Chapter 15 The Confrontation

Hey! Well, before you start telling me how long it's been since my last update, trust me, I know. My excuse? No inspiration. Now, that's a very valid excuse in my opinion. Seriously, what would you prefer? Updating random stuff for the sake of updating or updating every once in a while and keeping the story straight?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Anyways, thanks for your patience and here's what you've been waiting for…hmm, two, three weeks about? Ish? ;)

ENJOY AND REVIEW!

*RECAP*

How Sakura could ever survive without her friends was better left unsaid. They were her support, her family, her teammates, her everything aside from Itachi, her family and her other friends.

Speaking of which, she thought as she gazed out the café's window, her elbow leaning on the table as she propped her chin on her hand. I wonder how Sasuke and Itachi are faring with Naruto. Knowing him he won't leave them alone until he's either run out of steam or they use some jutsu on him. She smiled. But even then he won't give up. He never does.

*END RECAP*

"Seriously! How can this have happened and nobody told me? I mean, Sakura's like a sister to me! And no one thought about telling me that she's going out with the teme's brother? That just ain't right!" Naruto fumed.

Itachi and Sasuke had invited Naruto out for lunch two days after the incident in the Uchiha compound; mostly to calm down the furious blond, explain the events to him in a civilized manner and get him off their backs. That boy had practically stalked them since he saw Itachi and Sakura in their embrace, demanding answers and exclaiming his disbelief and displeasure at not being told of the occurrences sooner. He was really trying the Uchiha brothers' patience. Especially Itachi's.

"I mean, what kind of friends hide that from me? Not good ones, that's for sure!" Naruto continued to complain. "And Itachi Uchiha out of all people! You'd think– "

"Is that an insult?" Itachi calmly interrupted the kyubbi host. Despite his smooth demeanor, there was a hidden threat laced with venom in his voice.

Naruto, upon realizing that in his rambling he might have somehow offended the elder Uchiha, quickly shook his head. "No, man! That's not what I meant. Not at all!" He grabbed two sushi rolls and inserted them in his mouth, chewing noisily before swallowing and speaking again. "Look Itachi, you know I hold you with the highest esteem, plus you're my pal and the teme's older brother, not to mention you're probably a living legend in our village," he began, "but you gotta see this from my perspective. I'm gone for three months, and in that span you and your family come back to Konoha, you declare your love for Sakura –" Itachi opened his mouth to argue on that one point, but Naruto didn't give him the chance, "– and suddenly you're the hottest couple around!" Naruto shook his head in bewilderment before taking a sip of his tea. "That's a lot for a guy to take in, especially considering that the teme – your brother – swore to me that he'd give me a heads up at least four months in advance before you guys officially moved in."

"You dobe, how would that make a difference?" Sasuke interjected, his voice bored but his eyes showing annoyance…and a little bit of surprise. Who knew Naruto could talk things out? Of course, he was still being loud and a little melodramatic, but he was actually being more civilized than he would have been in the past. Well, expect for his table manners, Sasuke noted dully as he watched Naruto clean his mouth with the sleeve of his famous orange jacket. Those hadn't changed much.

"How that would make a difference? Teme, I thought you were smarter than that," Naruto answered.

"I am," Sasuke responded cockily, smirking at the glaring blond. "You are the one who hasn't realized that it doesn't matter if I gave you a notice beforehand or not. You'd still have gone on your mission, we'd still have arrived, and Sakura and Itachi would still have started dating." Unknown to Naruto and Sasuke, Itachi smiled a little at that last bit. The way Sasuke, and everyone else for that matter, had declared that no matter the circumstances, he and Sakura would still somehow have become a couple was extremely pleasing.

"At least the shock wouldn't be as big," Naruto muttered as he glared at Sasuke. "At least I'd know that things would change, and Sakura would be involved."

"But that wasn't how it happened," Itachi said, sipping his own tea. "And that isn't how it's going to be now." He looked at Naruto seriously, and Naruto sat up straight. Itachi had never looked at him like that before, and it made him feel good. Itachi only ever looked at elders, his parents and fellow ANBU like that, which meant respect. Dignity. Admiration. Acknowledgement of one man to his equal.

Sasuke, not missing this look, also sat up straighter and leaned closer to his teammate and his brother. They were eating in a traditional little restaurant, similar to a coffee house but instead of serving coffee and biscuits it served tea and traditional dishes. They were seating by a small rectangular wooden table, and they sat on the ground on top of little cushions. Sasuke and Itachi were seating on one side with Naruto directly across from them.

"Naruto," Itachi said as he crossed his arms and leaned on the little table. "I can assure you that my feelings for Sakura are real." Naruto started to argue that he never doubted that, but Itachi quieted him with a look. "I can also assure you that I fully understand your exasperation and apprehension to the turn of events that have taken place in your absence. It would have been shocking for anyone. I do apologize for any inconvenience that this might have caused you, and also for the unwelcome shock you feel."

Naruto didn't know what to say. Itachi Uchiha had just apologized to him. And it wasn't like he did anything, he was apologizing for surprising him, which technically wasn't his fault. He turned to Sasuke, but apparently he too had been surprised speechless. He turned his head to look at Itachi again.

Itachi continued. "However, Naruto, I hope that you also understand my point of view. I arrive at Konoha, by some miracle I work up the courage to ask Sakura out, and by some other major miracle she agrees to become my girlfriend because we have mutual feelings for each other. Then as soon as we celebrate something major as a couple, which was my birthday, I may add, you barge in uninvited, ruin the moment, and then demand answers in the most outrageous and insulting manner. Now then, don't you think I have a right to be a little surprised myself? Maybe even a little offended?"

Naruto didn't know what to say, and so lowered his head to stare at his tea. Looking back on his actions for the past two days, he realized with a grimace that he had been rather rude to Itachi and to Sakura. Sure, he might have been surprised, annoyed and pissed even, but that was not excuse to act like he had. He sighed.

"Alright, alright," he groaned as he ran a hand through his spiky hair. "I see what you mean. I get it. Man, I'm sorry Itachi. I wasn't thinking about you or Sakura at all." He looked at Itachi apologetically, shame tinting his cheeks red. "You know that I don't think Sakura's too good for you. I just never really thought about Sakura having a boyfriend, or you having a girlfriend for that matter, then suddenly you're both in a relationship…with each other, no less!" He shook his head again. Man, he was fool.

"Forgive me, Itachi?" he extended his hand. Itachi looked into the fox-boy's eyes and saw nothing that displeased him, so without hesitation he took Naruto's hand and shook it.

"Yeah. No problem, Naruto."

Naruto grinned and the small tension that had built up evaporated. He and Itachi were friends with no regrets or grudges once again, and all was forgiven and left in the past. "Well," Sasuke mused, smiling instead of smirking for once in his life. "This was interesting."

"I'd say," Naruto laughed.

"Hn," Itachi smiled.

"This has been fun, guys, and I appreciate you putting up with me. Looking back on how I behaved around you guys, I'm surprised you didn't use some jutsu on me to shut me up," Naruto chuckled.

"Trust me, dobe, we were tempted to more than once," Sasuke chuckled too. Naruto glared half-heartedly.

"Anyway, I have to finish settling in, so I'll see you guys later. Oh, and thanks for treating me to lunch." Naruto stood up and stretched his legs, his stomach full and his feelings pretty much under control.

"It was needed," Itachi said, copying the blond and his brother mimicking them. "I will see you later. I have some matters of my own to attend to."

"As do I," frowned Sasuke.

"Right then. S'later!" Naruto turned away and headed for the door, but once he reached the frame he turned and smirked wickedly at Itachi. "Just because I accepted you as Sakura's boyfriend doesn't mean I'm gonna make things easier for you. You better be prepared, Itachi, 'cause Sasuke, me and some of the other guys are going to put you through some tests." He winked. "So you better be on guard."

When Naruto saw Itachi's baffled expression, he threw his head back and laughed victoriously before disappearing into Konoha's streets. When Itachi turned to Sasuke for an explanation, he found that he was alone. His little brother must have sensed that Naruto would tell him that, and thus disappeared before Itachi interrogated him.

He sighed, more in amusement than annoyance as he took out his wallet and paid the waitress. As he walked out of the little restaurant he smirked. He had said it once before, and his sentiments hadn't changed. He knew that there would be some obstacles to face if he wanted to keep Sakura as his girlfriend, and he would make sure to not only overcome those obstacles, but also to completely obliterate them.

He would do anything for his cherry blossom. His smirk widened. Let the games begin. He was more than ready.