Those boys are going to be the death of me.
After leaving the room they ditched her in, Sakura took her time to walk slowly through the Uchiha compound, stroking her hand over the bricks and walls of the houses. The Uchiha compound was a huge part of Konoha's history. She wandered from street to street, watching the dark and broody inhabitants of her new home go about their business.
One man in a dark kimono purposefully slammed his shoulder into hers as she walked past, muttering, "Outsider scum."
She told herself she would ignore it, but after the day she had gone through, she knew it was a lie.
Sakura turned to face the man, "Excuse you, sir," she muttered back in a sickly sweet voice.
The man faced her and looked confused, "What?"
Sakura grabbed the man by his collar, shoving his back roughly against the wall of the shop next to them.
"I may not be an Uchiha, but scum?" She let out a harsh, mocking laugh while shaking her head. "You really think I'm outsider scum, huh?" Sakura spat the words in his face.
"I am the 5th Hokage's apprentice, student to the legendary Copy Nin, and a member of Team 7."
"I am a wielder of the sharingan." She let her eyes bleed red as she stared deeply into his.
"I can break every bone in your body and put them all back together."
"And I AM your future matriarch and you will show me the respect I deserve!"
Sakura let out a snarl as her tomoe spun faster.
The crowd that had been flowing around the area had focused on the two, whispers and gasps building in volume as they watched.
Two men flickered behind Sakura, one placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.
The anger and frustration began to dissolve the second he touched her.
"You would do well to hold your tongue and show her respect unless you are interested in a reminder of what happens when you disrespect a member of the main family." Itachi chastised, voice slicing through the crowd like a knife.
Sakura's shoulders slumped after she felt a soft squeeze. She dropped the man she had pinned to his feet and turned to face Shisui. Shisui let out a soft sigh as she allowed herself to be pulled into his open arms. He held her tight and kissed the top of her head. He looked towards the man she just released, pouring all of his disgust and anger into his glare.
Itachi continued to face the crowd with a scowl. "Remember this moment."
He allowed his last comment to hang in the silence both as a threat and an order. Shisui stood at Itachi's shoulder, Sakura still in his arms behind Itachi's back. He tilted his head with his joyful smile returning, "Or don't! I'm happy to hand out reminders!"
Itachi felt a small hand against his lower back grab a fist full of his shirt. He felt his face soften upon feeling her touch. He glanced over his shoulder at the top of her head. His eyes rose to meet Shisui's and in a flurry of crows, the trio was gone.
After a couple of rough training days, it was the day of their mission. Sakura already knew that Itachi was not the type to like being kept waiting. She had packed her bag the night before in preparation.
She decided that it would possibly help the early start to their morning to not let them be the one to awaken her this time, so she crept downstairs into the kitchen. She almost tripped when she heard Mikoto's soft voice whisper, "You know I can hear you."
Sakura straightened herself to see Mikoto pause and wipe her hands on her apron. "I was a kunoichi too, you know."
Mikoto gestured to the space next to her at the counter, then resumed what she was doing. Sakura set her pack on the floor next to the kitchen door and went to help.
When Sakura approached the counter, she saw the preparations for 3 bento boxes. She turned to look at Mikoto, but Mikoto just gestured to the cutting board and knife in front of her. They worked in tandem for a few minutes, slicing cucumbers and building up the 3 boxes.
"I make them a bento before each mission," Mikoto said as she placed the finishing touches on the last box.
Sakura smiled as she watched Mikoto wrap them up before the woman turned to her. "We're family now, so that means you too," Mikoto smiled and pulled Sakura into her arms.
Sakura felt the tears start to well up as she hugged Mikoto tight, "I appreciate you."
Mikoto released Sakura and held her at arm's length, "I've always appreciated you."
Sakura smiled genuinely.
"I suggest going to wake Itachi first," Mikoto advised, placing a steaming cup of tea in her hand, "Shisui can be a little…."
She made a face as if struggling for words. Sakura laughed and offered, "Much?"
Mikoto returned her laugh, "Yes. A little bit, first thing in the morning."
"I will have these on the table for you three before you leave," Mikoto said, gesturing to the bento boxes. Sakura thanked her and began her slow walk towards Itachi's room.
Sakura padded down the hallway to stop at Itachi's door, pausing as she realized she had never actually been inside.
Sakura smirked, it was time for payback.
She masked her chakra and slid the door open silently. She slipped inside and slid it closed behind her. She took a moment to look around his room, everything was minimalist and neat. Everything he owned had a place, a purpose. It was very much like him.
She placed the cup of tea as soft as possible down on the table. She knew in the back of her mind that it was foolish to think she was going to sneak up on Itachi Uchiha, but it was worth a try.
She turned to face his bed where he was still laying, seemingly asleep. Creeping closer, she paused to look down at him. His face looked young without his perpetual blank expression. His lips were parted just slightly and his hair was free and fanned out. Everything about him looked soft and ethereal. Sakura reminded herself with a harsh bite of her bottom lip that she had NOT come to stare at him.
She loomed over him, then as quietly as she could, leaned as close to his ear as she could get without breathing directly on it.
"If I was… "
She was cut off before she could get out the full snarky comment. His hand had shot out and pulled her into the bed and he pinned her beneath him. She shut her eyes tight the second she felt the bed beneath her. The darkness only increased every sensation. The warm fabric of his sheets under her and the even warmer feeling of him pinning her beneath him becoming too much.
Her fingers clawed into his sheets as she struggled to keep the next words as a whisper instead of a whimper,
"an enemy, you'd be dead…"
Itachi watched her quiver under his penetrating gaze. His sharingan flickered to life, giving in to the all-consuming desire to fully capture this moment.
He drank in the way her long rose-colored hair was fanned out against his dark sheets. He obsessed over how her soft lips were parted as she let out shuddering breaths. He was consumed by the heat that penetrated his skin where it almost touched hers.
The internal conflict of his growing feelings and thoughts of Shisui's feelings for her was shoved to the side as he allowed himself this. This one moment.
He leaned his head down to nuzzle it in the curve where her neck met her shoulder and breathed in deep.
Fuck.
She smelled like sunshine and flowers.
He felt her body shudder and a rough exhale escape her lips.
He gently traced up the side of her neck with his lips as one of his hands lifted to cup her cheek to hold her still.
When he got to her ear, he was vibrating with the desire to act, to claim, to do… something.
"Or worse," he growled in her ear.
He could feel her chest brushing against his. The slight inclination of her head to allow him more access. The soft flutter of her pulse beneath his lips.
His hand holding her cheek became more firm and he pulled back just enough to be able to look at her face.
Her beautiful face.
He stared at her lips again and began slowly leaning in.
He recalled the confidence in her voice as she called herself the next matriarch and had to bite back a moan. The dread and anger he associated with the thought of a future with her were slowly being replaced with want and satisfaction.
He wanted so badly to kiss her.
His lips froze just as they were almost touching hers, any movement would make them connect. She was breathing heavily, her breath was warm against his lips.
He wanted… her.
The realization hit him like a rock.
His hand holding him up fisted the sheets next to her head.
No.
He knew he needed to breathe, to focus, to escape the haze of desire she pulled him into.
He released her cheek and pushed himself back from her. He shushined himself to a stand a safe distance from the bed.
He shoved down all of the emotions bubbling up and schooled his expression into something bland.
Sakura pushed herself up onto her elbows, eyes opening slowly. He watched the flicker of emotions in her eyes before she settled on an expression that was somewhere between embarrassment and hurt.
Childishly, he turned away to escape her gaze and looked towards the cup of tea on the table. Only after he heard an exhausted sigh and the slight rustle of a shunshin did he let his shoulders sag.
Alone in his room, he traced his finger softly down the cup of tea she left, a familiar pit forming in his stomach.
Sakura landed in the hallway near Shisui's room. She let her back roughly hit the wall in the hallway as she slid down it.
She let her face hit her hands, trying desperately to focus on her breathing.
Hot tears started pouring down her cheeks.
Why am I even crying?
She wiped at the tears, trying to dry her face.
It's not like I even wanted him to…
She touched her lips gently.
I thought he was feeling…
She sighed and let her face rest in her hands again.
It was foolish to think he might…
She let her head fall back against the wall as she tried to collect herself.
With a shove, she pushed herself up from the floor then turned to go wake Shisui.
Sakura shoved Shisui's door open and just leaned in the open doorway taking in the sight.
Shisui hadn't budged at the sound of the door being opened. He was sprawled out, taking up as much of his bed as possible. His mouth hung open and his light snore was the only sound.
Sakura couldn't help the soft smile that it brought, breaking into a soft giggle.
She flash stepped next to Shisui who still hadn't moved.
"Shisui," she coaxed.
He didn't respond.
"Shisui," she pleaded.
He didn't respond.
"OH KAMI, I HOPE SHISUI DOESN'T NOTICE…" She said loudly, purposely goading him.
Shisui's eyes shot open as he clamored to get up so quick he tripped on his blankets. Sakura stepped to the side.
With a thud, he hit the floor.
Sakura watched with amusement as he looked up at her with a pout.
"Mission time," she informed him with a smirk. He frowned and started trying to craft an excuse. Sakura had already crouched in front of him to flick his forehead.
He started to whine, but Sakura purred her command and disappeared.
"Make yourself... presentable and meet us at the Gate."