Line 15: Tulip
"in time of lilacs who proclaim
the aim of waking is to dream,"
-'In times of Daffodils'
Line 2, Stanza 2
-E.E Cummings
"What about Honoka?"
"That kind of happiness comes with time."
Sakura knows what she wants to ask next, somehow it seems wrong to do so. She looks down instead, crumpling the tissue between her fingers.
Maybe she makes a face or stays silent a little too long, which causes Itachi to pull back. He lifts her head by the chin, quite carefully she notices, then watches her closely. She has a sneaking suspicion he is being so gentle with her because she has been crying. She only cries because of him. The fact that Itachi wants to comfort her seems a little bit unfair.
Sakura shrugs helplessly. She is not sure of what he means but is too confused to know where to start.
"I'm a little lost," She finally says.
Itachi does not change his expression at all. "About what?"
"All of it? I'm not sure what you mean about me…about Honoka."
"And happiness?" Itachi adds.
"Yeah," Sakura quickly answers, nodding in tune with what she hopes is understanding.
Her partner does a little huff through his nose. No trace of aggravation on his face.
"Is it some curse of medical professionals to consider everyone but themselves, or are you just forgetful?"
Her lips purse, still lost. When Itachi almost smirks, her pulse beats louder in her ears. Without the disguise of comfort, she becomes very aware of their closeness and where Itachi's hands are. One is still around her. The other keeps her from turning away. Although she is not quite touching him anywhere else, if the wind blew just a little too hard, she would fall right in his lap.
"I, um," I can't think for one thing! Sakura struggles, trying to get her stupidly girlish responses in check. "How does my job have anything to do with this?"
"You think like a medic all the time."
"Are you teasing me?"
With a sly tilt of his gaze, Itachi looks at the white chrysanthemum still on the table. "I'm being honest."
Sakura decides then and there that the white chrysanthemum is stupidly dangerous. But also, a good reason to maneuver away. And she does, turning her head and body to pick up the thing that started this conversation.
By all intents and purposes, it is just a piece of flora plucked from its natural habitat. In this situation, it is Sakura's leverage. Holding the flower up for her partner to see (and keep his hands away), she reiterates what she thinks they should be focusing on.
"I asked you about Honoka," she reminds him.
Itachi hums. "I answered that and then some."
Izumi, right. His other ghost is his dead ex-girlfriend. Even as she thinks about it, Sakura finds it very hard to imagine. Itachi had a girlfriend. By Uchiha standards, practically a fiancé at the same age she was trying to get Sasuke to look at her long enough to notice her looking back at him.
It surprises her how surprised she always seems to get when Itachi explains parts of his life. He had a life before the Massacre before his name became associated with missing-nin. He was living, just like she was. Doing the things shinobi his age would do, like falling in love for the first time. Being happy. Even if for a flicker of a moment.
He could have been happier if things didn't go south. Undoing the Massacre seems to be the answer for everything in life. Sakura huffs at being caught up in the series of events that follow one stupid decision. Looking down, she notices the way Itachi's hand holds tight to his knees. I wonder if he's thinking of Izumi. Or he knows where I'm going with this.
Ready to pull the band-aid off quickly, Sakura grips the flower for courage and dives right in. "Honoka doesn't make you happy?"
Itachi drums his fingers on his knee. "Is that what you think?"
"That's what you said!"
"That's what you heard," her partner smoothly points out. "What I said was that it would come with time."
"Izumi made you happy." Sakura darkly retorts.
Itachi does not give. "She did and she also would have made me even happier."
"With time?"
"Yes."
Sakura rolls her eyes at him. "So, you aren't happy with Honoka yet?"
Her accusing tone does not change his steady gaze. Sakura wonders what she is fishing for herself when Itachi takes his time answering.
Finally, her partner counters her question with one of his own. "Is my happiness important to you?"
Sakura thinks that much is obvious.
"It's my vow, isn't it?"
"There's no flower to prove it."
"Do I need one?" she counters, "I told you before we started all this that I was going to find a way to fix this for both of us. But if you're only going after Honoka because she's convenient, then I haven't done my job right. Those clan provisions were supposed to help both of us."
Deep down, she hopes he gets where she is trying to come from. It is not like Itachi to be dense. She can't be any clearer than what she's said. So when her partner turns his body to look at her face to face, Sakura startles when the first thing he does is pluck the flower from her hands.
"I think it is the latter," he starts, then eases hair away from her face to tuck the chrysanthemum behind her ear. "You are unbearably forgetful. I remember your promise, but I think you've forgotten mine."
"Yours?"
Itachi nods. "A life for a life. My life is what it is because of you. Anything good that comes to me could only come to me because you made it so. Happiness. Joy. Satisfaction. None of it would be mine if you hadn't given me a life to live in the first place. You've given me plenty of time to find new things to be grateful for. I am sure, given more time, I will find plenty of things to be happy about."
"With Honoka?"
"Of course."
Itachi gives her head a gentle pat, meant for reassurance. But the action only leaves her lacking. Because she remembers his promise that evening in the cemetery. Where Itachi vowed to give her everything he'd taken from her—her happiness and her freedom. It's been the basis of his cooperation in their mission from the beginning. Sakura knows and forgets this all at the same time. Writing his behavior off as him just being himself. She reasons that somewhere deep down, that may be true.
Itachi's gentle, low, chuckle accompanies the feather-light brush of the chrysanthemum in her hair, pulling her from her thoughts.
"Help me with this and my happiness will be secured."
"What am I supposed to do?" Sakura questions weakly.
Her partner leans towards the table, then pushes their vows closer to the edge. "Be honest. If you are displeased, say so."
Right.
"I've been truthful," Itachi continues by picking up the fern leaf, "If you have more questions, ask. If you need something, tell me. In the meantime, I will work on these."
Sakura is not sure how he plans to give her what the fern represents. They already have a home. She finds herself watching her partner closer. At first, the only thing Itachi does is find a vase for her flowers, asking where she wants it to be displayed in the house.
"The living room table?"
With no complaint or suggestion, Itachi clips the stems add water and arranges the flowers in the vase just as they were in the bouquet. Then places them where she says.
Does it count as providing a home and shelter for her? She would not have thought of having greenery in the house if not for this whole courtship thing. Plants are not what home means to her.
Should I tell him? The vase doesn't look that bad.
Sakura opts to keep it to herself. Who's to say that putting flowers in a vase counts towards their little experiment. If playing along will help him to reach his end goal, then she is willing to try.
Holding her misgivings close to her chest, Sakura keeps an eye on him. Both for medical reasons and out of curiosity. Between her routine exams and daily tasks, nothing stands out. They act much in the same way as they would on any other day the both of them were home.
The next day is no different. Though her concerns for Itachi's wellbeing wane little, Itachi either doesn't mind or doesn't notice. He does cooperate. Obediently submitting to her covering his eyes a few hours a day for healing purposes.
She offers to play blind shogi with him as a way to mildly stimulate his brain and give his eyes time to rest.
"That would be more fun than me simply explaining the game to you," he expresses.
"Okay well," Sakura looks at the shogi set up, "You can tell me where the pieces go."
"I can do that," Itachi agrees, "Do you want tea?"
She looks questioning at him. "You're going to make tea blindfolded?"
"You are welcome to help," he offers.
"I'll boil the water. You get the game." she gets to her feet, "What kind of tea?"
"Whichever you prefer," he says after her, going to the closest to retrieve all that they need.
When Sakura comes back with green tea steeping, a blanket, and several cushions await her.
"It's a bit chilly out today," Itachi says, "You will feel the breeze the longer we sit near the door."
She glances out into the modest garden while pouring tea. "Looks cloudy outside. Think it will snow?"
"It's not cold enough to snow but rain is possible."
She passes him a cup then huddles under the blanket, getting it over her shoulders while she settles down on the cushion across from him. All the shogi pieces lay on the board in no particular order. After taking a sip of tea, Sakura tells him that she's ready to start.
They spend the rest of the morning discussing shogi pieces, sipping tea, with what minimal sunlight available filtering into the room. Although the activity is meant for Itachi, Sakura gets lost in the concept of the game. After they have the pieces lined correctly, Itachi asks if she wishes to play a simple version of the game.
"Can this game even be simple?" she counters.
"I can teach you basic movements. It would not be a game; mostly practice for you to understand what pieces can do what things."
"We can do that but snacks first." Sakura uncurls her legs to go to the kitchen. Itachi starts gathering the tea stuff and meets her there.
She goes through the fridge, moving things around to find something simple. "I'm going to have to go to Minami soon. We're almost out of produce."
"Do we have eggs?" Itachi inquires.
She checks their supply, counting four in total. "Enough for tomorrow, I think. We'll need more of that too."
Sakura opts for apples, chopping them up while Itachi cleans their dishes. She adds yogurt for dipping the fruit into and goes through their stash of drinks for something light. Water for her and chilled juice for him. Two boxes of chocolate-covered biscuits mysteriously end up on both of their plates. The culprit studiously washes the cutting board used for the fruit.
Though Sakura already planned to give him something sweeter from his cupboard of treats, her partner makes his preference known. She does not see the need to change it.
"I'm going back to the game. Do you need help?" Sakura asks.
"I'll be there in a moment."
She nods, going back to their sitting area with snacks and drinks in tow. Itachi follows a few moments later, turning off the kitchen light in the process.
It's easy for her to forget about the vows and the bouquet when they spend the day discussing strategies. While Sakura will not say that she is any better at shogi, she does enjoy learning about it. The way Itachi teaches makes learning easy. He does not question any of her questions. Patiently repeating phrasing or reminding her of rules once she makes a wrong move between eating mini chocolate-covered biscuits. After the second round, Itachi declares a break and takes care of their empty plates. Sakura pulls the ends of her blanket further up her shoulders, shielding herself from the coolness of early spring. Nice and warm. Across from her, Itachi's blanket lay in a heap on the floor. Snuggled in the thick, smooth wool fibers, it never crosses her mind exactly what Itachi does until the wind blows again. Of the two blankets laid out for them, hers is the thicker one. Sakura narrows her eyes, suspicious of her assumption until she leans over to touch his blanket.
Did he really…? She slumps against the wall at her back. Looking at the sky out of the back door, Sakura tucks her chin deep inside the soft wool and digs her nose into softness. She smiles, knowing it can't be seen.
It's just a blanket. A small consideration. It's still nice though.
Itachi returns, moving the shogi game aside to mimic her sitting position looking out at the garden. She watches him out of the corner of her eye, wondering if he is cold at all. Itachi holds himself perfectly fine, not even a shiver gets through. Back straight, a blanket thrown across his shoulders, one leg prompted up. While Itachi normally has an arm thrown casually across his knee, this time he clasps his fingers around his shin to support himself.
Leaning her head against the wall he rests against, Sakura concedes he chose the right route.
They already have a home. She does not need that. A home is just a building if she does not feel safe in it. With a blanket and a wall, her partner focuses on the one thing that would mean anything to her in this situation. Her comfort.
It doesn't stop with those things either. After lunch and dinner, Itachi quietly takes the lead role in cleaning, covertly pushing her out of the space until there is little left for two people to do.
"I can finish here," he says.
She knows what he is doing when he offers her the bathroom first. Or when all the lights are off except her bedside lamp when she enters the room. Sakura adds the final touches to her face routine, quietly thanks him as he leaves the room, climbs in the bed, and curls up under covers.
She wonders if the next day continues the trend. The answer is an overwhelming yes. It starts rather inconsequential, with her removing his blindfold and instructing him to be careful in direct sunlight. Sakura fixes their breakfast, Tamago Gohan, then leaves him to do some grocery shopping at Minami's fruit stand.
She comes home to a freshly cleaned home. A fern arrangement on the table replaces the bouquet from the days before.
"New decor?" she questions, removing her shoes while he takes her bag.
"They are a reminder of what we are doing," he says.
She follows him into the kitchen, shedding her jacket and tossing it over the back of the sofa. "It works the same way as any other flower gift, right? Where you put it is important."
"You remembered." He passes her the potatoes.
"Of course. I wasn't the number one student in my academy days for nothing."
"Practically a genius," Itachi adds.
Sakura grins, "Just a few jutsu and more chakra supply away from being one."
He passes her the carrots, reciprocating the grin in the process. They work that way until the groceries are put up and Itachi finds the extra goodies Minami sneaks into her bag.
Holding the jars in his hand, Itachi inspects the contents. "What is this?"
"I have no idea," Sakura admits, coming up next to him to line up the four other jars, "Oji-san is determined to see to your health. When I explained to him that we hadn't finished the first batch of goodies he gave, he forced me to stay a little longer while he gathered supplies."
She gestures towards the jars. Itachi turns his head towards her, surprised.
"Oji-san was at the stand today?" A true rarity indeed.
"It was a cool day." she chuckles, "According to him, he would only be there for the next two customers then it was back to the farm where the heaters work. Meat guy was looking for you too. Gave us a few extra shrimps and a soup recipe. Maybe you should have surgery or something more often, so we get more food for less."
She gives his arm a playful push then leaves him in the kitchen to go change clothes. On the nightstand next to her bed, the original bouquet that starts her fake courtship sits in a new, prettier vase.
Wow. How cute.
Standing near it, she touches each petal with care, bringing out the slightly floral, green, earthy notes they leave in their wake. Her eyes follow from the nightstand to their made bed and fluffed pillows. Her fingers dance over the blanket, noting the softness of new sheets. Sakura surveys the rest of the room. Everything is in perfect order, the way she likes it to be. Although their room is rarely messy, to begin with, it stands out more in light of everything. The faint hint of a cleaning solution means he may have dusted and polished the furniture. Cleaned the mirror of her vanity set. The open window lets in the fresh air and soft sunlight. The lights are off another thing that she tries to keep up with. There's no point in keeping lights on in rooms you are not in. She prefers natural lighting anyway.
He remembered that too. She huffs pleasantly, leaving the matter where it is. At this moment, it is his job to know what things please her. So far, he has not missed keeping her home homey.
She changes clothes, carrying her dirty ones to the laundry basket before joining Itachi downstairs. The ingredients for their lunch lay on the counter. Settling down at the kitchen table, Sakura curls her fingers under her chin, resting her elbows on the tabletop. The sizzle of tempura batter hitting hot oil fills the silence in the room. In the yellow glow of the early afternoon, she watches her partner keep his vow of feeding her.
The familiar scene of him making their food sets the atmosphere at ease. It puts her at ease. When Itachi asks if she wants fried sweet potatoes, Sakura agrees with a lazy yawn. Folding her arms on the table, she lays her head down. Concerns forgotten.
"Woah!"
Kai gets to his feet and takes a precarious step towards the battlefield. Sakura instinctually grabs the back of the shirt. A swift but gentle tug gets the boy to look away from the scene and back to her. She smiles kindly, a silent reminder to stay back.
"Oh, right," Kai scrambles back but does not sit, choosing instead to stand next to her and watch the scene unfold.
"They're so fast," he exclaims.
"You think so?" Sakura questions, looking on at the fight between Itachi and Naruto. "Who do you think is faster?"
The young boy concentrates on movements. Sakura does as well, mapping the fight in her mind and on paper. It's a clear day, the residuals of spring rain evident in the slightly damp grass and muddy terrain. None of which seems to bother her guests. Kai rocks back and forth on his heels, veering from one side to another when the two men shuffled to different parts of the training grounds.
He's so excited.
It's quite evident who is his favorite. When Kai learned of his hospital stay, he was too devastated and shy to come by. So, Sakura extended the invitation to his recovery. To show Kai that his idol is alive and well.
"What's that?" Kai aggressively and distractedly taps her shoulder, pointing at Naruto, "Uchiha-san what's he doing?"
Sakura stills his hand and follows his line of sight to the sudden influx of vibrant yellow chakra. Really, Naruto? Rolling her eyes, she sits up a bit straighter. "Remember when I told you some people have special chakra?"
"Yeah."
"Well, Naruto is one of those people with special chakra from the Kyuubi inside him. When he wants, he can draw on that chakra in a fight. That's called bijuu mode, which is what you're seeing right now."
Kai swallows, looking worried, "Is Itachi-san going to be okay? That looks dangerous. Naruto-san is all…whoosh and zoom. There are so many of the yellow ones."
His concern is too adorable for her to keep a straight face. But Sakura tries to set his fears to rest, pulling the boy back to the ground with her. "Don't count him out yet. Itachi is stronger than he looks."
"Because of the red eyes?"
"Exactly because of that."
Sakura turns her gaze back to the fight, finding her partner amongst the rubble. Her instructions were to fight until before he reaches his limits, hoping he will be responsible enough not to take it too far. The 'red eyes' as Kai calls it, is probably the only appropriate response to Naruto. Sure enough, mere seconds later, the scene glows a deep orange-red. The makings of Itachi's Susanoo light the sky.
Sakura groans. Kai marvels. She mentally pats herself on the back for taking their sparring match to a training area outside the village limits and away from many civilian homes. All things considered, the fact that he can do a partial Susanoo is impressive in its own right.
She grabs the boy and moves him back a safer distance for caution's sake. As they land in a clearing that still gives them a view of the fight, Kakashi lands with them.
"Quite the spectacle we have here," Kakashi whistles, "Our sentries are all over the place."
Sakura greets him with a smirk, holding onto Kai's shoulders. "Should I tell them to reign it in?"
Kakashi sighs good-naturedly, "It would stop scaring the children."
She rolls her eyes but presses the earpiece in her ears, relaying the message to her partner. Seconds later, the partial Susanoo dissipates, following the glow from Naruto's bijuu mode.
"That's better," the Hokage concludes. "Amazing to see up close."
"Isn't it?" Sakura agrees, "I wasn't expecting him to go that far."
"Itachi?" Kakashi questions as if his name alone should have told her, "I was expecting him to do more than that, honestly."
Sakura watches the horizon, keeping her thoughts to herself. Two silhouettes casually emerge from the distant trees.
"Uchiha-san?" Kai looks up at her, eyes wide and expectant.
Without a word she lets him go so he can run and meet his idol halfway. A smile crosses her face, watching him dash out into the open air, free and unobstructed by his illness. Just like Itachi, his limitations hardly limit him anymore. They are two peas in a pod those two. Her heart swells and sways when they meet up. Itachi stops Kai, but Naruto crowds him with shouts and cheers. Kai, being the reserved kid he is, inches closer to the Uchiha, politely trying to hold off her over-excited best friend. A tiny titter of laughter escapes. Sakura covers her mouth, discreetly concealing her enjoyment of the scene. How Itachi smoothly and effortlessly puts space between Kai and Naruto. How he manages to keep the blonde happy and his younger companion at ease on their walk to her. On occasion, when his gaze isn't directed elsewhere, Itachi's eyes seem to find her despite the distance. She remembers their little experiment. The vase of flowers by her bedside. And the sway in her heart lightens to flutter in the pit of her stomach.
"Hmmm?" Kakashi clears his throat. His voice filters into her thoughts.
Sakura cocks her head to the side, curious about his unspoken words.
"What?" she asks.
"Ahh," he sighs, wistfully, turning back around. "Just observing."
She follows his line of vision back to the three males headed their way. Not seeing what has him so upbeat all of a sudden. "Observing what?"
"This and that." The Hokage answers elusively, smiling for real. "Just keep doing what you're doing, Sakura."
Sakura tries to piece together where he is coming from. Drawing a blank, she looks to him again, hoping his body language will give her some hints as to why he's grinning at the sky.
"Kakashi?" she calls, and he waves her words away.
"Don't overthink, remember."
"I wasn't…"
"We're still meeting after this."
The abrupt change in the subject makes her brows furrow. "Of course."
Kakashi smiles a slow, easy smile. "Good. Good."
Slightly uneasy now, Sakura turns fully to him, prepared to grill him on his odd reactions. The Hokage doesn't seem too concerned about the coming verbal assault. Eyes slide her way, flicker off into the distance, and then back again. Her cheeks puff, words at the ready when he cuts in with the simplest and quietest phrase of the day.
"Itachi's coming."
It is just enough to pull her attention towards the field. Just to see. Itachi is coming. They all were walking back that way. Yet. Some small part of her looks for verification that he is indeed nearer, and she catches the moment Naruto breaks into a sprint. The other man in question watches her back.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yells into the open air.
Her former sensei clears his throat. "That's my cue."
"What?" Sakura shivers, realizing that she completely stops talking.
The leaves rustle, followed by a poof of smoke. She shakes her head, recognizing the distraction for what it is.
"Sakura-chan!" Her best friend waves his arms at her. "Why was Kakashi-sensei here?"
She takes several steps to meet them, listening to Naruto but watching her partner. He walks normally, not a stumble or a misstep. It feels different seeing Itachi in something other than his everyday clothes. Dressed to fight, in slightly more fitted pants, a grey vest, and a short-sleeved shirt. Gloves covered in dirt and forehead coated in sweat. Itachi doesn't look intimidating, just official. Someone to be feared and respected. Like a real shinobi.
He walks right up to her, and Sakura tilts her head up to meet his eyes. Ah. His very red eyes, the residuals of his Sharingan fades. She watches in awe as each remarkable feature recedes to some secret place until nothing is left but deep grey. Itachi blinks, and she unconsciously mimics the action. I've never seen that transition up close. It's amazing. While the fiery red of the Uchiha Clan's famous dojutsu is impressive, Sakura quietly admits that she prefers the cool depths of his natural eye color.
"Did we overdo it?"
The tenor of his voice draws her gaze away from his eyes to his lips, then down to his hands as he starts to undo straps holding wrist guards in place.
Sakura clears her throat and offers a helping hand, taking each glove from him. "Kakashi seems to think the sentries thought you were serious."
"I thought you told them we were doing a training exercise?" Naruto lowers himself to the ground, spraying out his arms and legs in every direction.
Kai follows suit, sitting inches away from Itachi's legs. Once his gloves are off, her partner joins them in the grass, stretching his long legs out before him, giving Sakura ample space to do her exam of his person.
"I did tell them," Sakura assures, getting down on her knees behind Itachi. "I don't think anyone expected a partial Susanoo."
"Itachi scared them?" Naruto laughs and Kai smiles shyly.
"I think it was pretty cool," the young boy quietly adds, flushing slightly after giving his opinion.
Much to Sakura's delight, Naruto only encourages him. He elbows him in the rib, causing Kai to teeter off-balance a little bit but not fall over.
"I think the Susanoo is cool too. But did you see me?" Naruto gestures to his chest, "Covered in Kurama's chakra, it was pretty cool right?"
Kai seems to scrutinize the man before him as if he is unsure how to answer the question. "I don't know what Kurama is. But Itachi-san has red eyes, and they make him see a lot of things."
His eyes flicker to Itachi for reassurance. Her partner gives him the barest of nods, enough to embolden the young boy.
"Oh yeah?" Naruto challenges.
"Yeah," Kai says with a bit more authority now that Itachi seems to be on his side.
Sakura snorts when their modest conversation turns into a friendly debate. She moves Itachi's hair out of them to get better access to his back. In the process, gives his ear a mischievous little tug.
"Look what you started," she quietly teases, green chakra warming the tips of her fingers. She presses them against Itachi's shoulders, and he seemingly relaxes.
She can't tell if he huffs or sighs. When he speaks his voice is just as low as hers. "His mind was made up before I did anything."
Sakura shakes her head knowingly, "He's only speaking so much because you're encouraging him. Kai is a shy kid, and you know how Naruto is."
"I do," Itachi tilts his head back. Those grey eyes once again come into her view. "That's what you wanted, isn't it?"
Instinctually she grabs his shoulders to keep him from falling backward. Watching him from her slightly higher kneeling position, Sakura stops working and listens to the other two near them.
"You mean with Kai?" She isn't sure if she needs clarification or reassurance that they are on the same page. Her wants only recently became a concern for both of them. There is little correlation between their courtship practice and her medical profession.
And yet, at this moment, Sakura is not sure. The word "want" conjures images of flowers. Flowers remind her of make-believe vows with real-life consequences.
Itachi inhales deeply, turns around, then exhales. "Yes."
The answer both fits and does not. Something about his tone makes Sakura feel as if she missed something somewhere. Just as quickly as it is there, it is gone. The rest of the world comes into focus when Itachi's full attention is not on her. Seconds tick by, discrediting the sensation with every passage of time until Sakura is convinced that she imagined it.
A spring breeze shifts the grass around them, adding a soft rustle to the commotion in the field. Itachi's hair gets caught in the movement, blowing back and brushing over her wrist. She smacks her teeth more out of habit than annoyance and scoots a bit closer. She takes the mischievous little ponytail, which is a handful of thick black hair and twists it into a cute little knot at the back of his head. Despite the mixture of dirt and grass speckles clinging to the sweat on his skin, his hair still smells like shampoo. It is soft to touch. She has to try three more times to keep the knot from unraveling.
It's like playing with literal silk.
Itachi doesn't protest when she twists and pulls his hair into submission. Sakura takes advantage of her nearness to his face and chooses to inspect his eyes. Her hands move from the back of his head to his temple and pull. He leans in, giving her full access to the side of his face. With a perfect view over his shoulder, she catches the moment his fingers twitch. Should Itachi try to do what he did earlier, his head would rest neatly against her collarbone. She presses her fingers along the sides of his eyes. A quiet but shaky inhale grabs her attention.
"How does it feel?" She deepens the pressure just a little, trying to get a better read of his optic nerves.
This time he shivers. Sakura chalks it up to the breeze, waiting for him to give her an answer. And it only appears after she pauses. A barely audible 'fine' and Sakura resumes. Willingly overlooking his somewhat distant behavior to keep going with her assessment.
Everything looks good so far. Normal strain, nothing out of the ordinary.
Nimble fingers ease further up into his hairline, brushing back bangs in the process. Itachi looks down. She catches a glimmer of sweat on his eyelashes, thick, straight, and not easy to see through from her vantage. She can not tell where his eyes look, only that they aren't moving around. No joggling of the eyeballs when he blinks, which leads her to conclude he's staring intently at whatever caught his attention. Perhaps because, on some unconscious level, Sakura ignores any unorthodox behavior on her partner's part. That the stillness of his gaze means nothing until she realizes that it radiates through his whole body, save the occasional twitch of his pointer finger and thumb. He breathes in slow, measured increments. Sakura could have attributed it to him catching his breath. But they have been sitting for minutes now. When her hands return to his back, the stiffness in his muscles becomes even more evident.
Concerned now creeping up in her thoughts, Sakura doubles down on her efforts.
"If something hurts, let me know." She instructs. He only nods, still tense as hell.
Sakura rolls her eyes at him. Men. Regardless of who the patient is, the males always seem the least cooperative. Her chakra can only scan so far, but patients know their bodies more than any medical tool she has in her arsenal. Asking what feels out of the norm is one of the best indicators that something is off.
But Itachi does not say much of anything. She presses her fingers into his traps and gets the tiniest little gasp. Half tempted to dig into his back if that will get him to loosen up, she tries to work around whatever he is doing. Feeling, probing, scanning for damage, the most she comes up against is stiffness. She keeps at her work until his twitching turns into tiny fidgeting that distracts her enough to pull back.
Frustrated, she leans over his shoulder to get a better look at his face. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." It's barely an audible murmur that has her narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him.
Sakura growls deep in her throat, right in his ear so he knows she's not buying it. "Oh yeah? Then why did you flinch?"
"It's nothing."
"It's something," Sakura accuses, and to prove her point, digs both thumbs into his lat muscles.
Itachi gasps and instantly arches his back away from her touch.
"Something." She stresses. "But if you want to be stubborn and in pain, be my guest."
Itachi hangs his head, and she smacks her teeth at his stubborn attitude. Putting some much-needed distance between them, she calls Naruto.
"Who wants food?" she says, forcing a smile and the direction of her thoughts to something other than her partner's strangeness.
They agree to ramen, not that Sakura offers any rebuttal to the recommendation. She uses the commotion food brings to watch her partner for any signs of something. If he notices her eyes on him, he doesn't acknowledge it in any capacity. In fact, Itachi volunteers to go back to their original spot and gather everyone's bags that she left when she and Kai moved. His actions feel unironical like running away. Any of them could have done the job. But Itachi inserts himself before anyone can even ask. Standing and heading back into the wilderness before she or her best friend can get a word in.
Rolling her eyes at his back, Sakura stands, dusting debris from her clothes. If he wants to be weird then be weird.
She's willing to let it go until she remembers that he owes her. That the rules of their temporary little courtship thing mean he owes her honesty and truth. Or at least she thinks it does. Mikoto doesn't specify in her journal how far she can take the 'truth' vow from the white chrysanthemum.
Are there off-limits things? Biting her bottom lip, the medical jounin contemplates flowers and meanings and intentions. Thoughts that follow her to Ichiraku Ramen. Sakura tries keeping up conversations with Naruto and Kai. Watching the two interact occupies her thoughts several times. She forgets how much of a child Naruto can be. How strangely mature Kai can be at times. Occasionally, it is obvious that he is just a kid. Especially when they go back and forth on what ramen broth is best. Or whether firm noodles are superior to more supple ones. Occasionally her thoughts stray to her somewhat silent partner. When that happens, she catches him not so subtly watching her. Sakura's eyes flicker between her food and his face, uncertain but curious about what he is waiting for.
"That was delicious," Naruto declares. Sakura uses his exclamation as an excuse to look away.
"I can't believe you ate two whole bowls of ramen, Naruto."
Slouching on the stool, her best friend pats his belly with a satisfied groan.
"Nothing's better after a good fight than some hot ramen."
"I prefer dango," Itachi smoothly adds, then takes a sip of his broth from the spoon.
The blond pulls himself up, folding his arms on the counter. "Dango, huh? Is that your comfort food?"
"Hnn."
"What about you, kid?" Naruto questions Kai. "Got any?"
Kai looks between the adults around him, then down to his food. "Maybe katsudon?"
Naruto's boisterous laugh fills the restaurant and he pats Kai on the back. "Well next time you join us, we'll have to go to a place that makes some good katsu."
"Dango is good too," the young boy quickly adds. "The hanami kind."
Sakura ruffles his hair. "Don't start talking about dango or Itachi will go on and on about his favorites. Which is all dango if I'm being honest but then he'd just go on about dango forever."
"I suddenly have a taste of mitarashi," Itachi mutters to him.
"Are you serious?" Sakura challenges.
"We can all get some." Naruto pipes up, already moving out of his seat.
Sakura's eyes widened, watching the other two boys hurry to finish their food. Are we seriously doing this? She looks down at her half-empty bowl and starts to eat faster. How a sparring match turned into some weird food adventure is beyond. But after the bill for their lunch is paid, the ragtag group walks several blocks to Itachi's favorite dango spot. If Sakura is not one hundred percent sure that they did not plan this, she may have thought that this is conspiracy just to eat.
As always, Daichi is ready to serve them. Itachi runs down the list of different dango snacks to Kai without so much as glancing at the menu. Sakura leans her head in her hands, wondering for all the world how her partner still has teeth with how often he eats sweets.
They settle on a sample platter—four platters to be exact. She withholds putting up a fuss, especially because Kai seems too enthralled with the chance to mimic Itachi. Her partner does the honors suggesting eating order. Before anyone else can dig, he eases the plates towards her.
"Here," he sounds neither amused nor annoyed. It encourages her enough to look up then down to the assortment of mini dango. "Try these first."
"What's this one?"
She points to the suspicious-looking blue dango, taking advantage of something else to focus on. Itachi adds samples to his plate while explaining.
"Mitarushi dango and a specialty flavor Daichi created for Haru Festival."
Four different types of mini dango lay on the plate in the center of the table. According to Itachi, it is the best thing on the menu though she knows very well that he is biased. It's only the best thing because he can get four times as much of his favorite food.
Sakura goes for the oddly colored dango first. Slightly sweet, slightly sticky with that familiar chewiness but not bad.
"I like this one," she admits. In response, Itachi gives her his plus the mitarashi dango that she does like.
The rest is divided up between the boys. Sakura makes a point to let her partner know that she is fine, though Itachi refills her tea when she's too busy chewing. Nodding her thanks, she tries not to take up too much of his attention. Not because she's not curious about his behavior from earlier but for Kai's sake. She encourages the boy to ask questions, teasing Naruto a bit to give her young charge courage to loosen up just a bit more. When the conversation turns to debate sweets, Sakura knows she's succeeded.
"I have a meeting to go to," she announces, stretching her arms above her head.
"Awww!" Kai's spontaneous complaint follows the reddening of his ears. The medic tries not to embarrass him further but quickly clarifies.
"I'm the only one who has to go. Can you guys…?" Her gaze flickers beseeching to Itachi and Naruto.
The blonde thrusts out his thumb in agreement. Sakura nods, getting to her feet. Itachi does as well.
"I'll walk you to the door," he says.
Sakura leads the way for both of them. Once they are outside the teashop, she stops and turns to face him. "I shouldn't be too long."
"You're going to meet with Kakashi," Itachi says in no accusing tone.
Sakura licks her lips reflectively, setting aside a nervous jitter in the process. "Yeah. Normal stuff. Are you going to walk Kai back? I told his mom we should be done by afternoon and to meet at the hospital."
"Not at his house?"
She chuckles lightly, looking at the teashop's flap covering. "I don't think she wants me to know where they live. She trusts me enough to keep her son alive, but she's leery of shinobi as a whole."
"Hnn."
Chancing a glance at him, Sakura eases into the thing she really wants to address. "Once I'm done, I'll go straight to the Compound."
Itachi raises a brow. "Did you bring your stuff?"
"No. I left it by the door this morning. Could you get it for me?"
Another nod and nothing more. Sakura sighs internally. He'll never say if I don't say something first. Regardless of what their truth vow can and cannot do, it shouldn't be too hard for her to just ask. Holding her arms behind her, she tries to appear as non-threatening as possible.
Without a second thought, she presses for information. "Are you okay?"
Itachi blinks twice, then murmurs a reply. "Better in some ways but not in others."
Elusive as ever, Sakura briefly wonders if he'll go run to Shisui the moment her back is turned. Her hand tightens around her arm, and she rocks back on her heels. Though Itachi does not explicitly say it, all she hears is Sasuke's voice berating her for prying when he isn't willing to share. Itachi never outright called her annoying, but that does not mean he does not feel that way.
Sakura looks down, uncertain but determined. It's my job to ask. Just give me a little and I'll let it go.
"Was it…the training?"
"No," Itachi's answer comes quick and curt, sending goosebumps across her skin. He sighs. "We can't talk about this here."
Sakura chances a glance at him, noting the pensive press of his eyebrows. Oh no.
"Okay," Sakura takes a cautious step forward, "We can talk at home. We don't have to go to your family house tod—,"
Her words cut short when Itachi's shoulder sag in obvious disappointment at her suggestion.
"We will go there and talk after." Itachi declares, "you'll be late for your meeting if you continue standing here."
He pulls her into the briefest hug for show and, without a second glance, turns around and goes back into the teashop.
Twice today she gets the feeling that her partner is running from her. Both times Sakura struggles for sympathy for him. How can someone so willing to be honest withhold important things where it counts? The paradox is enough to make her grumble, spin on her heels, and walk away.
Uchiha are so… What? Sakura can not find the right words, probably because it isn't fair of her to compare. Sasuke probably would not have said as much as his brother. But Itachi always tries to hide behind the guise of putting her at ease. She isn't sure which behavior she finds more annoying.
Being ignored or being coddled.
Sakura sets a hard pace towards the Hokage Tower. Mere minutes pass before she stands in front of Kakashi's office before the sun barely has time to trace across the sky. He makes her wait another twenty minutes. Sakura takes advantage of one of the many windows in the hall to get a good look at the village. The Hokage Tower is high enough that she can make out just about every part of Konoha. From here, parts of her hometown that she hardly ever ventures to catch her eye.
Lots more places under construction than I thought. Sakura muses to herself.
It's not surprising. The museum and the Uchiha Compound wouldn't be the only projects the Hokage commissioned. Their village went through enough devastation that rebuilding was necessary. At that same time, the desire to be closer to the home grew as well. Many people wanted to build lives. And this meant an expanding Konoha, something she's sure her former sensei anticipates in the near future.
I can just barely see the Compound from here. She wonders if Itachi and the others left the teashop. With a sullen grunt, Sakura hunches her shoulders. Just when I think I know him, I run up against another wall.
It is not as if she wants to know him just because. It feels right after he was so open with her about things she was sure were hard to talk about. I wonder what Izumi was like. Immediately her mind reminds her, and Sakura feels her stomach twist a little. Right. Honoka. She was like Honoka. Like Honoka…how? Itachi did not elaborate. What little he did share wasn't very helpful either. Did they look like? Honoka's brown hair and blue eyes made that somewhat improbable. They had the same personality then. An Uchiha with her assistant's disposition seems even more improbable. There must be something. Itachi wouldn't lie. At least I don't think…
Heaving a disgruntled sigh, she sags down to the window seal, slouching over and staring off at her next destination. Maybe that's why he wanted to go there today. Maybe Izumi's on his mind and that puts him in a mood.
She only agrees to go because Itachi presented the idea the night before as a necessity. They needed to clean out his house for the next phase to start. Shikamaru gave him permission to do so alone with Sakura in tow. She agreed because…why wouldn't she agree? Maybe he was hoping I would say no so he could be alone with two ghosts.
Even Sakura is surprised about how betrayed she feels at the thought.
"There you are!" Shizune casually jogs forward, and Sakura pulls herself up, trying to maintain some dignity.
Smiling, she moves forward to close the distance. "Is Kakashi finished?"
"Finished and pouting," Shizune rolls her eyes, "He didn't get great news today."
"Oh," Sakura laces her fingers behind her, wondering if her first report of this new mission will offer much of the same.
"He'll be happy to see you, though!" Something about the high pitch of Shizune's voice lets her know she's trying to be helpful.
Which means Sakura's face must have shown her mixed up emotions. Great.
Forcing a smile, the young medic diverts attention away from herself. "I'm sure he could use a bit of a break. I hear Kakashi's been working nonstop."
Shizune hums thoughtfully, "True. True. I fear one day I'm going to show up and he'll just poof, vanish."
Sakura can't disagree. "I'm surprised he hasn't already."
They turn the corner, the office door only a few steps away. Shizune laughs graciously.
"Don't wish those things on me, Sakura. One runaway Hokage is more than enough for me."
This time Sakura laughs, knowing all of Shishou's hiding places. Shizune knocks once, then opens the door to let Sakura in.
Sakura takes a step around and pauses. He doesn't look upset.
Feet crossed on the desk and book covering his face, Kakashi looks damn near asleep.
"Hokage-sama?" Shizune whispers.
"Hmmm?"
"Sakura's here."
"Hmm…?"
"You scheduled a meeting…"
"Hmmm."
Shizune gives Sakura a thumbs up as if this discourse says anything at all. The medic's wide eyes convey her confusion. Her former tutor only shoos her forward then politely excuses herself by closing the door.
Even though they confirmed this meeting not two hours ago, Sakura lingers near the door, uncertain. Kakashi doesn't move from his lounged position or acknowledge her presence in any sort of meeting way. She takes one step forward and then another before completing the trek to his desk.
"Should I…" she trails off, eyes following the scattered paperwork on the desk, on the floor, and…under the desk? "Kakashi?"
"It's Hokage," he grumbles and it's a wonder she can understand him with the book covering the mask covering his mouth.
Sakura rolls her eyes then raps her knuckles against the desk. "Are you going to look at me at least?"
"Nope."
"You really are pouting?"
This gets his attention enough to tilt his head her way. "Says who?"
Sakura runs her fingers against stray documents. "Shizune…"
"That woman…"
"Knows you too well?" Sakura finishes, "Where should I put my report?"
The Hokage sweeps a hand over his desk. "Take your pick."
She weaves the hand signs to retrieve the storage seal hidden on her person. It drops onto a stack of documents with a plop, rolls, then thumps against crossed legs.
"I really could've come by tomorrow," she begrudges him but also tries to organize the mess he's made.
The man across from her mutters under his breath and lets his arms dangle at his sides. "Let's trade. You can be Hokage for a day."
"No thanks," Sakura quickly counters, glancing at then rearranging paperwork. "I'm not cut out to run an entire village."
Kakashi tuts. "You're smart. Organized. Motherly."
She bulks at him, nearly messing up her work. "Motherly?"
"You baby people."
"I do not!"
"What are you doing now?" he challenges.
Sakura shoves his feet off the desk. "Helping you but it seems nobody wants that today. Move."
Her actions cause his book to fall. Kakashi sits up with a tired groan, watching her.
"You're rude when you're annoyed," her former sensei teases. "Did anything interesting happen after the fight?"
She bites the inside of her cheek and keeps her eyes fixed on the papers in her hands. "Nothing yet. We're going to the Compound tonight."
"Shikamaru told me," The Hokage hints, "Anything else?"
She shoots him a warning look, "When something interesting happens, I'll make a report about it. For now, Blackbird is doing fine physically. Vitals are good. Chakra stores seem to be functioning well. The training today went…okay. I'll have a more thorough report by the end of the week. Mentally…I guess tonight would give me more insight."
Kakashi whistles. "Well done."
"You're welcome," she quips, putting the final touches on organizing his workspace. "Anything else you needed?"
The man hums, easing back in his chair. "You know, ah, actually, never mind."
The smile he sends her way only makes her suspicious. "What?"
Kakashi reaches for his discarded book. "Well, I had an idea. Then I had another and now I'm going with that one."
"Which means you're nothing telling me anything." Sakura corrects.
He laughs. "More like, I thought better of what I was going to say. You're rude when you're annoyed."
She tries very hard not to take offense at the fact Kakashi would rather keep secrets than be honest. Sakura purses her lips, knowing her ire lay elsewhere anyway. Projection just seems petty, so she shakes her head at him and takes a step back.
"How much time do I have left before you send him off?"
"Including his hospital stay?" The Hokage takes time to consider, "About a week and a half. I could probably squeeze out a few more days with some carefully crafted letters but I doubt your partner would not appreciate it."
I'm sure he wouldn't. She offers a nonverbal agreement to keep a straight face. "I'll try to gather as much intel as I can before then."
Kakashi smiles at her, leaning back in his chair to kick his legs up again. "I have total faith that you'll do what needs to be done."
The book drops down on his face once more. Sakura takes the cue for what it is. Bowing slightly, she excuses herself from the room. As the door softly clicks behind her, anticipation washes over her and not the good kind. Itachi is waiting for her. He's waiting at his childhood home. With his mood off and hers just as erratic, she hesitates in the hallway.
What if it is about Izumi? Why does the thought leave her feeling…left behind. Again. He will leave, but not because he wants to disappear or has some grudge against those living within these walls. He is not off on some revenge plot, quite the opposite. What Itachi is doing will be very unifying. But this whole thing has her dredging up old hurts from what felt like a lifetime ago.
This is stupid. It does not stop her fist from clenching. Pushing away from the door, she reluctantly starts towards where Itachi is. Every step feels heavily laden. Itachi promised he would tell her, but Sakura gets the feeling he would still hold back just enough to share with someone else. Something else.
Her top lip twitches and Sakura makes a face.
Shisui's first appearance was a source of fear for her. Sakura couldn't make out if Itachi was hallucinating or dying. She hoped for the former and prayed against the latter. Now that it doesn't seem to be either, Shisui is just…irritating. He and…her.
Sakura frowns. She hardly cared about the other ghost before. When she assumed it was his mom, Sakura was willing to tolerate her just to pick her brain. Does he go to both and only tell me about him? Does Shisui leave them alone so Itachi can pour his heart and soul out to his lost love while Sakura just grunts and grumbles and curt sentences? Does it even matter?
Her escalated pulse says yes. Because they were partners. Because they should help each other. Because…I'm here too.
The construction crews responsible for other projects around the Compound are still hard at work when Sakura steps through the gates. She takes great pleasure in meandering the uneven road to marvel at discoveries and chats with shinobi willing to explain what certain buildings would become.
'Coming Soon' signs already covered several businesses in the front of the property. The further back she goes, the more the dust and debris. As soon as she crosses the yellow tape that demarks where their progression stops, the Compound feels deserted.
Homes lay empty with evidence of neglect. Even with the noise of workers shuffling around and barking orders, an underlying silence reminds her that no one is with her. Not yet.
She walks the now-familiar route, passing overgrown patches of grass, dusty windows, and empty lots. Itachi's house sits towards the center back of the Compound. Not completely at the edge, surrounded by enough foliage to give the family some privacy.
Spring greenery peeks out at her on the overgrown lot. Some trees already have their leaves, and she glances at one towering orange blossom tree showing signs of renewed life. Though the air still carries a bite when the wind blows, it no longer smells of crispy barrenness. Instead, a sweet, clean, green smell hangs on the wind and whispers past her as she weaves through the streets.
I bet this place is gorgeous when the trees come in bloom. If she could walk these streets back then, Sakura wouldn't have been the wiser of why certain plants were present. Now, every flower tells a story and whispers secrets for truly listening ears. Sakura learns to listen, catching glimpses of gardens on the sides of houses.
The Uchiha Compound in spring would have been a dream to admire. Who vowed what? Who was courting or being courted? She smiles despite herself. Curiosity slows her down just to take a little peek, a little detour. This house doesn't have the space for a lavished garden, not Mikoto's garden. I wonder what flowers they put on show.
Inspecting leaves, Sakura spots the telltale ferns glistening under the afternoon sun. One very bold household has orchids dancing near the front window. Well. Well.
She wonders if she'll find the same in Mikoto's garden. Doubt it. Sakura reasons, carrying on with her journey. They only had two. Sasuke was only over five when the Massacre happened. I doubt they wanted more than the boys.
When she sees Itachis' home, Sakura notices the opened doors, making it very easy to peer straight into the house. Odd in her opinion since her partner insisted on having privacy for the day. Sakura approaches with caution, deciding to use the front door like a civilized person.
"Itachi?" her call gets lost, but she can hardly complain.
The open doors let the outside in. Before stepping into the irori, she smells the flowers from the backyard.
A set of boxes rest near the door in the genkan. Sakura eases out of her shoes, placing them next to the pair already present. The tatami flooring absorbs the sounds of her footfalls. A metal top covers where coal would have been lit to warm the room and the house. Built-in shelving, four shelves in total rest against one side. A Uchwia fan hangs proudly next to it. Sakura eases closer, inspecting the contents of the shelves. Books, old inkwells, trinkets, and vases litter the shelves but are by no means unorganized. Dust covers everything but also reveals where Itachi must have removed items already.
Speaking of which, she turns towards the set of fusuma doors Itachi went through the last time they came here. A short hall leads to two sets of modern doors on the right and shoji doors on the left. A small lamp light beacons her right. The door is already slightly ajar. When she hears a soft thump, Sakura's pulse speeds up.
Found him.
Quietly inhaling, Sakura eases the doors open further, walking into what looks like an office. Unlike the woods and tan coloring of the irori, the office walls tint mint green. Wood flooring runs throughout, and several objects give the space a bright, calming feel. Traditional paintings on the walls, a desk, a chair sit next to a medium-sized bookshelf.
The source of her hunt sits cross-legged on the floor in front of shelves, surrounded by books and tomes. Itachi changed out of his training gear into something more comfortable, something she's used to seeing him in. He's reading or glancing through something with how quickly he flips through pages. Unwilling to disturb him just yet, Sakura carefully walks in, drawn to the open doors on the back wall. Outside, the beginnings of a tale catch her eye. Sakura spots sweet alyssum, blushing purples, and calm white clusters of tiny flowers. By the sheer number of them along the path leading to the sitting area, Itachi's father must have truly thought his wife was beautiful. Sakura wonders if this flower is chosen on purpose given the season. With daffodils coming in bloom, the start of a new round of courtship for the young and enthusiastic. Would a woman not wonder if her husband still sees her the same as he may have at the start of the whole thing?
What a way to be reminded. I can't even count how many individual flowers there are.
Sakura can't imagine Mikoto being insecure, but if the woman ever doubted the way her husband saw her, well.
Sakura steps out into the engawa, watching blossoms. Sweet peas greet her upon the second inspection. Everybody likes food. Turning to the left, she spots peonies, and her stomach curls. Sakura remembers her flowerless vow, the burden of Itachi's happiness weighing heavy in her chest. I don't know how to give you happiness if you don't give me something to work with. We don't have a lot of time. A week and a half, you'll be gone for months. After that, we'll we working on borrowed time to get you and Honoka together. Tension pinches her shoulders. Sakura steps out further into the open air, wondering. Is Honoka the only thing you need to be happy? That's all you need some me? Her thoughts turn dark so she focuses instead on the telltale signs of a flower not quite in bloom but would be in the coming weeks or so. Tiny little buds, still covered in green. Leaning over the veranda, the medic tries to get a better view.
"Sakura?" It's the softest whisper, but she turns immediately, watching her partner linger by the door.
"Oh," she pulls back from the engawa's edge, moving closer. "Are you finished reading? Do you need a break?"
Itachi curtly shakes his head. "I wasn't sure where you went."
She doesn't need flowers to decode a message so simple. She thought giving Itachi space to go throw his parent's things was best, but it seems that is not what he wants at all. Sakura nods amiably.
Tell me what you want. What do you need from me, Itachi?
"I was just looking at the flowers," she explains.
Itachi looks over her head, out the blooming garden behind them. Silent, solemn, sadden eyes. Sakura holds back her reply, slumping her shoulders, matching his mood.
"We need to finish in a few days," Itachi informs her and takes a step back into the room.
"Where do you want me to start?"
He turns away, expecting her to follow and she does, letting him take the lead on this. Once back inside, Sakura noticed all the tomes boxed away. Nothing else lay on the floor. They walk out of the office, through the doors she saw earlier, and into a spacious living area. To her surprise, a few modern doors lay off to the side, followed by a staircase tucked away in the corner. Itachi opens one of the doors, leading to a decent-sized kitchen.
"Here," he picks up several folded boxes, laying them on the table in the middle of the room. "If you can start here with dishes and cooking things, I can finish in the office."
Sakura purses her lips at the sheer absence of life in his tone. "Anything else?"
Itachi only blinks, turning slightly towards the direction they came. "I'll come help if I finish before you. Then we can work on the living area."
"Anything else?" Sakura gently presses, stepping a little bit closer, silently hoping, wanting to help.
I don't know how to make you happy if I don't know what's making you sad.
Itachi stands perfectly still, and she wonders if he heard her request. But he does not move. Neither of them does for a little while. He watches the living room, and she watches him.
Then Itachi lowers his head. Sakura steps around to get a better view but is taken by the arm instead.
"Ita—oh," His grip is sure, and she stumbles into a hug so tight words fail.
Willing her legs to stand strong for both of them, Sakura reaches back, holding her partner there unnecessarily. Itachi does not seem to want to let go, clinging to her shirt. He reminds her of the unfinished Compound before construction crews showed up—ravaged by duty, robbed by death, and threatening to fall apart.
On the kitchen wall, she spots a small, handmade painting. A field of flowers, colorfully bright with a mixture of some having yet to bloom.
Tulips. She thinks, then frowns, feeling discomfort all over again. Tulips symbolized beautiful eyes. Sakura could have easily attributed the compliment to her partner just hours ago. But now, as his head buried in her shoulder, hiding his face, hiding truths. Hiding the fact that behind those beautiful eyes is untouched grief.
A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! I have a gift in honor of the holidays. Also because of Adele's new album. My inspiration was at an all-time high. Anyways, I promised fluff and delivered fluff but also feels. This chapter was very Sakura-focused, which is rare. I feel like I write more from Itachi's perspective. Not that focusing on Sakura is a bad thing. As Itachi said in the last chapter, her view of him changes often. We know why even if she hasn't quite figured it out yet.
I don't have a flower for the next chapter although know there will be a new vow (lilies). For those who may have forgotten, here are the flowers you've learned so far:
Ferns-Home/shelter
Pink Camellias-I miss you
Blue Hyacinth- An unmovable bond between us
Daises- Secrets/we share a secret
Lilies- Everlasting friendship
Hydrangeas-Thank you/gratitude
Orchids- Lots of babies
Daffodils- I prefer you
Crocus- to be determined by Sakura
Sweet pea-Food/Provision
Edelweiss-Strength/being strong for others
White Chrysanthemum-Honesty/Truth
Peonies-Happiness
Tulips-Beautiful eyes
-CeCe ^^
Word Count: 11,352
Musical Inspiration: Adele's new album. The whole thing. Just go listen to it! :D