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To XxNina-himexX: Thank you so much! I think that the bittersweet element of this fanfiction is what I like best about it actually. Of course, I'm sad that Itachi is going to die, but it kind of completes the story in a way. I hope that will make sense in the end LOL. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for reviewing!

Standard Disclaimers Apply

The Thirty-Seventh Hour: Stress

He chuckled as he drew back. To her horror, his next words were both a turn-on and a shame to her pride.

"You're absolutely infatuated with me, aren't you?" It wasn't a question. It was an outright snobby statement that was just way too close to the truth.

"No!" she denied, clenching her hands in a fist.

I'm in love with you, she inwardly thought, which is more significant than a mere infatuation.

"Ah, sorry. I meant, you absolutely love me, don't you?" He tilted his head in that sly manner of his, dark eyes smiling.

She gasped, horrified."Are you reading my thoughts? Stop invading my privacy!"

"Oh, so you are admitting that you do love me."

"No! I mean, well, yes, but no! Ugh!"

Itachi laughed lightly, pleased with himself for being able to stress out the honourable apprentice of the Godaime. After all, that just proves to him how much of an effect he has over her.

The Thirty-Eighth Hour: Inquiry

"You know, I've always wanted to ask you something," she says after finally forgiving him for having given her a mental meltdown.

"Ask away," he invites.

"Do you have a brother complex?"

He nearly chokes on air (Tsukuyomi air, so like, genjutsu air, air that doesn't even exist, air that was imagined, air that's...you get the point). It took a moment to orientate himself before he could reply. "What led you to that conclusion?"

"It's not a conclusion. It's just a question. It's okay to say you're not, and it's…okay to say you are. I'll go with whatever you say," she explains, being careful not to offend him.

He watches her with sheer amusement, and then closes his eyes and smiles. "No, I do not have a brother complex."

He was about to ask why she brought such a topic up when she stands up immediately, cutting him off and pointing a shaky finger at him. "Liar!"

He nearly chokes again.

The Thirty-Ninth Hour: Jealousy

"I thought you said you would go with whatever I say," he clarifies.

"I said I would 'go' with it, but who said I would agree with it wholeheartedly?" She puts her hands on her hips and towers over his seated form.

He didn't like that she was in a higher position than her, but he was not going to give her the privilege of riling him up. "And why don't you agree with it wholeheartedly?" he challenges calmly instead.

"Because!" She stomps her foot.

"Because…?" He tilts his head just a fraction.

"Because…I can see it in you...the whole brother complex thing."

"That is not sufficient proof, and it is a rather biased opinion."

Sakura is rarely challenged. As the smartest kunoichi, not to mention shinobi, around, she does not meet someone stupid enough to challenge her head on like this very often.

It just so happens that Itachi is smart enough to challenge her. She didn't know why, but she found it both refreshing and irritating at the same time.

Leaning towards him, she snaps out, "Because Sasuke's killing you!" It sounded so odd to her, but it made so much sense too. "And you aren't doing anything about it!"

He is taken aback slightly by her sudden outburst but just as quickly, he recovers, lips slowly forming a sly smile. "Sakura, are you perhaps…jealous?"

The Fortieth Hour: Excuses

"No. Just no." She seemed horrified. "Me? Jealous of Sasuke? Hah! Not in a million years!" she scorned distastefully.

"Oh?" He tilted his head endearingly, er…irritatingly. "By the way you've spoken, I thought for sure that you were jealous," he teased.

She forced out a cough, waving him off with a hand. "Pfft! Yeah, right! I have nothing to be jealous of."

"Perhaps…perhaps not…Was I incorrect to think that you were craving for my affections?"

"I…" She didn't know what to say. The truth was she really did crave for his affections, for his gentle touches, for his low and soothing voice.

Only, this was Sakura. And everyone knew that Sakura was stubborn.

She couldn't outright deny the idea that she wanted his affections either.

So of course, she did the next best thing.

"So nice weather we have here, huh?"

The Forty-First Hour: Rain

He was amused by her…tactful response, but he was also slightly disappointed. He had wanted her to admit to his little invitation to a hot, intimate make-out session. He had already been planning everything in his mind, things like where to touch to make her melt and what to say to make her shiver. He would thoroughly please and torture her, and she would be in a daze, lips apart, eyes clouded. And then he would-

He sighed.

It would have been a whole lot easier if she had just accepted.

Silly girl.

So to respond to her attempt at changing the topic, Itachi did something new.

He made it rain.

The Forty-Second Hour: Helpless

"Yes, what nice weather indeed," he offered a polite (sinister) smile.

She stood there, drenched in the heavy rainwater, giving her own joyful (murderous) smile. "Are you happy with yourself?"

He nodded rather giddily, playing along with their little deceitful conversation. "Yes."

He saw a glint in her eyes before he was pushed onto the ground, which was muddy by now. Towering over him, she tilted her head innocently. "Good."

He liked where this was going.

Smirking, he grabbed her arms and pulled her down to him. Before she could squirm around, he flipped her so it was her body that was squished against the mushy soil.

She gave a distasteful grunt.

"Jerk."

"You were the one who forced me down first. Did you really want to see me…helpless…under you so badly?" he teased provocatively, his voice dropping down an octave in a low, husky, and all too sexy manner.

Seeing the flustered look on her face, he felt his masculine pride roar in dominance.

"A-as if you could ever be helpless," she bit out.

"Oh, but I am right now."

She was about to tell him to shut up and not talk about the real world (and how he was basically dying) right now, but then she noticed the raw lust in his eyes.

Oh, he was so not talking about Sasuke.

A/N: I had a heart attack moment when I thought I lost this file, but yay! I found it! Thanks for reading! I always love reviews. :)