Hello! I hope you'll like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or any OCCness.

Character age:

Akane, Itachi: 21

Naruto, Sasuke: 16

Shisui: 25

Kakashi: 30

"How can you eat that?" Itachi blinked innocently behind his bowl of miso soup. He put it down calmly.

"You're the one who suggested we make breakfast together today, now you're criticizing?" I looked down at my miso soup in disgust.

"I didn't think you'd put cabbage in the soup Itachi. Didn't you know I don't like it?"

"No, I did know." I deadpanned at him and moved around floating pieces of cabbage. "You're hurting my feelings."

"Feelings?" I repeated with a scoff. "You did that on purpose to annoy me because last night I accidentally threw away your dango, I know it!" I pointed my chopsticks at him and his gaze became almost bored. "You shouldn't have let them outside near the trash, it's entirely your fault!"

"You'd think that as a kunoichi you'd be more aware of your surroundings," he replied idly, a superior tone in his voice.

I took a big bite of the salmon, looking at the soup.

"I apologized."

"Well, I don't remember eating them." I rolled my eyes.

"You can be petty you know."

"Hn." I was about to reply when someone knock on the sliding glass door leading to the balcony. Itachi got up and unlocked it, letting his brother in. "Shoes Sasuke."

"I'm not staying, I'm just kidnapping your roommate nii-san." I raised a brow.

"She's ungrateful anyway," Itachi commented, going back to his breakfast. I threw the chopsticks at him. He moved his head out of the way, but they stuck in the wall, where his head should have been.

The two Uchihas stared at it, then me.

"So you can throw after all," Itachi commented dully. I flushed in embarrassment.

"I use Nuibari, what do you think!?"

"That I somehow am the one to throw markers around on missions?" Sasuke wondered out loud, a knowing smirk being shared between brothers.

"You know what? Screw you for your cooking," I said to Itachi, pointing an accusing finger at him while going to my room. I then pointed at Sasuke. "And screw you you ungrateful fucker."

"Don't sweet talk my brother too much or he'll get ideas," Itachi said once I was out of the room.

Oh if only you knew Itachi.

"What do you need me for anyway? I'm on a break today," I asked the youngest one, ready and about to leave from the balcony.

"I don't know, but my father asked me to come and get you so I guess it's Seal Master business." I pursed my lips.

Itachi pursed his lips in thoughts as well and I raised a brow at that.

"You have an idea Itachi?" It seemed to bring him back to reality. He shook his head.

"No, I don't know either. Don't be late this afternoon."

"Noted!" On this note, I was on the roof with Sasuke.

"This afternoon?"

"Shisui told us to meet him at the tea house to introduce his girlfriend to us," I replied, jumping to another roof. "Itachi's been weird about it."

"Do you know her name?"

"Huh...Uchiha Manami if I remember well?" We landed at the entrance of the Uchiha Compound, Sasuke looking at the sky.

"Doesn't ring a bell," he whispered.

I tensed almost immediately once in the Compound. I still wasn't comfortable around here. Honestly, apart from Sasuke's and the senbei shop, I felt a lot of distrustful glances each time I stepped in there.

"It's not just you," Sasuke whispered to me. "I receive them as well." I sighed and crossed my arm with his.

When we arrived, there was no one, so Sasuke decided to try his dad's office.

He was there, with Mikoto-san, and a letter in front of him.

"Please take a seat both of you." We did and Fugaku-san cleared his throat. "As you know, Shisui was on an important mission for a while. You've met with him." We nodded. "He brought back with him a letter from the daimyo." I paled drastically. "A congratulation letter to be clear, about my youngest son's engagement to the Uzumaki woman his son wanted to marry." Slowly, I pinched the bridge of my nose.

Sasuke was not showing anything. Mikoto-san sighed and her husband seemed to struggle to find his words.

I had never seen Fugaku-san like that.

"You can imagine my...surprise when I read the letter." He looked at me, then Sasuke. "Nothing was supposed to be known until you were eighteen Sasuke, and Shisui assured me it was your idea. Can one of you explain the situation now?"

"You need better seals to soundproof your study Father," Sasuke replied, his voice not letting anything show about how he was feeling. "I overheard one of your conversation regarding Akane marriage contract to the clan in order to bring stability between the village and the clan. When Akihito-sama tried to force her into marrying him, I said that it was not possible due to that contract. Choosing myself was to have the insurance he would drop the case as a marriage between her and I would be more advantageous than her and the daimyo's son." His father sighed.

"It is true, and it would bring even stronger bonds between Konoha and Kiri, Konoha and the Uchihas but..."

"It's very disturbing," Mikoto-san finally said. She exhaled slowly before setting onyx eyes on me. I almost shrunk. "Did you just agree?"

"...well...to be honest from the moment Fugaku-san brought that contract to me, I always thought I could get Shisui to agree." That got Sasuke's attention. "But he had someone and still has someone today so he was out of the equation. I needed a way out so I went with Sasuke's plan. I just saved the guy's life and suddenly he wanted to marry me and making dirty innuendos to me." Something dark flashed in Mikoto-san's eyes. "There will be no wedding until Sasuke turns eighteen, right?"

"That I can assure you," Fugaku-san confirmed firmly.

"What would happen if we were to find a way to avoid getting married?" Sasuke asked him.

"Well, now that Akane is known as a powerful kunoichi from Kiri, Konoha will most likely push for this wedding as well. It would ensure her service to the village and that the Hiraishin is back in Konoha." I groaned in annoyance. "It would be complicated then to find a way to avoid the wedding, but if it was possible then the clan's elders might just start complaining again that Konoha is not considering us enough as part of the village."

"I was promised as a token of stability, a way to say 'we give the girl to you because of course you matter'," I told Sasuke.

"Sucks to be you."

"Sucks to be your fiancee," I corrected him.

"The only way to break the contract would be if one of the two parties involved were to be involved in bigger roles or committed a big affront."

Maybe I should consider taking the hat after all…

No, too much paperwork.

"Could we get a copy of the contract then? It must be possible?"

"I will get you both one," Fugaku-san agreed. Sasuke raised his brow and it didn't escape his eyes. "I do not know what image you have of me Sasuke, but I do not enjoy approaching thirteen-year-old girls to make them accept a marriage deal with the Uchiha clan." His son averted his eyes.

"What could possibly replace a marriage?" I mumbled to myself.

"For now, you will both tell Itachi regarding this situation." I forgot to breath for a second and Sasuke widened his eyes.

"Do we have to tell nii-san?"

"It is your wedding after all," Mikoto-san stressed with an overly sweet smile.

I knew the woman was secretly evil.

We left a few minutes later, after being told that there would be an official engagement party on New Years Eve and that only our families would be allowed to know for now. I had to physically kept Sasuke with me otherwise he would have left me alone with Itachi.

Hence our current situation. Sasuke and I sitting in front of his brother at the dining table, explaining our current situation. Once it was done, we exchanged a look at Itachi's emotionless face. He had listened without pipping a word, his arms folded over his chest.

"Can you give us a hand in finding a loophole nii-san?" Itachi gave us a curt nod of the head.

"Sasuke," he started, his deep voice ringing in the room for the first time in fifteen minutes, "don't you have some training to do?" I widened my eyes and searched for Sasuke's eyes but he stood up.

His eyes basically said 'You're on your own' as he shut the door behind him.

Once I couldn't hear his footsteps, Itachi released a heavy sigh and stood up, going to the fridge to get something out of it. I stood up and walked up to him.

"Look, I get it if you're mad Itachi, but...I know I probably shouldn't have accepted but..." He moved to the cupboard, not giving any indication he was listening to me and poured something into cups. "...but I didn't know what else to do and I didn't even know I'd go back to Kiri and..." I stopped talking as he turned around and poked me in the forehead.

"As the one in an arranged marriage, you should be mad, not me." He handed me a cup. "Although, I am not looking forward having you as my sister-in-law." I accepted the cup and raised it to my nose.

"Sake?" He shrugged.

"Why not?" He cheered his cup against mine and drank it in one go. I followed him, internally laughing at the grimace he tried to hide at the taste.

"You're not mad then?"

"Not at you. I am mad at my clan for using you in such a way when you've done more than anyone asked of you already." I widened my eyes when his hand cupped my cheek. His eyes were very intense as well, a sharp and angry glint in them. "Even I am not in an arranged marriage as they see it as 'old and useless' yet they pushed one onto you and a powerful Uchiha. That's what I am mad at." He pulled on my cheek and his gaze showed all of his annoyance toward the situation. "But I have to admit you agreeing is getting on my nerves you idiot." He let go of my cheek and I cradled it.

"I know, everybody has been saying it."

"Because it's true. You're really the worst Akane." He leaned against the kitchen counter and looked up at the ceiling in thoughts. "I'll go through the contract and find a loophole. More than just political power, people in shinobi arranged marriage are chosen with the potential their children would have." I grabbed his wrists. "What?"

"I...oh gosh that's right, the kids! I won't give any!" He frowned.

"How so?"

"I can't have kids!" I exclaimed with glee and he widened his eyes.

"Isn't that bad news?"

"What? Well, it's not that I can't have kids, more like any pregnancies I would have would not be successful. It's a side effect of something I did before everything happened in Kiri." He pursed his lips, furrowing his brows in concern.

"Does it have something to do with your knowledge?" I nodded.

"Yeah, but I made the choice so it's fine."

"But don't you want children in the future?" he asked me quietly. I shrugged.

"Not really no. I'm good with being Aunty Akane, not 'Mom'." I already was. "But if it can get me out of marrying your brother then it's good."

"...does anyone know?" I blinked.

"No, I mean..." I didn't remember telling this piece of information to Sasuke. "No, nobody knows but me. And you now." I patted his shoulder. "Hey now, I'm good, no need to look so heartbroken for me Itachi. It's not a big deal, it's not as if I was in a relationship or anything you know!"

"Of course, it's just...I don't know, I've always thought you wanted children at some point."

"Do I look like the children type to you?" I asked him, genuinely confused by now.

Even before, I had never really wanted children. It was more of a 'guess it could be cool' kind of thing, and the twins were an accident. Sure, I had thought about your typical two kids a pet and a nice house with a husband kind of life, but it was only because it was the opposite of what I had.

It was never because I wanted it, more like a comparison between a 'normal' relationship and the one I was in I guess.

"Because I never thought of myself as such," I continued, seeing his doubt. "I always thought of myself as a 'go with the flow' kind of person, so no big deal. I always adapt to what's thrown at me."

From the corner of my eyes I saw his hand twitching, almost as if he was about to do something but refrained himself at the last moment.

"As long as you're okay with it then it's all that matters," he ended up saying with a thin smile. "It's a lead worth thinking of."

However, later during the day, when we met up with Shisui and his girlfriend, I knew he was still preoccupied. I didn't know if it was the marriage or the fact I couldn't carry a pregnancy full term, but his mind was somewhere else. His mood only seemed to sour when Shisui stopped next to our table.

"Akane, Itachi, this is Uchiha Manami, my girlfriend!" He was grinning and had his hands on her shoulders, pushing her forward. She nodded at us, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Nice to meet you" I smiled back at her.

She was your typical Uchiha beauty. Her almond eyes were a deep ink color framed by long, thick lashes. She was tall and thin but curvy where it was important, standing with confidence. Her long ebony hair was tied and rested on her right shoulder, straight bangs framing her face.

I felt my heart tightened a little. I probably was hoping Shisui would get a regular looking girl but no, it was a model straight out of a magazine. I mean, Shisui was handsome, of course he'd get a gorgeous girlfriend as well.

"So, how did you two meet?" I asked them. They shared a look and a knowing smile.

"I am a medic and was sent on a mission near where Shisui was posted for the past year. We had some trouble but he appeared out of nowhere and save my team."

Yeah, he liked to save girls in distress.

I was the one to do most of the talking, Itachi silent next to me. He would usually at least make an effort to be...polite, but it was barely there today. Manami may not had noticed, but I had, like Shisui who was obviously annoyed and didn't bother hiding it when his girlfriend was looking away.

I almost spat my tea back in my cup when Shisui kicked my leg. I raised my eyes to him who shot Itachi a look, asking me what was going on. I just shrugged.

"So how is Kiri now Akane-san? Did you rebuild like before?" I shot Shisui a dirty glare and he shot me one back before I looked at Manami.

"Well...it's better than before. Although, it would be hard for it to be worst than before."

"We have to go," Itachi suddenly said, shooting what I had ordered a glance. He pulled his wallet from his pocket and put enough money for him and I on the table.

"Already?" Shisui asked him, clearly disappointed. Itachi didn't even bother looking at him.

"Sasuke said he'd stop by, I don't want him to wait." On this note, he stood up and took my wrist in his hand to make me follow.

"Let's train together or something then," Shisui suggested as we were leaving. I nodded.

"Yeah, let's do that when we all have free time!" We were quickly outside among the crowd. I rubbed my wrist when Itachi deemed we were far enough. "What the hell was that?"

"What?"

"You were being rude. Since when are you rude? Especially in public places?" He frowned, staring straight in front of him. "You don't like her, do you?"

"Because you do? Your smile was fake the entire time."

"Well whether I like her or not doesn't matter, as long as she doesn't hurt Shisui and makes him happy then my opinion doesn't count." He scoffed and I frowned.

"He's blind." I blinked and he stayed quiet until we reached home. Once the door closed behind me, Itachi turned toward me, his blank facade breaking to show his irritation. "She was in favor of the coup Akane, he knows that."

"...I see..." I pursed my lips. "Maybe she changed?" He scoffed and turned around.

"I doubt it." He shook his head. "I have a bad feeling I can't get rid of about her. I told Shisui but he just said I was imagining things." I looked down.

I didn't like her either, but it was more because I felt replaced in Shisui's eyes than anything. As I said, if he was truly happy with her I would let him. However, if Itachi had a bad feeling…

"You're entitled to your own opinions, just try to be careful of how you express them."

"Hn." He went to his room.

If she was a medic, maybe Sakura knew her. I'd need to ask her. Her and Hinata usually spent their break day together, I could talk to her tomorrow then.

And as I thought, the next day I found them exiting the Hyuuga mansion.

"Yo!" I greeted them with a sign of the hand.

"Akane-sensei!" Hinata greeted back in surprise.

"Do you have business here today?" Sakura asked me curiously. I pointed at her.

"I have business with you."

"Heh!?"

"It won't take long, I just want to ask you a few questions. What were you planning on doing that I'm interrupting by the way?"

"Just some taijutsu sparring," Hinata replied and I fell into steps with them.

Once at the training ground, I scratched my cheek.

"How can I phrase this...Just know I'm coming from a good place and as a friend, okay?"

"Okay..." she trailed off with narrowed eyes.

"Do you know Uchiha Manami?" She blinked and immediately wrinkled her nose.

"You mean Manami-senpai?" I was taken back at the venom in Sakura's voice and Hinata smiled faintly at the fire in her friend's eyes.

"Sakura...doesn't really like her…"

"Why?"

"She's...how can I say this...incredibly haughty. I understand I have less experience than her but I am Tsunade-sama's apprentice, so I am capable but she's always criticized and pinpointed any mistakes I made, even the smallest and insignificant ones, and sometimes she even criticizes Tsunade-sama! And...and she loves putting me down, saying that the village will soon go down in flames if I remain a medic, she even made comments on Sasuke-kun and Naruto! I know Sasuke-kun made mistakes in the past, I'm not trying to defend him, but his father is the head of her clan, she just can't badmouth him, or Itachi-san, just like that! As for her comments on Naruto, or Kakashi-sensei because he has a sharingan...urgh, I would punch her into the hospital wall if I could!"

Huh…

So, she was a bitch and Itachi was right. If she was in favor of a coup d'état, it wasn't all that surprising. Maybe that Tsunade took a civilian-born kunoichi as an apprentice wasn't accepted by everyone, especially as Sakura was great at what she was doing.

Well, the poor tree she just destroyed would only agree if it could.

"Why this question?" Hinata asked me.

"She's Shisui's girlfriend." They both widened her eyes. Sakura was familiar with Shisui, but Hinata must knew him only by name. "Itachi doesn't seem to like her and because she's a medic I thought you might know her Sakura. I was right." I sighed and folded my arms. "Shisui seems in love with her though, so I probably should stay out of it."

"That's it? You're gonna let Shisui-san date this...this..."

"Sakura, nothing good can come out of being involved in someone else's relationship." Especially with Shisui and I's backstory. "The best I can do is looking out for him and be there if it turns bad. Basically, it means you will both keep your mouth shut, got it? Unless there is something really, really bad, got it?" I was staring at Sakura, who averted her eyes. "Yes I'm talking to you Haruno, only God knows that sometimes you're the same as Naruto."

"That...that's not true at all, I mean..." She was blushing and flailing around as she tried to defend herself. I smirked and Hinata chuckled behind her fist.

"I think they left for the Fire Temple or something. Kakashi and Sasuke are still in the village, we have a mission tomorrow anyway."

"What rank?"

"B-rank, it's just a group of apparently rogue shinobi at the border of the land of River. Suna should send shinobi as well." She tilted her head back and looked at him. "What will you do? I mean, you stopped working at the police station and..."

"I'll find something to do," he interrupted her. "Actually, can you do something for me?"

"What?"

"Minimize your visit in the Uchiha compound." She blinked and turned around, leaning her arms on the back of the couch to look at him.

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

He wanted to say 'yes', because he knew there were still tensions. In spite of being cordial, the Uchihas, at least some of them, still resented the village and Itachi didn't want Akane to become a tool. She already was used as an object, her and Sasuke really, he didn't want her to be even more used by his clan.

Although...he couldn't say if the tensions he felt were toward the village or more...internal to the clan. Only time would tell though, he couldn't act just on feelings.

"There are still tensions and you're already way too involved, I don't want you to be even more involved in Uchiha business." She pursed her lips and tilted her head on her right, auburn locks of hair falling in her eye.

He had been right, long hair suited her better.

Maybe Naruto was right, maybe he had had ulterior motives for asking her to move in with him. However, any guilt he might have would vanish each morning when he'd see her in her nightwear, her hair a mess and rubbing her sleepy eyes. She was adorable and he'd take advantage of her not really seeing him due to her sleepy state to stare at her for longer than what was appropriate.

One would say that he shouldn't do that with his brother's fiancee, but he saw her first.

As if he'd let his brother marry her.

Shisui was in a relationship and kept saying he was in love and over Akane. She seemed better than before Sasuke left Konoha with her.

He...could try, right? He'd find something to break off that marriage agreement and then he could tell her he had feelings for her, right? At some point she would realize he checked her out quite often.

"Itachi!" He looked at her. She was glaring at him, annoyed. "You don't even listen to me when I'm talking to you!"

"Sorry," he apologized. "What were you saying?" She sighed.

"I said fine. I have never been fond of going there anyway, so I'll go even less." She stood up and stretched out.

His eyes lingered on her legs. Her short shorts would catch his eyes most of the time and her leg warmers and thigh-high sandals were far from leaving him indifferent.

"For fuck sake Itachi!" He raised his eyes. She was now standing in front of him, arms folded on her chest and glaring at him, her two sharp teeth apparent.

He found that there was something cute about them.

"What?"

"You're...not here today! Are you okay? I mean, ever since you've known for the engagement..." He stood up, towering her by half a head.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it." She didn't seem to believe him.

"If you say so..." she mumbled before going to her room.

At some point she would realize, so he needed to think about a plan of action concerning Akane. He would think about his own marital obligations as the heir later.

Hey! Thanks for reading and leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter! Thanks to sal for the review!

Bye!