Quarantine...in love?
Chapter 3
Itachi led Naruko inside and the girl couldn't help but stare at his muscular back as he showed her the way to the living room. She wasn't as familiar with Itachi's house as she was with the old Uchiha's mansion, where she, Sasuke, and Sakura would hang out all the time when they were still in high school. Her cheeks were burning up as she looked at him, he was just so perfect and dreamy, she wished she could reach and touch that inviting pale skin. She knew that Itachi was athletic, Sasuke used to brag about his brother's Taijutsu skills all the time when they were younger, but she had never seen him shirtless and wasn't expecting him to be that fit. He was truly perfect under every aspect, and she was hopelessly in love with him. It was impossible that someone as successful as Itachi would be interested in a loser like her. She sighed, discouraged by her own thoughts. Kurama that was still in the cage mewled and Itachi turned around with a smile, making Naruko's heart melt from how cute he looked.
"Here it is, I hope you will find it comfortable, Kurama" Itachi leaned towards the cage to look at the cat, that irritated turned the other way, giving the black-haired man a good view of his behind.
Naruko giggled, Itachi actually looked a little disappointed by the cat's unenthused reaction.
"Don't pay him any mind, he's not the friendliest cat around. He's actually a real asshole"
The blonde explained putting down the cage and opening it. Itachi laughed, and Naruko blushed some more, if that was even possible. How in the hell was he so handsome?
"I think he's just not a fan of us Uchiha's uh?"
The blonde chuckled at that. "Sasuke must have told you"
Itachi tilted his head to the side as he watched the cat get accustomed to his surroundings chuckling as he recalled Sasuke complaining about Naruko bringing the 'pure concentrate of evil' over.
"Something like that. But I give Kurama some credit, Sasuke is not the friendliest Uchiha around"
"That's true, the teme is always mean to him, you're not like him at all." She blushed for what was maybe the hundredth time for that afternoon as she realized what she said, covering her face with her hands, the Uchiha noticed but didn't say anything to not embarrass her further.
"I...I mean...you're...ehm nicer than Sasuke""
"Really now? Are you really sure of that?"
She blinked at his words, was he teasing her? It wasn't like him, he was usually serious and kind, but never playful, at least not with her. It made her heart beat a little bit faster. He was truly going to be the death of her.
"Of course!" she blurted out, making Itachi jump a little bit as he wasn't expecting that enthusiastic reaction.
"Sasuke would have never done this" she managed to say shyly, pointing at the living room where a small comfy cat bed was positioned near the fireplace, and a three-story cat scratcher was positioned by one of the sofa', and various cat toys were placed around the little designated area.
"It's really not a big deal"
"You really went overboard! Kurama is going to be spoiled once this is all over" she chuckled once she had gained a little bit of composure.
Itachi managed to look a little embarrassed, which caught the blonde a little bit by surprise, as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Actually Hana and Shisui sent it over when I told them you were going to spend quarantine here. You can take it all home when this is over"
"Really? I don't know how to thank you!" She would have hugged him if it wasn't that she was too shy to touch his bare skin.
"You see Kurama! That is why you should be nice to Itachi"
He chuckled at that, grateful that she had appreciated the gift so much. After all, all he had wanted was to see her happy and make it as comfortable as possible for her in that weird situation.
"It's not really a big deal, Hana said it was a gift for her favorite patient"
The blonde was impressed. Hana was Kurama's vet as well as Naruko's friend, still, she was surprised by hers and Shisui's kindness.
"That was very nice of them! I should call to thank them"
The Uchiha winced at that, even if the girl didn't notice.
"You should do that later, I'm sure you're tired after all that packing up, here let me show you your room now"
Naruko raised an eyebrow at his strange behavior, he was acting a little bit weird, not at all as usual, but she couldn't understand why.
She was about to say something, when Sakura walked in the house, carrying a few suitcases followed by a sore looking Sasuke.
"Oh Itachi don't worry about that, I'll show Naruko the room, why don't you help Sasuke with the rest of the groceries? we need to freshen up for dinner anyway"
Before Itachi or Naruko could say anything, Sakura was already dragging the blonde with her upstairs. Sasuke shivered at his girlfriend's brute strength. He was glad she rarely used it on him, unless she got really mad, even he wasn't spared then.
He waited a couple of minutes, making sure the girls were out of ear reach and then turned towards his brother, who was still standing there looking a little confused. That was a first, honestly, Itachi never let anyone or anything bother him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
The older Uchiha raised an eyebrow in question and Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose in despair. Was everyone around him going crazy, or was the situation just making everyone dumber?
"What do you think you're doing with Naruko?"
"I was just being welcoming" Itachi didn't like where this conversation was going. Since when did he have to justify his actions with his younger brother of all people? Of course Naruko was his friend, but Itachi had known the girl for as long as Sasuke did, since her parents were family friends and they had all grown up together.
Sasuke rolled his eyes at the answer "Sure, and why the hell are you going around without a shirt? that's a lame move even for you"
"It wasn't done on purpose, if that's what you mean.I just got out of the shower and ran out to help when I heard you were home"
"Because it takes so long to put on a shirt, seriously Itachi find a better excuse"
Sasuke snorted, his stupid brother was so damn obvious that probably even Naruko's evil cat knew he liked her by now. How Itachi could even think he would believe his fake excuses was insulting to his intelligence.
Itachi huffed, he was starting to get annoyed by the pointless conversation.
"It's not like you think" the older Uchiha sighed as he decided it was pointless to fight against his obstinate brother and decided he might as well use his energies to unload the forgotten groceries from the car. Sasuke though was apparently in the right mood to have a heartfelt conversation with his sibling. He followed the other outside and leaned against the car watching as he took out a few bags.
"So you're saying you're not interested in the dobe?"
Itachi was silent for a few minutes and handed him a few bags before closing the car and heading back to the house, but not before turning at his brother again and saying
"Now little brother, since when have you been interested in my love life?"
The younger Uchiha grimaced at the mention of his brother's love life, especially since now it apparently involved the blonde Uzumaki. He shivered at the thought of what would come out of such a combination.
"Itachi! At least put a damn shirt on!" he yelled running after his brother, irritated as he heard the other's laughter booming from inside the house. The bastard was enjoying his distress way too much.
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"Wow! This is such a big ass room!" Naruko couldn't help but be impressed by the size of the guest bedroom that the brothers had given her. A nice and comfy queen size bed with a nice red and black duvet was positioned in the middle of the room, with two nice black nightstands at each side with two nice lamps on top. A walk in closet was on the opposite side of the bed and next to it the door to a separate bathroom and a nice black and grey carpet in the middle of the room. It was basic but refined.
"Every room in this house is huge Naruko. You should Itachi's bedroom! he has a jacuzzi in his bathroom!" Sakura said with a little too much excitement as she stretched on the nicely made bed.
"Should I even ask how you know?" The blonde asked as she positioned the luggage on one side of the room that would be hers for that indefinite period of time. She was sure Sakura would have never set foot in the older Uchiha's room unless there was a valid reason.
"Well... me and Sasuke might have tried it once or twice"
"You sneaked in his bathroom to take a bath?" Naruko raised a brow at her friend that blushed so much her cheeks were darker than her hair. The Uzumaki was pleased to see she wasn't the only one capable to blush as much as a tomato.
"N-no! Itachi wasn't home, I'm sure he doesn't even suspect it"
"I wouldn't be so sure. Knowing him he probably noticed and didn't say anything just not to embarass you"
Sakura thought about it, it was in the older Uchiha's disposition to be nice and polite about everything, so there was a chance Naruko was right. She shook her head, removing the thought from her mind or she wouldn't be able to look Itachi in the eye. She decided to swiftly change the topic, just to make it more interesting.
"You really know your Uchiha, don't you?" she smiled wickedly leaning her face on her hands as she laid on Naruko's bed.
The blonde, that was crouched over some of her bags bolted up in a standing position turning towards her friend with her face completely red.
"M-mine? He's not my Uchiha, we're friends…"
"You like him that much? I've never seen you stutter and blush like this!"
The blonde huffed, and moved to sit on the bed next to a curious Sakura, looking disgruntled.
"Is it that obvious?"
The pink haired girl chuckled and reached out, leaning a hand on Naruko's shoulder in comfort
"Yes, and I've actually known for a while now"
"I've known him all my life...I always admired him as a young kid, it was embarrassing actually. Dad still makes fun of me for it" she snorted at the memory of Kakashi, one of her adoptive fathers make fun of her little kid crush on Itachi, of course it comforted her that Iruka would always threaten Kakashi with something or other, so at least she got avenged.
"Then...a few years ago...I don't know...I started noticing little things I liked about him...and BAM! I started to develop a crush on the guy!"
The pink haired girl chuckled at that.
"Well, you have an opportunity now. You two will be spending a lot of time together. Why not make a move?"
Naruko started to hyperventilate at the thought, it resembled Sakura of Hinata, their shyest friend.
"M-me? Make a move on him? He will never like me like that! I'm probably like a little sister to him" she threw herself back, landing with her back on the soft mattress discouraged.
"I am stuck in the friendzone forever"
"You know, that's what I thought of Sasuke. I thought he would never like me back, then one day, it happened"
"Yeah, it took you how long?" Naruko had been a witness to their story from the start. From Sakura's attempts to Sasuke refusals, to Sakura going through different flings, to Sasuke realizing it was her he wanted. It had been the weirdest courtship ever. Sasuke wouldn't lower himself to admit he loved her, and so he tried different methods that somehow ended up involving her, until finally, Sakura caught on and finally, she was the one to confess again, but at least Sasuke accept it that time, and they had been going strong for almost four years.
Sakura got up, walking to the door, she had to put her stuff away too and settle in the room she was going to share with Sasuke.
"That's not important! If you really want something, go and get it! believe me now it's your chance, and I believe he might not be so indifferent as you think"
She winked before walking out the door, leaving a confused and depressed Naruko behind.
Sakura leaned on the door and pulled out her cellphone she sent a message to her new and surprising partner in crime. Shisui Uchiha
"I think getting those two together might be easier than we think…"
Author's note
Hi everyone! I hope you're all well and safe! I am really grateful for all the reviews and the positive feedback this story is receiving, I feel all the support, and I really appreciated as it incentivates me to write!
Thank you! and as always, please stay healthy and safe!
Darkshadows92