I don't own Naruto.
Sakura moaned then rolled over pulling her covers closer to her. She could feel the sun streaming in the window, it felt great and she could also feel the early morning chill along with that warmth but it didn't bother her. What did bother her though were the events of yesterday.
No it didn't bother her a bit that her parents had took it upon themselves to find a husband for her even if she was only an infant when they did –well of course it did but she was learning to cope with it –but that still didn't mean that they had had to look for the family that had what Sakura thought the biggest swine's for sons. Lord knows she was glad they hadn't chosen Sasuke for her.
It wasn't that she couldn't stand him because she could it was the only way she could have survived eight years of being on the same team with him. It was the way he went around with his head held high as if he were mightier than that of even the Hokage herself and Lord knew Sakura could only go so long before she wanted to pummel his face into the dirt.
Sakura sat up pushing the bed clothes with her. She couldn't stand Itachi Uchiha either if she thought Sasuke walked like he owned the streets then Itachi walked like he owned the world. He had to give but one glance and it would fell a lesser man. That was what she really couldn't understand or why?
Yea sure she knew he been highly thought of and sort after since age twelve as if that weren't enough the man had had his name placed in the alleged "black-book" before he was even fifteen. That right there spoke for itself. Sighing Sakura got to her feet and stretched feeling the kinks in her body untangled in a pleasurable feeling
If she didn't get going then her apartment wouldn't clean itself and it really did need a good cleaning. Then she'd drop in on Lady Tusnade and see if she could get her to reconsider her leave because there was no way that Sakura was going to lend a helping hand in the preparation of something that she didn't even want in the first place…
"Should I congratulate or lend you a shoulder to cry on?" The Hokage asked as she stared at the pink haired beauty sitting in the straight back chair in front of her desk. It wasn't every day that she get to see her apprentice and when she did it wasn't always fun and games.
"Neither. I would ask you to get me out of the marriage proposal but I know it'd be useless," Sakura said then caught the look on her teacher's face. "What? With my would-be-husband being Itachi? Phft he wouldn't allow it." Sakura said in defeat. Everyone knew that Itachi always got what he wanted.
"So instead I'll ask you to take back my leave." She said looking up with hope in her big, bright green eyes. Outside the Hokage's office the sun was shining brilliantly in the sky, the leaves glistened as if they had just received a spray of rain and civilians went about their business in their normal quiet ways.
The office was wide with a lot of sun light streaming in through the big window that stood overlooking the market place, the floor was covered in wall-to-wall red carpet and the desk as always was stacked with papers waiting to be approved or reports to be read.
"No can do kiddo. Uchiha already dropped by this morning." Sakura sat up straighter in the chair. "He offered to kill the ninja that has been stealing our neighboring country's medical supplies in account for you leave extended." Sakura's mouth fell open.
"What?" She demanded angrily.
"You heard me I can't pass that opportunity up Sakura it's not like working is going to help your situation so why run when I know you can stand and face anything?"
"That no good idiot." Sakura muttered under her breath then stood up and started walking towards the doors. So much for the 'big guns' he already had everything planned out why would he want her leave extended? It made no sense because even then she wasn't going to just sit around and do nothing but plan that stupid wedding.
Nuh uh he had another think coming. Most of the females in Konoha would have jumped on the chance of being Uchiha Itachi's wife without thinking twice about it but not Sakura all she wanted from him was her freedom. She wasn't going to be anyone's baby breeder and if he thought she was going to have kids this young he had another think coming!
Wait –what?
Why was she thinking about baby making as if he'd even suggested it? Sakura felt her cheeks heat up terribly and made a mad dash for the door before Shizune could get a look at her face. But then it hit her even if he hadn't brought up the topic she knew what his parents were expecting from the both of them.
Fugaku Uchiha had made it clear on more than one occasions that he wanted grandchildren and he wanted them early Sakura paused realizing that he had been throwing hints back then at both her and Itachi if only she'd known…
She reached the entrance gate of the Hokage's tower nodded at the guards standing there then set out for her apartment. The streets weren't busy it was a working day and everyone was either at work or school which left Sakura with nothing to do but head home and try to put her mind at ease by trying to sleep.
"Sakura." She froze mid step on the sidewalk she'd know that voice anywhere, turning slightly Sakura glanced over her shoulder and watched as the man dressed in ANBU attire land softly on the side walk and started approaching her. He looked like he was just returning from a mission she couldn't see his face because it was concealed by the fox faced mask he was wearing. Sakura felt at a disadvantage because he was appraising her face and emotions while she had access to none of his but his blank eyes.
As if sensing her discomfort he removed his mask and she was treated to the sight of his handsome face but for all his efforts removing his mask did nothing because his face was a hard mask as well giving nothing away. Sakura watched as he stopped no more than three short steps away from her. And felt the attraction between them flared and knew he had but to kiss her and she'd go up in flames.
Hadn't he done that to her just last night? Dropping her eyes from his she demanded. "What do you wanted Uchiha-san?" She knew it would irritate him the san bit anyway. She waited but he didn't rise to the bait instead he did the opposite. He leaned in and did to her again what he'd done last night he took her lips in a soft quick kiss then retreated when he saw her clenched her fists.
"Why did you do it?" She demanded unsteadily.
He didn't play innocent instead he smirked and said. "I want you to myself. Is that so bad Haruno?" No it wasn't it was awful. He was just a selfish conniving man that thought of nothing but his needs. But that didn't surprise her, after all, all the Uchihas she knew were selfish and Uchiha Itachi was no different.
"My mother wants to see us." Itachi muttered reaching out and taking her elbow. "It's something about planning our wedding; she's having a field day with all the activities that are taking place in the Uchiha compound." Itachi said almost mockingly with that warmth that you only heard when he was speaking about his mother.
Feeling like she was being railroaded Sakura dug her heels in the side walk pulling Itachi to a halt. "I don't want any part in this. I know I have no way out of this marriage but I'm not going to pretend that I'm the ecstatic bride who can't wait to marry you." Sakura said meeting his mocking gaze head on.
"You have no choice. Whether you want to or not, Sakura you are going to plan our wedding because you know you can't refuse Mikoto anything." He said chillingly. He was blackmailing her she knew it but there was no way out of this.
"I hate you." Sakura snapped.
"You told me already. Now come on we have to make a stop before we head over to the Uchiha compound." Itachi said taking her hand again and Sakura didn't try to pull her hand away it was no use creating a scene it would just draw attention to them and she didn't want that. People were already looking at them.
"Where are we going?" Sakura demanded when she couldn't take the silence any longer.
"We're going to the flower shop."
Sakura froze as those words fell from his lips. No way. No she wasn't going to the flower shop not with him holding her as if she were some possession that he had a right to. She wasn't going to Ino's flower shop because she knew that was where he was taking her Yamanaka's Flower Shop had the best flowers in Konoha and if Ino saw her with Uchiha Itachi she was going to have a fit.
"Come on Sakura I don't have all day." Itachi said irritatingly tugging her forward. It was at that moment that Sakura wished she didn't have bubblegum pink hair or was so ridiculously close with Ino. The shop had been extended and extra staff had been hired because Ino and her mother hadn't been enough to man the orders that were coming in.
The bell tinged as they walked through the glass doors and Sakura tried to pull away from him but instead of letting her arm go his hand snaked around her waist bringing her closer to him. Sakura snapped her head up so she could see his face.
It was no use his face was a mask again. Why was he doing this to her? Sighing Sakura gave up trying to defy him it was better if they could get along after all she was an adult now and for the past couple of hours she'd been behaving like a child.
Ino's head snapped up from where she'd been reading a magazine and her eyes instantly fell on the man that was standing at Sakura's side then Sakura watched as she did a double take as she took in the person he was standing next to and where his arm was.
"Um…Sakura?" Ino asked her brows furrowing as if she couldn't believe her own eyes. It wasn't her fault; Sakura thought wryly she couldn't believe it was her standing next to this man that she wanted to murder either.
"Hey Ino, what's up?" Sakura said a bit nervously she knew Ino wasn't one to just stand around and stare, Ino at a loss for words was new to Sakura just as it was new to Ino herself.
"What are you doing with Uchiha Itachi?" Ino blunted out as if the man himself wasn't standing right there.
"Maybe you can be the first of Sakura's friends to congratulate us, we're getting married." Itachi said in what Sakura thought was the softest voice he'd ever used but then the thought of his voice got lost when she felt him gently kiss the side of her temple.
Ino's squeal of delight brought her out of her little abstraction. "Oh my Kami! I should have known. The nurses at the hospitals have been talking but I thought it was just gossip!" Ino reeled excitedly while Sakura stared at her as if she'd just grown an extra head.
"What do you mean 'the nurses at the hospital have been talking' we only got engaged yesterday?" Sakura asked nonplussed; all thoughts of where Itachis' hand was forgotten. Ino grinned at the both of them then fell into an explanation.
"Everyone at hospital thought it anomalous that Itachi here," she waved a hand to indicate the man stilling standing behind Sakura, "wanted no one but you to look after him and the nurses of course got jealous they thought it wasn't impartial that you got to have both Uchihas at your disposal when they had none.
"It was a big misperception until Numi, you remember her don't you?" she asked her big azure eyes sparkling with delight and of course Sakura remembered her she had the world's biggest crush on Sasuke but she couldn't decide on whether she'd favored Naruto over him. "Suggested that maybe the reason why Itachi wanted only you to look after him was because you got jealous of having anyone's but your hands on him."
Sakura almost snorted at how far of the mark they were but caught herself, when Itachi tightened his hold on her and instead found herself with a forced smile on her lips. "Yes well everyone knows my Sakura has an infuriated temper that can be hard to control at times."
Oh my! He was staking a claim but why? Sakura shook her head and cleared her throat, hinting him to get back to what it was that they'd came for. "Anyway we came to place an order of flowers I'm sure you know what Sakura's favorite flower is and we'd like to order enough to decorate the Uchiha compound no expenses spared."
Of course not, Sakura thought bitterly, he wouldn't want any expenses spared when it was his wedding. If only she hadn't been the bride in all this then it would have been much easier to just watch from the sidelines as this man got married to some other lucky woman.
"Sure." Ino replied. "Um I'll need to come see the Uchiha compound so that I can get an estimate on the amount of flowers that the wedding will need." Ino said scribbling madly across a note pad.
"It can be arranged," Itachi said levelly. "I'm sure Sakura would love to show you around since she'll be spending a lot of time at the Uchiha manor. We'd better be going."
"Come on Otto- san is waiting on us." Itachi said when they reached the sidewalk outside of Ino's shop. Itachi dropped his arm from around her waist and proceed to leap onto the nearest rooftop. "Come on Sakura." He ordered and Sakura seriously considered making a dash for the opposite direction.
It wouldn't have worked anyway he would just have caught her and haul her ass back to the Uchiha manor. So she leaped up behind him and they ran silently across the rooftops until they reached their destination. Sakura sprung from the rooftop and landed softly on her feet beside an already waiting Uchiha then made her own way into the house.
"Sakura-chan!" Mikoto sang from the sliding door that she was coming out of. Mikoto was one of those women that would always look good no matter what her age was. And now standing there in the hallway looking like a graceful woman further proved Sakura's theory.
"Did Itachi tell you? The house is finished, now you guys can have a proper honeymoon," the older woman said with much delight.
"No he didn't" Sakura said sending him a glare in the same man's direction.
"I'll see you later Otto-san." Itachi said dropping a peck on his mother's cheek then he leaped onto the roof top he had business to do.
"I wanted to show you the wedding décor I picked out." Mikoto said turning and leading the way inside. Oh Sakura was going to murder her soon to be husband when she got the chance. He really did want her to plan their wedding….Uchiha!
"Sakura we need to talk." A Furious looking Sasuke said as she held her apartment door open. Well hello to you too, Sakura thought angril as she let him in. Now what was this about? First his brother now him.
"You better have something good to tell me at this hour." Sakura told him angrily. After spending almost the entire day planning her wedding with his mother Sakura didn't think she had it in her to make small talk she was too tired.
"Why are you going through with this facade? My brother has no right to you, you're mine and I'm not sharing with him or anyone else." He said with a growl and Sakuar felt her jaw hit the floor. No way!