CHAPTER 28- Revelations
The first thing she noticed when she woke was the dull ache in her head.
Her eyes fluttered open to reveal a familiar white ceiling, the bright light causing her to squint her heavy lidded eyes as she tried to clear her vision.
"Ah, you're finally awake."
The voice broke through the light ringing that filled her ears and Sakura allowed her eyes to fall on the person seated on the chair next to the bed she found herself laying in.
"Kakashi-sensei." She breathed, the throbbing in her head growing worse before her eyes narrowed in confusion as she realized that she was laying on a hospital bed. "What happened?"
He closed the small orange book and laid it on the table next to her bed, head tipped aside as he watched her.
"I was actually hoping that you could tell me." He said, voice as amiable as ever and Sakura needed a moment to understand what he meant before it hit her with full force.
The genjutsu.
A gasp tore through her lips as she sat up with wide eyes but the second she did a wave of dizziness overcame her. Not even a second later she felt a pair of familiar strong hands on her shoulders before they gently urged her back down, the pinkette reluctantly complying.
"Not one of your best ideas." She heard Kakashi mumble from above her but the second her eyes caught sight of his familiar dark ones she felt her chest constrict.
Sakura could only watch as he removed his hands from her shoulders and dug them back into the pockets of his pants, her eyes straying to the hidden eye she knew was burning crimson beneath his forehead-protector.
Her mind was racing. It was impossible and yet, she knew that she was not mistaken. She had known his eye longer than she had known Madara and now that her mind was rid of the fuzziness and she had time to properly think about it, she knew that there was a very high possibility that she was right and had not just imagined it.
There was only one way to find out, only one person with the exception of Madara she could ask and that person just happened to look at her with concern sparking in his eyes right now.
"Kakashi-sensei." She softly called, her voice strong despite of how weak she felt. "I need to ask you something."
Kakashi tipped his head aside at the way her eyes shone with poorly hidden concern, her pink lips thinned in a way he knew meant no good. The silver haired copy-nin had already expected that whatever had happened in the genjutsu must have been related to the fact that he was the only one able to get her out of it but the look in her eyes only confirmed his suspicions.
"Why don't I tell Tsunade-sama that you woke up first?" Kakashi suggested, his voice as light as always. "I think that Itachi is in her office right now."
Sakura hesitated but when she took sight of the familiar eye-crinkle he shot her way she felt her some of the tension leave her body.
"Alright." She softly whispered in return and Kakashi affectionately patted her head before he left the room and Sakura alone with her thoughts.
The pinkette bit the inside of her cheek as she forced herself to sit up, this time more slowly, and let out a sigh when another wave of dizziness overcame her. It seemed like the genjutsu Madara had cast on her was a rather strong one and when she checked her chakra levels she wasn't surprised to find that they were pretty low.
Her eyes then moved to the window and her brows pinched together when she caught sight of the setting sun. It seemed like she had been out of it for most of the day and judging by the fact that even Kakashi was at the hospital she must have made them worry, what lead her to the question at hand.
How the hell did she get stuck in Madara's genjutsu in the first place?
Sakura removed her eyes from the window when she heard the door open with a soft click, her orbs falling on the familiar raven-haired man that instantly managed to warm her chest.
Her lips curled upwards into a smile as she watched him close the door behind him but before she was able to open her mouth and say anything he crossed the room with long strides, gently grabbed her face and crashed his lips against hers.
Sakura's eyes widened with surprise before they softened and she fully closed them, hands finding their way to his shirt to gently hold on to him as she returned his kiss.
It wasn't for another long moment until he pulled away, onyx eyes narrowed as he carefully searched her eyes. Sakura merely offered him an apologetic smile at the concern his dark eyes held, inwardly wondering just how she always managed to get herself into such predicaments.
"I am fine." She whispered as she leaned her face into his hand as he softly caressed her face, expression turning sheepish before she added. "Seems like I can barely go a day without worrying you."
Itachi softly huffed as he sat down next to her, the dark circles under her vibrant eyes causing a frown to tug at his lips even as he tugged a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Troublesome woman." He affectionately mumbled, his chest easing upon seeing her well and awake. He spent the last hours in his office and took care of the most urgent matters even though he wanted nothing more than to stay by her side until she woke up, but as the Hokage he had a job to do and when Tsunade promised him to keep him updated about her condition he reluctantly left, knowing that she would be in good hands.
"Have you been hanging out with Shika lately?" Sakura innocently asked, Itachi merely giving her a deadpan look at which she couldn't prevent her smile from brightening. She gently placed her hand on the side of his neck, a sigh passing her lips as she took notice of the tension that filled his body. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to worry you."
"It's not your fault." He mumbled in return, his voice soft as he regarded the pinkette who still seemed rather concerned. He fought the urge to scoff. Even when she was in such a state, she was concerned for him and his well-being rather than her own. "The most important thing is that we managed to get you out of it."
Sakura exhaled through her nose, knowing that he was right but still unable to shake off the guilt she felt nonetheless. With everything that happened lately, it seemed like she only managed to make others worry about her and even though she knew that most that happened wasn't her fault and beyond her powers, she didn't like it.
"I don't know how it happened." Sakura admitted, brows pinched together as she tried to recall anything unusual before waking up in the genjutsu but the last thing she remembered was Itachi leaving the apartment. "I went back to sleep right after you left and when I woke up, I found myself caught in it."
Itachi's brows furrowed at her words but before he was able to ask anything more the sound of the door opening cut him off.
His eyes drifted to the door to see Tsunade enter with a frown, followed by Kakashi who gently closed the door behind them. Itachi removed his hands from the pinkette and moved to stand up when her hand shot out to grab his wrist and she shot him a pleading look. He arched a brow but remained seated, even when Tsunade stopped next to her and crossed her arms with a dark look.
"You think he'll be of any help?" Tsunade snorted, earning a shrug and a sheepish smile from her former student.
"He was pretty useful the last times things got bad, and I think I'll need the moral support." Sakura returned, earning her an amused look from Itachi and a light chuckle from Kakashi who leaned against the wall behind the chair he previously occupied.
Tsunade's eyes remained narrowed as she swiftly studied her student, undoubtedly considering whether it would be worth scolding her now or if she should just save her breath. When honey orbs caught sight of the dark circles under Sakura's eyes that seemed dimmer than usual however, she heaved a long sigh.
"Why don't you tell us what happened before I'll decide what to do with you." The blonde announced and Sakura's smile brightened, knowing that it was Tsunade's way of letting her off the hook.
Sakura's grip on Itachi's wrist slightly loosened as an orange mask flashed in her mind, her smile dimming and his words echoing in her ears as she averted her eyes from Tsunade and fixed them on her lap instead.
Upon noticing the sudden shift in her mood, Itachi intertwined his hands with hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, offering Sakura the silent support she needed to tell them what had happened.
Contrary to what they thought, however, it wasn't the genjutsu that she was hesitant to talk about. Rather than that, it was the knowledge that things were about to change if her suspicions were right, especially for her silver-haired teammate but knowing that there was no way around it, she eventually started.
"I don't remember getting put under a genjutsu." Sakura started as she lifted her eyes to meet Tsunade's calm honey orbs. "It was a high-level one and it took me some time to figure it out, but when I did he revealed himself."
A frown pulled at the Godaime's beautiful features. "So it was Madara?"
Sakura nodded and glanced at Kakashi to see that he seemed rather impassive upon hearing the name before her eyes returned to Tsunade in silent question who in return thinned her lips. "We filled him in after he had managed to get you out of it."
Sakura felt the blood in her veins freeze upon hearing Tsunade, her body tensing as her slightly widened eyes shot to Kakashi.
"You were the one who got me out of it?" She asked, voice barely above a whisper and when he nodded Sakura felt her throat run dry.
So she had been right after all.
"Sasuke found you at your apartment but neither he nor Itachi were able to break Madara's genjutsu." Tsunade informed her, head lightly tipped aside as she took in the way her apprentice suddenly looked more pale than usual. "Do you have any idea as to why that is?"
Sakura felt her stomach drop as his crimson eye flashed in her mind, her hand unconsciously tightening on Itachi's.
"Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are even worse." Sakura spoke, voice low as her eyes caught her sensei's obscure ones. She could feel the tension in the air palpably grow but continued to hold his gaze. "Someone once told you that."
Even from where she was seated she easily picked up the way his body tensed, eyes darkening at her words in a way she was all too familiar with. For a moment there was only silence and Sakura knew that she was right when he didn't answer, her heart dropping as her eyes fell on the covered orb beneath his headband.
"It's the same person who gave you the Sharingan, isn't it?" Sakura whispered and Kakashi's eye narrowed. He once more stayed silent and most likely tried to read between the lines but the second realization struck, his eye slowly widened.
Tsunade looked from Sakura to Kakashi with a frown, obviously not following the conversation but knowing better than to press for any details. Kakashi was one to rarely get shocked and judging by the expression on his masked face whatever it was that Sakura had said managed to get a reaction out of him.
Upon feeling her shishou's eyes on her Sakura forced her eyes back to the Godaime, expression solemn in a way that didn't suit her delicate features. Tsunade knew that it meant no good news but nothing could have prepared her for the words she'd hear next.
"The reason why Kakashi-sensei managed to get me out of the genjutsu was because the masked man is not Madara Uchiha." Sakura announced, voice grave and she felt Itachi next to her stiffen in surprise. "It's the one who gave him the Sharingan."
A heavy silence followed her words as realization hit the two Kage, Itachi's thumb running over the back of her hand as Tsunade's hard honey orbs snapped to the silent copy-nin.
"So the one trying to get the bijuu isn't Madara, but-"
"Obito Uchiha."
Itachi's eyes narrowed upon hearing the familiar name. He took in the way Kakashi's eyes suddenly took on a faraway look, memories he clearly tried not to recall resurfacing as Tsunade's lips thinned in dismay.
He knew of the copy-nin's tragic backstory, including the incident that claimed his teammate's life. He had been at the funeral, offering Kakashi silent support and even though Kakashi never admitted it, Itachi knew that the day his teammate died was the day that changed him.
To hear his teammate has been alive for all these years and had now turned against Konoha however must have hurt almost just as bad, if not even worse. Itachi exhaled softly, the sudden turn in events taking even him by surprise even though he wasn't close to Obito despite of being in the same Clan.
His eyes fell on the visibly dejected pinkette next to him, her green eyes sympathetic as she looked at her teacher. Once again Sakura managed to turn the situation in their favor and even though it was a relief to hear they weren't up against one of Konoha's founders, he knew better than to underestimate him.
If his genjutsu was strong enough to prevent Itachi to break it he was not to be taken lightly.
"Sakura." He called, voice soft despite of his firm expression as the pinkette turned her head to look at the Uchiha heir. "Tell us what happened."
The pinkette pursed her lips, eyes uncertainly moving back to Kakashi who finally looked at her. His face was wiped clean from any emotions and he curtly inclined his head, silently telling her that it was okay to go on.
Sakura hesitated for another moment, a sigh passing her lips before she finally spoke.
"He revealed himself when I realized that I was in a genjutsu. Even though he didn't seem different from the last time I saw him, I somehow knew that he wasn't there to fight." Sakura told them, her gaze settling on her lap as she thought back to her encounter with the masked male. "When I asked him why he sought me out instead of Itachi he told me that he had no interest in him and merely wanted the bijuu."
Itachi's eyes narrowed, confusion flickering in his onyx orbs as he caught Tsunade's equally puzzled look who asked, "But why put him under a genjutsu?"
Sakura merely shook her head. "He didn't tell, but my guess is that he wanted to make sure that Orochimaru would be able to take care of Itachi on his own while he'd take care of Naruto."
Tsunade's expression hardened while Kakashi frowned, both obviously not liking where this was going and Itachi met Sakura's gaze once more. "Why you?"
The pinkette's brows pinched together as she thought back to when she had asked him the very same question, his answer not fully making sense to her even now.
"He said that I reminded him of someone." She told him before her eyes once more found Kakashi's, wondering if he may know whom he was referring to. She wasn't sure how Kakashi was related to Obito Uchiha but it seemed like they had been rather close, given the fact that he received his Sharingan after his death.
"Rin." Kakashi soberly said, voice low as he looked at Sakura with a slight frown and pensive eyes.
Sakura frowned in confusion and looked at Tsunade who seemed just as clueless as her but to her surprise it was Itachi who elaborated.
"Rin was a medic and on the team Kakashi and Obito were on." He said, causing Sakura's eyes to widen in surprise as understanding washed over her.
So that was what he meant when he said that she had been the bridge that connected them. Like she connected Sasuke and Naruto, two people as different as day and night, Rin had been the one to keep Kakashi and Obito together.
Judging by Obito's plans and the fact that Kakashi had one of his eyes something must have happened that caused Kakashi to believe that he had died.
Sakura remembered him telling her about how his light had disappeared, ultimatey causing him to turn his back on Konoha and loathe the entire shinobi system, meaning that his light had been Rin.
But that would mean that-
Sakura's eyes widened as she looked at Kakashi, a sharp pang tearing through her chest as the realization hit her with full force.
Rin was dead.
She felt Itachi squeeze her hand once more but even that wasn't enough to take away the pain she felt as her heart went out to the copy-nin. His teammates have died, leaving him to mourn their deaths just to discover that one of them had survived and now tried to kill his student to start changing the entire system, started with Konoha and the other villages following behind.
"So you have managed to catch his interest by resembling their former teammate." Tsunade clarified, earning a hesitant nod from Sakura.
"We could use that to our advantage." Itachi said, expression firm but Sakura merely shot him a dubious look.
"I don't think that'll work." Sakura told him, her eyes taking on a far away look as she thought back to her talk with Obito. "I already tried to talk to him but his mind regarding the matter is set."
"Besides." Tsunade interjected with a frown. "Just because Sakura reminds him of his teammate doesn't mean he won't hurt her, especially since he went as far as to put her under a genjutsu without any reason other than to satisfy his own curiosity."
Sakura nodded along the blonde's words, his threat to take Naruto still echoing in her ears but to her surprise, Kakashi's voice suddenly filled the room.
"Sakura reminds him of Rin and symbolizes the bridge that connected us years ago- hence his sudden interest in her." Kakashi explained, his voice not betraying the hardness in his eyes. "Whereas this won't be enough to stop him, he will most likely only fight her if there was no other option left."
Sakura frowned in mild surprise as she curiously eyed Kakashi. "Won't he hesitate to fight you considering that you were in a team?"
For a second she could have sworn that something flashed in Kakashi's eyes but just as fast as it appeared it vanished. "He won't. If anything, he'll try to get rid of me first to get to Naruto."
Sakura's frown only deepened, her confusion growing but instead of asking for him to elaborate she remained silent. She could tell that something must have happened all these years ago but decided to give it a rest for now so that he could take some time to sort his thoughts out first.
Tsunade hummed lowly before she looked at the brooding pinkette. "He didn't mention anything about the attack?"
Sakura shook her head. "He just told me about wanting to change the system and that he needed the bijuu for doing so."
"I see." The blonde drawled, her eyes then falling to Itachi. "Do you think that they'll target Konoha first or the Hidden villages simultaneously?"
Itachi remained silent for a moment, considering her question. "I'll ask the other Kage to tighten their security until we know more about whether they plan on starting off with Konoha or if they'll attack the village's simultaneously."
Tsunade nodded, agreeing that this would be the best thing to do when she turned back to Sakura, expression stern. "You are very low on chakra so it's best if you take the rest of the day off. I don't want to see you at the hospital for the next three days."
Sakura frowned, seemingly ready to argue when Itachi spoke. "I'll keep her occupied. There are a few things I need to look into with her before the festival anyway."
"Festival?" Sakura asked, shooting Itachi a startled look who merely arched a questioning brow. It was then that Sakura realized what time it was and that Konoha's infamous winter festival was bound to be due anytime soon. With all that happened she didn't even notice how fast time passed.
Tsunade merely shook her head, torn between pitying the girl and giving her one big whack upside the head to clear her mind.
"It's at the end of the week." Kakashi reminded her, his voice lacking its previous somberness as he looked at Itachi. Despite the stiffness in his shoulders, he seemed back to his usual calm and collected self. "Do we tell the boys?"
Sakura curiously glanced at Itachi whose thumb stopped brushing over her hand at the question. She could tell that he was carefully considering it, knowing that telling them would be inevitable especially after what happened to her and she couldn't say that she was opposed to it.
She didn't like keeping her boys in the dark and even though Kakashi finally found out, the news were hardest on him. Naruto and Sasuke would be able to help her provide the support her teacher needed and Kakashi would be able to prepare them for Obito, being the one who knew him and his fighting best.
"I'll tell them tonight." Itachi decided and Sakura's lips curled upwards into a relieved smile before she gave his hand a squeeze.
Tsunade nodded in approval and Kakashi let out a heavy sigh before he pushed himself off the wall. "I'll look into the old mission report and his file to see if I can find out how he managed to survive. I'll seek the boys out tomorrow so that they'll get an idea of what they'll face if there's going to be a battle."
Itachi nodded before he turned to look at Tsunade, expression thoughtful. "Did the blood results return?"
"They did." Tsunade confirmed, her arms crossed above her chest. "Turns out that Sakura may have been right with her assumption. I'll have Shizune help me look into it until she's back."
Itachi gave a curt hum, seemingly pleased by the news before he looked at the brooding pinkette next to him. She obviously wasn't pleased about getting banned from the hospital for the next days, but he had no plans of neglecting her and letting her grow bored at home.
No, he also had plans for her. He would prepare her for the inevitable fight and ensure that she'd be well prepared and able to face Obito without having to worry about making it out alive.
As the Rokudaime Hokage he would protect the village and its citizens, regardless of what it'd take.
X
Naruto liked to think that he had grown somewhat close to the reserved Uchiha heir over the past years, especially after their last training session, but as he stood in his office he couldn't help but fidget under his intense stare.
In comparison to him Sasuke was still, though the blonde didn't fail to notice how his back was slightly straighter than usual. Even though he was his brother and Sasuke had no reason to be uncomfortable despite him being his superior Naruto couldn't say he blamed him because hell, that look could even make Kakashi uncomfortable.
"You called." Sasuke stated rather than asked, his voice calm despite of the curiosity that momentarily flashed in his dark eyes.
Itachi nodded from where he was seated behind his desk, the dark sky visible through the window behind him adding to the gloomy atmosphere they suddenly found themselves in.
"I did." Itachi confirmed, his low voice not betraying his grave expression. "There is something I wish to discuss with the two of you."
"Is it about what happened to Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, his curiosity piqued as Itachi interlaced his fingers in front of him.
"Among other." Itachi confirmed and Sasuke arched a brow, surprised at his brother's willingness to share information without them having to pester him about it first. "In order to understand what happened to Sakura, you need to know about how it all started."
Naruto's expression displayed the confusion he felt, brows furrowed in concern as he looked at the elder Uchiha. "Is Sakura-chan in trouble?"
Itachi shook his head, easing the blonde's concerns who visibly relaxed. "We managed to confirm that Sakura is not their main target."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed in suspicion. It didn't make sense that Sakura was not their target if they went as far as to poison her, hurt her family and put her under a genjutsu just for them to have their eyes on someone else.
"Aniki." Sasuke spoke, voice low as his dark eyes firmly held his older brother's gaze. "What's going on?"
Itachi looked at his brother for a long moment of silence before his eyes fell on Naruto, the blonde seeming beyond confused by what was going on before he let out a small sigh.
"For the past months our men have been killed with the help of chakra scalpels." Itachi started, expression grave as he looked at the duo in front of him. "Sakura accompanied me to Suna shortly after so that I could discuss the recent events with the Kazekage when she got poisoned. After they left the flower at her bed and the incident at the hospital we believed that someone tried to use her to get to me."
"Who'd be as stupid as to do that?" Naruto exclaimed, expression incredulous as he looked at Itachi. "Everyone knows you're more powerful than most out there!"
Sasuke noticed the way his brother's eyes darkened for the split of a second and frowned as understanding washed over him.
"Someone who knows exactly whom he's up against."
Itachi's eyes caught Sasuke's and once more the Uchiha heir found himself impressed by his little brother's perceptiveness. "It's someone who once belonged to our village and is familiar with Tsunade-sama as well as myself."
Naruto and Sasuke tensed, visibly surprised to hear that the one who was planning on attacking Konoha was a former part of the village and acquainted with both Tsunade and himself. Sasuke's eyes sharpened but otherwise the duo remained silent, wordlessly urging him to go on.
Itachi fixed them with a firm look, his expression hardening before he spoke.
"The one responsible for Sakura's poisoning, the hospital incident as well as the death of Jiraya is the legendary sanin Orochimaru."
Naruto's blue eyes widened in shock as Sasuke's narrowed into dangerous slits, a heavy silence settling over them. The blonde's body was tense, and Itachi could see the hurt in his eyes when he realized who Orochimaru was and in what relation he stood with Tsunade and Jiraya.
"He is the one who killed Jiraya?" Naruto asked, his voice barely above a whisper as it cut through the heavy silence that filled the office. His fists balled from where they were hanging by his side, jaw clenching as his eyes sparked with anger. "He killed his own teammate?"
Itachi instantly sensed the spark in the kyuubi's chakra and Sasuke glanced at Naruto out of the corner of his eye, lips thinned. He knew that Naruto tended to let his emotions rule over him but it would do them no good if he were to loose it when there was obviously more to what they just heard.
"Until recently, Orochimaru was believed to be dead. Sakura and I managed to confirm that he was still alive and targeting Konoha during one of our previous missions when we discovered one of his hideouts." Itachi went on, his voice calm despite of the growing tension.
Sasuke's frown deepened, knowing his brother well enough to realize that there was something else of importance that he had yet to reveal. "How could you have been sure that he was dead in the first place?"
Itachi's eyes flashed, the tension in the office growing to the point it could easily suffocate one before the Uchiha heir finally spoke.
"I was the one who killed Orochimaru fifteen years ago."
Naruto's eyes flashed with surprise and Sasuke stiffened, clearly caught of guard. They knew that Itachi wasn't one to get easily fooled, especially since he had the Sharingan, and to hear that Orochimaru managed to feign his death when it was Itachi whom he was up against was unsettling.
"Wait." Naruto suddenly said, his chakra gradually decreasing as he shot Itachi a puzzled look. "You couldn't have been older than ten back then. How did someone like you get in touch with Orochimaru?"
Itachi fought the urge to smirk, impressed that Naruto managed to pick up this detail before Sasuke.
"He was looking for a new vessel, one that possessed the Sharingan." He revealed, taking in his little brother's form. He wouldn't get deeper into the topic, the details irrelevant and better left for only him to know as he returned his attention to the kyuubi's jinchuuriki who blinked a few times before his expression scrunched up in disgust.
"Gross." He muttered and this time the ghost of a smirk whispered over his lips. "So he is after you because he wants to use you?"
Itachi nodded and Sasuke's brows furrowed. "So Danzo was acting on Orochimaru's orders?"
"Orochimaru used Danzo's and his desire to turn Konoha into the ideal village for his own benefit." Itachi confirmed before his eyes sharpened. "Just as someone uses Orochimaru and his desire to get an Uchiha as his vessel."
The tension in his office thickened and Naruto's expression turned grim. Sasuke's frown merely deepened, his dark eyes shining dangerously in the muted light that filled his office as he expectantly eyed his brother. Itachi's lips curled downwards behind his intertwined hands, regarding the two for a long moment before he finally spoke.
"He goes by the name of Madara Uchiha." Itachi announces and Sasuke stiffened, a flash of recognition brightening his eyes upon hearing the name. "He plans on capturing the Jinchuuriki and using the bijuu to change the shinobi system as we know it, starting with Konoha."
Naruto's eyes widened the instant Sasuke's did, the blonde openly gaping at the revelation while Sasuke remained perfectly still.
"He wants to change the shinobi system?" Naruto asked in disbelief, obviously not concerned about the fact that someone tried to kidnap him. "Why the hell would he do that?"
"The one that goes by the name of Madara Uchiha is a former pupil of the Yondaime and your sensei's old teammate, Obito Uchiha, who had allegedly died on a mission even before the kyuubi's attack on the village." Itachi revealed, causing Sasuke's expression to harden upon hearing that someone of his family was behind it.
Naruto, however, openly displayed his shock.
"Hold on, hold on." He said, holding up a hand as his eyes narrowed. "Let me get that straight. My dad's student who is on top of that Kakashi-sensei's former teammate plans on capturing me, his former sensei's son, to use Kurama and the others to change the entire shinobi system?"
When Itachi nodded, his mouth fell open. "What's it with dead people coming back to life to destroy our village!?"
Itachi smirked in amusement, his chest easing at the blonde's reaction before his little brother's voice filled the office.
"So he's the one who put Sakura under the genjutsu." Sasuke realized, eyes narrowing in understanding. "That's why only Kakashi was able to break it and you didn't want Naruto to do it."
Itachi nodded, obviously pleased that they managed to catch up so fast. "It's rumored that Orochimaru is behind some of our men paroling the borders sudden disappearances. Danzo said that Madara plans on getting the kyuubi at the end of the month, but so far we were unable to confirm whether it's the truth or not."
"The end of the month?" Naruto asked, blue eyes narrowed. "Do you think that bastard will make a big deal out of it?"
"Perhaps." Itachi said, expression thoughtful. "We'll have to wait for Shisui's report to see if he managed to discover something and if Danzo tells the truth, we'll have to prepare ourselves for the worst."
Naruto huffed, his lips curling upwards into a smirk. "Let him try all he want, he won't get to Konoha or Kurama as long as I am here!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes but Itachi noticed the way he relaxed upon hearing Naruto's words, much to Itachi's content. He would need them in high spirits and prepared for the approaching battle and even though he knew they were facing a formidable opponent, Itachi was confident that they'd bring down whoever posed a threat to Konoha.
"What do we have to do?" Sasuke asked, the cunning glint in his older brother's eyes more than familiar to him as his lips curled upwards into a small smirk.
If his brother was once thing it was sly, and their opponent would soon realize it was a bad idea to go against Uchiha Itachi.
X
Years of being Sasuke and Naruto's teammate was the only thing that prevented her from falling out of the bed with an embarrassing shriek.
The moment she felt a cold gust of air brush against her skin her eyes snapped open wide, her hand already finding the kunai under her pillow and hurling it at the door as she jumped out of bed.
She instantly caught sight of the black silhouette next to her and twirled her body to throw her fist at it but her attacker merely grabbed her wrist, twisted it and harshly thrust her onto her bed face first.
Sakura used her free elbow to ram it into his ribs and received a light huff in return but before she could do as much as smirk she felt her other wrist getting tightly grabbed and pinned onto her back to the other. The pinkette let loose a growl both out of frustration at anger and shifted her leg but the second she did she felt a large weight settle itself onto her back, considerably limiting her movements.
She tried to roll onto her back but found herself unable to do so due to the weight on her back so she zapped her chakra into her wrists and twisted them, noting in satisfaction that her attacker's hold on her wrists loosened enough for her to brace herself against the mattress and push some of his weight off her. She swiftly turned onto her back and channeled her chakra into her balled fist, ready to strike the second her back hit her mattress when she suddenly felt a hand tangle itself harshly into her hair and force her head back.
Sakura gritted her teeth, cursing the darkness that shielded her attacker from sight but just as her fist was about to collide with skin he seized her wrists once more and fixed them against the mattress. Sakura hissed as she felt him tug on her hair at the nape of her neck, her head tilting upwards but when she found herself staring at nothing but darkness she narrowed her eyes.
Something was off.
She lifted her knee but before it was able to collide with her attacker he used his own to keep her pinned on the mattress, his body lowering so that his muscular chest was pressed against hers.
For a moment Sakura was tempted to simply headbutt whoever was stupid enough to break into her apartment this early in the morning but since she was unable to make out where exactly his head was, it seemed like a rather bad idea.
It was when Sakura felt his body fully settle on her that she froze, the body above her feeling way too familiar against hers. She sensed a hot breath against her neck, a shiver running down her spine in a way that only one person managed to cause before. Her emerald eyes narrowed as she stared at the blackness above her and when it finally dawned on her just what was going on she growled, chakra sparking in annoyance.
"Kai!"
She watched as the darkness above her shifted and not even a moment later a pair of familiar crimson eyes was looking down at her with approval.
"Faster than I expected." He mumbled against her throat before he lowered his hot lips against her soft skin, her body flushing under his touch even as she scowled. "But still not fast enough."
Sakura felt her heartbeat speed up as it finally dawned on her that Itachi had just woken her at the brink of dawn to test her.
He had to be kidding her.
"You really want to die, don't you?"
She could feel him smile against her throat as he mumbled. "Good morning to you too."
Sakura's body relaxed under his touch and even though she knew he deserved nothing more than to get kicked off her she rather enjoyed the feeling of him this close so she reluctantly decided against it.
"Is there a reason as to why you woke me at," She briefly glanced at the clock on her nightstand and let out a small groan. "six in the morning when it's my day off?"
Itachi lifted himself onto his knees and silently extended his hand, a smirk on his lips while Sakura flashed him a puzzled look. When he refused to say anything she let out a sigh and slipped her hand into his, his strong one clasping hers in a way that made her stomach flutter. She allowed him to pull her up in a sitting position but when she was about to face him he tugged her forwards and captured her lips into a passionate kiss.
Sakura sighed into the kiss, her heart skipping a beat when she felt the tips of his finger ghost over her neck. She felt him pull back a moment later, his lips only a breath away from hers and through her half-lidded eyes she caught the glint of satisfaction in them.
"Get dressed." He mumbled, lips softly brushing against hers as he spoke. "There's someone waiting for us."
Sakura's brows furrowed as she looked at him with badly concealed surprise. "Who?"
Itachi's lips merely tugged upwards into a small smirk, his hand moving from the back of her neck to rest on the side of her throat.
"Get dressed." He once more told her, causing Sakura to frown at the secretive glint in his eyes. She knew him well enough to know that this look meant no good and the pinkette wasn't going to let it go that easily.
"You think you can simply barge in here, pull one of your tricks on me and then demand for me to simply follow you without offering me an explanation?" The pinkette asked, the incredulity in her voice causing the Uchiha heir's smirk to deepen.
"Hn."
Sakura regarded him for a moment longer before she let out a small huff. "This better be good or else I'll make sure to pay you back for waking me like that."
Itachi's smirk turned into a victorious smile as he watched the pinkette shuffle off the bed and towards her wardrobe. She rummaged through it before she finally picked out a fresh set of clothes but when she glanced over her shoulder and saw that the Uchiha that was still innocently sitting on her bed, she raised a brow.
"I need to get changed."
Itachi seemed unbothered as he shot her a blank look. "Then get changed."
Sakura's brow only shot higher as she placed one hand on her hips. "You don't want to leave?"
This time she could have sworn she saw something in his dark eyes flash before he innocently tipped his head aside, gaze turning darker. "Why would I?"
Sakura's eyes narrowed as she held his gaze, emerald orbs burning with suspicion. He was teasing her, she realized, and only waited for her to return his question with a snarky remark of her own, but Sakura wouldn't give into his teasing and feed his ego.
Seems like she had to remind him that two could play this game.
Sakura feigned a sigh before she shrugged. "Suit yourself."
The pinkette caught him arch a brow at her, obviously waiting for her to gather her clothes and go to the bathroom to change and she fought the tilt of her lips when she grabbed the hem of the oversized shirt she was wearing. She told herself that it was no big deal and that Sasuke, Naruto and even Kakashi have seen her change or caught her dressed with only her bindings before but for some reason, she couldn't help but feel like this time it was different.
Sakura turned to face him with her back and fought to keep her heart rate down before she lifted her shirt and pulled it over her head, allowing hit to hit the floor next to her in the most nonchalant way she could muster.
Left in nothing but her undergarments and the pair of shorts she wore under her over sized shirt Sakura dared glance over her shoulder when she felt the tension palpably rise.
She expected him to be amused by her defiance or to at least seem unbothered by it, but what she didn't expect was to be greeted by the sight of his onyx eyes darkening in a way that made her skin crawl, the intensity of his gaze catching her off guard as his eyes burned.
Sakura felt a rush of adrenaline fill her as she noticed that his fingers were digging into her sheets and forced her lips to curl upwards into an innocent smile despite of the way her stomach fluttered.
When he didn't make a move to leave and kept his burning eyes locked with hers, Sakura inwardly huffed at his stubbornness before she returned her eyes to the body-length mirror in front of her, fingers hooking on the waistband of her shorts.
She wasn't going to take them off. He already got an eyeful that was much more than he and his damn Uchiha ego deserved but if the feeling of his eyes boring through the back of her skull was anything to go by it wouldn't take any longer until he snapped.
And snap he did.
Within the split of a second she felt a cold gust of air behind her, familiar hot hands placed over hers as his eyes caught hers in the mirror.
Sakura fought the victorious smirk that threatened to spread over her lips as she caught sight of his now bright crimson eyes, a shiver running down her spine when she felt him pull her back against his lean chest.
"What do you think you're doing." He grumbled into her ear, breath hot as his eyes never left hers. His fingers dug slightly deeper into her skin when he caught sight of her innocent expression, the blood that rushed through his veins hot.
Itachi always knew that Sakura was stubborn and fierce, but he never expected her to go this far. Admittedly, he enjoyed teasing her at first but when she didn't tell him off or left the room like he had expected her to he found himself mildly surprised.
All that surprise quickly turned into sheer disbelief as he watched her shrug and turn around just to discard her sleeping shirt a second later, causing his entire body to freeze.
His eyes took in the sight of her slender back, black lace peeking out from under her long pink tresses and when she glanced at him over her shoulder with the most alluring expression, Itachi fought to stay calm.
The challenged concealed by feigned innocence in her eyes didn't miss him but all thoughts of keeping himself composed and not give into her teasing flew out of the window the second her slender fingers hooked on the waistband of her pink shorts.
He had to admit that she was indeed a vixen, having turned the tables in an underhanded way that he hadn't expected of her but Itachi couldn't say he minded.
The only time he had witnessed this side of her was back at the inn after their last mission when she had tried to escape from him, but he didn't think he'd get to see this side of his intriguing advisor this soon again.
"Changing." Sakura innocently returned, her voice holding a nonchalance that her tense body betrayed. "Now if you mind, I'd like to-"
Itachi left her no time to finish that sentence. He tightened his hold on her waist and turned her around in a flash before he pushed her against the wall next to the door and his lips swallowed the rest of her sentence.
Sakura gasped as she felt her back roughly hit the wall, Itachi's big body pressed up against her and leaving her without a chance to move as he tightly held onto her waist. The pinkette inwardly cheered at having finally won against him but when she felt him lightly bite onto the soft flesh of her bottom lip she sharply inhaled.
Sakura allowed her hands to slide over the back of his broad shoulder before she locked them around his neck and pulled him closer, her heart hammering against her rib cage as she felt her blood run hot.
She loved the feeling of him so close to her, his scent filling her senses as his lips hungrily claimed hers with an intensity that left Sakura breathless.
The pinkette pressed herself against him and urged him a step back and turned around, pulling him with her as she walked backwards, lips never once leaving his. Her fingers ghosted over the nape of his neck before she slid them over his muscular arms and finally rested them against his broad chest.
She forced her lips away from his, breathing heavily as her dazed eyes met his hot ones. Her eyes then flickered back down to his lips, her own curling upwards into a smirk before emerald once more found onyx.
"Itachi." His name left her lips in a breathless whisper, her stomach tightening when she saw his eyes spark with hunger. She tightened her hold on the front of his shirt, her beautiful eyes flashing with mischief as she leaned forwards to gently place her lips on his. "Don't mess with me."
With that, she pushed him out of the room and slammed the door right into his face.
Sakura swiftly locked it before she leaned with her back against the door, her hand placed over her rapidly beating heart.
She did it. He would most likely pay her back ten times worse but hell if Sakura cared. She finally got him and she got him good.
Dirty, but good.
Her smirk turned into a full-fledged grin and Sakura practically bounced back to her wardrobe and got dressed, inwardly celebrating her victory against the Uchiha heir.
Itachi's eyes were fixed on the barrier that separated him and his cunning pinkette, a barrier that he could easily get rid of but he knew that even if he were to do so, she had already won this round.
Itachi arched a brow at the muffled sound of her victorious humming before he shook his head and leaned with his back against the wall, waiting for her to get ready.
A huff of amusement passed his lips as he inwardly wondered just how she always managed to distract him, a high ranked shinobi with years of experience, so easily. Sakura seemed to bring out sides of him that he didn't know he had, made him lose his calm within the split of a second and managed to completely distracting him from anything but her.
He would have to be more careful around her, it seemed. Sakura was gradually turning the tables and even though Itachi very much liked the sudden and rather unexpected change of events, he wouldn't be Uchiha Itachi if he'd step away from a challenge.
Especially from Haruno Sakura.
A few more moments passed before the door finally opened and revealed a fully dressed Sakura in her usual attire, long pink locks now pulled back into a low ponytail with two strands framing her beautiful face.
She flashed him a bright smile as her eyes found his, all signs of her previous mischief gone and the only sign of what happened being her still slightly swollen lips, much to his satisfaction.
"I'm ready to go." She announced as she watched Itachi push himself off the wall and extend his hand to her. Sakura shot him a brilliant smile as she slipped her hand into his and felt herself gently tugged forwards against his chest.
She noticed how in comparison to a few minutes ago his touch now was gentle, his other hand that settled on her waist slightly tightening when she felt her surroundings blur in a familiar way.
Her surroundings cleared a moment later and when Sakura took a step away from Itachi, she was surprised to find herself standing in a rather familiar backyard.
She frowned in confusion as she looked at Itachi who was still holding her hand, emerald eyes flashing with mild surprise. "What are we doing in your backyard?"
Itachi responded by momentarily flaring his chakra in a way he had last done before he left her apartment the night he was summoned. Sakura pursed her lips in suspicion but before she was able to say any more she heard the soft sound of the glass door sliding open, emerald eyes widening slightly with surprise as her eyes fell on a familiar dark-haired woman.
"Oh, you're finally here!" She greeted them, the bright smile on her lips lightening up her dark eyes as she approached them. "I was wondering what was taking you so long."
"We got side-tracked." Itachi smoothly replied, aware of the puzzled look Sakura shot him before her eyes settled back on Mikoto.
"I see." The matriarch hummed before her eyes fell on Sakura, her smile brightening at the sight of the pinkette. "It's good to see you again, dear."
The sincerity in her voice caused Sakura's lips to tilt upwards into a warm smile as she inclined her head. "Likewise, Mikoto-san."
Itachi let go of her hand and moved to rest it on her lower back instead, pleased by the happiness that filled his mother's eyes and the genuine smile on Sakura's lips upon seeing her. He always knew that Sakura and his mother had a great relationship and that she already considered the pinkette the daughter she never had but to witness their bond was always nice to see.
"I entrust her into your care then, mother." Itachi spoke, causing Sakura to sharply look at him in surprise. Mikoto merely smiled at the pinkette's puzzled expression, a smirk that was awfully similar to Itachi's on her lips as she looked back at her son.
"You didn't tell her?" She assumed, the smile on her son's face answering her question before her eyes once more fell back to Sakura who was already looking at her.
"I'm sorry, but I am afraid I don't quite follow." The pinkette trailed of, shooting Itachi a pointed look but Mikoto merely flashed her a reassuring smile.
"The boys told me about what happened." The matriarch told her, voice kind and eyes sparkling with amusement. "We agreed that someone should probably help you train how to detect a high-level genjutsu and break out of it."
At first Sakura's frown deepened in confusion, but when it finally dawned on her just what Mikoto was hinting at her eyes widened. "You?"
Mikoto's smile only brightened if possible. "Since the boys are off to train with Kakashi and Itachi is needed at the office I volunteered."
Sakura found herself dumbstruck by the news. She knew that Itachi had something in mind after his little surprise visit but out of everything, she most certainly never expected something like this.
Her eyes snapped to Itachi who looked as calm as ever, expression firm as he decided to answer her silent question.
"Out of everyone, my mother is one of the best at casting and breaking genjutsu." Itachi informed her, causing the pinkette's eyes to flash with surprise. "He will most likely try to avoid fighting you and instead, place you under a genjutsu as he had done the last time to get you out of the way. So far Kakashi was the only one who managed to break it so it would be best if you know how to detect, avoid and free yourself of it if he can't."
Understanding filled Sakura as she looked back at Mikoto who was still smiling at her. She almost forgot that Mikoto once used to be a kunoichi herself, a high ranked and skilled one at that if what she had seen at the hospital weeks back was anything to go by, but to hear that she was skilled in the art of genjutsu only fueled Sakura's amazement.
"Sasuke told me you have an affinity for genjutsu." Mikoto said and Sakura offered her a small nod, surprised that her teammate remembered that. Then again it was Sasuke they were talking about, and for some reason he always managed to recall even the smallest things she herself didn't pay much attention to.
"If Tsunade-shishou hadn't taken me in back then I would have most likely trained under Kurenai-sensei." Sakura admitted, noting the flash of approval in Mikoto's eyes as she clapped her hands together.
"Perfect! That will make it a lot easier, then." She announced, clearly excited to share her knowledge with the pinkette before her eyes fell on her eldest son. "Thanks for bringing her, Itachi-kun."
Itachi instantly got the hint and turned to look down at Sakura who shot him an uneasy glance. She liked Mikoto and had spent time with the Uchiha matriarch countless of times before already, but for some reason she found that the idea of training with her was making her feel rather nervous.
Sakura watched the corner of his lip curl upwards into an amused smirk before he reached out to gently grab her face. He instantly felt her stiffen under his touch, emerald eyes wide with horror as she anticipated his next move. She knew it was his payback for this morning and much to her horror, he did exactly what she suspected and leaned forward to softly press his lips against her forehead.
Whereas the gesture itself was sweet, Sakura knew that he did it with the intention of embarrassing her in front of his mother since he knew she couldn't do or say anything in front of her.
That sly weasel.
"Have fun." He mumbled, the teasing hint in his voice more than audible before he flickered out of existence, much to Sakura's dismay. The pinkette found herself left in his backyard with a visibly delighted Mikoto who squealed in delight at the scene she just witnessed.
"Oh my!" The matriarch exclaimed as she took Sakura's hands in her own, eyes shining with joy as she beamed at the pinkette. "So it's official?"
Sakura inwardly cursed Itachi for putting her into this rather awkward position and made a mental note to pay him back but when she caught the hopeful look she received from Mikoto she couldn't contain the smile that took over her lips.
"It is." Sakura admitted and just when the words left her mouth she suddenly found herself engulfed into a bone-crushing hug from the Uchiha matriarch.
"Finally!" She joyously exclaimed, much to Sakura's amusement who returned the hug with a chuckle. Mikoto pulled back a moment later to look at Sakura with the brightest and most warm smile she had ever seen on her face. "I truly couldn't be happier."
Sakura's chest warmed at the sincerity in the elder woman's voice and offered her a tender smile of her own in return. "Neither could I. Thank you, Mikoto-san."
Mikoto merely waved her hand at the pinkette before she stepped back, her smile turning into a grin. "Anytime, dear. Now, how about we get started?"
Sakura nodded with a smile, curiosity growing when Mikoto led her inside the house and towards the small dojo that she had been to with Sasuke and Naruto a handful of times before.
"Since you have an affinity for genjutsu I am certain that you'll do rather well." Mikoto told her as they entered the room, Sakura closing the door behind her. Mikoto motioned for her to take a seat on one of the mats on the ground and Sakura silently did as told, sitting cross-legged while Mikoto rested on her knees. "Your deep chakra reserves will be of great help to you as well. Have you tried to break out of his genjutsu while in it?"
Sakura shook her head with a small frown. "I used the opportunity and tried to gather some information first. Before I was able to do so, Kakashi-sensei already got me out of it."
"That's no problem." Mikoto assured her as she interlaced her hands on her lap. "Since you have been placed under his genjutsu twice already you are familiar with the intensity and the amount of chakra he used for it, right?"
Sakura could still feel her skin tingle when she thought back to when the genjutsu slowly broke and her surroundings shattered and nodded.
"It seemed to be a high level genjutsu." The pinkette informed her, brows lightly pinched together. "Though it seemed to be the same level as Itachi's what makes me wonder why he couldn't get me out of it."
Mikoto regarded the pinkette for a long moment, obviously considering her words before she spoke. "Out of everyone in the clan Itachi is the most skilled one in the art of genjutsu. Whereas it is possible that Sasuke's was not a match for your attackers, I think that the reason as to why Itachi was unable to get you out doesn't necessarily have to mean that his genjutsu is inferior."
"So there has to be another reason." Sakura concluded and Mikoto nodded, dark eyes firm and expression serious.
"You don't know how you got put under the genjutsu in the first place, right?" Mikoto asked and the pinkette inclined her head in confirmation. "It's most likely related as to why Itachi couldn't break you out of it, but it's always best to not depend on others so I am going to help you train your genjutsu skills so that you'll be able to get out of it yourself."
Surprise flashed in her eyes as curiosity filled her upon hearing the Uchiha matriarch's words. "Despite of his genjutsu matching even Itachi's?"
Mikoto's lips lifted into a small smirk. "Don't sell yourself short, Sakura. With your great chakra reserves and natural affinity for genjutsu all it takes is some training for you to break even Itachi's strongest genjutsu."
Sakura looked at the Uchiha matriarch in mild surprise, taken off guard by the confidence in her words. Whereas Sakura knew that her chakra would be of help and that her being a genjutsu type would also make things easier, she had heard countless of stories about how it was nearly impossible to get out of Itachi's genjutsu once inside.
For Mikoto to say that all it would take was some practice to break such a high level genjutsu made Sakura curious as to how Mikoto seemed so convinced that she could do it.
"Alright." Sakura said, expression firm and eyes shining with the determination that filled her as she looked at Mikoto. "What do I have to do?"
Mikoto smirked, eyes taking on a glint that Sakura found was eerily familiar to Itachi's before she closed them. When she reopened them a second later Sakura unconsciously tensed when bright crimson eyes stared right back at her.
The sight of Mikoto's Sharingan reminded her just whom she was seated in front of and for a moment Sakura wondered if Itachi knew what he was doing by setting her up to train with his mother. The Uchiha matriarch looked as deadly as she was beautiful, the smirk on her lips as dangerous as the glint in her eyes and Sakura could have sworn she felt the temperature drop a few degrees.
"Let's start with some low level genjutsu." Mikoto declared, her lips twisting into a shrewd smile. "Ready?"
Sakura gulped before she nodded and straightened her back, suddenly feeling like this was not a too good idea after all.
X
The hours flew by in a blur and by noon, Sakura found herself gradually getting low on chakra. Mikoto and her spent the past hours trying to determine her genjutsu skills and it turned out that even though Sakura only possessed basic knowledge of it, like most others, she was rather skilled in the field of breaking the illusions with the help of her chakra.
The Uchiha matriarch offered her tips and advice that Sakura tried her best to implement and after every genjutsu that the pinkette managed to break, Mikoto increased the difficulty until the pinkette finally reached her limit.
"You did very well for your first lesson." Mikoto praised as she allowed her Sharingan to fade, a kind smile on her face as she took in Sakura's rather exhausted expression. "I am confident that after a few more lessons you'll be able to easily recognize and break out of most genjutsu."
Sakura shot Mikoto a smile, honored by the high praise and she run a hand through her long pink hair. Her feet ached from sitting on the ground for the past hours and her back hurt from sitting upright during the genjutsu that Mikoto cast on her. Her chakra levels weren't low enough for her to require proper rest to get them back to normal yet, but she knew that she shouldn't overdo it for the next few hours.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought." Sakura admitted and Mikoto chuckled, the sound causing the pinkette's smile to brighten.
"The more you train and get used to it, the easier it will become." Mikoto assured her, eyes sparkling with pride. "Though I have to say that you exceeded my expectations. You are more skilled at it than I thought."
Sakura's chest warmed at the compliment but just as she opened her mouth to speak she heard the door to the dojo get slammed open, causing her to slightly jump in place at the sudden noise.
"Sakura-chan!" Came the sing-song voice from a familiar blonde and the pinkette turned her head to look over her shoulder in surprise. Standing in the doorway was a grinning Naruto and an exasperated looking Sasuke, the former's grin brightening as he caught sight of Sasuke's mother.
"Hey Mikoto-san!" He cheerily greeted and Sakura shot Sasuke a questioning look who merely shook his head.
"Good afternoon Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun." Mikoto responded with a chuckle, her voice as kind as ever. "I assume you're here to pick Sakura up for your date?"
Sakura's head snapped to Mikoto in surprise, confusion filling her as she looked at the elder woman with a light frown.
"Date?" She echoed in confusion before she looked back at Naruto and Sasuke, the Jinchuuriki merely offering her a fox-like grin in return.
"Date." Naruto confirmed before he extended his hand out for her to take, Sakura looking at it with a frown before she once more turned her head to look at Sasuke. The Uchiha heir inclined his head and only then Sakura let out a sigh and slipped her hand into Naruto's, allowing him to pull her back onto her feet.
Sakura turned back to look at Mikoto, an apologetic smile on her lips as she lowered her head. "Thanks for everything Mikoto-san."
"It's my pleasure, dear." Mikoto assured her with a smile before she slightly tipped her head aside and shot the pinkette a knowing look. "Tomorrow at the same time?"
Sakura's eyes brightened before she nodded. "I'll be here."
Mikoto's eyes flashed with content before she fixed her eyes on the two boys, her smile turning into a knowing smirk. "Have fun you three."
Naruto gave her a salute whereas Sasuke let out a soft huff, fueling Sakura's curiosity as she found herself getting lead out of the mansion by Naruto. The blonde had his arm thrown over her shoulder as Sasuke followed behind them, Sakura shooting the whiskered boy a suspicious glance.
"Want to tell me about our date that I wasn't informed of?" Sakura asked, wondering just what the blonde had in mind but Naruto's grin never wavered.
"Calm down Sakura-chan, it's nothing bad." Naruto assured her, blue eyes crinkling as he looked down at her. "I think it's actually gonna be pretty fun."
"Fun." Sasuke scoffed from behind her and Sakura arched a brow, not knowing what she should make of their different moods. Sakura knew that Naruto's idea of fun either involved Ichiraku's, sparring or something just as dangerous and reckless and judging by Sasuke's comment he didn't consider their plan to be fun at all.
Then again, it was Sasuke and Sakura doubted that he considered anything other than fighting fun.
When they exited the mansion, Naruto let go of Sakura and shot her a grin. "Race to your apartment?"
Sakura frowned in surprise. "My apartment?"
Naruto nodded as he went into a crouch, blue eyes finding Sasuke before his grin turned sharp. "Think you can win this time?"
Sasuke huffed but the flash in his dark eyes at the blonde's challenge betrayed his impassive expression. "Shut up dobe."
Naruto's eyes brightened before he looked at the pinkette, grin stretching across his lips at the frown she shot him. "Ready?"
The pinkette regarded him for a moment longer, trying to read his eyes for any sign of what he was up to but unfortunately, he gave nothing away.
"I guess." She yielded with a sigh, emerald eyes flickering to Sasuke in hope that he would shed some light on what was going on but his expression was blank once more.
Just peachy.
"Let's go!"
It turned out that Sasuke took the challenge more serious than expected and was the first one to arrive, Naruto following not even a second behind while Sakura was dead last. The blonde loudly protested, insisting that the Uchiha cheated while Sasuke merely smirked. Sakura paid them no mind and moved to unlock her front door, her fingers slipping into the familiar seals just to halt halfway through when she felt a familiar flicker of chakra inside.
The pinkette's brows pinched together in surprise before she pushed the door to her home open, her feet carrying her straight to her living-room and once there, the pinkette froze at the sight that greeted her.
Kakashi was laying on one of her couches, completely at ease as his mismatched eyes were fixed on a file while Itachi was seated on the other couch, slightly hunched forwards to sort through some papers that were sprawled over her coffee table.
The pinkette watched them dumbfounded, inwardly wondering if she was still under one of Mikoto's genjutsu or if both the Hokage and her former sensei have really turned her living-room into a work space.
"Yo." She heard Kakashi greet her, gaze falling on the copy nin who offered her a lazy salute, his eyes never once leaving the file.
Itachi lifted his head a moment later, a small smile on his lips as he took in her visibly puzzled expression. "Welcome back."
Sakura opened her mouth to say something but closed it when she was unable to find the right words to voice her thoughts, leaving her to wonder just what the hell was going on.
"Sakura-chan!" She heard Naruto call as he approached her from behind, the pinkette averting her eyes from the Uchiha heir to shoot Naruto a frown.
"Care to explain why my living-room suddenly turned into a base without me getting informed?" Naruto merely looked at her with innocent blue eyes as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
"We just returned from training with Kakashi-sensei and he said that he wanted to go through all the information we gathered about, uh," The blonde frowned as he struggled to find the right word. "the situation?"
Sakura arched a brow as she looked at said copy-nin. "And you couldn't go to the library or one of your apartments?"
"Yours is the biggest and most comfortable one." Kakashi nonchalantly returned as he flipped a page, seemingly unbothered. "Besides, it'll probably take us most of the night to get a proper grip of everything that happened and to gather all the information we need."
Sakura didn't know whether she should cry out of frustration or wonder why she was even surprised by it in the first way. In the end, she settled on letting out a deep sigh before she shot her teammate's a half-hearted glare.
"That's your idea of a fun date?" She asked, earning a scoff from Sasuke who moved past her to grab a file from the coffee table and sat down in the arm chair next to the couch Itachi occupied. Naruto merely shot her a grin.
"Come on Sakura-chan, it'll be fun!" He told her as he slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "Consider it a Team 7 sleepover featuring the Hokage!"
Sakura snorted as she crossed her arms above her chest, eyes finding Itachi's who was already regarding her in amusement.
"Let me guess, your idea?" Sakura asked and Itachi merely cocked his head aside, the corner of his lips curling upwards into a smirk.
"Perhaps."
Sakura arched a brow. "You two do know that sneaking into someone's home is not nice."
Not that she minded this morning, but that wasn't the point.
"Ah, Ninja."
Sakura snorted at Kakashi as Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion. "How did you two get inside anyway? You haven't been here ever since these guys broke into her home and Sakura-chan changed the seals, sensei."
Sakura tensed in Naruto's hold while Sasuke visibly stiffened, her eyes automatically finding Itachi's whose brightened at Naruto's question. The pinkette inwardly groaned at Naruto's observation and averted her eyes from the Uchiha heir to look at the silver haired male that was lazily lounging on her couch.
Kakashi's eyes lifted from his file to glance at Naruto and just when Sakura thought that he'd keep his mouth shut, he spoke and with that all of her hopes for a peaceful evening flew out of the window.
"Itachi was as kind as to let me in."
Sakura's jaw slackened in disbelief, eyes filling with betrayal as she made a mental note to hide all of his Icha Icha books the next time she checked on him at his apartment.
"Itachi?" Naruto echoed, visibly confused as his blue eyes turned to look at said Uchiha heir. "How do you know the seals to Sakura-chan's apartment?"
When his dark eyes fell on hers and Sakura caught the small lift of his brow she decided that if she wanted to prevent the fourth Ninja war from breaking out, she should probably take over.
Her mind racked over with a believable explanation but unfortunately, she blurted out the first thing that she came up with.
"He brought me a file I left at his office."
She heard Kakashi snicker from his position on the couch and she didn't dare look at Itachi, knowing that his expression would be just as bad as she looked up at her blond teammate who seemed even more puzzled by her answer.
"Doesn't he have Anbu for that?" He returned, and Sakura flashed him a strained smile. Damn him and his tendency to be observing at the worst times there were.
"They were classified?" Sakura weakly offered, the scoff from Sasuke earning the young Uchiha a death glare from the pinkette as Kakashi let out a amused sigh.
"Ah, this is going to be fun."
Naruto remained silent as he tried to put the pieces together, eyes squinted as he looked at the three males in concentration. "I am missing something."
"You're missing nothing." Sakura hastily assured him as she grabbed his other arm to gently pull him towards the kitchen but he didn't budge, feet rooted on the spot much to her dismay. "Come on, let's order some food."
Naruto's blue eyes were fixed on Itachi as he tried to read the visibly amused Uchiha, forehead furrowed. "You have been at her apartment before?"
Sakura's eyes shot towards Itachi, her heart dropping when she recognized the glint in his eyes. He wouldn't.
"I was." Itachi smoothly confirmed and Sakura inwardly groaned as Naruto's eyes widened with surprise.
"Really?" The blonde asked, seeming rather curious than suspicious. "Why?"
Itachi remained silent, his eyes once more finding hers and the pinkette silently begged him to keep his mouth shut despite knowing that he was toying with her as payback for this morning.
Even though Kakashi's eyes were still fixed on the file, Sakura knew that he was intently listening and just when she thought Itachi would brush Naruto's question off, the last person Sakura expected to speak up did.
"They're together, dobe."
Sakura's eyes widened as her eyes darted to Sasuke, mouth open in shock as Itachi arched a brow and Kakashi let out an amused huff. His impression was impassive but the way his eyes darkened when they flickered to hers for the split of a second was enough for her to realize what he was doing.
He snitched them because he knew exactly what was going to happen. She assumed that it was some sort of payback to Itachi for taking her from them and Sakura once more wondered just what the hell was wrong with them and their pride.
"Together?" Naruto echoed, visibly puzzled as he looked at Sasuke. "What do you mean, teme?"
Before Sasuke could elaborate Kakashi decided that this was his cue to speak up. "They're a couple. You know, they spend time together, go on dates, ki-"
He barely dodged the pillow that Sakura hurled at him, his lips curling into a pout beneath his mask as she heard Naruto dramatically gasp next to her.
His blue eyes moved from Itachi to Sakura, a mixture of shock and disbelief filling his orbs before he grabbed Sakura and swiftly hauled her behind him and out of a certain someone's sight.
"You're what?" He exclaimed, causing Sakura to groan as she allowed her forehead to hit his broad back in defeat.
Itachi seemed rather entertained by the blonde's outburst, aware of his brother's intentions but he didn't mind and held Naruto's wild eyes with his own, calm ones.
The spark in Itachi's eyes merely confirmed Sasuke's statement and Naruto's eyes then darted to Sasuke in disbelief. "You knew and didn't stop them?!"
Sasuke furrowed his brows at the blonde. "When I found out it was already too late to stop them, dobe. Besides-" He pointedly glanced at his big brother. "Trying to stop them would be useless."
"What do you mean useless?" Naruto incredulously exclaimed, eyes wide as he jabbed an accusing finger at the Hokage. "He took our Sakura-chan away from us and you watched it happen just like that?"
Sakura smacked him on the back of his head from behind, visibly annoyed that they were talking about her as if she wasn't there with them. "I am right here, idiot!"
Naruto paid her no mind and turned to look at Kakashi who suddenly seemed rather interested in his report. "How could you not tell me? I would have tried to stop them!"
"Ah, Naruto-kun, there is no thing such as stopping young love."
Naruto gaped at the copy-nin, unable to believe what he was hearing before he looked back at Itachi, still deeply in shock. For a moment all the blonde did was stare, his mind trying to process the sudden news but when it finally clicked he turned around and grabbed Sakura by the waist before he flung her over her shoulder.
The pinkette let out a high eep upon getting thrown over his broad shoulder like she weighted nothing more than a sack potatoes before her wide eyes fell on the back of Naruto's head.
"What are you doing?" She asked, hands gripping the back of his orange shirt as he made his way out of the living room.
"We're leaving!" He announced with a growl, his grip on the back of her knees tightening. "I'm not gonna let-"
Before he was able to finish his sentence Sakura suddenly found Naruto's body beneath her disappear, causing her to gasp before she found herself in a familiar pair of arms not even a moment later.
"I'm sorry, but I am afraid that I can't allow that, Naruto-kun." His deep voice rumbled through his chest and Sakura let out a groan as she watched Naruto look up at Itachi from where he was seated on the ground with surprise.
If she didn't stop them right now, her apartment would not survive and she was not going to explain her landlord how she managed to wreck it.
"Let me down." Sakura calmly told him, already wriggling her body to get out of his arms but Itachi merely tightened his grip and pulled her body closer against his chest.
"Oi, who allowed you to touch Sakura-chan?" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief, blue eyes filled with incredulity as he jumped back onto his feet.
Sakura urgently tugged at the front of his shirt, praying that he would not allow this to go any further for the sake of her apartments survival but when the Uchiha heir smirked at the blonde, she knew that she was doomed.
"I can touch and hold her as I please." Itachi told the blonde, voice smooth as his eyes narrowed and his smirk deepened. "Because she is mine."
And with that, all hell broke loose.
"Like hell she is!"
Sakura gasped as she felt Itachi jump out of the way, narrowly dodging Naruto's fist before she caught sight of Sasuke grabbing the blonde by the back of his shirt.
"Dobe." Sasuke warned with a sigh but Naruto shot him a disbelieving glare.
"I am not going to give Sakura-chan up without a fight!" Naruto fiercely declared and the next moment he harshly rammed his elbow into Sasuke's stomach, causing the raven-haired male to momentarily loosen his hold on his collar. Naruto moved out of his grip and pointed an accusing finger at Itachi who seemed beyond amused by now, face hard and bright blue eyes flashing with determination.
"You gotta prove you deserve her first!" Naruto declared, causing Sakura's eyes to widen as she looked at her teammate with sheer incredulity.
"What the hell-" The pinkette exclaimed before her eyes narrowed with anger. "No one's going to fight anyone and I don't belong to anyone but myself!"
Her words were met by deaf ears, the duo too focused on one another to pay her any mind as Itachi's hold on her tightened.
"There will be no fight." Itachi calmly returned, eyes flashing darkly as his smirk sharpened. "Because I already won."
Naruto scowled at the challenge while Sakura groaned, her head hitting Itachi's chest in defeat with a dull thud.
This was going to be such a drag.
X
A/N: Hey y'all! As promised, I am back with another chapter and even though I am quite content with how it turned out it was pretty hard to write. I don't know if it was because this week has been rather hard on me but I really pushed myself to finish it as soon as I could for you all!
The feedback I received for the last chapter was overwhelming and pushed me to keep on writing. I am seriously so thankful for all of you who take your time to read, review, favor and follow this story. I see all of your reviews and your kind words are what motivates me to keep on going and push through even if it's admittedly hard sometimes.
But oh well, everyone has some bad times every once in a while and I am set on not allowing it to get to me (or my writing)!
I hope you liked this chapter. There are still a few chapters left but we are gradually getting closer to this stories end. It's seriously insane how fast time flew by!
I hope that you'll keep on accompanying me on this journey and every other that is yet to come. If you have any wishes, would like to see something specific or have any advice for improvement, please tell me by leaving a review and I'll try my best to take them into consideration.
Also, follow me on tumblr to see snippets for Immersion a few days before the actual update! You can find me there as ff-saranero.
Well, that's it for now! Wow, this A/N turned out to be longer than I expected and if you actually made it this far, I love you.
Seriously, you're awesome.
Love you all. Stay healthy & safe!
Don't forget to drop a review:)
Love,
Sara