Disclaimer - I own nothing of Naruto. It has to be obvious by now.
Author's Note - Another songfic. This is definitely AU/OOC. I just take the things I see in my mind and put them to paper. I don't pay attention to how IC they are. 'Cause sometimes its nice to see something out of the ordinary at times.
Page Two - Will the Future Blame Us?
Are you disappointed?
And have we destroyed it I
But I've been stumbling down this long and winding road
Sakura sat atop a high limb looking down at her blurred reflection in the fast moving river. Several orange and brown leaves obscured her reflection. One of the first indicators that autumn was fast approaching. It had been several months since Sasuke left in his search for power. Since then Itachi appeared onto the scene and took an odd interest in the pink haired kunoichi.
Before Sasuke left, she had pulled him aside and confessed that she had loved him for a very long time. Even though it was quite obvious.
- Flashback -
"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura said quietly as Sasuke was walking towards his home.
"Yes, Sakura?" Sasuke replied, not taking the time or the effort to turn around and face her.
Sakura took a deep breath and exhaled loudly before she spoke.
"I know you and pretty much everyone in Konoha knows this, but I love you. I have always loved you, no matter how many times you push me away. It just won't go away, even though everyone tells me to find someone that will appreciate me. I just want to know how you feel…maybe…just maybe I can stop these feelings inside from tearing me apart." by the time she had finished tears had welled up in her eyes.
Sasuke stood still for a few seconds before he let out a sigh and turned around.
"Sakura…" Sasuke began as the girl's eyes went wide with anticipation. "I don't know how I feel. I have a lot on my mind right now. Maybe once I get a few things out of the way, I will take what you have said into consideration." he said solemnly as Sakura just stood there, her expression border lining happiness and confusion.
"I understand, Sasuke-kun…please…take your time." the pink haired girl said quietly as she turned quickly on her heel and ran off. "Thank you." she said aloud, but Sasuke could barely make out what she said.
-End Flashback-
And these times are changing
And it's complicated I
Well I don't wanna know
Sakura sighed and jumped down from her branch and walked off in the direction of her home. She hadn't noticed the dark figure watching her from a couple hundred meters away.
"Sasuke…Itachi…why them?" she said softly to herself as she walked swiftly through the forest, her feet crunching through the leaves as she went. A soft orange glow filled the forest as the sun was setting. It gave off a serene feeling as she stopped to take in her surroundings.
"This was the exact place where I met…him." she said softly as she placed her hand on the trunk of a tree. Her fingers traced the small cut in the tree where she had thrown her kunai at Itachi that fateful evening.
-Flashback-
It was only a week since Sasuke had left. Sakura didn't want to be around anyone since all she'd do was talk about Sasuke and it had annoyed her friends, as well as her teammate, Naruto. She leaned against a trunk of a tree and looked up at the half-blocked sky. The sun had just set and the stars were just starting to come out.
A small rustling in the bushes ahead of her snapped her back to reality as she quickly threw a kunai in the direction of the noise. The only noise was the sharp "thwack" of the kunai hitting the trunk of the tree. Shortly after a soft chuckling could be heard as Sakura quickly got into a fighting stance, her hand hovering over her kunai pouch.
"No need for that. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so an hour ago." came the voice of a man in the shadows.
"Show yourself." Sakura said flatly, her hand not moving from her pouch.
The man listened and slowly walked out of the shadows and into the fading light of day. Sakura's eyes went wide for a second since the man before her resembled her Sasuke-kun. He looked like Sasuke, except for the fact that he was slightly taller, his hair longer and his eyes, being a dark red. She couldn't make out the sharingan in the fading light, it only appeared to be a dark red.
"Y-you're…" Sakura had put two and two together. There could only be one other person to look like Sasuke, and that was his older brother, Itachi. "Stay away from me." she said, trying to regain her composure.
"As I said before, if I wanted to kill you, I would. Stand down." Itachi said almost emotionlessly.
Sakura obeyed as she looked him straight in the face. She didn't want to stand down, but there was something about him that just yelled "listen".
Itachi watched Sakura relax somewhat and took the opportunity to suddenly appear in front of her, sending her back against the tree behind her. Sakura's eyes widened in shock as Itachi looked down at her, emotionless eyes studying her frightened face.
They remained that way for some time. Neither moving, Sakura didn't even dare flinch as Itachi held his gaze. Suddenly he backed up two steps, still not breaking his gaze. Sakura stood frozen still, her body slightly trembling.
"I can see why you'd be a weakness for Sasuke." he said solemnly.
Sakura blinked and shook her head from left to right before speaking. "W-what?"
Itachi just shook his head and disappeared. Sakura remained there for a minute as the sound of crickets softly reached her ears.
"…weakness?"
-End Flashback-
And I ...
Don't ask why anymore
And I ...
Don't ask why anymore, anymore
Several times since that meeting she had seen Itachi. It had always been in the same vicinity. He would always watch her from away, studying her for whatever reason. As time progressed, Sakura got accustomed to his presence and even had a few short-lived conversations with the mysterious Uchiha.
She'd smack herself at the end of every meeting. She loved Sasuke, but these nagging feelings would always pull at her heart every time she'd walk home after meeting with Itachi. There was something about him that she liked, she couldn't place her finger on it. She hated herself for even considering Itachi, he had killed his family and ruined Sasuke's life. But with Sasuke gone, it was getting harder and harder to keep herself together. The line threads of hope that were created with their last conversation were going thinner and thinner.
And is it getting better?
Can we live forever I
And I'm not sure what the hell we're fighting for
And does the money make us?
And will the future blame us I
Oh I don't wanna know
Sakura jumped at the sound of leaves crunching behind her. She should be used to it by now, since the source of the sound belonged to Itachi.
"Kunoichi." he said softly, but with little emotion.
"Yes…" she said turning around to face him.
As she turned around to face him, Itachi met her halfway and put a hand on her shoulder. The sudden contact made Sakura jump away slightly as Itachi grabbed a hold of her other shoulder, turning her to face him.
"I don't know what it is…but you are surely a weakness." he said as his piercing dark eyes looked down into Sakura's.
"Why do you always call me a 'weakness'?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Itachi didn't reply to her question, but continued to look down at her. His expression softened somewhat, making him look a lot younger.
And I ...
Don't ask why anymore
And I ...
Don't ask why anymore, anymore
Sakura blinked a few times as she looked at Itachi. She had never seen him look calm. At least that's what she considered it to be.
When you're tired and alone
And you feel like letting go
Come home
For the first time in God knows how many years Itachi had let his guard down. Those jade eyes looking up at him calmed him, revealed his weaknesses, made him feel…human. He looked into those eyes and smiled. It wasn't what someone would call a smile, just a slight up turn of the lips, barely being considered a smile.
Sakura noticed this and suddenly took a deep breath
(What is wrong with you. You love Sasuke. Sasuke dammit!) the inner Sakura roared, fists flailing in the air.
When you can't take anymore
When you're beat up and ignored
Come home
Itachi bent down and softly kissed Sakura's forehead. She was truly a weakness. Sakura stepped back and stumbled backwards on an root from the tree behind her. Itachi caught her before she hit the ground.
The sun's inside a hole
The faster you don't know
A long, long way from home
There are things you need to know
The answers leave you cold
"Why…?" Sakura said, her voice barely above a whisper as she avoided looking into his eyes.
"I wish I knew." Itachi replied as he set her back on her feet again. "You are a weakness."
You're a long, long way from home
And the summers coming back
And it brings a second chance
"All I know is that you make life a little more bearable." he said in a low tone making Sakura take a few steps towards him to hear him better.
If you're not part of this
Then I don't wanna know ...
Sakura looked up at the older Uchiha and put her hand on the side of his face gently. There was a connection between them, one that she herself couldn't fully understand. She was still torn between the two. She had always liked Sasuke, but only because he was always there. Now with his brother being in his place, it just made things too difficult for her to handle. She had to make a decision at some point, and she knew it.
And I ...
Don't ask why anymore
And I ...
Don't ask why anymore, anymore
They stood there in silence for quite some time, the faint silvery glow of the moon washing over the forest, casting an eerie, yet serene glow. Itachi bent down again and kissed the girl's forehead, this time Sakura smiled as he moved away from her.
She didn't know what she was doing anymore. She was caught up in the moment. Though just as soon as she got used to being in such close quarters with Itachi, he had disappeared into the night.
Sakura sighed as she looked around for him, though it being quite useless. She stood there for a minute, gathering her thoughts before she headed off in the direction of her home.
Itachi watched her as she left. He hated how she made him weak. The faint rustling of leaves disturbed his thoughts as he turned around to face his younger brother, Sasuke.
"It would be so easy to just kill you." Sasuke said through gritted teeth. He had seen the entire thing that had happened between Sakura and Itachi.
"Right." Itachi said with the hint of amusement in his voice. "Try again in a few years." with that he disappeared, leaving Sasuke alone.
He had actually been jealous watching his older brother seemingly take Sakura. Little did he know that Sakura had not made her choice. He gritted his teeth and shouted out loud.
"I will kill you someday you bastard!" with that, he too disappeared. It wouldn't be till at least two to three years later that Sasuke would return to Konoha.
When you're tired and alone
And you feel like letting go
Come home
Oh when you can't take anymore
When you're beat up and ignored
Come home
I'm coming home
Fin
After Notes -
Uber OOC, and I don't care. Fear my mind and what it holds.