CHAPTER 15- Sail
Sakura always loved the water.
It was beautiful, calming and mesmerizing all at once. Due to living in Fire Country she didn't get to see the ocean too many times, only a handful of times during some missions back when they were still in the academy but whenever she did, she spent her time admiring its beauty.
As she did now.
Sakura was standing on the edge of a wooden pier as she hugged herself and looked at the wide ocean in front of her, eyes gleaming as she took in the beautiful sight. It was a nice change to the forests that Fire Country offered and even though she had seen some impressive seas and rivers in her twenty years of living already, none of them could compare to this.
Sakura could hear the waves crashing against the wooden pillars that held the pier up mingling with the noises of the villagers, the salted scent the wind held freshening her senses.
Itachi and her have spent the past hours traveling from Konoha all the way south-east to get to Kirigakure's borders and reach this harbor. According to Itachi, they would take one of the ships and spend the night on it before they would leave at the next harbor and meet their informant.
The harbor was quite busy and slightly crowded since it was located right next to a village. Many people were either looking for a way to get on one of the ships, wanted to buy some fresh food on the market or simply passed by.
When they had reached the harbor, Itachi had disappeared after telling her to stay on the pier and that he would find her when it would be time to leave. Even though she didn't know where he had run off to, she figured that he probably took care of getting them some tickets for the ship.
She didn't mind though and instead, used this opportunity to relax and gather some energy after she had spent the past day running at the top of her speed and spending most of her chakra.
"It's a beautiful sight."
Sakura smiled and turned to her right, green eyes falling onto the familiar man who has joined her on the pier. He was dressed in his usual attire, the green flannel jacket they usually wore on missions amiss in favor of staying under the radar and looked at the wide ocean as she had done moments ago.
In comparison to his usual stiff or alert posture Itachi looked calm, his body relaxed as he had his hands in his pocket.
Sakura shifted her eyes from Itachi back to the ocean, a lazy smile playing on her lips as she hummed.
"It is." She agreed, eyes reflecting the sparkling water as she once more turned to look at Itachi. "Did you take care of everything?"
Itachi curtly nodded in return before he turned his head to look at her, his usually blank facade amiss of its coldness.
"Hn. The ferry departs in twenty minutes, so we should get on and look for our room." Itachi told her, and Sakura nodded in return as a disappointed sigh passed her lips.
Itachi watched with interest how Sakura casted the ocean one last rueful gaze before she shifted her gaze back to Itachi with a sad smile.
"Well then, shall we?" She asked, and Itachi nodded, allowing Sakura to lead him off the pier.
The duo was walking down the wooden pier in a comfortable silence and Sakura was too occupied by her own thoughts to notice the way the Uchiha was looking at her in mild curiosity.
"You seem fond of the ocean." Itachi commented as he shifted his eyes from Sakura to once more look ahead. He could feel the pinkette's surprised eyes on him without having to look at her but he skilfully concealed the sparks of curiosity that danced in his eyes beneath a layer of indifference.
Sakura, although surprised by Itachi's sudden question didn't think too much of it and shot him a small smile.
"I am." Sakura told him as she enjoyed the feeling of the fresh ocean breeze hit her skin. "It's a sight that not many appreciate, and even less value. It's a pity that others seemingly fail to recognize its beauty."
Itachi now shifted his gaze back to Sakura, a thoughtful expression on his face as he eyed the pink-haired female that was walking next to him.
The more he found out about her, the more he realized that despite of her rough exterior she managed to see things that many failed to recognize.
"Perhaps its better that not everyone sees its value." Came Itachi's reply, causing Sakura to look up at him in silent question. "This way not everyone will try to rob it of its treasures and instead, it will be left admired and appreciated by those who manage to look beneath its surface."
Sakura hummed in return as she thought his words over and shifted her gaze back onto the pier below her feet.
"I never thought of it that way." Sakura admitted and if she had looked up at Itachi in that moment, she would have seen the way his eyes softened for the smallest of bits. "But you are right. Maybe it's better this way."
Itachi in return remained silent as he lead Sakura towards the ferry that they would be staying on for the following day. Out of all of the ships at the harbor, the one that they would travel to the village on was one of the smaller ones. Despite of that, it still was impressively big and could have easily harbored dozen of people.
Sakura followed Itachi through the mass of people that were gathered in front of the ferry and either bid farewell to their families or argued with the ferry's guards.
The dark-haired male was easily blending in with the crowd and due to all the pushing Sakura actually had a hard time keeping her eyes on him.
When they finally reached the ship itself, she moved to stand next to Itachi who has come to a halt in front of the guards.
"Name?" One of them asked, his auburn hair sticking to his forehead that was holding a frown that she assumed was to scare the villagers off.
Sakura offered the guards a polite smile as she turned her head to look at Itachi, silently waiting for him to introduce them by using some cover names but contrary to her expectations, the Uchiha did nothing of the likes and instead, allowed sparks of red to bleed into his dark-onyx orbs.
Sakura concealed her mild surprise by an expression of indifference and allowed her eyes to stray from Itachi to the guards, who suddenly seemed slightly more tense than they did before.
"Ah, I see." The other blonde haired guard said, his lightly rough voice holding a knowing edge as he offered both Sakura and Itachi a kind smile that highlighted his dimples. He the turned around, his eyes scanning the crowd for someone until they rested on a woman standing not too far away.
"Misaki!" He called and as soon as the woman turned her head to look at him, he ushered her towards them. She instantly did as told and approached the small group with an amiable smile that brightened up her dark blue eyes as she squeezed herself through the crowd.
Sakura returned the smile that was directed at them with practiced ease and stepped away from the guards to let Misaki through and it was then that a certain detail about Misaki caught her eyes.
"You called?" She asked the blonde guard as she rested her hand on her swollen belly, eyes shifting from the guards to Sakura and Itachi.
"Would you be as kind as to show them to their sleeping chambers?" He asked as he shot the duo a pointed look. "Their cabin is number 8."
Misaki's eyes shifted from the blonde male to the duo as realization filled her dark orbs and she inclined her head.
"It would be my pleasure." She told them before she turned to look at Sakura and Itachi with kind eyes. "Shall we?"
Itachi gave her a curt nod as he placed his hand onto Sakura's small back and lightly urged her forwards, past the guards and up on deck.
The duo followed Misaki on deck and listened to her introduction of the ferries different sections. They took their time in walking around out of consideration of the pregnant woman and used this opportunity to imprint every tiny detail into their minds in case of an emergency.
"This is where the sleeping cabins are located at." Misaki spoke as they went below deck, the worn staircase creaking beneath their weight. "Your room is at the far end of the hallway, right around the corner."
Sakura took her time in looking around, green eyes taking in the numbers of the rooms as she noticed that their room seemed to be close to the staircase that led up onto deck.
"You seem to know your way around here." Sakura lightly commented, and Misaki shot her a sheepish smile I return.
"Well, it's to be expected after living here for almost two years." Misaki told them, much to Sakura's surprise.
"You live here?" Sakura asked, her curiosity clearly piqued. She glanced at Itachi out of the corner of her eye to look for his reaction but in comparison to her, he seemed rather indifferent and considerably less surprised.
She figured that he most likely knew of it already and arched a brow in silent question, wondering what else there was for her to find out.
Itachi merely mirrored her expression, dark eyes taking in her questioning gaze as they continued to follow Misaki through the hallway.
"I actually used to be a maid here." Misaki confessed, ripping Sakura out of her little staring contest with Itachi and causing her to once more look at the dark-haired young woman in front of her.
"Ah, that explains how you know this ferry so well." Sakura commented as they finally stopped in front of the room that she would seemingly share with the Uchiha. "Doesn't your husband have anything against you working on here while being pregnant?"
Misaki chuckled lightly as she shook her head, her hand rubbing gentle circles over her swollen belly. "Not if he's the captain."
Sakura suspected that her surprise was visible on her face and set on giving the young woman a bright smile in return. "That's quite convenient then."
"It is." Misaki confirmed as she looked at the pair in front of her with a friendly smile. "I will leave you to rest then. If you need anything, don't hesitate to send someone to fetch me or to personally approach my husband."
"We will." Itachi returned as he inclined his head in thanks before he turned his head to look at Sakura next to him. "You should get some rest."
A flicker of confusion passed her eyes before a hesitant smile made its way onto her lips. Itachi could instantly tell that she suspected something and didn't like it but fortunately, she knew better than to question him.
"Alright then." Sakura spoke before her eyes flickered over to Misaki. "We appreciate your help. If you need anything or don't feel well, don't hesitate to seek me out."
Misaki gave Sakura a grateful smile before she gave them a light bow, her swollen belly limiting her movements. "Thank you, I sincerely appreciate your offer. Enjoy your stay."
With one last smile from Sakura and a small nod from Itachi, the black haired female left the duo once more on their own. Sakura waited until she was sure that Misaki was out of hearing range when she turned around to question Itachi regarding his sudden departure but all that met her eyes was an empty spot next to her where Itachi used to stand mere seconds ago.
Sakura frowned at Itachi's sudden disappearance and opened the door to their room with a heartfelt sigh. She knew that he probably only wanted to ensure that the deck was safe and that there were no intruders but somehow, she felt like Itachi was starting to keep more things to himself again, whether he did it unconsciously or not, regardless of their significance.
Sakura closed the door behind her and allowed her eyes to roam the small cabin that she was standing in. Located on each side of the room was a small bed, the pearly white sheets that covered it being a stark contrast to the dark wooden headboard. The small round window was located on the wall opposite of the door, a small white table resting beneath it.
Sakura walked into the room and placed her backpack next to the left bed before she slumped down onto the bed, eyeing the ceiling with a thoughtful frown.
They would reach their location the following night if they were lucky and until then, Sakura would have nothing to do other than to occupy herself with her medical textbooks or by keeping watch over the passengers.
It sounded like the perfect opportunity for her to rest and gather some energy until they would meet up with their informant, so why did she feel so restless?
The pinkette sighed as she rolled over onto her side and stared at the empty bed on the opposite side of the room, expression thoughtful and eyes hard.
Then again, maybe there was something to do after all.
"Well if this isn't a pleasant surprise." A low voice drawled from their position behind the helm, their back facing the door as they gazed out onto the sea. "Konoha's Number One Shinobi, Uchiha Itachi."
A thick silence filled the room as Itachi leisurely pushed himself off the wall and walked to stand in the middle of the room, expression blank.
"Haru." Itachi mumbled in return, onyx eyes piercing through the dimly lit room. "It's been a while."
A rough chuckle followed Itachi's words and the man turned around to look at the shinobi with a smirk on his lips. "Indeed. I heard that you became the Hokage, congratulations."
Itachi inclined his head in a curt nod but other than that pointedly didn't comment on this matter. The Uchiha male walked over to stand next to Haru and look out of the window onto the ocean.
The sun was beginning to set and created a beautiful orange sky, the lilac shaded clouds adding to the breathtaking picture.
"I assume that you received my message?" Itachi spoke, causing Haru to arch a questioning brow as he moved to turn around as well.
"Of course, though it was not necessary." Haru replied, his dark gray eyes sparkling in the light of the setting sun. "I always double-check on everyone that comes onto this ferry, especially now that Misaki is pregnant."
Itachi hummed lowly in his throat, obviously content with the answer as his mind went to the brunette woman that he has met before. "I see that you have taken my advice to heart, then."
A low chuckle followed his words, and briefly glanced at Haru out of the corner of his eyes. He was running a hand through his short black hair and stared out of the window with a font smile on his lips.
"I did. Who would have thought that the infamous Uchiha Itachi was actually a matchmaker?" Haru halfheartedly joked, before he released a heavy breath. "I am grateful to you nonetheless, for both saving my life and opening my eyes back then."
"There is no need to thank me for pointing out the obvious." Itachi returned, pausing for a moment before he continued. "I was merely guiding you back towards the path that you've lost."
Haru's smirk fell as his expression turned grim, eyes flashing with hidden memories as he thought back to the last time he has seen the brooding Uchiha.
It was the worst and yet best day of his life and Itachi has played a great role in it as well, a role that he would never forget and forever be grateful for.
"You've always had a perception that intrigues many, Itachi. Your eyes can conceal even the deepest secrets one holds, and that's not only because of your blood-trait." Haru commented, causing Itachi's expression to turn slightly grim as well.
"It's not always a convenient trait, I can assure you." Itachi dryly returned, his voice humorless. "I would prefer being oblivious to most things rather than to be able to see them, as you already know."
Haru hummed, seeing Itachi's point but unable to stop himself from asking. "But would that make you the person you are today?"
Itachi remained silent, thinking Haru's words over as familiar pictures flashed in front of his eyes. His expression was thoughtful as he allowed the shreds of memories to fully take over his vision, his eyes darkening as he balled his hands into fists.
"Perhaps not." Itachi spoke after a minute of silence, his conflicted feelings hidden beneath his usual stoic mask that he wore.
It would have probably been better that way, though.
Sakura was laying in her bed, unable to fall asleep as she stared up at the ceiling.
It was already midnight and Itachi had yet to return from wherever he had run off to.
The pinkette has spent most of the evening examining the deck and talking to some of the passengers that were on the ferry as well but regardless of which part of the ferry she had visited, there was no sight of the Uchiha.
She of course knew that when he didn't want to be found, she may as well turn the entire ship upside down and still wouldn't find him and yet, something didn't sit right with her.
The passengers were really friendly and Misaki was nice company as well, but the heavy feeling in her gut simply wouldn't fade, especially now that Itachi was gone.
Maybe something had happened to him?
Sakura inwardly snorted at her own thoughts. It was more likely that Itachi was eaten by a shark and actually died after dramatically drowning in the ocean rather than something happening to him.
As far as Sakura was concerned, Itachi was a master at the task of surviving.
She was surprised to find that a small part of her was disappointed that he had instantly run off and didn't even bother to spend some minutes with her, regardless of his reasons. Sakura knew that it was no rarity for Itachi to just suddenly fade into thin air but a part of her had hoped that now that they were on better terms, she may find out more about him and his complex, unpredictable mind.
Sakura ignored the light weight that settled over her chest and kicked the blanket off of her with a frown. She wouldn't just lay in bed all night breaking her head over Itachi out of all people while he wouldn't even waste a thought on her.
Deciding that some night-air may help her get more sleepy, Sakura rose from her bed and stretched before she walked out of the room she shared with Itachi.
She was still dressed in the white nightgown that Hinata had gifted her, her long pink hair cascading loosely down her back as she entered the silent hallway.
The small candles that were hanging on the wall were lightened and dimly lit the hallway, guiding her way as she moved through the corridor without creating a sound.
When she was about to turn a corner, she didn't expect herself to bump into a firm chest and when she had lost her balance, a pair of familiar hands instantly steadying her by holding her waist.
Sakura's surprised green eyes shot upwards to look up at the person she had bumped into and upon seeing the pair of dark eyes that were looking down at her, she relaxed.
Her heart was still beating slightly faster than usual when he let released her, and Sakura told herself it was only because he had surprised her, and not because of the way his dark eyes bore into her soul.
"You should be more careful, Haruno." Itachi quietly advised her, eyes flashing. "It's dangerous to wander around on your own at night, even if you're a skilled kunoichi."
Sakura knew that his words were not meant to be criticizing per se, but something about them didn't sit well with her, especially since he was the one who left her on her own in the first place.
"There's little other to do on this ferry, especially if you're on your own." Sakura returned, her brows furrowing slightly. Not only was she annoyed because he just left, but also because he had the nerve to tell her not to wander around when he was the one who left her in her cabin with nothing to occupy her with.
No task, no information about their mission that she could use for researches, nothing.
Itachi was not oblivious to the way his advisor was obviously displeased and whereas he could understand that she probably was not too fond on spending the past hours with nothing to do, he didn't understand why something this simply would put her in such a bad mood.
"I had business to attend to." Was all that Itachi offered in return, not feeling like going into detail about something as unimportant as that but it seemed like it was not such a good idea, if the way Sakura's eyes sharpened was anything to go by.
"It seems like there is a lot of business that you have to attend to lately." Sakura commented, the hint of suspicion that laced her voice not going unnoticed by him. "Is there anything that I should be aware of?"
Itachi mirrored her expression and tilted his head lightly aside, onyx orbs shimmering in the dim light. "No, there isn't." He returned, watching how Sakura's face fell with disappointment.
Sakura thinned her lips and looked at Itachi in silence for some moments before she sighed and closed her eyes. She was sure that Itachi caught the disappointment that filled her eyes before she shielded them from his sight but at that moment, she simply couldn't bring herself to care.
He was doing it again, whether he realized it or not and this way, the process they've made until now would all go to waste. It bothered her not only because they would fall back into their old pattern, but also because Itachi would isolate himself from everyone else once more.
"I thought so." Sakura mumbled under her breath before she sidestepped him, intending to walk past him but the moment she was about to pass him, Itachi's arm shot out and blocked her way.
Sakura looked up at him with a mixture of exasperation and annoyance while Itachi looked at Sakura with a small frown on his face.
"Something is bothering you." Itachi observed, causing Sakura to snort.
"How did you get that idea?" She returned, and Itachi's eyes instantly narrowed as he took a step forwards, forcing her to take one back.
"You should know that I don't appreciate the withholding of information, Haruno." Itachi spoke, his low voice hard and eyes fixed on the pinkette in front of him.
"That makes two of us then." Sakura returned, feeling herself getting more angry by the second. "You should know that it goes both ways, Uchiha."
Itachi's gaze sharpened as he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. "What is that bothers you, Haruno?"
Sakura balled her fists that were loosely hanging by her sides, her eyes shining brightly as she looked at Itachi with a mixture of anger and disappointment.
"You are doing it again." She told him, her voice calm yet firm. "You leave without any explanation, return after hours and refuse to tell me what is going on and leave me out of everything that's happening. That's what's bothering me, now would you mind? I wanted to get some fresh air."
Sakura attempted to move around him again but Itachi was faster and grabbed her forearm, preventing her from moving any further.
"Haruno." Itachi spoke, his grip on her tightening as he felt her trying to get out of it.
"Let me go Uchiha." Sakura returned, clearly frustrated. "I'm not in the mood to talk."
Itachi's eyes narrowed as he took a step forwards, the authorial aura that he emitted palpably chilling the hallway. "You will cease your behavior and listen."
Sakura, too fed up and tired for his attitude snapped her head upwards and growled low in her throat as she once more attempted to free herself, cheeks flushed out of anger.
"Let me go." Sakura snapped, her patience running thin. "You're being childish."
At that, Itachi allowed crimson to bleed into his vision and allowed the Sharingan to take over, focusing his sight on Sakura. Her chakra signature was stronger than usual and if she wouldn't calm down soon, they would gain too much attention.
"I am not the one who started this useless argument for no reason." Itachi calmly pointed out, but as he noticed the flash of hurt that brightened her emerald eyes he realized his mistake.
Too late.
Sakura gritted her teeth and let out a humorless chuckle, the sound echoing through the hallway as she looked up at him with a bitter smirk.
"Useless, huh?" Sakura asked, her heart clenching slightly upon repeating his words. "I was merely concerned an hoped that you wouldn't fall back into your old pattern by shutting others out, but you seemingly don't even get what I am so upset about."
Itachi's expression softened ever so slightly but he still didn't let her go. He was focused on the young woman in front of him, the way her eyes flashed with something that he didn't like, and the way her hand ever so slightly shivered in his grip, whether she was aware of it or not.
Her concerns were justified, just like her anger was but he hadn't realized in time. Now there they were, standing in the middle of the hallway and fighting over something that hadn't even happened yet, and in his opinion wouldn't.
He hadn't shut her out, he simply didn't tell her whom he was meeting with or talking to because he deemed the conversations that he had with the guards and captain as insignificant. If he had known that she would have taken it the wrong way, he would have told her about whom he was meeting with.
She had every right to know as his advisor, and it was understandable that she would think that he would keep her in the dark once more considering that he has left her alone for a couple of hours on more than one occasion lately without offering her any explanation of sorts.
"Please," She suddenly spoke up, her voice sounding more tired than it previously did as he took in the way her eyes have turned a darker hue, the exhaustion that filled them clearly visible. "Let me go, I'll leave you alone."
Itachi exhaled a soft breath and tightened his grip on her once more, causing her to wince slightly before he tugged her closer so that they were standing only centimeters apart, their noses almost touching as he slightly loosened his hold on her wrist, but still didn't fully let her go.
Sakura, too mentally exhausted to protest merely held her breath at the sudden close proximity of the Uchiha heir and looked at him in silence, dim emerald eyes taking in the way his Sharingan was steadily spinning in his eyes.
"Sakura, you will listen to me." Itachi demanded, and Sakura tried to ignore the sudden shiver that run down the length of her spine upon hearing her name leave his lips. It was the first time he was actually addressing her by her first name and Sakura didn't know whether her heart was clenching out of apprehension of his next words, or because of the intensity of his stare.
"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Hokage-sama." Sakura softly returned as she averted her eyes from his. "Just allow me to go back into our cabin and to sleep, it's been a long day."
Itachi seemingly didn't plan on letting her go and eyed her for a long moment, analyzing every tiny detail of her face and imprinting it into his memory. He was both confused and slowly starting to get annoyed as well. Why was this woman refusing to listen?
"Stubborn." Itachi muttered and almost instantly, he received the reaction that he had hoped for from the pinkette whose eyes instantly snapped back to his, burning with anger.
"Are we done here?" Sakura snapped, clearly not amused. "I don't feel like wasting my time any longer."
"Sakura." Itachi warned, voice low. "I haven't kept anything from you. All I did was meet up with the guards and the Captain to discuss the ferry's security. I didn't think of it as significant enough for me to tell you."
Sakura huffed lightly as she looked at Itachi, expression stern. "Well, what do you deem significant enough to tell me then? When we are just about to go to war? When someone died or attempted to assassinate someone? It's too late then."
"We have an agreement." Itachi sternly reminded her, eyes hard. "I kept my word and will keep it."
Sakura eyed the Uchiha in silence, the intensity of their argument slowly settling over them as seeked his crimson eyes for anything that may betray his words. She was mildly surprised at the amount of seriousness that filled his eyes and pursed her lips, allowing her body to calm under his grip. Almost instantly, she felt his grip on her slightly loosening, but upon seeing the conflicted feelings her stormy eyes held, he didn't fully release her yet.
"I don't expect you to tell me everything, especially not if you do only because you feel like you have to." Sakura spoke, her voice having dropped a few octaves lower as she averted her eyes from his once more. "But you have to look at it from my point of view, of course I'll feel like you're keeping something to yourself if you leave me out of most things again."
Itachi took in the sight of the stubborn woman in front of him and felt something spark in him that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Regret.
For the past years, Itachi had made it his mission to do everything whilst ensuring that he wouldn't regret it later on. As a shinobi, he knew that once he had fulfilled a mission there would be no point to regret anything later on since it would be too late by then to change anything about it. Before every decision he made, he ensured that it was the right and best thing to do and for the longest of times, he held no regrets.
Somehow, Sakura managed to break his entire philosophy within seconds.
"I'll be more considerate then." Itachi calmly declared before he watched in content how her mildly surprised orbs shifted back to him once more.
A sudden spark of guilt filled the pinkette as she caught the earnestness that his voice held, a soft sigh passing her rosy lips as she gradually felt more drained from their little argument.
"I shouldn't have gone off on you this quickly." Sakura breathed, a part of her regretting the tantrum she threw whereas the other part knew that it was necessary. She knew that she had slightly overreacted because she was too caught up in the spur of the moment, but she needed him to be aware of how she was feeling.
Itachi's expression lost some of its tenseness and when Sakura thought he would speak up, his eyes suddenly flashed a bright crimson color before she found herself getting pushed against the wall.
The pinkette inhaled sharply as she felt herself pushed against the cool wall of the hallway, Itachi's hand placed on her spine to cushion the rather sudden push as his black shirt filled her vision.
His familiar scent filed her nose and his body was pressed against hers, allowing her to feel the tenseness that of his muscles as his other arm was leaned against the wall, blocking her vision.
Although surprised and confused, Sakura could instantly tell that something was wrong and if they way Itachi's body was deathly still was anything to go by, she knew that it would be best not to move.
For a series of seconds, Sakura didn't dare breathe as she tried to pick out anything that may disturb the sudden tense silence that filled their surroundings.
Her hands were still laying flatly against his toned chest and when she dared to glance up at the Uchiha, she was not surprised to find that he was already looking down at her with his Sharingan activated and spinning in his eyes.
His forehead was brushing against hers and Sakura and it was then that she was suddenly aware of just how close Itachi actually was. She felt her heart give a traitorous jerk despite of the situation that she hoped he didn't feel due to the close proximity that they shared and allowed her eyes to display the confusion that she felt.
"Itachi?" She whispered, his name sounding foreign on her lips as she tried to ignore the way his eyes suddenly flashed a darker red, causing her skin to tingle and to feel more aware of the small space between them.
Itachi allowed his hand to shift from her back to her hip before he lightly tapped his index finger against it thrice.
Sakura instantly understood.
Someone was there.
Sakura gave Itachi a small nod, signalizing him that she understood whilst trying not to move her head too much. She guessed that Itachi had placed a genjutsu over them and in order not to break it or allow it to flicker, she had to stay still.
Almost a minute later a movement in the right corner of her eye caught her attention and when she shifted her eyes to look at it, she tensed.
"Clear." Came a foreign voice as a man in his early thirties suddenly materialized himself in the middle of the hallway, his amber eyes scanning the empty corridor. Thanks to Itachi's genjutsu he was unable to see them and judging by the way he walked straight past them, he hadn't noticed that anything was off either.
When Sakura was sure that he was gone, she released a breath that she didn't know was holding and tilted her head back up to look at Itachi, whose head was turned to the right with his Sharingan still activated.
She wanted to ask him whether he recognized the man or not when all of sudden, a piercing scream broke through the silence, causing her to slightly jump in place at the sudden shrill sound.
Itachi's hold on her tightened out of reflex as his head snapped to the direction where the sound came from, blood-red eyes narrowing before she shifted them to Sakura.
The pinkette caught the silent message and offered him a small nod, senses sharpening as a wave of adrenaline cured through her.
Looked like they would finally get some action.
Within the next second, Itachi disappeared in a blur and run towards the direction of the scream whilst Sakura chased after the mysterious man who had walked the opposite way.
The pinkette darted through the corridors when the ferry suddenly shifted to the right, causing her to loose balance and to slam with her side against the wall as the lights flickered out of existence.
Sakura steadied herself against the cool wall and channeled her chakra onto the soles of her feet before she charged onward towards the stairs that led to the deck.
The previous scream was followed by a series of others as the doors to several cabins opened and revealed the fear-stricken faces of the passengers.
"What's going on?" An elderly male hollered as he ripped his cabin door open. The ferry gave another jerk to the right, causing him to tumble onto the ground and the others to loose their balance.
"Stay in your rooms and lock the doors!" Sakura commanded as she moved to help a woman up and gave her shoulder an urgent squeeze. "Don't leave it until we get you."
The woman swiftly nodded her head before she grabbed her daughter and dragged her into the room, locking the cabin door behind her.
Sakura continued onward and rushed through the darkness at the speed of light, scanning every inch for any sign of the male she had previously seen before she rushed up the flight of stairs.
The rain was heavily falling down on her as she stepped onto the wooden floor of the ferry's deck, blurring her vision as her eyes scanned her surroundings.
Scattered all over the place was a dozen of men, each one of them dragging shouting and screaming passengers onto the sides of the ferry whilst they were shouting orders at them. Sakura balled her fists tightly as her green eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.
What the hell were pirates doing on this ship?
Sakura quickly realized that she wouldn't be able to take them down all on her own without damaging the ship or hurting any of the passengers and scanned the place for Itachi, but there was no sign of him.
Just her luck, it looked like she'd have to take care of this mess herself it seemed.
"Hey, you there!"
Sakura's head snapped to the right just in time to see three mean dart towards her and she instantly channeled her chakra into her balled fists before she run towards them.
They met halfway and Sakura jumped up, barely missing one of their sharp swords as she slammed the heel of her foot into one's temple, knocking him several meters back.
The moment she landed she twirled around and grabbed another one's wrist as his fist flew towards her, easily snapping it under her touch and earning a scream from the pirate.
"It's her!" She heard one yell, just before the ship jerked to the left. If it weren't for the chakra in her soles that kept them glued onto the floor she would have easily went over board but she fortunately was prepared.
Sakura sensed a presence behind her and swiftly ducked, narrowly escaping a blade as she extended her leg to knock her attacker onto the ground.
What she didn't expect was for him to easily avoid the attack and for a series of very familiar seals that caused her eyes to widen before she found herself thrown back by a beam of water.
She grunted as she hit the ground several steps away and rolled to her right, avoiding the kunai that dug itself into the ground next to her as she jumped back onto her feet.
The pinkette clenched her jaws and charged at the blonde shinobi in front of her, fist surrounded by a dim green hue and eyes burning at the challenge.
Her fist barely grazed his cheek and when he moved to the side as an attempt to avoid her attack she smirked as a flash of pink entered her vision out of the corner of her eye.
A heartbeat later, Sakura heard a yell and briefly glanced at her shadow clone before she allowed it to fade out of existence. She wasted no time and looked around, intending to find her next target when she noticed that some of the remaining pirated have now formed a loose circle around her.
"Surrender, missy!" One of them yelled and Sakura merely arched a disbelieving brow. Why did they always think that this line would work?
Her lips curled upwards into a dry smirk as she took in their blood-lust filled expressions, the chakra that run through her veins tingling her entire body and heightening her senses.
Her eyes darkened.
"I don't think so."
With that, Sakura charged.
She formed a series of seals, a dozen of Shadow Clones appearing next to her in an instant before they scattered, each taking on one person. She felt a small part of her strength leave her body and went at the one closest to her, ramming her elbow into his face before she grabbed him by his collar and threw him over board.
Sakura dodged a kunai that came flying towards her head and jumped into the air once more, planting one feet on a pirate's head while she used her other foot to slam it into his face.
A crack pierced through the sound of the heavy rain, followed by a scream as the he collapsed against the broad wooden mast.
She was about to take another one when a series of shots echoed through the air, instantly catching her attention as the pinkette's eyes shifted from the pirates to the source of the sound.
Her body froze as she saw a blonde-haired male hold Misaki against him, a long blade pressed against her throat as her wide, frightened eyes locked with her own.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the blonde pirate who was shooting Sakura a fox-like grin.
"Haruno Sakura, I assume." He called, his voice filled with delight upon seeing the pinkette. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."
Sakura narrowed her eyes as she balled her fists that were loosely hanging at her side. She tried to suppress her anger and instead, to remain calm for Misaki's sake.
Now that Misaki was being held hostage, things have considerably grown more difficult for her. Now, she had to find a way to free her and keep the others safe while trying to rid the ferry of its pest.
"I am afraid that the feeling is not mutual." Sakura returned, her words as sharp as a knife. "What do you want?"
The pirate threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh, clearly amused by the pinkette for reasons that she didn't quite understand.
Then again, chances were very high that she was not amusing, but he simply crazy.
"Ah, you're very direct dear." The pirate observed, eyes twinkling in delight as he shot her a grin that revealed his pearly white teeth. "Just how I like it. You'd be a great addition to my crew, interested?"
Sakura shot him a flat look. "I'm flattered, but as much as I appreciate the offer I am afraid that I'll have to decline it. I already have a team and don't intend to switch sides anytime soon."
The pirate tsked as his grin turned into a small smile and he shook his head. "That's a pity indeed. I heard a lot about your teammate though and I am dying to meet him. How about you call him so that he can join us?"
This time, Sakura openly displayed her displeasure and frowned, eyes sharpening as she shot the blonde a warning glare.
"How about you release the young woman first?" Sakura suggested, her eyes shifting to Misaki for the split of a second before she looked back at the pirate that was holding her hostage. "I'd hate for things to get ugly."
The blonde lifted a brow at her sudden demand and looked at the top of Misaki's head, seemingly considering her proposal before he leaned forwards so that his mouth was placed close to her ear, causing the dark haired female to whimper out of fear.
Satisfied by the young woman's reaction, the pirate shifted his gaze back to Sakura and shot her a triumphant smirk.
"She obviously likes it here with me." The pirate told her and just as the words have left his lips, Misaki suddenly gasped, eyes widening as she looked at Sakura in panic.
Her eyes trailed downwards towards her stomach and when Sakura followed her gaze and allowed her eyes to travel downwards, she felt her heart clench in her chest.
Bright red, fresh blood was soaking the lower part of Misaki's beige nightgown what only meant one thing.
The baby was coming and something was definitely not right with it.
Sakura's eyes snapped upwards at the blonde pirate who met her concerned gaze with his own, mildly surprised one.
"Well, seems like things are going better than planned." He mumbled before he tightened his grip on Misaki's waist, causing her to cry out in pain at the sudden movement, her breathing growing more rash as her urgent eyes met Sakura's. "Look's like you'll have to call the Hokage after all."
Sakura gritted her teeth and channeled her chakra into her fists, mentally preparing herself for the seemingly inevitable fight that expected her.
She wouldn't present Itachi to them on a silver plate and instead, would take care of this mess on her own.
"There's no need to."
Or not.
Sakura's head whipped to the right just in time to see Itachi stand on the ferries edge, crimson eyes piercing through the darkness as he fixed them onto the blonde pirate who was looking at him with a cocky smirk.
"Finally." The pirate called, eyes gleaming with joy at the sudden appearance of the Uchiha. "I hope that you're ready to spend the following weeks on our ship, Uchiha."
Itachi's eyes sharpened, not leaving their target as Sakura watched the Hokage in silence, holding her breath as she waited for the sign that was undoubtedly to come.
"Sakura."
The pinkette moved the instant her name left his lips.
She run towards Misaki at the speed of light, barely noticing the dark blur that passed her as she reached out and pulled Misaki into her arms.
Sakura run towards the part of the ship where the remaining passengers were located at and gently laid Misaki onto the ground between two women who were watching them in fright.
"I need help over here!" Sakura hollered as she wiped Misaki's wet hair out of her face and looked her in the eyes, grimly noting that her pupils were dilated.
Her face was as blank as a sheet and sweat was soaking her forehead together with the rain that was still falling down onto them. Tears were leaking out of her wide eyes that were fixed on Sakura, her uneven and heavy breathing fastening with every second that passed.
"What's going on?" A young women next to her exclaimed as Sakura accepted the wet jacket one of the men offered her.
She covered Misaki's torso with the blanket and rested a glowing hand on her swollen stomach, examining her with the help of her chakra.
"I need help in delivering the baby." Sakura told the small crowd that had by now surrounded them, one of the elderly women holding Misaki's hand who was gritting her teeth and let out wails of pain.
Sakura could only imagine the pain the young woman was in and inwardly cursed as she felt the child's weak heartbeat.
The child wouldn't survive another minute in there and was too weak to get out of it herself, but if she would use her chakra to speed up the process chances were high that Misaki wouldn't survive the pain given their current circumstances.
She knew that she had to decide quickly and even though she knew that she would have managed to save both back in Konoha, it wasn't an option out here on sea.
"I need you to give her something to bite on." Sakura demanded before she turned to look at the young man that was sitting closest to her, expression grave. "You'll need to keep her down with all your might, got it?"
The man, although startled, gave Sakura a nod as he scrambled over to sit next to Misaki and planted his hands onto her shaking shoulders. Sakura then leaned over so that she could catch Misaki's eyes and when she did, she tried her hardest to conceal her concern and sympathy upon seeing her broken gaze.
"Misaki, you need to be very strong for both your sake and you child's now. It's going to hurt a lot, but I'll try my best to make it pass as quickly as possible. No matter how much it hurts, you'll have to stay awake. Alright?" Sakura spoke as she grabbed Misaki's free, limp hand and gave it a tight squeeze.
Misaki in return gave Sakura a weak nod and visibly gulped as she allowed more tears to mingle with the rain, her pale lips parting.
"Please." Misaki rasped out, her weak voice drowning in the rain but Sakura heard her just fine nonetheless. "Save her."
Sakura gave her hand another tight squeeze before she turned her head to her side to look at the remaining passengers that were all watching Sakura with a mixture worry and apprehension. They were drenched by the rain, the parents of the children hugging them and whispering words of comfort despite of the way their own hands were shaking.
Sakura clenched her jaw and released Misaki's hands before she moved so that she was on the young woman's right side.
"I need someone to catch the baby." Sakura called as she looked around for any volunteers and to her relief, a middle aged woman from the back moved towards to sit between Misaki's legs without a word.
Sakura gave her a grateful nod and glanced back at Misaki to see that she was already biting on a piece of cloth.
Now, the rest was up to her.
It would have been a much easier task if she were at the hospital but considering their current circumstances, Sakura was glad that she had people who volunteered to help her in the first place.
"On three, I'll apply my chakra so be prepared. Ready?" Sakura called through the rain, receiving several nods before she slid her second hand under the jacket that covered Misaki.
"One." Sakura called as she tried to block out the high-pitched scream that echoed behind her.
"Two."
A loud splash was being heard, followed by a pained grunt that sounded familiar enough to cast a flood of concern over. She forced herself to keep her eyes on Misaki's belly before she shut them close and prepared herself for what would undoubtedly come next.
"Three!"
The instant she allowed her chakra to forcefully enter Misaki's body, a scream like no other pierced through the rainy night.
She felt Misaki stiffen under her touch and heard shouts from the remaining passengers as they watched how the young woman was crying out of pain and struggled against the man's iron grip. Her eyes were clenched shut and Sakura tried to block out her pained screams as she focused on the child instead.
Its heart was still beating, but she knew that it would stop any second now.
Sakura applied more chakra and heard Misaki scream once more, sobs following right after as she wailed in pain. Another shout followed from behind her and when Sakura felt Itachi's signature briefly flicker, she knew that she would have to hurry if she wanted all of them to survive.
"I can see its head!" The young woman screamed while the one that held Misaki's hand was gently stroking her hair and whispered words of comfort that Sakura doubted the woman would hear.
Sakura dared to hope that it was going well and turned to look at Misaki to see her pain-stricken face, her heart breaking at the sight as she removed her hand from Misaki's stomach. She would have to take over now and get the baby out herself, but when she moved to sit next to the middle-aged woman to assist her in delivering the child, she hesitated.
Daring to glance over her shoulder, the pinkette felt her blood run cold as she saw that Itachi was holding his right arm that was limply hanging at his side while he avoided the attacks that were directed at him.
Sakura instantly moved onto her feet, intending to help him but at last second, she found herself hesitating. The medic looked down onto Misaki's broken form as the passengers were shouting words of encouragement at her whilst they worked on safely delivering the baby.
She needed to make sure that the child was safe and still breathing but one look at Itachi was enough to fuel her concern. She knew that he was a very capable shinobi and that he was not easily defeated but this time, something seemed off. He was lacking his usual swiftness and his movements were not as smooth as they usually were and instead, slightly sluggish.
He would be able to take the pirates down on his own, but Sakura feared that the aftermaths would be anything but great.
"It's here!"
The sudden shout caught Sakura's attention and after a moment of hesitation, the pinkette moved to the woman's side.
She was holding the newborn baby with shaking hands and Sakura instantly moved to take it into her own arms, the tips of her fingers that were glowing with chakra gently settling onto its small torso as she checked its heartbeat.
Sakura was pleased to find that the baby's heartbeat has grown regular once more and glanced at a barely conscious Misaki before she moved to sit next to the dark-haired woman.
"It's over now, you did it." Sakura proudly announced as she settled the newborn onto Misaki's chest, who barely had the strength to turn her head to glance at it.
Sakura lifted Misaki's arms and gently rested her hand onto the baby's frail back, eyes softening as she watched how Misaki's body gradually began to shake with dry sobs.
Emerald eyes turned sad as she watched the scene in silence, heart clenching as her gaze shifted onto the passengers that all eyed the scene with a mixture of relief and sadness.
It was a close call, but due to Misaki's strength and strong will both her and the child managed to survive. It has been a nerve-wracking night so far, and Sakura would make sure to reward the passengers for their help with some peace.
The pinkette was about to move back onto her feet and join the battle when an agonizing scream cut through the air like a sharp knife.
The pinkette turned to look over her shoulder just in time to see the blonde fall onto his knees, eyes wide as they looked up at the Uchiha who was looking down at him with cold, blood-red eyes.
His Sharingan was steadily spinning in his eyes as he watched the pirate collapse. Another scream tore out of his throat as he grabbed his head and he closed his eyes, body falling onto the ground as he tore at his hair.
Itachi's eyes brightened once more and Sakura watched in shock how the pirate's body violently jerked, a muffled scream passing his lips as his eyes moved beneath his closed lids. She moved back on her feet and shifted her gaze to Itachi once more, taking in the stiffness of his body as his eyes were seemingly glued onto the fallen pirate.
She had seen what genjutsu's did to people before already, but she had never seen someone use it to this extend. Itachi was torturing the pirate and judging by the way the glow in his eye's only increased, he didn't intend to stop anytime soon.
Sakura heard one of the children gasp as they undoubtedly watched the scene in front of them and the pinkette knew that she would have to stop Itachi if she wanted them to leave this ferry without any lasting mental damages.
Sakura slowly walked towards Itachi, her strides long and loud enough for him to hear over the rain. The pirate's crew members have already fallen and were laying on deck, some unconscious while some were less lucky and died by the hands of the infamous Uchiha heir.
"Hokage-sama, that's enough." Sakura called over the rain, hoping that if she'd use his title he would react but even after some moments passed, he didn't show any signs that he had even heard her in the first place.
Sakura clenched her fists and bit the inside of her cheek as she heard the pirate scream once more, this time even more violently. Sakura stopped next to Itachi and reached out to rest her hand on Itachi's shoulder but he surprised her by catching it mid-air.
A soft gasp passed her lips as she felt him tighten his hold on her wrist to an extend that was beginning to hurt her. Sakura didn't know what was wrong with Itachi but it seemed like he was in anything but the mood to talk.
"Uchiha, let go of my wrist." Sakura told him as she watched his eyes narrow and a heartbeat after, another scream filled the air. She looked at Itachi with confused emerald eyes and tried to free herself from his grip, but it was in vain and thus, she moved to stand in front of him as an attempt to block the pirate from his sight.
"Stop it, you're scaring the children!" Sakura snapped but all she received in return was a tightening of his hold on her wrist. She gritted her teeth out of pain and shot him a glare that she was sure he didn't even notice. A gurgle from behind her only fueled her concern and when she noticed a droplet of blood leak from the corner of his eye, she finally snapped.
"Itachi!"
The Uchiha's eyes snapped to her, still glowing brightly as her wide eyes met his and for a moment, Sakura didn't recognize the man that was standing in front of her.
His eyes were void of any emotion, no spark of humanity left as his burning gaze bore through her own. He was merely looking at her, glowing eyes fixed on her own as she tried to find any sign of Itachi beneath the wall that he had put up.
She knew that she should be scared by the man in front of her and the way his eyes were fixed on her but for some reason, she wasn't.
She was surprised, yes, but not scared.
It was dangerous not to fear a man like Itachi and it would most likely have its consequences, yet all that Sakura could think about in this moment was how little she actually knew of him.
She thought that she had seen most sides of him and despite of the times that she had seen him use the Sharingan on people before, it was the first time that she had seen him use it to this extend.
Sakura was ripped out of her musings when her eyes caught sight of something in the outer corner of his eye, and she instantly frowned.
When Itachi noticed the sudden change in Sakura's expression, he instantly let his Sharingan fade out of life and averted his eyes from hers to look at the now unconscious pirate on the ground next to them.
"Get the board security to get rid of them and meet me in the captains chamber, he needs a medic." Itachi curtly informed her before he turned around to walk off deck and back downstairs but Sakura was faster and grabbed his upper-arm.
"Your Sharingan." Sakura spoke, the hesitance in her voice audible to him as her hold on his arm tightened. She paused, unsure of what his reaction would be if she'd go into detail and allowed some moments of silence to pass.
Itachi remained silent and closed his eyes, displeased by his advisors attentiveness. He had hoped that she wouldn't notice but he should have known better than to underestimate her.
"It's nothing that you need to concern yourself with." Itachi replied, not wanting to go further into detail. Denying it would be like straight-out lying to her and as someone who didn't appreciate being lied to, he hated to lie to others just as much. That still didn't mean that he would share every detail with her.
Especially about his strongest weapon, that at the same time was his most vulnerable spot.
He attempted to move on, expecting her to let go but Sakura didn't budge.
"That may be true, but I would like to take a look nonetheless." Sakura calmly returned, her stubbornness taking the best of her. "Just to exclude anything serious."
Itachi calmly removed his arm out of her grip but didn't turn around as he seemingly took some moments to consider her offer but eventually, the Uchiha heir merely glanced over his shoulder, expression impassive.
"Don't waste your time. Clean up this mess and meet me in the captains chambers in ten, latest."
With that, Itachi silently made his way off deck, leaving Sakura to stand in the cold rain and watch his retreating back.
Her fists were tightly clenched while her lips were pursed into a thin line, eyes narrowed as she looked at the spot where Itachi has been standing mere seconds ago.
He was an enigma-an unpredictable stubborn young man that hated to accept others help even when he needed it the most. Sakura didn't get how someone could switch from being so easy to read to a distance, unpredictable young man within the split of a second.
One moment, he made her think that she had finally figured him out and in the next, he made it all go to hell.
Sakura knew that she should stop, that she should just let him be and do her job but as much as she wanted to do just that, she knew that she couldn't.
She was a lost case, all thanks to the red-eyed man that seemed to consume her mind more and more with every day that passed.
She would have to stop herself before he would not only take over her thoughts and mind, but also the place that she had tried hardest to shield from others.
The place that others have used more than she liked, played with too many times, and have hurt more than she had once managed to bear.
Her most vulnerable spot.
But when she felt herself growing numb to the raindrops that harshly hit her skin and soaked her white nightgown and her heart clenched as his harsh words echoed in her mind, she feared that if things were to go on like this, any attempt of saving herself the pain that was bound to come would be in vain.
All because of someone whom she wanted to save more than herself.
A/N: This chapter took me AGES to write. I simply had a major writers block that took me some time to overcome. I have rewritten the entire Chapter three times until I was satisfied with it and let me tell you that it was beyond exhausting.
I really hope that you like this chapter and wanted to thank you for reviewing the past chapter! Your reviews kept me motivated during my struggle with this chapter and I hope that you like the way it turned out as much as I do.
If you did, please tell me by reviewing!
Next chapter we'll finally meet the mysterious informant and I think that most of you will be pleasantly surprised hint hint ;)
Also, a lot more Itasaku and drama is to come in the future chapters, so be prepared my sweets!
I hope to see you very soon:)
Love,
Sara