I have been far more interested in this than Enigma.
IT'S COMING, OKAY?!
"Hey, Sasuke, we should go and sit with them," Naruto said. They were just passing the tree where Sakura was sitting with Itachi, eating lunch. Naruto knew Sasuke wasn't too happy about it, but he just shrugged. He didn't exactly hate Itachi that much anymore. He just hadn't found a way to sit with them without it being awkward. Naruto was offering him that way, though, and with Naruto around it was hard for anything to be awkward.
Naruto just shook his head and pulled Sasuke towards the tree. Sasuke went easily enough and without too much huffing and puffing, so he figured the guy really did want to join them, just didn't know how to say it.
"Hey, guys!" Naruto said, then had to stop. It was certainly a sight. Itachi was resting with his head in Sakura's lap. She was humming and braiding his hair. It was certainly a sight for both of them to see. They hadn't quite thought Itachi would be the type to lie in a girl's lap and have his hair braided. Sasuke obviously thought it was quite odd as well.
"Oh, hey you two," Sakura looked up and smiled. "Why don't you sit down?" Itachi hadn't moved in the slightest. He was still resting; eyes closed, and didn't flinch when he heard Naruto's voice. He was still allowing Sakura to braid his hair, no less. This was certainly an odd afternoon. "Itachi," Sakura giggled, "are you hungry?" She received a noncommittal grunt.
"What does that mean?" Naruto asked, staring at the scene before him. Sasuke had thought it not worth his time and sat next to Naruto, pulling out his lunch. Naruto followed suit, but he just couldn't get over the fact that Sakura had Itachi's head in her lap and they seemed like the perfect couple at this very moment. Sakura had mentioned nothing to them in the past few weeks of Itachi asking her out, though, so they weren't quite sure what to think at this point.
"It means he is, but he doesn't want to move," Sakura laughed. She tied off the braid she just finished and started on another one. "You better not take them out this time, Weasel," she said cheerily, her fingers already deftly moving through his hair again.
"I did not take them out the last time. My hair is black and you could not see them," Itachi answered. Sasuke was more than surprised at this point. Itachi sounded so laid back and comfortable at the moment and he couldn't quite get over it. Itachi's voice was always strained and harsh, never soft and lazy like this. He was seeing a side of his brother he didn't think he would ever see.
"Yeah, okay, whatever helps you sleep at night," Sakura laughed again. Itachi just sighed and turned his head slightly to give her an easier time with the braid.
"Oh, hey, I think I see Hinata," Naruto said, pulling himself from his place. "Is it okay if I go get her?" he asked, as though a second thought. Sakura waved him off and Sasuke didn't think the question deserved a response. Naruto just grinned and ran towards the dark-haired girl. She smiled when she saw him coming.
"Hi, Naruto, what's up?" she asked when he stopped in front of her. She half wondered why he had come from the tree when he usually came from the picnic tables to greet her.
"I was wondering if you wanted to join us under the tree today," Naruto said with a huge grin on his face. "Sasuke, Itachi, and Sakura are there." At hearing Itachi's name, Hinata was just slightly afraid. Her cousin, Neji, was in the same class as the Uchiha and often warned her to stay away from the brooding boy. He said the boy was nothing but trouble.
"I don't think it would be a good idea," Hinata said softly, looking around for her cousin. He was nowhere to be found at the moment, but if he saw her and word got back to her father that she hadn't listened to him, she would be in for a right lecture. That was probably the last thing Hinata wanted. Naruto just rolled his eyes. Neji was walking up and Naruto wasn't about to take no for an answer.
"Neji, you want to come with me and Hinata to the tree?" he asked, gesturing. Neji raised a brow. "Sasuke, Sakura, and Itachi are there and we all know you don't like him." Naruto wasn't one to beat around the bush, everyone knew that. Neji glared at him, almost not going to answer, but Hinata didn't seem too happy at the prospect at having lunch without her boyfriend. Neji turned to the black haired beside him.
"You're coming with us, Lee."
"Ah, yes! I would never give up the chance to see Sakura in all her youthful glory!" Lee shouted. Naruto cringed. He knew, for a fact, that Sakura hated Lee and she definitely heard him, even all the way over here. Lee was even louder than he was and that was quite a feat. He only sighed. If he wanted Hinata, he wasn't getting out of Lee. Sakura could hate him all she wanted later for it.
"Come on, then," he said, though a bit less jovial than before. He led the little group back to the tree. He wanted to laugh when he came upon Sakura and Itachi. Itachi was eating a sandwich whilst lying down and Sakura was still braiding his hair. He felt Neji double take beside him. He thought Neji would be surprised to see Itachi like this too and would disturb any preconceived notions he had about the boy.
"You should totally sit up," Sakura said, peering over at him. Itachi had finished his sandwich at this point. "We have a lot of friends with us today." Itachi raised a brow at her.
"I am comfortable."
Sakura laughed, she couldn't help it. She started laughing and couldn't stop at this point. She held her sides as she laughed. Itachi only raised his brow at her while he ate the veggies she had brought for him. Sakura just shook her head. How the hell did she deal with him? Half the time she didn't even know. "What?" Sakura asked, flushing, when she realized there were so many other eyes on them.
"You look well, Itachi," Hinata tried. She wanted to make him feel included, as she thought that was the reason he was trying to take all of Sakura's attention. She knew his staying in her lap was mostly just a ploy so he didn't have her attention leave him. She thought he had had her attention all to himself for the most part and wasn't up to sharing it at this point.
"I am, and yourself?" Itachi asked, though didn't get up. He had finished his lunch and was enjoying Sakura's hands in his hair, his eyes closed again. Sasuke was even surprised that Itachi had graced Hinata with words. That didn't happen often. Hinata seemed just as surprised and didn't quite have the words to speak for a couple minutes.
"I am well," she finally said. Naruto laughed and shoved his shoulder into hers, grinning at her. He had always thought it adorable when she got flustered.
"Itachi, I need to eat," Sakura was saying. She knew her friends were pretty much just watching their interactions at this point. They were all quiet and staring and she knew for certain that Itachi was only too aware of it.
"Then eat," he said, but didn't move. Sakura blinked. She guessed he wasn't moving at this point. She pulled out her lunch from her bag and began eating the exact food Itachi had had for lunch today. She wanted to laugh at him most of the time. He had come out of his shell more and more over the past few weeks. This was the first time they had anyone sitting with them and he was definitely acting more brash, but it was also sort of cute. He seemed mildly annoyed that their alone time was interrupted and Sakura thought it was pretty adorable.
Rock Lee had finished eating at this point, though. Without food in his mouth, it was bound to turn into a disaster. Sakura watched him warily as he drank down the rest of his water bottle. Then, as she knew he would, he turned to her with a gigantic smile and said loudly, "So, youthful Sakura, how long have you and Itachi been dating?!"
Itachi's eye popped open, watching Lee curiously. Sakura turned red and began choking. Naruto was laughing his ass off and Sasuke looked pretty irate. Sakura managed to get the bit of apple in her throat dislodged and she turned her death glare to Lee.
"For your information, Lee, we aren't dating, so why don't you keep your big mouth to yourself?" she asked venomously. Lee looked quite surprised at Sakura's violent reaction.
"Sakura," Itachi's calm voice interrupted whatever she was going to say next. "You do realize that I am lying in your lap? You have been braiding my hair for the past ten minutes. I am sure you understand what that looks like to others." Sakura flushed. She didn't like it when someone pointed out that she was wrong. She really didn't like it when Itachi did it. His voice was always so calm that he seemed bored, even now. She huffed. "I do not see why your reaction is needed," Itachi answered her unspoken words. "I am merely stating the truth."
"I don't see why you have to be such a douche in front of my friends," she huffed. He rolled his eyes. She still hadn't pushed him out of her lap, so she wasn't that angry with him. He was quite entertained by her reaction actually and wanted to know how much of a rise he could really get out of her. He wasn't planning on trying when there were so many people around that she could punch in the face, however.
"I believe you two should date," Hinata was laughing into her hand while she watched the two. She couldn't help but say it. She knew she was going to get Naruto to laugh with this comment as well. "You two fight like an old married couple anyways!" Naruto burst out laughing, just as she thought he would. He couldn't help it. Hinata was so right. They were usually like this when they were in his house, too. They would bicker and shoot passive aggressive comments back and forth. It was quite entertaining to watch and he thought they enjoyed it as well.
"I don't think they should ever date," Sasuke said sharply. He didn't like the idea, but tried to think of something to say other than he just didn't like it. "It'll be a nightmare if they do and you all know it." Hinata could only giggle and Naruto shook his head, knowing that was just a lame excuse. Neji didn't know what to think anymore and Rock Lee was off in his own youthful little world.
"I think you guys are contemplating a future that has nothing to do with you," Sakura cut in, her eyes sharp. She hoped the next time anyone sat with them, this wouldn't happen. She wasn't exactly enjoying the topic of conversation here.
"Sakura, calm down, it's alright," Itachi said softly, reaching to touch her arm gently. She flushed at his touch and nodded. She didn't mean to have an outburst like that. She just really wasn't enjoying her friends commenting on her love life like that. She wanted to keep it personal and without their interference.
"Sorry," she muttered sheepishly. She thought the best thing to do was to go back to braiding Itachi's hair. Itachi closed his eyes again and let her do what she wished. He would just brush the braids back into his ponytail before going back into the school.
"You know what we should do before it gets too cold?" Naruto asked, falling back into the grass and staring up into the tree. The tree was quite pretty and he was distracted with the way the leaves swayed in the breeze. "We should go on a camping trip before it gets too cold, you know?" he said. "It's going to get really cold really soon and we should have some fun before winter comes."
"That's a good idea," Sakura said, smiling at the blond. He grinned at her from his place on the ground. He liked it when Sakura thought his idea was good. He couldn't get over it when she praised him, however, and would keep reminding her this was his idea until she got so annoyed with him that she punched him into next week. "What do you think, Sasuke, you in?" she asked.
"Sure. Why not. That means you're coming, brother," Sasuke shot at Itachi. "Mother is more likely to let me go if you are there with us." Itachi nodded, shrugging slightly. It wasn't like he minded. It meant more time with Sakura and that was more than he could ask for at this point. Narut looked expectantly at Neji and Hinata. Rock Lee had long gone off to practice his butterfly kicks far out of earshot, so Naruto wasn't too worried about him overhearing.
"I will accompany Hinata," Neji said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't really mind going with Hinata everywhere. It made him feel a semblance of normal and like he had friends. If you asked Naruto, he would say that Neji was their friend. If you asked Sasuke, it would be a much different story. Neji didn't care. He thought it would be nice to get away from this town for a weekend, even if it was spending time with kids he barely liked. He could deal with it. He would bring Tenten along. He liked Tenten and could deal with her for more than five minutes without getting a huge headache.
"It's settled then!" Naruto cried, almost jumping to his feet but realizing Sakura would probably sock him in the eye if he did. "We'll go this weekend! Sakura and I will handle the food and Sasuke and Itachi can handle the tents and Neji and Hinata can handle the firewood and sleeping bags!" Naruto was king at handing out jobs to do and strategizing who should do what. Sakura thought it was funny that he gave himself and Sakura control of the food. Naruto just wanted to make sure there was stuff he wanted.
"We'll meet at our house on Friday after school," Sakura said, knowing Naruto would forget a simple detail like that. "I'll probably be able to drive my dad's car and Itachi has a car too," she knew Itachi wouldn't care about being volunteered. By the way he didn't tense or shoot a glare her way, she was correct. The bell rang and she sighed, pulling herself up. She watched Itachi fix his hair back into the usual ponytail.
They said their goodbyes and headed back to the school. Naruto was still distracted by the way Sakura stuck to Itachi's side like glue. She was happy and smiling right now and he was glad to see it. He didn't think Sakura smiled enough anymore. He wrapped an arm around Hinata's shoulders and began walking back to the school with her.
"Are we all ready?" Sakura asked as she stood beside her father's car. It wasn't hard to get him to agree to this and Itachi was standing beside his car, slouching and waiting for everyone as well. Neji and Tenten were going in Sakura's car. Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke were riding with Itachi. Sakura thought it would be best that he have people he knew in the car with him so he didn't completely shut down by the time they got there.
"We are," Neji spoke for himself and Tenten. Sakura nodded towards her car and they took that as the signal to get on in. She waited for a moment for the other three. Naruto was just stuffing some more food into a cooler and that was the last one to go into the trunk. Itachi watched him like a hawk to make sure he didn't cause any harm to the outside of his car. This thing was expensive and if there was even a scratch on it, he was sure to hear it from his father later. Thankfully, Naruto managed to get the thing in without damaging anything.
"They are ready as well," Itachi said, watching the three pile into the car. His brother was up front with him at least and Naruto and Hinata were in the back seat. He could deal with that as long as there wasn't any funny business going on back there. "Shall I follow you?" he asked Sakura. She nodded, smiling. They got into their separate cars then.
"So why doesn't your father allow Naruto to drive this thing?" Tenten asked from beside her as she got in and buckled up. Neji, being the gentleman, had taken the backseat among all the tents and firewood. Sakura had agreed to take the firewood because her father didn't mind a little bit of mess like Itachi did. Sakura didn't want to put Itachi out more than she already was and so took anything he didn't want to carry.
"He doesn't trust Naruto to not get into an accident," Sakura laughed. "He was terrified when he was teaching Naruto how to drive and could only imagine the tumult he would instill upon anyone else if he were allowed behind the wheel freely." Tenten couldn't help but laugh at Sakura's words. She didn't know the girl well, but she liked the way she smiled at everyone and treated everyone equal. She wasn't too mean to anyone and generally was a pretty nice person. It was quite nice being around her.
"I would not trust Naruto to drive safely either," Neji commented, staring out the window. Sakura just laughed. She couldn't help it. Neji obviously wasn't funny outright, but there was something about his dry humor that just made her laugh.
The ride was silent the rest of the way to the campground, though Tenten did play some music that didn't bother either Sakura or Neji. They weren't quite the music type, but Tenten couldn't stand sitting in a quiet car for three hours. It was a frustrating thing to her. Neji was perfectly happy to watch the scenery fly by and Sakura was too busy watching the road to care about what was playing.
Sakura got out of the car when they got to the campground to rent the space. She sighed while she leaned against the counter, waiting for the ranger to come up and talk to her. It seemed like it took forever before he finally noticed her.
"What can I do for you, little lady?" the man asked with a smile. Sakura returned the smile.
"I just need a campsite. We don't need electricity." She'd done this several times at this point. Naruto never wanted to do it himself for whatever reason.
"Did you bring alcohol?"
"Sixteen."
"Are you going to party?"
"Doubt it." She had had this same conversation with this same ranger several times now. She was surprised he didn't just remember her at this point. She thought it was pretty hard to forget her hair, at least. The ranger rang her up for the two nights she wanted, and told her when she had to be gone by. Sakura only nodded through the entire thing until she was finally able to get back into her car and begin driving to the camping area she'd gotten. Itachi followed close behind her. She drove slowly around the lake in the gathering darkness, not wanting to make a wrong turn and end up eight feet under water.
Itachi, meanwhile, was having flashbacks and it was beginning to bother him. This lake was almost identical to the one he had attempted to end his life in three years ago. He tightened his hands on the steering wheel and grit his teeth, glaring at the car in front of him. Sasuke watched his brother in great curiosity, wondering what he was so upset about at the moment. It was a quick veer to the right and Sasuke grabbed the steering wheel while Itachi slammed on the brakes. His hands tightened on the wheel again and he glared. Why was this happening right now? Why was he having issues with being near a lake? It wasn't the same lake as three years ago, but it was bothering him nonstop. He wondered, slightly, if it was as cold now as that night. He growled under his breath.
"Do you want me to drive, Itachi?" Naruto asked, his hand on his shoulder and eyes worried. Itachi didn't answer, merely threw the car in park and stepped out of the driver's seat, waiting patiently for Naruto to switch with him. Sasuke watched the entire exchange and was quite surprised. He thought Itachi too proud to do anything of the sort. Naruto carefully drove Itachi's car, however, not wanting to make the older boy regret letting him drive. Meanwhile, Itachi's head was in his hands and he was dealing with the nightmare again. He felt the constricting water and iciness of the lake. He shivered uncontrollably and didn't realize when the car stopped. Naruto was out of the car in record time and flat out ran to Sakura.
"Sak, you've got to help Itachi," Naruto said breathlessly as he came up to Sakura. Sakura turned in surprise and curiosity shone in her eyes. "He's upset, you can help him." Sakura was confused as to why Naruto thought she could help him, but Itachi was her friend and if he was upset, she was going to go to him. He pointed her on her way and she walked quickly to the car. Sasuke was just getting out, Hinata standing nearby.
"I don't know what's wrong with him," Sasuke said, hand on the door like he was about to go and try to help him. Sakura shooed his hand off the door.
"I'll take care of it, okay Sasuke?" she smiled shakily at him, her want to get to Itachi bleeding into her smile. Sasuke blinked. He hadn't thought Sakura would want to deal with Itachi when he was like this, but he was proved very wrong.
"Thank you," was all he said before he went to join Naruto. He watched the car, though, wanting to make sure Itachi didn't do anything that would make him want to punch him.
"Itachi?" she asked softly, pressing her hand to his shoulder. She heard a strangled cough. She didn't know what to do. He tightened his hands in his hair. She was quite afraid that he was going to pull his hair out and so she grasped his hands, trying to relax his hold. He eventually did and fell forwards, against her chest. Bewildered, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought him closer. "What's wrong, Itachi?"
He didn't answer. She thought he was far too upset to do so. He had grabbed her around the waist and held her tightly to his body. He didn't want to let her get too far away. Sakura noticed he was crying and hyperventilating and her mind was thrown into overdrive. She had never thought the boy would cry.
"Sh, sh, Itachi, calm down," she hushed him, moving so she was a little more comfortable. She somehow ended up in his lap and pressed so tightly to his chest she could hardly breathe. "Tell me what's wrong," she said softly, brushing her fingers methodically through his hair, pulling his hairtie out in the process. He calmed slowly, eyes watching her chest move as she breathed. He couldn't help but hold her, inhale her scent. He loved that she was so close and was allowing him to hold her so very tightly.
"I apologize," he said lowly when he could finally find his voice. "I did not mean to act this way." Sakura was surprised. She wondered why he was apologizing when he was the one that was upset.
"I just want to know what's wrong." He weighed her impending reaction if he were to tell her. He knew he couldn't say that she was the one that saved him. He didn't want to admit that he had attempted to take his own life, but if anyone could identify with his feelings it was her. He didn't want to shut her out. He knew if he didn't answer, there would be a wall between them starting at this very moment. He didn't want that wall to rise, even though it was all because he was severely stunted in the way of life.
"I attempted to take my life a few years ago. It was around this time when the air was growing cold. I jumped into a lake and waited to drown."
"What happened?"
"Someone saved me," was all he said. He couldn't tell her who saved him. He didn't want to let her know that it was her, though he didn't know why. He thought it would hurt her far more than he was hurting right now. She would probably feel terrible that she couldn't remember and apologize profusely to him before getting upset about not remembering. He didn't want to cause her pain for his own selfish reasons.
"Well, I'm glad someone did save you, Itachi Uchiha," Sakura said, pulling back to bestow a glorious smile on him. He blinked, wondering how she could be so full of light and optimism when she had the same problems. He wondered if her happiness was feigned or if she was vulnerable to her dark thoughts when she was alone or someone brought it up. He wondered if she chose to be happy so others wouldn't worry about her. He wondered so many things, but could find no answers and no solid truth. She was smiling at him right now, though, and that was what was most important. He couldn't help himself, not really. She was smiling and looked so wonderful. He gave her a gentle nudge and connected their mouths for a soft moment. She didn't pull away. Her small hands were caught in his collar and he tightened his hold on her waist. When she did pull away, she was still smiling. "I hope the next time you won't be coming down from a panic attack." His heart skipped a beat at her words. She would allow him to kiss her again. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Very much so," he said after a few moments. She nodded. "I suppose that means we should join the others?" Dread grew in his chest though he was the one to say those words. He didn't want to leave for another minute or so. He was really enjoying having her here like this. He didn't know the next time he would be able to have her so close; it was calming to him.
"I suppose we should," though she didn't move either. He hugged her tighter and she didn't try to push him away. She seemed rather happy here as well and he didn't want to move until she was ready to. He would never tell her that he didn't want to go. She finally pulled away a few minutes later and patted his shoulder.
He followed her out of the car, but she made sure he looked alright before they did. She didn't want their friends to think he'd been having a mental breakdown. Their friends were setting up several tents in a half circle around the fire pit. Sakura led Itachi to her car to get some firewood to start the fire up.
"Are you alright, Itachi?" Sasuke had noticed they'd gotten out of the car and went straight up to them to make sure his brother was alright. Itachi froze at the sound of Sasuke's voice. He didn't think Sasuke cared so much as to make sure he was alright. Sasuke wasn't going anywhere, though, and Itachi turned to him, surprised that there was genuine worry in his brother's eyes.
"I apologize if I scared you, brother," Itachi said, trying to insert some warmth into his voice. He didn't want to put his brother out, not when he was taking the first step. "I am alright now." Sasuke nodded, the worry in his eyes fading. Sasuke was acting quite peculiar as of late. He wasn't so cold to Itachi and had sought him out to talk a few times in the past weeks. His behavior was curious, but Itachi couldn't complain. He was enjoying that his brother was attempting to make amends and he wasn't about to put a stop to it.
"Do you want help?" Sasuke turned to Sakura now, her arms full of firewood.
"If you want to grab more of it, that would be a help," Sakura smiled. She nodded towards the fire pit to Itachi, who already had his arms full of firewood as well. Sakura tossed hers off to the side and Itachi did the same, handing her a few pieces to make a fire with. He went to help Sasuke.
A couple hours later and everything was set up. Sakura collapsed in one of the camp chairs and sighed. She was tired after school today and then driving here and setting up. She was hungry too, though, and Naruto was pulling hot dogs out of one of the coolers. He handed her a stick and she raised it in thanks.
"So who's going in which tent?" Sakura asked after a yawn, blearily watching her hot dog cook. She didn't really like these things, but she wasn't about to give up perfectly good food.
"Me and Neji in one, Sasuke and Itachi in another and the girls in the last tent," Naruto said. Sakura only nodded. Naruto had obviously thought this out. He had thought Itachi would be more comfortable with his kin rather than someone he didn't know. Sasuke raised a brow at Naruto, but didn't say anything.
It was cold, Sakura realized, but a sweatshirt was way too far away and in a backpack. She didn't feel like getting up to get it, especially when her hot dog was almost done and she was so hungry. She felt a nudge at her left shoulder and she looked up to see Itachi holding his sweatshirt out for her. He took her stick so she could put it on. She hugged herself and smiled. She liked the way he smelled and she liked the way he didn't move away afterwards. He was just standing behind her, watching everything. It made her feel safer when he was near.
"Hey Sakura, remember the last time we went camping and I almost set the forest on fire?" Naruto laughed. He thought it was getting too quiet and thought it high time to bring some laughter to the small group. Sakura rolled her eyes at his words.
"Yea, because you threw the lighter fluid everywhere. That's why I make the fire now, remember?" Sakura raised her brows at him and he only laughed sheepishly.
"Wait, what happened?" Sasuke asked, interested. He hadn't heard this story yet and thought it might be quite hilarious. It usually was when Sakura and Naruto were involved. Somehow, Naruto always managed to get the two into a lot of trouble.
"Naruto got a little happy with the lighter fluid," Sakura said, rolling her eyes.
"No! I thought I had to shake it to make it come out better!" Naruto said, crossing his arms. Sakura fixed him with 'the look.' 'The look' was the look she gave him when he hadn't thought something through. She tilted her head slightly and narrowed her eyes. He hated that look, but knew he deserved it.
"Yeah, well while he was doing that it got everywhere. Then he threw a match in it," Sakura sighed. "I then ran around throwing water on everything while he stood there like a dumbass." Naruto flushed and Sasuke just shook his head. He could be quite dumb when it came down to it. Sakura pulled her hot dog from the fire and thought it was quite ready to eat. She grabbed a roll and went to eat it.
"I guess I'm not the best in an emergency," Naruto said sheepishly. Sakura only shrugged, too intent on her food to notice. She looked up at Itachi.
"Are you cold?" she asked. He simply looked at her impassively. There weren't enough chairs for everyone, but he wasn't complaining. He didn't even care that he was cold. He was enjoying being around everyone and being so close to her. Sakura sighed. She pulled herself out of the chair. He was confused, but she was ushering him into it. He was completely and utterly bewildered when she climbed into his lap and curled against his chest. His mind hadn't quite caught up with him, but he still wrapped his arms around her and kept her snugly against his chest.
"Naruto, why don't you think things through?" Sasuke was saying when Itachi checked back in. No one had really thought to watch Itachi and Sakura, which was nice for him. He didn't like when their actions were noticed. Sakura had finished her food and was threading her fingers through his hair, braiding it again. He half wondered why she liked to do that so much.
"Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time," Naruto laughed. They were talking about when Naruto had tried to go skateboarding on a garbage can lid and had ended up with a broken arm. Sakura was listening avidly. She didn't remember it, not at all, and latched onto any stories about the past. She thought that one, perhaps, would jumpstart her memory and bring something back to her. It hadn't happened so far now, but she still tried.
Naruto continued on with his stories, Sakura listening avidly while he did. Itachi kept her cradled into his chest, unspeaking as he did so. Sasuke was watching them from across the fire and he thought that his brother seemed rather calm and at ease at the moment. It was one of the few times Sasuke got to see that look in his eyes and it was interesting to say the least.
"Are you tired?" Itachi asked softly when she stifled a yawn. Sakura shook her head, though she really was. She was far too interested in Naruto's words to care that she was tired. She didn't want to miss a second of his stories, not to mention the fact that Itachi's chest was pressed oh so nicely to her back.
She didn't notice, because his grip didn't slacken, but she turned to him to say something and realized he was asleep. She couldn't help but giggle and turn back to her friends, curling her body a little more tightly against his. She didn't want him to get cold in his sleep. He grunted and she was slightly afraid that he woke up, but he only shifted slightly and calmed again.
"I have a story about Sakura," Naruto grinned. Sakura was very interested, but didn't say a word, as the rest of their friends around the fire didn't. "When we were eight, she did a nice face plant when we were skiing," Naruto laughed. Sakura didn't know how that was a good story and tilted her head at him, wondering why he chose this story to tell. "She went skidding like twenty feet and lost both her skis and her poles. I came up to her and she was just laughing and staring at the sky. When I asked her if she was okay, she just shook her head and rolled over and put her face in the snow."
"Naruto, I think you're getting too tired for more stories," Sakura said, shaking her head. It was far past midnight at this point and she knew his focus was probably shorting out.
"You're right," Naruto sighed, getting up and stretching his arms high over his head. "I think it's time for bed." Hinata and Neji had long gone to bed, but Tenten and Sasuke were still up and nodded in agreement, getting up and stretching as well. Sakura sighed. It seemed as though she was going to have to wake Itachi up.
"Hey," she turned to him and shook him gently, "Itachi, you have to wake up." He grunted lowly and didn't open his eyes, merely pulled her harshly against his chest. He was quite comfortable and didn't want to move. "Itachi," she giggled, "You have to go to bed." It took a little more prodding, but he finally opened his eyes. She managed to get his arms from around her and pulled away from him, stretching her cramped limbs. Naruto had gone off to his tent in this time. Tenten was waiting for her and Sasuke was waiting for Itachi, both not wanting to open the tents more than once. Sakura smiled up at Itachi and went off towards her tent.
"I thought you would take her head off," Sasuke said lowly as they walked to theirs. Itachi got in first and began rolling out his sleeping bag. He raised a brow at Sasuke.
"Why would you think that would happen?" he asked curiously. He didn't think he would want to take Sakura's head off, but perhaps his brother knew more than he did.
"Whenever I tried to wake you up, you gave me such a death glare that I was afraid it would actually kill me," Sasuke said as he unrolled his sleeping bag as well.
"Perhaps I do not like you waking me up. Sakura is quite nice to wake up to, however."
"Would you like her in here instead?"
"That would be preferable, yes." Sasuke couldn't help himself. He just smiled and shook his head. He had forgotten how very dry and blunt Itachi could be. Since he had decided to stop outright hating his brother, he had found the reasons he had enjoyed his company when he had been a small child.
"Goodnight, Itachi," Sasuke said, crawling into his bag. Itachi did the same and got comfortable.
"Goodnight, Sasuke." Itachi didn't mind his brother so much anymore. He was acting quite pleasant as of late and it was a nice thing. He hadn't thought his brother would ever be this pleasant to him again. The last time he had been treated to such behavior was when Sasuke was about nine or ten, before their father had gotten too abusive. Sasuke didn't know about any of that, though and Itachi thought it was for the best. He didn't want to draw it to his attention only to bring the abuse to him.
Itachi sighed lowly and pulled the sleeping higher up his chest, wishing Sakura was with him, warming him more. He missed her small body against his. He shook his head and shut his eyes tighter in an attempt to get some sleep.
They were hiking. Itachi hated hiking. He hated doing anything that required exercise, really. Sakura wasn't even near him. She was jumping and talking along with Naruto up at the front, Hinata smiling and blushing beside him. Neji and Tenten were talking quietly to each other as they walked along and Sasuke was beside Itachi, though they weren't speaking much. They didn't often speak much to each other.
Sakura had thought it best not to go towards the lake because of what had happened the day before, and so had gathered everyone together to go on a hiking trail. Itachi was sure it was a five mile trail and they were only about a mile and a half in. He was dragging himself along as he hadn't wanted to cop out and make her face fall. He was quite annoyed, however, that she was nowhere near him right now.
"Need to stop?" Sasuke asked as they finished climbing a hill. Itachi was breathing heavily and holding his chest. He didn't answer, but Sasuke took it upon himself to grab his arm and stop him. "Breathe, Itachi. We'll catch up in a second," he handed him a water bottle. "I didn't know you were so out of shape."
"I suppose it is all the cigarettes I have been smoking," Itachi commented, accepting the water. Sasuke was surprised and it showed on his face. "I apologize, you didn't know I smoke." Sasuke just brushed it off.
"It's okay. Just catch your breath." He wasn't about to try and lecture his brother on his life choices. He knew Itachi also smoked weed every now and then, but he thought it was better than letting his mind go crazy like the night before. He didn't want to see that ever again, so wouldn't say anything. Itachi didn't seem moved by his words, but Sasuke didn't think he really cared. Itachi handed the bottle of water back to him and gestured towards the path. They had to catch up to the group.
"Thank you," Itachi said as they began walking again.
"Tell me something, Itachi," Sasuke said, staring at the tops of the trees. They were just starting to change color and he was waiting for the flares of orange, red, and gold he loved about fall so much. "What happened last night?" he asked, referring to the panic attack his brother had suffered. Itachi didn't miss a beat as he turned his gaze to him.
"Our parents never told you why I went away for a year?" he asked, turning his gaze back towards the trail. He didn't want to look at his brother as he revealed this to him. He didn't know if his brother was going to be disappointed or disgusted with him and he didn't want to see either in his eyes, not with how well everything was going lately.
"They told me that they put you in a boarding school. I don't know why they brought you home or why they sent you there in the first place," Sasuke said, shrugging.
"They did no such thing," Itachi cut across. Sasuke was surprised. There was such venom in his voice that he had never heard before. "I attempted to take my own life in a lake much like the one here," he said, watching the skyline now. "It was much around this time of year as well. Sakura was the one that pulled me out and warmed me up. Our parents did not know what to do with me and did not want the news of my hospitalization to come out to the public. I was in a psychiatric institute for a year."
"What?" Sasuke couldn't quite wrap his head around the information his brother had shared. He hadn't known any of this, much less the fact that Sakura had saved him that night. They still hadn't caught up to the rest of the group and so was thinking of her pink hair. He wondered how it could have never come up in conversation.
"I was sure you weren't an idiot, Sasuke, must I really explain everything I just told you?" Itachi asked lazily. He stopped for a moment and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. Since they weren't in sight of the group, he didn't feel bad about smoking. He didn't want to do it in front of Sakura. He didn't know what she would think if he did so.
"I didn't mean it like that and you know it," Sasuke said irritably. "I just can't believe no one ever told me! Sakura didn't even mention that night to me and neither did Naruto."
"As I understand, Sakura had an accident not long after that. Would you care to tell me about that?" Itachi asked, raising his brow at Sasuke. He had told him something, now he wanted some information.
"Oh." Sasuke sighed. "It was a drunk driver. She was walking home from a movie with Naruto and she was in the crosswalk when the car hit her. They were turning, so they weren't going too fast, but she hit her head really hard. She lost most of her more recent memories, up until she was about seven or eight years old. She spent a while in the hospital and with private tutors so she could come back to high school. She worked hard and is graduating on time. We all thought she wouldn't get this far. There was a point, when she was in a coma and there wasn't much hope of her waking up, Naruto was beside himself. I couldn't help him and I didn't know how to," Sasuke sighed. It still hurt, to this day. He had hated seeing his best friend in such pain because he thought he should have done something to save Sakura. Naruto still wished that he could change places with Sakura.
"She told me she used to be anorexic."
"Yeah," Sasuke sighed, brushing his hands through his hair. "That was pretty tough too. Sakura has always had body issues and there was this one girl that didn't make it any better. She didn't know how to deal with it and so starved herself so she might seem more appealing. Her parents didn't know what to do or maybe they denied it, but Naruto was hit the hardest. I don't think he ever forgave himself," Sasuke shrugged.
"I do not think Naruto has forgiven himself for the fact that she is still tortured by things. She still cuts herself and he does not know how to fix it. Is this why he is so protective?" Itachi asked, remembering what the blond boy had told him. He understood now why Naruto was so protective of the girl and why Sasuke listened to him about anything that pertained to Sakura. Itachi couldn't quite believe the mess he had entangled himself into.
"Well, yeah," Sasuke shrugged. "Naruto's never gotten over the things that have happened to her. If you ask him, he'll tell you all the things he should have done to make sure she didn't get hurt. He'll tell you that he blames himself about everything and that he just wants to make sure she's safe and happy for the rest of her life."
"He should stop blaming himself," Itachi said gruffly. "There are things that you cannot avoid and cannot stop. What has happened to her was one of such things. She makes her own choices and would not listen to reason. He does not have the power to help her when no one listens." Sasuke was surprised.
"Does no one listen to you?" he asked quietly. He wanted to know. Were these words so deep and spoken so forcefully because Itachi knew from experience? Probably. Itachi was so much more than a distant older brother now and Sasuke couldn't quite believe he had thought so low of him before. He had thought he was a good for nothing pariah because of everything their father had said. He had thought he'd gotten kicked out of a boarding school and that he had no friends because he was so socially inept. Sasuke couldn't believe how in the dark he really was.
"You are listening, are you not?" Itachi asked, finally looking at his brother. Sasuke's surprise showed in his eyes. "If only one person listens…" he sighed and lit another cigarette. "It makes all the difference, little brother." Sasuke blinked. He had never thought his brother would call him that again. He hadn't called him little brother since they'd been nine and ten, before Itachi began pulling away from him and shutting him out.
"Does Sakura listen?"
"Sakura listens and is listened to," Itachi said lightly. They still hadn't come upon the group, though they were walking quite slow. They were too interested in keeping the conversation going. Sasuke nodded as he walked along, as though he was thinking about what to say.
"You're good for each other," he said quietly. Itachi nodded.
"I should say so. She calmed me down last night. I have found no one that is capable of such action."
"How did you get out of the psych hospital and still have these issues?" Sasuke asked. "I thought you had to go through tests to make sure your brain was right." Itachi chuckled. Sasuke started. He didn't expect his brother to laugh and so looked at him in mild surprise. He had never heard such a noise come from the older boy.
"I am very smart, Sasuke. It is quite easy to trick them. You must find the right words to say and they will let you go. It was far worse in that hospital than it is at home." Itachi hoped that Sasuke didn't think anything was going on at home, because he didn't feel comfortable in answering questions about that. He thought it passed Sasuke by when he asked the next question.
"What was it like? Sakura's been in one for a couple months, but she doesn't remember much. It was right after she woke up from her coma and was put there to help her get better. She really wasn't there for long."
"Horrid," Itachi pulled a face. "We were kept in windowless rooms with a single bed and perhaps a desk if you were lucky. The food was poor slop that was not even good enough for animals. We were let out three times a day for the bathroom for five minutes apiece and then we would have community time for an hour each day. It was all of us in a single, large room and most of us sat on the floor or on the benches and kept to ourselves. We had nothing to say to each other. I am sure a person goes more insane just by being there."
"I guess Sakura went to a better one."
"She did not attempt to take her own life. All of us in that disgusting place were there because we attempted to take our lives and therefore were kept on harsh surveillance. We each went to the psychiatrist every day. After a while, I learned what to say and how to say it," Itachi said smoothly. That place was a dark blotch in his memory and he would rather not remember it, but Sasuke was the one asking. He would tell Sasuke anything if to keep him from hating him again.
"Are you doing better?" Sasuke asked. He wanted to know if Itachi was going to try and take his life again. He didn't want that to happen, no matter what his feelings towards him were. He didn't want Itachi to think he hated him, even though he had had such a poor impression of him no more than a month ago.
"I will not attempt my life again," Itachi informed him. "I am far too interested in what is going on lately to want to."
"Do you mean Sakura?" Itachi nodded in answer. Of course he meant Sakura. He had found something more interesting than his dark thoughts and he couldn't help but want to stick around. Apart from his own selfish reasons, Sakura also seemed to be doing much better than before. He didn't want to give that up either.
"We should walk faster and attempt to catch up to them now," Itachi said, looking around the path. There was no clue as to when the group was through here and he thought they were too far at this point. Sasuke nodded. They set off at a brisk pace, Sasuke watching Itachi intently to make sure he wasn't losing his breath again. There wasn't any way an ambulance would get all the way out here and there was no way Sasuke even had cell service.
Itachi seemed to be fine, though. He seemed to be doing better after getting all that off his chest and perhaps it was helping him. Sasuke didn't know, he was just happy that Itachi had told him everything that he had. It was a nice look into his head and the things he had been through. Sasuke had never known and it was just a testament to how much he had been sheltered in his life.
They didn't find their friends again. They made it back to the camp and found them sitting around the fire. Sakura was up in a moment and running up to Itachi, patting him and grabbing his hands and generally fussing over him to make sure he was okay.
"Sakura, what's wrong?" Itachi asked, grabbing her hands and holding her a little bit away from him. He wanted her to keep her focus.
"I was worried about you!" Sakura said, biting her lip. "I noticed that you guys weren't behind us and you never caught up with us and it took you so long to get back!" she was close to tears at this point. Sasuke just watched the entire time. He didn't interrupt, but nor did Naruto. They thought Itachi could deal with this at this point.
"I do not see why. We are grown. I am sure there was no reason to worry," Itachi said quietly, trying to keep her meltdown away from the rest of the group. "We are alright," he said. Sakura didn't burst into tears, not just yet, but her lower lip trembled and her hands tightened into fists. He sighed and pulled her harshly against his chest. "Calm down, Sakura, we were together. I highly doubt anything could have happened."
"I just worry a lot, okay?" she mumbled against his chest.
"I know." He gently pulled her away from his chest. "Why don't we eat?" he was starving. He hadn't eaten much for breakfast that day and was thoroughly looking forwards to eating some lunch. Sakura sniffled and wiped her nose before nodding and turning back to the fire. She pulled Itachi along behind her and waited for him to sit in the chair before sitting in his lap again. Their friends didn't even blink at this point. It was obvious that there was something that was going on between them, but they didn't want the same violent reaction Sakura had had the last time someone brought it up.
"Alright, we're having burgers!" Naruto said, pushing himself up. He went to the little grill that came with the campsite and began loading charcoal into it. He was glad to see Sakura warming up to Itachi like that and smiled to himself while he worked. He was glad to see the difference in Sakura's demeanor. She was a lot more optimistic lately and looked forwards to seeing Itachi every day at school.
Hinata got up to help Naruto, seeing Sakura and Itachi was making her slightly jealous. She couldn't do something like that right now because Neji would birth a horse if she did. It was nice to spend so much time with him, it was just slightly annoying that Neji was there, watching like a hawk. It was nice that Tenten was here,though. She was doing a good job at distracting him enough for Hinata to steal a few kisses here and there.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked when she realized he was too deep in his thoughts to realize she had come up next to him.
"I was just thinking about how much happier Sakura seems," Naruto said, still smiling to himself. Hinata nodded. Sometimes, she was a little jealous of the attention Naruto gave Sakura, but she had come to realize it was because Sakura needed it. She needed someone to look after her and worry about her because she spent most of her time doing the same for others.
"Itachi seems rather happy as well," Hinata said, turning to look at their group of friends. Sakura was just laughing at something Tenten had said and Itachi was talking to Sasuke, who was sporting a light smile as well. Everyone seemed rather happy as of late. "I didn't know him before Sakura started hanging around him, but he seemed foreboding when I did notice him."
"Well, yeah, he doesn't know how to talk to people still," Naruto shrugged. "He only really opens up around Sakura. Sasuke's been thinking better of him too and I think that's really good. Sasuke used to complain about him all day every day and now he doesn't say a word. He says a few good things about him now and wonders how he's doing sometimes."
"What do you mean?" Hinata asked softly. She didn't really know that much about their friends. She was frightfully shy when it came to anyone but Naruto, but he didn't mind explaining everything and anything to help her along with that.
"Itachi's not home a lot," Naruto shrugged. "He wakes up super early and leaves before Sasuke gets up most of the time. He doesn't come home until after everyone's gone to bed. Sasuke didn't think much of it before, but now he wonders. It just shows how much his attitude has changed over the past few weeks."
"Really?" Hinata was interested. She had known Sasuke didn't think much of his brother, but the way he was talking to Itachi now, that wasn't the truth anymore. Sasuke didn't seem to hate his brother now as he talked with him and had that slight smile on his face. Itachi didn't seem bored either, he seemed as though he was listening avidly to his brother. It could have been because he was holding tightly to Sakura, who was still in his lap, but Hinata thought it was a mixture of the two.
"He used to say really bad stuff about him," Naruto shrugged and he didn't go into it. He didn't want to be overheard. Sasuke would definitely hit him over the head for it and he didn't want that. "He doesn't so much anymore. He doesn't really like that that's happening," he gestured to Itachi and Sakura holding each other, "but I think he's accepted it just like he accepted Itachi."
"He didn't want Itachi to be around Sakura?"
"He thought he was a bad person, what do you expect?" Naruto laughed. "I think he's getting better, though. He didn't glare at Itachi when Sakura fussed over him just now. I think that's a pretty good thing."
"Yeah," Hinata blinked. She hadn't really realized the transformation in Sasuke, but she was glad that it happened. He didn't look as sour as he usually did and she thought that was pretty good. Sakura laughed about something and Hinata watched Itachi's eyes light up at the sound. She smiled, thinking it was quite cute.
"Alright, we just have to let this get a little hotter," Naruto said, turning back to their friends. "I can't believe we got that fire built up again."
"Everyone likes it a lot. Why did you think we wouldn't?" Hinata asked, trying to keep him to herself for a couple more minutes. She didn't want to go back to Neji watching them like a hawk.
"I thought it would have gone completely out after breakfast. I guess I was wrong," Naruto laughed. "Let's get back to them. I want to sit down." His legs were a little tired after the long walk earlier and he didn't want to stand for longer than he had to. He led Hinata back to the group and sat beside her chair. He tuned into the conversation everyone was having.
"You know, Sasuke," Sakura was saying, "You could ask Itachi to help. He helps me with that class a lot. Nothing really makes sense to me. " Itachi didn't seem too happy about the idea and Naruto wanted to laugh. He thought the older boy was just annoyed because he thought of the tutoring as more alone time with Sakura and didn't want it to be interrupted.
"I will help if you need it," Itachi said anyways. He didn't want to make Sasuke feel like he didn't want him to ask for help. It wasn't really an issue even though his time with Sakura would be interrupted. He had her in his lap now and that meant more than anything else. She leaned back against him and moved slightly to get more comfortable.
"So, what are you guys doing for Halloween?" Naruto asked, trying to lighten the mood a little. Halloween was a little less than a month off and he was excited. He and Sakura usually got their parents to let them have a party and it was always fun.
"Are we trying to have a party this year?" Sakura asked, sighing. She didn't like decorating the house or cleaning up afterwards, though they usually had Sasuke's help.
"Why wouldn't we?" Naruto asked, laughing. "I love having our parties every year. Is that a problem?" he laughed again. Sakura sighed again.
"Well, it wouldn't be if you actually helped me set up and clean up instead of trusting that Sasuke will help me instead," Sakura shot at him, a glare in the works. Naruto laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.
"I'll be there to make sure he helps this year, Sakura," Hinata smiled. She and Naruto had only been together for about ten months now and so she hadn't been around the last year to offer her help. Sakura smiled at Hinata.
"That's good. At least I'll have you around to help me whip him into shape," Sakura smiled.
"If you allow me to, I will be there as well," Itachi said. Sakura giggled and threw her arms around him.
"It's a given that you have to show up," she laughed. She wasn't about to let him off the hook, whether he wanted to be there or not. Itachi could only hug her back, a slight smile on his mouth. He liked that she was so affectionate.
"I suppose I'll have to be there, if you would like to join us, Tenten," Neji sighed. If Hinata was bent on going that meant his uncle would invariably force him to go. He was rarely seen without Tenten, though, so it was a given that she would be there if Neji was, just like it was a given he would be somewhere if Hinata was.
"I don't mind a party," Tenten grinned. She didn't think she was really in on this group all that much, but they were pretty fun and never said anything to her that made her feel unwelcome. It was a nice feeling.
"Then it's decided!" Naruto proclaimed as he got up to check the grill. He thought it was hot enough at this point and went to the cooler to get the hamburgers out. He grinned when he saw his friends. Though most of them were antisocial and a little crazy, they were all talking and getting along. It was quite pleasant to see.
"I have to go to the bathroom!" Sakura shouted, hopping off Itachi's lap. "Who wants to come with me?" she directed to the girls. Itachi raised a brow. Why did girls always want to go to the bathroom together?
"I'll go!" Tenten popped up and hustled to Sakura's side while Hinata just shook her head with a slight smile. She didn't feel the need at the moment. Sakura gave a half wave before walking towards the road with Tenten to go to the bathrooms. "So, what's up with you and Itachi?" Tenten asked when they got out of earshot of the others.
"What do you mean?" Sakura was sporting a dark blush and she wasn't looking at the other girl. Tenten just laughed.
"I meant that you two are getting pretty cuddly in that chair. What's up?"
"Oh well, you know," Sakura mumbled. She still wouldn't look at Tenten. "I guess I like him. He kissed me last night and I didn't stop him. I kissed him back." Tenten was going crazy now, she didn't think she was going to get such details. She thought Sakura would shut down for the most part and not know what to say. Sakura was saying a lot right now and it was making her quite happy.
"That's so cool! So are you going to date him?"
"I don't know," Sakura muttered. "How about you and Neji?" she turned the conversation back on Tenten, who turned red now too. "Are you ever going to ask him out, because we all know he isn't going to do it himself."
"Well, I mean, we're just friends!" Tenten blubbered. She didn't mean to sound so silly, but she was caught off guard. She really didn't like it when someone did this to her. She liked talking about things with other people, but she didn't like when the attention was turned on her.
"Yeah, okay. You do everything together! He doesn't hate you as much as everyone else. That's a perfect reason to ask him out," Sakura said, watching the road. They were coming up on the bathrooms now and Sakura couldn't be happier about it. She was really not enjoying the topic of conversation here.
"Just because he doesn't hate me as much as everyone else doesn't mean he's in love with me," Tenten said, shrugging. "He hasn't said anything and he hasn't asked me out. Why would I do something like that if I don't have any idea if he likes me or not?"
"So you're just afraid of rejection," Sakura deadpanned. Tenten flinched. Of course, she saw through her excuses. She didn't know Sakura very well, but she did know that little fact about her. Sakura was just too good at seeing through bullshit.
Tenten didn't answer, merely took to walking towards the bathroom quickly. Sakura just grinned to herself and shook her head, following her quickly.
When they got back to camp, the hamburgers were almost ready and Naruto had corn wrapped in tin foil cooking in the fire. Sakura took her place back in Itachi's lap and smiled when his arms wrapped around her. He arranged her just as he liked and she melted into his chest. She liked this. It was calming to be in his arms. She forced herself not to worry about what everyone else was thinking.
Lunch was relatively quiet, everyone far too hungry to think of topics to talk about. Naruto came around with the garbage bag for the paper plates afterwards. Before anyone could speak really, Itachi nudged her.
"Would you like to take a walk with me?" he asked. He had an idea, but he wanted her with him. He didn't want her to worry about him.
"Of course," she smiled and hopped off his lap, grabbing his hand and pulled him out of the chair. "We're going for a walk guys," she announced, not wanting Naruto or Sasuke to worry about them. They nodded and a few called goodbye as they walked away from camp. "So," she said when they'd been walking a few minutes, "why did you want to take a walk with me?"
"I want to go down to the lake, but I do not trust myself to go alone," Itachi said. Sakura blinked. She didn't know what to say to his words. She laced her fingers through his instead. He didn't look at her, but squeezed her hand to let her know he did notice and did appreciate it.
They didn't talk much as they made their way down to the lake. It was quite a walk, but neither of them minded it. Itachi was surprised, again, with how much this lake was similar to the one three years ago. There was a small bridge hanging halfway out into the water and he led her to it. He grit his teeth as he remembered how cold the water had been and how constricting it had felt to let himself drown. His knuckles were white as he gripped Sakura's hand. She took the lead when he couldn't take another step and led him to the edge, sitting down over the water.
"Are you doing okay?" she asked when he sat down next to her. He didn't nod or shake his head. He didn't know if he was okay. He was staring into the dark water, his mind going into overdrive. He felt the iciness. He felt the terror as water filled his lungs. He began leaning forwards and Sakura grabbed him, pulling him harshly to her chest and running her fingers through his hair and down his back. "Why did you want to come here if you knew this would happen?" she asked as she did, wondering why he would subject himself to such a thing.
"I thought I should face my fear," he said methodically, feeling as though his breath was stolen from him. He gripped her tightly and brought her harshly against him. He wanted her warmth and her comfort. He didn't want her to leave. He needed her here with him right now.
"Sure, but I don't think I'm the person to do that with," Sakura laughed. "I have a lot of my own fears I have yet to face."
"Perhaps watching me face my own will help you face yours," he said. It was getting easier to talk, easier to breathe. He hadn't gone swimming in the past three years, hadn't even been near the water, but here he was now. Sakura was making all the difference and he was thoroughly enjoying it. Sakura was still rubbing his back while she was thinking of what to say.
"I guess you're right. Will you be there for me then?" she asked quietly.
"Call me any time and I will be by your side for anything," he promised. He pulled away from her slightly to stare down into the water. It didn't cause great fear anymore, though his heart did beat a little faster and his breathing was a little harsher. She was gently running her fingers through his hair, though, and it was helping him. He wasn't alone. She was here and she would be here until he didn't want her to be anymore, but he could never think of that happening.
"Itachi," she said suddenly, breaking the calm silence between them. "Why did you kiss me?" she had been rather confused about the entire thing, but didn't want to put him off and think something was wrong while she thought through everything that had happened.
"You were quite beautiful and I could not help myself," he answered honestly. "Would you rather that I had not?"
"I was just confused. It was just kind of sudden, you know?" she shook her head. "I did like it, you know? I was just a little surprised that you did."
"It is no secret that I enjoy your company, Sakura. Is that an issue?" he turned an amused eye to her and she flushed. She giggled.
"I guess you're right. I shouldn't have been surprised. Are you planning on kissing me again though?" she didn't know if there would be a repeat act, she was just hoping there would be. She hadn't really been kissed before, not that she could remember anyways.
"I am," he said, staring at her. She seemed as though she wanted him to kiss her again right in this moment. He took the opportunity and slid his hand under her chin, lifting her face slightly to get a better angle and pushed his mouth gently on hers. Her hands caught in his shirt and grasped tightly. He thought her slightly inexperienced, but that didn't overshadow the happiness he felt in kissing her. He had been obsessing over her for so long and watching her from afar for so long, wishing she would notice and talk to him. He never thought he would be here, facing his fears with her and kissing her like it was normal.
She was smiling when he pulled away. She pushed him down on the planks and pushed her face into his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. She was happy right now even though she was sure he was still afraid, though. She was here with him, though, and she wouldn't let anything happen to him. She guessed he knew that because he was relaxed at the moment.
They lay there for hours, until the sun went down and the stars were out for a while. Itachi was enjoying the view and having her so close. They had talked about several things while they were together, though it wasn't anything too deep. Their emotional sides were exhausted by this point and it was just light banter.
"We should head back soon," Sakura said after she checked her phone. It was about nine at this point and, though she enjoyed his company and having it to herself, the others were probably worrying about them. Itachi nodded and let her go, watching her pull herself up and stretch her arms over her head. "Wow, I'm tired," she yawned. After going to bed so late last night and then getting up early for the hike, she was just tired and beat.
"I am as well." He sighed. He wished he could pull her underneath his sleeping bag tonight, but knew there was a very slight chance of that happening. He just wanted to hold her all night. He sighed and pulled himself up as well, stretching his arms over his head too. He caught a glimpse of the water, but with Sakura by his side, there was just a slight rush to his head and heart. He didn't feel the iciness of the water this time or felt the constriction of drowning. Sakura gave him a slight smile and wrapped his hand in hers. She pulled him gently towards land and he went easily enough.
"We thought you two died," Naruto laughed when they got back to camp. "You guys were gone for like six hours. What were you doing?"
"Just talking," Sakura shrugged. "I'm tired, though, I'm going to sleep," she let Itachi's hand go and offered him a smile before going off to her tent. Itachi watched her go, wishing that he could join her.
"Go on, Itachi," Naruto laughed again. "We all know you want to go with her." Itachi was speechless. He didn't think Naruto would allow such a thing. "Don't worry about it," Naruto sighed. "Sasuke'll join us tonight and the girls already moved their stuff. Just don't do anything or all of us will come in there and punch you," he warned.
"I am not planning on doing anything that would warrant such a reaction," Itachi managed to say though his brain was all but a vegetable at this point.
"Good," Sasuke said darkly. Itachi shook his head. He walked to the tent Sakura had just disappeared into and climbed in. She was already in her sleeping back and was just a lump in the darkness. Sasuke had thrown Itachi's sleeping bag in here and he unzipped it, laying it out before laying his hand on Sakura's back.
"Itachi?" she asked voice thick as she was half asleep. "What are you doing here?"
"Our friends decided to be quite nice tonight," Itachi answered. Sakura was slight unsure as he coaxed her out of her sleeping bag and onto the open one he had lain out to lay comfortably with her. He grabbed her sleeping bag and unzipped it as well to act as a blanket. He laid next to her and pulled it over their bodies.
She was tense and unsure, not knowing what she should do in this situation. She hadn't been in bed with a boy before and didn't quite know how to lie or what to do. Itachi let out a low chuckle and wrapped an arm around her, turning her so her back was to his chest. He pressed his body harshly against her. She took a moment to get comfortable, but she was wonderfully warm when she did. He had curled his body around her and she felt quite safe and warm with him.
"Hey, 'Tachi?" she asked softly, voice thick with sleep again. "Promise me we'll do this again?"
"I promise, Sakura," he said lowly, his hand tightening its hold on her stomach. She only smiled, already on her way to sleep.
My small, fat tabby cat sleeps on my lap for seven hours at a time. I get sore, bruh. Please move.
She also likes tummy rubs.
Weird ass cat.