automatically split in two.
"How many?" The woman asked giving the two, obviously men now, suggestive winks and glances.
"Two." The shorter of the men responded curtly.
The woman smirked at him, finding his voice very appealing.
"How long will you be staying?" She pushed her chest out, making it seem bigger.
I am all at once disgusted by this woman and jealous of her. Disgusted because she's acting like a common hoe, and jealous because her chest is so big.
The man paused before responding. "Two days." The woman was practically beaming by now.
"Well if that's the case, then perhaps I could visit you and~" She was getting closer to the shorter man.
He spoke quickly and clearly. "I'm afraid that will not be necessary." Clearly, he was being polite.
The woman's face fell before she recomposed herself. Quickly becoming flirty yet once again. She told them the price of their room and the two men walked away. Sakura wanted to laugh at the woman, but didn't, after all, she needed a place to stay too!
Stepping up, Sakura couldn't be happier that this woman seemed to be on cloud nine. So happy she barely paid attention to Sakura, despite just being rejected she seemed to be pretty happy.
"How long?" The girl asked
"Um..two days." Sakura bowed her head, she hated talking to people in public, especially in front of people that she didn't know.
After giving up a little cash in comparison to what she had on her, Sakura was given her key, she looked down at the number.
23
Seemed easy enough to find. You'd think, right? But nooooooo! Sakura has to go and get herself lost!
Am I on the third or second floor?
Seeing someone who appeared to be coming right at her Sakura quickly spoke.
"E-excuse me?" The person slowed to a halt and Sakura recognized him as the man who was being hit on at the front counter.
"Hn?" He seemed to acknowledge her a little bit so Sakura continued speaking.
"Do you know what floor we are on?" She laughed sheepishly as he continued to stare at her, probably thinking that she was mentally handicapped.
At this point Sakura wasn't even sure he was going to respond, she contemplated turning around and walking away, but he decided to speak.
"The third floor." It was short but it gave her the information she needed.
Her face brightened.
"Oh, thank you. I seem to get lost no matter where I go! Heh heh, thank you again." Sakura bowed quickly and went to head for the stairs behind him.
That was before her wrist was caught.
She looked at the man in suspicion and curiosity, wondering in what world you could just grab a stranger for absolutely no reason.
"That kunai, the one you were holding in the lobby, where did you get it?" She still couldn't see his face, that fact alone kinda irritated her, he was down at her eye level now.
Deciding that it would do her no harm, to be honest, Sakura told him just that. "I found it on the street, it has initials engraved in it." She wasn't lying, perhaps he could tell because he released her almost immediately.
"I'm sorry to inconvenience you, but that kunai belongs to me, I must've dropped it earlier." He put out his palm, expecting her to hand it over.
Sakura reached inside her pocket, pulling it out, it was almost in his palm before a thought struck her.
What if he's lying?
Snatching her hand back, Sakura stared at him warily.
"If it's really yours," she took a deep breath, "then what're the initials on it?" He seemed surprised at her, not expecting her to take it back, to simply just give it to him.
He sighed before speaking. "The initials on it are 'I.U.' In cursive handwriting, my handwriting." He spoke softly.
Offering his hand again, she gently placed the object into his awaiting palm, soft fingers brushing over calloused skin, before pulling away.
"I'm sorry. I-I just didn't know if it was really yours, or if you were lying, I apologize." She was albeit ashamed for accusing someone she didn't even know.
Her head hanging Sakura didn't feel the oncoming fingers until they had poked her right the forehead, causing her head to snap back.
"Eh-!" She quickly grabbed her forehead. Looking up at him with a scowl, she saw him smirk.
"Come." He said and began to walk towards the stairs.
She only continued to look at him with a scowl, that hurt ya know!
Oh god dammit I'm starting to sound like Naruto!
He turned around to look at her.
"I shall treat you to a plate of dango, for your honesty." He reached out his hand and clasped it onto her wrist, pulling her with him.
His hand is so...
...Masculine, Calloused, and dare I say it?
...Comforting?
Nah!
Nah!
Sitting in the dining area Sakura felt her mouth water. Oh, gods, the food smelt delicious! She had yet to remove her hood, figuring that if anyone from Konoha were to come here, they would most certainly ask about some girl with pink hair, then she'd be fucked.
Her temporary companion seemed to see her hesitance when it came to removing her hood.
"Why not just take it off?" He questioned evenly.
Surprised Sakura looked back at him. She idly wondered why he hadn't taken off his hat yet either.
"I could ask you the same thing." She gave him a smug look, feeling like she had won an invisible competition.
"If I do, my identity will be revealed. Can you promise me, that if you see me, you will not report me?" He was interrogating her in a way.
Smiling Sakura thanked the man who was their waiter, he had just delivered their dango and tea. She took her cup and took a sip.
"It is foolish to fear what we have yet to know and see." She said simply watching him take a sip as she spoke, and then watching him lose his composure and spit it everywhere.
Coughing and hacking to get what was left out of his throat, he gingerly took her own tea that she'd offered and taken a drink.
"What did you just say? Just then, where did you hear that?" He spoke impatiently, almost desperately.
"Oh, I said 'It is foolish to fear what we have yet to know and see.' My father said that to me a long time ago." She looked at him curiously. "Why?"
"Well, believe it or not, that is something that I say quite often." He reached up for his hat, and as he slid it off, Sakura was almost left breathless.
He was simply stunning, long black hair pulled into a loose ponytail, long stress marks marring his emotionless features, and coal, almost grey eyes looked at her curiously.
She supposed that this was her turn. She was happy that she deposited her headband in her backpack earlier, even if she no longer wanted to be affiliated with Konoha, she still loved that village very much. She couldn't bear the thought of putting her forever home in danger, never.
She felt her bangs shadow her eyes, without her forehead protector holding her hair back Sakura looked much like she did before she met Ino.
Grabbing the edges of her hood Sakura allowed the thin fabric to fall away. Revealing her to all those around her.
His eyes had widened before they returned to their normal, unfeeling size.
"I know right? Pink hair isn't exactly the best thing to have when you're hiding!" She laughed, but then realized that she'd said far too much.
Taking a stick of Dango Sakura quickly are the delectable sticky treat.
"What exactly are you hiding from?" He sounded suspicious.
She sighed. "From everything..."
He nodded, he didn't prod or poke, or nag at her to tell him. He just left it. And for that, Sakura was grateful.
She hummed a little as she took in the smiling people around her, they didn't even cast her a glance. Sakura felt more normal than she had in a while.
"So," Sakura quickly swallowed the last ball of Dango on her stick. "What may I call you? I know your initials, but I don't know..." wait, what did the man in the lobby call him?
Iracha?
Ituchy?
Itachi? That's it!
"No! Wait! I do know your name! It's Itachi isn't it?" She looked at him happily, looking like she just solved the puzzle of the century.
He smirked at her happy demeanor. "Yes, that is my name. What might yours be?" She threw her hands up in happiness from finding out what his name was, but quickly looked dumbfounded at the second part of his sentence.
"My name?" He nodded patiently, waiting for her answer.
"Oh, well, I know that this might sound a little ironic, considering my hair color and all, but my name is Sakura." She smiled at him, closing her eyes as she did so.
When she opened her eyes again he was either smirking broadly or was smiling faintly, his eyes were crinkled ever-so-slightly, looking soft.
Reaching for the last stick of Dango, Itachi, as she had now met, spoke. "Well," taking one of the sweet treats for himself he left the other two on the stick, "it's very nice to meet you Sakura-San..." he said her name slowly as if testing its effects on her. On the outside she was fine, still smiling. On the inside though, inner was screaming on pure joy at the fluttery feeling that traveled down Sakura's spine.
"Yes, it's very nice to meet you too..." she was confused about what to call him, but since he'd been so nice she figured she could be nice too. "Itachi-Kun!" She smiled at his seemingly confused features, but her smile grew tenfold when he handed her the other two dango on the stick.
"Ah arigato!" She quickly ate them, not noticing her, as she personally claimed him, friend smile ever so slightly at her antics.
He had even offered to take her back to her room.
His parents most certainly taught him to be a gentleman!
It turns out, Sakura's room was right next to his, he was in room 22, his partner was in 21. And she was in room 23. How convenient.
Thinking of a quick joke Sakura turned to the man on her right.
"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if you had seals on every entryway in your room if I was you I'd be afraid of getting raped!" She laughed thinking back to the obviously horny attendant at the front desk.
He seemed to remember as well, for his nose crinkled up in disgust. She laughed at his expense, his face was just too funny!
"Yes and if I were you I'd be afraid of the monster under my bed, and in my closet." He retorted evenly.
She gasped and turned to him, mock hurt showing in her eyes as he smirked.
"How dare you! Well...if I was you I'd be afraid of..of...um..." she stared at the floor, trying to think of something.
He stopped along with her.
"Um...pickles!" She said the first thing that came to mind. Fucking brain.
Hearing something that was muffled Sakura looked up to find her new friend laughing at her.
"Hey! I said the first thing that came to mind! Don't judge me!" She yelled at him childishly.
"Too late." He said and continued to walk away from her. She quickly caught up with him, they stopped at her door.
She spun around to say goodbye to him. "Well, thank you for the Dango, it was delicious! I guess that I'll be seeing you!" She turned around but someone grabbed her shoulder and spun her back around.
"What color are your eyes?" He asked she had to wonder why he wanted to know but didn't voice it out loud.
Turns out her bangs had been blocking him from seeing her eyes the whole night. She hadn't noticed.
Before she could speak, he had moved her bangs out of her face, exposing their beautiful vibrant green color to him.
"Hm...close your eyes." He said simply.
Sakura blushed dark crimson, and she was suddenly very happy for the dark hallway.
Closing her eyes as he had instructed, her imagination ran wild at the many different things that he could do to her, while her eyes were closed.
Feeling something hold her hair back, just like when she was a child, Sakura opened her eyes. Feeling the top of her head, she found a silky fabric holding her hair back. He had tied it just like she usually did.
"There, that's much better. Now your hair won't get in your face." He smirked at her again. Sakura didn't notice that her heart skipped a beat, either that or she just choose to ignore it, probably the latter.
"And," he brought his index and middle finger up to poke her in the forehead, "it's much easier to do that." Sakura smiled a dazzling smile at him. Maybe she'd meet nice people like him on her journey, she sure hoped so.
"Arigato Itachi-Kun!" She was so overcome with happiness that she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him, oh so hesitantly did his hands come to rest at the small of her back, barely brushing against her, yet she still felt the small amount of warmth through her clothing.
Sakura remembered that her mother had taught her to stay away from strangers, but Itachi-Kun wasn't a stranger anymore, he was her friend.
Right?
Of course!
"Until we meet again Sakura, I hope that you grow strong, I wish you the best of luck..." he stared down at her, his eyes locking onto her own, before picking her up bridal style, she gasped as he did so, taken by surprise she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, he body flickered into her room, and gently deposited her on her bed, he took her backpack away from her and dropped it on the floor, he then poked her on her forehead, hesitant as he pulled his fingers away, not before smirking, did he then leave.
She effectively turned into a pile of goo on her bed.
You won't see him again A little nagging voice said to her, it wasn't inner, it was something meaner.
Sakura knew, as she fell asleep, that what the voice said was true.
She'd probably never see him again.
Oh, how wrong she was...
Leaving quickly, Itachi body flickered back into his room. Looking around, he found nothing special, just as always.
He sat down on the edge of his bed, throwing his cloak over the chair by the desk as he did so.
Sighing Itachi flopped back onto his bed, sprawling his arms out above him, he stared at the blank white ceiling, wondering simply...
What. The. Fuck. Was. Wrong. With. Him?!
He had only ever treated his little brother in such a manner, and after the incident that destroyed his innocence, he no longer treated anyone in that way.
He had only met this girl today. He and she would most likely never meet ever again. Even if they were to meet again, the chance was very slim.
Yet he had been there, to reassure her, that they would, that they would meet yet once again.
How foolish of him.
He couldn't possibly hope to promise that girl that he'd ever see her again.
Yet a part of him, a part that he had ditched, unless he was on the battlefield, fighting for his life, spoke, that he would indeed meet that girl again.
Why do I even care? He thought.
Because you want to see her again...
Sighing yet once again Itachi hefted his body up, now holding his head in his hands. Rubbing at his eyes, he removed his shirt. Walking around the side of the bed he threw away the blankets, climbing into bed, he enhanced his hearing with his chakra.
Sounds from the walls make their way into his hearing. He stretched it into the room adjacent to his own.
Hearing soft snores the next second relieved him. Although that girl was nice, you could never be too careful. She might've been an assassin, he very much severely doubted it, but you never know.
Falling into restless oblivion Itachi had to wonder.
Will we really meet again?
And if so...
Why do I care?
Has been edited
Will not be updated for a while, considering I already wrote the next chapter and I want to wait, also I need to get into the groove of again.
Is an ItaSaku
Will take time for their relationship to develop, unlike my other stories, which have been rushed into the relationship, this one will take time.
I hope you enjoy The Dango Gesture...
-lovesnaruto7