Chapter 9: Age 18 Part 2
Rating: T for sexual tension
Sakura remembered the first time she and Itachi had physical contact as an adult. It was meant to be a simple gesture but it felt like so much more to both of them. She was eighteen years old; he was twenty-two years old.
Itachi watched her for as long as he could without saying anything. Ever so slightly, the middle of his eyebrows scrunched together. If someone looked close enough, they might have been able to see a slight frown on his face.
"You're going to cut yourself," Itachi chided while watching Sakura struggle.
"Am not," she replied like a child with a pout.
She was hovering over the wooden cutting board, trying her hardest not to fumble with the huge knife. She huffed and fought away a blush at feeling his stare. The slick onion continued to slip under her fingers before she could even begin to cut the vegetable.
The two had started cooking dinner together at least once a week. Itachi was concerned over Sakura's growling stomach while she waited for Sasuke to come home. She always put off eating in hopes Sasuke would take her out to dinner; he never did. Itachi didn't like the thought of her being hungry and convinced her they could learn a few recipes while anticipating his younger brother's arrival. Spaghetti was on the night's menu and they were prepping the sauce.
As Itachi was drying his freshly washed hands on a blue towel, he began to walk toward Sakura. She frowned in frustration while she narrowed her eyes at the onion.
"I can do it," she seethed with annoyance.
With no warning, Itachi positioned himself so he was behind her and all of the anger evaporated from Sakura's body. Instantly, anxiousness replaced every emotion. She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise as he placed his larger hands over hers. She began to scream inside her head at his closeness.
"I'll help," came his gentle reply. "I don't want you to lose a finger."
"T-thanks," she responded, flustered and looking down at the cutting board.
Sakura bit her lower lip as Itachi showed her how to properly curl her fingers around the base of the onion. He then guided her hand with the knife as they cut the vegetable. He was explaining to her the reasoning for her hand placement, however, she couldn't listen. Itachi was touching her and that's all she could focus on. His chest gently rubbed against her shoulder as he guided each stroke of the utensil.
"And you just keep gliding your fingers back when you need to cut more," he instructed as he moved her fingers behind his own.
"Mhmm," she mumbled with a small head nod.
She didn't realize how long they had been standing together, but Sakura suddenly became aware they had finished cutting the onion. And Itachi hadn't removed his hands from hers. He silently stood behind her. Mustering up courage, she glanced back and saw him staring intently down at her. Her breath caught in her throat.
Itachi's features were soft and Sakura couldn't control the pink color setting her face on fire. He stared into her eyes and his own seemed to want to ask a hundred silent questions. His gaze quickly darted to her parted mouth and then returned to her eyes. Sakura's heart skipped a beat.
As if coming to his senses, Itachi then looked toward the wall and stepped back from her. She leaned against the counter to steady herself and tried to convince her mind she had just imagined the tension. Running her hand through her hair, she watched him take a deep breath with his hand on his hips.
A moment passed before Itachi spoke, "I'll wash the tomatoes. You can cut them."
Sakura followed his lead of changing the subject. She didn't look him in the eye but nodded, "Sounds good." She wanted to ask him about what just happened but she couldn't find the courage.
The rest of their evening had an air of awkwardness they tried to remove with casual conversation. However, Sakura knew Itachi looked at her with something different in his eyes that night. Even after Sasuke came home, she couldn't shake the feeling or get her mind off of it. Sakura knew she had just shared a very special moment – a possible turning point in their relationship – with Itachi Uchiha.
