The Vow of Flowers

by Annick La

To fulfill her duty, to complete the mission and please the Elders, Sakura invokes an Uchiha tradition older than the village itself. The bonds that bind them can never be broken.

18. Line 17: Lilies Part II: Columbine

Line 17: Lilies Part II: Columbine

"in time of roses(who amaze
our now and here with paradise)"

-'In times of Daffodils'

Line 3, Stanza 2

-E.E Cummings

---

Sakura's world hazily vanishes out of focus when Itachi's body weight knocks the wind out of her. She briefly slips out of consciousness, coming to long enough to hold him through seizures for a second time. A high-pitched buzz from deep inside her head obstructs any sound trying to penetrate her left ear. Sakura winces, hissing through her teeth while closing her left eye in hopes of stopping the noise. It's just enough effort to make it somewhat tolerable and easier to focus on Itachi.

The sky is dark, with a crescent moon hiding among stars. Sakura visually tracks a passing cloud, embracing Itachi every time he twitches.

Just a little more, she reassures them both, knowing that moving him now would be detrimental. Something's scooping into her lower back, probably a rock. A deep ache forms where the back of her head must have hit the ground. The ringing in her ears continues. She blinks slowly, assessing herself while rubbing Itachi's shoulders. Lots of bruises. Am I bleeding? Hm. Maybe a mild concussion.

It's listless thoughts accompanying twitchy fingers discovering ways to soothe her partner while cloud gazing. Sakura chooses to be slightly distracted at the moment because the reality of the situation is too much. A month hasn't gone by, and already Itachi's life hangs in the balance. She can rationally come up with twenty different reasons why this keeps happening. All of them could be real possibilities. None of them have one hundred percent positive outcomes. So Sakura withholds thinking about it, humming to herself and to Itachi. When he twitches, she only hums louder until her lungs burn.

Can't breathe. Super heavy.

She tucks her chin to lift her head, grinding her teeth when her headache intensifies. Itachi's head blocks much of her view. Sakura plops back down, eyes darting around the garden before turning her awareness to the house.

"I think…we can go inside now, but..."

Seeing the open doors of the empty living room leaves her stomach squeamish and her chest in knots. The low lamplight that makes it slightly easier to identify the contents of the living space fades into nothingness. Despite herself, she wraps defensive arms around Itachi's shoulders, shifting him to the side, shielding him from everything tormenting him.

Childish as it may be, Sakura scowls at the darkness, knowing she needs to lay him down on a bed and not on top of her. Even if it's all in his head, she wants it to be known that she's not playing anymore.

"You better not touch him," her whisper is no less threatening because she can't pinpoint where the ghost lurks. It's the principle of the matter. "Leave him alone and let him sleep."

If Shisui or Izumi or whoever else keeps hanging around cared about Itachi at least a little bit, they would let her put him on their futons in peace. It's not as if she can bring him home or to the hospital. Not when her own head injury poses an issue. And the thought of carrying Itachi that far leaves a bad taste in her mouth. They need that bed. And she needs Itachi's nightmare's to cooperate with her just this once.

When she feels sure nothing will grab him in the night, Sakura takes her time getting up, fighting against lightheadedness to lift them both.

Definitely bruises.

Thankfully they are not too far from the veranda. Stepping up is the hardest part, but Sakura manages to drag them to the futons. She drops to her knees and nearly keels over to put Itachi down. With a pull and tug, she holds him upright long enough to remove his slightly blood-stained shirt. Itachi grunts but doesn't open his eyes when she gets him on his side.

"One thing down," she says, then moves away from him to get to his bag.

It's deathly quiet in the house, so the sound of zipping Itachi's bag reverbs around her. Sakura sits back on her heels, moving things around in his bag until she feels the cooling touch of the glass pill bottle and injection.

Itachi isn't moving when she gets back to him, but he's breathing. Even unconscious, pain carves in his brows. He jerks every time her chakra touches his body. She has to reduce the swelling before injecting medicine into his arms.

Sakura crushes the pills and adds them to some water. Although she wouldn't dare give any other unconscious patient fluids, Sakura lays her partner's head in her lap. Carefully and in measured increments, she streams water into the back of his throat and tilts his head to swallow.

Sakura keeps him mildly sedated with strategically placed medical chakra for good measure. Not enough to knock him out cold, but moving at any significant pace would prove difficult. Sakura gets a blanket for them to share, joining their futons to make it easier. Face to face now, she gets close enough for them to share body heat. And to make leaving more difficult without disentangling himself from her first.

For added comfort, she frees his hair from its classic ponytail, sliding the hair tie on her wrist for safekeeping.

Itachi's breathing appears stable. Sakura brushes flyaways from his cheeks and gets a better look at his face.

"You idiot," she mumbles into the darkness, "You scared me. Again."

Hands glide into his hair, gently massaging his temple and scalp. Itachi twitches again, and the tension in his face eases some. Sakura smoothes his slightly furrowed eyebrow with the barest brush of her knuckles. I know you may not feel it but try to relax. Please, she thinks. Her fingers trace the curve of his ear, then feathers along his jaw. Itachi curls into her touch, leaning in, searching for her. So Sakura moves closer, taking liberties by placing his arm around her waist so she can hug him better.

"I'm right here," she whispers.

Itachi responds with a faint tug on her shirt.

"It's me. It's Sakura. Everything's going to be alright now, okay?"

Sakura cups his cheek for reassurance and finds it increasingly damp. In the darkness of his old living room, she realizes that Itachi is crying.

Sakura's never seen Itachi cry. Yes, he's been sad, somewhat mournful even. But every time, he was just shy of tears. The fact that he's so unpolished while half-conscious signs how much he trusts her or how out of it he truly is. Either way, she tucks herself under his chin to give him at least a little privacy and something to hold on to if he needs it.

She blinks back tears of her own when thoughts and motives become harder to ignore.

"Itachi I…" her heart shrinks with guilt. Sakura presses her nose into his shoulder. "Sorry if I made this worse for you. I didn't mean to."

Sakura stays with him all night. She stays because she knows grief hurts and takes many forms with the same person. She bears him through it as best she can. In what feels like every hour, Sakura wakes to him holding on a little tighter, crying silent tears. She rubs his back and arms, muttering half-sleepy sentiments until his grip loosens and one or both of them falls asleep.

She isn't quite sure when weariness finally takes her. Sakura is only aware she actually slept when a subtle knocking at the door rouses her. She stirs and wrinkles her nose at being disturbed from a comfortable sleep, initially snuggling into the warmth that snuggles her back. She's intent on ignoring the brief interruption, but the knocking doesn't stop. With a grumble, she pulls back the covers over her head.

The engawa doors are still open, letting sunlight in that hurts her eyes. She winces and shields her face behind Itachi's body until her brain catches up to her surroundings.

Even if their current predicament came from a good place, Sakura becomes painfully aware of how intimate they slept last night and why she's so comfortable. Itachi's arm acts as her pillow. She so wrapped herself around him that their legs were all tangled together. And Itachi keeps her there with his other arm secure around her waist, fingers spread against the bit of exposed skin.

For a few seconds, she panics. In that same breath, Itachi sleepily mutters, half turning away from the front door and taking her with him. Her shirt pulls when he does. Itachi firms his grip on her back, drawing her against him with their faces close enough for her to feel his breathing tickle her bangs.

Oh.

It's too early for this, in every sense, but that doesn't stop the very fleeting thought that He really is tragically beautiful from crossing her mind. She purses her lips, forcing her mind to put every other thought right back. They are not cuddling. This intimacy is pure vulnerability. Itachi is still asleep and oblivious to how close they are. If he moves a few centimeters, he could kiss her. What would she do if he tried?

The knocking brings her back to reality. Sakura blinks, turning her face away and up to look out at the irori. Right.

Itachi was crying just hours before. She was only supposed to be supporting him through a hard time. Pull it together, Haruno, geez.

Getting her leg from around his hip appears straightforward enough. But Sakura pauses on how to move the other leg that's trapped between both of his thighs. Pulling back slow feels absolutely scandalous. If she yanks her leg free, Itachi will definitely wake up. Sakura chooses a moderately fast pace, hoping to get it done without causing too much disturbance. As soon as she pulls, her movements stir him anyway. The arm that once was her pillow goes around her shoulders, drawing her back in. Itachi's eyes flutter open and closed. He tugs and leans closer, and Sakura's face burns red.

No. No. No.

She grabs his temple, shooting chakra right into the part of his brain responsible for melatonin production. Seconds later, his body goes limp, making it easier to dislodge herself.

Sakura makes a quick escape towards the door to a patiently waiting Shikamaru. His eyes roam her disheveled form for a fraction of a second, then snap up and pass the top of her.

"I'll come back later," he declares, already taking a step back.

"No–wait," Sakura ushers him back a bit and steps out into the cool of the morning. "You don't have to."

Shikamaru looks dubious at her, then scratches at the barely-there stubble on his cheek. "I think it might be better. I wasn't trying to interrupt."

The heat in her face intensifies the minute he starts rubbing his neck and watching everything else but her.

"Itachi's sleeping," she quickly defends. "He…had a bad night, so we decided to rest."

Her former classmate's brows push together. Shikamaru nods slowly. "In that case, it can wait until he's awake. I just wanted to check on the progress. The guys noticed the house was completely open and didn't want to intrude."

"It was a bad night," she repeats.

He sighs. "Okay, is there anything we can take for now? I doubt you guys will make the deadline at his rate."

Sakura frowns to herself, thinking. If she can help it, she would prefer for him to get out of this place. But keeping him away is probably impossible.

"The downstairs is done," she informs him. "Every room upstairs is done except for his parents' room. Itachi probably doesn't want you to move anything without him. Could it possibly wait until tomorrow?"

"Not really," Shikamaru grumbles, "We have to have the place clear then get permits approved for the Haru festival this week."

"Let me guess, Itachi needs to get those permits?"

He nods, then juts his thumb behind him. "His property. His permits. I can get some storage down here to make moving easier. But tomorrow morning is the latest we can do."

"We'll take it."

"I figured. Tell Itachi to find me later when he has the time."

"Okay," Sakura assures with a soft smile. "We'll have it ready tomorrow."

Shikamaru is the only person she knows that can make a swift exit appear lazy and effortless. He drudges down the pathway, yawning, slouching, and moving quickly enough to be gone in seconds.

Once he's gone, Sakura gently shuts the door, taking a step back and eyeing the few boxes in the genkan. Did Itachi have a chance to finish before…? Sakura's gaze pans to the ceiling and the living room where Itachi still sleeps.

Cleaning will take half a day for two people and a full day's job for one person. Things will go much faster if he's here. Something can also go wrong. I can't do that again. Nursing him through another set of seizures bothers her more than having to work alone. Although she managed to keep him safe, to say she wasn't scared for him would be a lie. Sakura was terrified but didn't have time to act like it. Itachi needed her to be alert and rational. He needed the part of her that could withstand uncertainty and fight past negative emotions to do what was necessary. She'd done that and stayed by him all night through wave after wave of grief-ridden thoughts.

Now that the sun's out and she can see him breathing, it's Sakura's world turns on its head. She stares at him with relief and discomfort. Her thoughts volley between what they need to do and the feeling of waking up secure in Itachi's arms. It felt…nice. Tempting enough to want to go back but sober enough to realize she probably shouldn't. It's not like yesterday when Itachi needed comfort. Some part of her does what to keep him safe. But the hollow feeling in her gut has nothing to do with that.

Sakura unconsciously takes a step back, bumping against the step of the irori. It takes her attention away from Itachi and things that could cause complications. She stares at the step that sobered her thoughts, biting her lip to concentrate on this brief moment of rationality.

"Okay, Haruno, think," Sakura orders and sits so Itachi's out of her view.

There's the house and the festival and then… Sakura frowns at the front door. Haru festival is next week, which means Itachi's departure isn't far off. How is he supposed to complete a mission like that if he barely stays conscious? Then there's my mission–wait!

She has a mission, and a duty to report on her understanding of Itachi's mental and physical condition post-seal removal. As far as she can tell, her partner can barely sustain normal brain function. At the very least, something seems to be triggering his seizures. Itachi isn't ready. They need to know that.

The thought gives her some semblance of hope, something to stand on. I don't think he should go just yet. She thinks. The risk of him not being here is too high. I need him…here with me.

Even as she thinks so, the night before reminds her Itachi may not wish for her to be with him. Specifically, he did not want her to come with him. He did not want her help or her company.

Sakura folds her arms on her knees, sighing. He basically told me to go away.

In so many terms and ways, Itachi reminded her of Sasuke. She had acted the same with both, pushy and overbearing. You think I would have learned after being told how annoying my attitude can be. But no. I just push and push and push and…Ugh!

The hollow feeling returns. Sakura frustratedly lowers her forehead on her arms, muscles tightening as everything goes to what she's supposed to be putting off for later.

Why? A bitter laugh seeps from her soul. Sakura rolls her eyes and curls her toes against the cool wooden floors. You know why, idiot. You know why.

She'd ignored those tugs all night, bidding her mind to stay on task and just be there. Sakura huffs, annoyed and frustrated at her own antics. If a mirror were in front of her, she'd shake her head and maybe fist at how foolish she could be. Sakura's arms come undone, forehead dropping to her knees while her fingers weave between the strands in her messy bun.

"Don't get swept away in silly things," she chastises. "You're not...he's not…and, this isn't that. It's just emotions that come and go. Let it go, Sakura."

Her thoughts push back and ease towards memories she'd rather not touch. Had Shikamaru or Naruto pushed her away last night, she'd be peeved, true, but not saddened. She'd want to help, maybe feel bad about not being able. But nothing like this. Never like this. It hadn't been like this since she last tried to convince a certain someone to let her go with him. Sakura knows if she were to give any of these concepts the time of day they probably deserved, things would get complicated.

The last thing she and Itachi need are complications.

I'm not doing this right now. Keep your eyes on important things. Send Kakashi the report, then clear the house.

She chants it twice more, then lifts her head in sheer determination. Glancing once more at Itachi, Sakura bites her thumbnail, entertains a wild notion for a millisecond then goes back to her mantra.

Send a report. Clear the house.

Sakura gets paper and ink from her bag and then disappears into the office for privacy. Starting the report helps with organizing her thoughts. Sakura has the frame of mind to consider what actually happened last night.

'Ruling out the Sharingan as a potential cause of neurological imbalance,' she writes, then details the timeline from the night before.

Itachi did not have his dojutsu active at the time of the seizure. Itachi didn't have any negative symptoms when pushing his Sharingan to its limits during his spar with Naruto. There were also no negative symptoms immediately following the spar, except for Itachi's sudden display of emotion when he hugged her. Sakura considers that a potential sign of an impending seizure but doesn't include it in her report. It's a loose connection at best. His first seizure occurred within a few hours post-operation. This one didn't happen immediately after strenuous activity, which has Sakura leaning towards a short timeline between trigger and manifestation.

'No definitive correlating factors identified. Requesting mission delay for Blackbird and mission extension for me until underlying condition discovered.'

Katsuya carries her message while Sakura gets a good look at her injuries from the night before. She is bruised, but nothing that requires her to waste chakra on healing.

Itachi is her next order of business. After checking him, she settles on bringing him to the hospital to be sure. Seizures come in clusters. If things follow the way they did before, Itachi may have another one today.

Sakura keeps him sedated the entire time, taking to the rooftops for added privacy.

"Oh my, Sakura-san!" the receptionist jumps from her chair, eyes wide and at the ready. "I'll get a gurney down. We can get fluids started."

"Is Honoka on rotation today?" Sakura asks.

The woman searches her desk for the schedule, then flips through pages to find Honoka's name. "She was on night watch and should be getting off soon."

I don't want to ask her to stay.

"What rooms are available right now?" She asks. "I don't want to put him in ER."

The receptionist gets to work on locating an empty bed. Sakura surveys her surroundings, noting the shinobi security watching them discreetly from the corner. Other than that, the entrance remains empty, much to her liking.

"All shinobi floors are occupied, with some discharges scheduled for today. There are about twenty rooms available on the civilian floors, some on pediatrics and a few in more specialized wards."

"What's the nearest civilian floor with a corner room?"

"Three, the last one with great views."

The medical jounin nods one, "I'll take that one. Get fluids ordered up there. Page Honoka. When she comes, tell her Itachi is here and what room. She'll know what to bring."

"Yes, ma'am."

Sakura politely bows her head and then goes to the elevators, again carrying Itachi through the hospital.

The fluids arrive after she does. Sakura dismisses the assisting staff, informing them she can set things up. She's taping down the newly inserted IV needle when the door slides open again. Sakura bites her cheek at the breathless huff and quick but quiet shuffles to her partner's bedside.

Honoka's cheeks flush, probably from running from where she was to here.

"The receptionist told me you guys were back. Did Itachi-san have another seizure? Was it worse?" Honoka calmly inquires, her blue eyes wide with concern and shock, taking in Itachi's unconscious form. Pursing her lips, she lays a hand on his forehead, looking at Sakura for some sort of instruction or confirmation or something. "I have machines on the way. Do you need anything else?"

Sakura opens her mouth and then closes it, looking away from the one at Itachi's side. The last time they were in this situation, She refused any additional help from Honoka. The same resistance rears its head. She considers staying in the room just so Honoka doesn't need to.

Sakura fists the edge of her shirt and then forces a smile on her face. "Actually, could you…would you mind staying with him? Or at least checking in on him every few hours?"

"You're leaving?"

Sakura feels her heart twist, but she ignores it. "We didn't finish some work that needs to be done. I think he would feel better waking up to a familiar face instead of being alone."

"I get that, but," blue eyes pan towards Itachi, then back to her, a frown on her lips. "Don't you think staying with him is more important?"

I do, but I can't. I shouldn't. Sakura's lips thinned. She swallows and resists the urge to turn her eyes away from Honoka. Her fingers curl even more around the edge of her shirt, hoping it will help give her more courage than she feels. But the only thing running through Sakura's mind is how gentle her former assistant is. When Itachi finally opens his eyes, Honoka will be the first thing he sees.

That's good, right? The thought sounds wrong in her mind though it shouldn't. One day he's going to wake up to her every morning.

Sakura takes a sudden but cautious step back. "I trust you, Honoka. I'm sure Itachi will be happy to see you. If you could…?"

Honoka's frown deepens, but she nods anyway. "Okay, Sakura-san."

"Thank you."

Sakura looks down at Itachi with a strange finality bubbling in her chest. She leans over the bed and brushes her lips against his forehead.

"You stay right here," she whispers into his bangs. "I'll take care of everything."

It's a promise Sakura fully intends to keep. As she pulls back, something feathers over her wrist. She flinches, jerking her hand back at the sudden touch. She looks at Itachi's hand still on the bed and chalks it to accidentally touch the sheet.

Stepping away before her mind changes, Sakura bows generously toward Honoka.

"Take care of Itachi for me."

Honoka returns the gesture. "I will."

The medical jounin makes a swift exit, leaving people and feelings and thoughts behind.

Back at the old family home, Sakura closes all the doors and moves the boxes she and Itachi initially packed into the irori for easy pick-up. The items from Itachi's room come next. She leaves a note on Sasuke's door indicating everything that's left can be taken. All that remains is his parent's room.

Tightening her gloves, she slides open the door to find items everywhere. Not in a messy way, but certainly not organized. Itachi hasn't touched the boxes. There are clothing items and pictures and parchments on the floor face down and in the middle of the room. All in the same spot in the room. Pursing her lips, she steps inside. There's no notable difference between this room and the hall. But a shiver creeps down her spine as an ominous sensation looms over her.

Did he do it here? For Sakura, it makes sense. The Massacre occurred in the middle of the night. His parents may well have been asleep when he struck. How tragic.

She kneels down where her partner amassed a pile of things. The edges of a picture frame stick out from under the rubble. With careful hands, she pulls it free, turning it over and holding her breath. A young Mikoto smiles softly to the camera, a baby in her arms and a man at her side. Sakura can tell by the quality of the photo that it's an older one. Meaning the newborn must be Itachi and not Sasuke.

Sakura sits with this information, staring at the walls of the room. The mess of things around her, empty boxes in an equally vacant house. Maybe it wasn't me he wanted to escape.

They'd spent days in this place, stripping it of what little life it held, of family and love and vows and flowers. She nestles the picture to her chest and draws her knees in. Light from the window shines bright. Sakura, unwilling to move just yet, grieves for a family she's only known through others' memories.

She finds an old vanity set. The kind with a folding door, a mirror in the center, and panels that hide secret drawers. It's covered in red and black patterned silk, with flowers and nature scene motifs throughout. Sakura sits it on the floor, then tugs at the small brass handle to open the double doors. A thin veil of dust coats the mirror; pieces of silk fray where it's been repeatedly touched. She pulls out the center drawer, finding hair clips and sticks for everyday wear. Just above on the right, a smaller drawer contains fancier kanzashi hair decorations, with a particularly sparkly Uchiwa hair pen sitting on top. Sakura reverently feathers her hands along the decorative silver wire hanging off the edge of the fan. Just under that, a white kanzashi peeks at her. Sakura knows these must have been Mikoto's wedding pins. She closes the drawer, opening several others holding beauty tools and older style make-up, still with dents and dips from use. In a hidden panel by the mirror, Sakura discovers a dried daffodil that crumbles slightly under her touch.

The sight of the flower gives goosebumps with several jarring thoughts all at once.

Mikoto once used this mirror. Mikoto put this flower here that was given to her by her husband. Itachi was also going to give this flower to someone. And it would be Honoka.

The idea turns her blood cold. Sakura eases the daffodil back in place before closing the panel, avoiding glimpses of herself in the mirror as she does so.

She adds the vanity set to many other memories sealed that day. By the end of it, Sakura is exhausted but satisfied. She moves the last items to the irori with a note to Shikamaru that they can load them up in the morning. It's already late evening, nearly nighttime.

Sakura grabs dumplings with sour soup for both her and Itachi, figuring he'd be about ready to wake up once she returns. Except Itachi is already awake and not at the hospital.

Sakura stares in disbelief at the paper the receptionist hands her. Itachi left a note stating he was going home. Any concerns over his whereabouts could be taken up with the Hokage.

"And how long ago was this?" she questions.

"A few hours now," the woman confesses, "Honoka tried to protest, but the Hokage told her to leave. He also said he would talk to you about the situation."

Sakura's jaw clenches at that. "What did Honoka say?"

The woman sighs, shaking her head at the memory. "She wasn't happy about being forced to leave and even stayed in the lobby to watch Itachi go. But she did listen."

I'll have to apologize to her. Sakura nods, taking the note, and her leave, heading straight home.

Sure enough, Itachi is there and awake, moving around upstairs. The smell of food tells her he's been awake. A covered plate and sealed missive from Kakashi wait for her on the counter.

She sits the bagged food down, staring at the sealed envelope with growing trepidation. Does Itachi know? She wonders. He had to know where I was. How long was he up? Did Kakashi bring up what I said…?

Unsteady fingers grab the folded beige piece of paper and then, with her nails, cut through the wax seal bearing Konoha's insignia.

Kakashi's marginally legible handwriting greets her, followed by a folded note falling onto the counter. She opens the note first.

'Scratch what I said. Maybe a sparring session instead? I could use a good stretch, and you could use a break.'

A…sparring session?

Sakura wrinkles her nose and then glances back at the missive: 'Interesting theory. Normally I'd be quick to agree, but there are mitigating circumstances that we must account for. I'll discuss this with Tsunade-sama and get back to you. In the meantime, take care of your patient and update me on his health status.'

Okay, she understands why he'd negate the last part. Kakashi must have gone to the hospital after receiving her request. But why he'd recommend sparring doesn't make sense. She needed answers, not something to punch.

Well…

The wooden stairs creak, and Sakura hastily shoves the missive into her pocket. Grabbing the bags of food, she starts unpacking and adding the items to the fridge when Itachi turns the corner and peaks into the kitchen.

"Oh," Sakura plays off her rapidly increasing heart rate by moving around the kitchen. "You're awake, huh?"

"Hnn." Itachi doesn't approach her, choosing instead to linger near the door.

Sakura glances at him through her lashes while folding the plastic bag smaller than necessary. He watches the ground first, then her, and then behind her. There are lines under his eyes and weight in the way he blinks. Itachi exhales through his nose, using the doorpost to keep himself upright. He stays there for a moment longer before deciding he's finished here. It's hard for Sakura not to notice his feet dragging across the floor as he turns. He's not at one hundred percent by any means. Something about his weakness makes her relax a little.

Itachi stops, facing the living room and away from her, gripping the archway. She realizes that he does not intend to leave. The situation is as comforting as it is unnerving. Because he's not saying anything, Sakura knows several things should be done.

Is he waiting for me to talk about it?

Carefully, she lays the now triangle-shaped bag on the counter. What can Itachi really do to her but voice his disagreement? It's enough to make her uncomfortable, but these things pass. Sakura undoes her gloves, laying them on the counter next to the bag.

"How are you feeling?" She starts the conversation with something simple, hopefully noninvasive, and to the point.

Itachi, for his part, barely moves a muscle when shrugging one shoulder.

"In what way?" he groggily replies.

Sakura takes steps in his direction, concerned with how he's leaning heavily against the post for support. "Whatever way you feel like talking about for the next twenty seconds or so."

Her approach elicits some sort of reaction from him. Sakura blinks back in shock when Itachi tilts away, venturing further out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

"I was sedated for most of the day." Itachi murmurs, "Currently, I'm not in the best physical condition."

Her fingers twitch at his words. Sakura can feel her defenses wanting to raise. What he says is true. All of it's true, and for good reason, but still.

"That's all?" She asks.

"You gave me a choice." Itachi retorts.

"True. I did, didn't I…"

"You also told Kakashi."

His accusation comes much sooner in their conversation than she expects, throwing her off balance again. Sakura's inhale comes much sharper against the lump in her throat. Green eyes dance around the room as her fists clench with hesitation and determination. She hasn't done anything wrong. It feels like she has, like her actions slighted him somehow.

"I did," Sakura admits, forcing herself to stand up and stand by her decision. "As your medic, I thought it was important to let him know about any changes to your condition. Especially because you have a lot of things coming up and…being healthy is important when you..."

"And that's your only reason?" Itachi cuts in, stopping her mid-sentence. "To ensure that I was healthy?"

Sakura's mouth opens, then closes, and a sudden pressure in her chest leaves her mute but not speechless. On the contrary, lots of words and retorts, and reasonings cross her mind. The first and perhaps most prominent is how disconcerted she is by his tone of voice. Itachi is tired but also very much annoyed with her. She feels it in every slightly slurred syllable punctured by stern accusations.

The second thing that comes to mind is Kakashi's warning to be careful about her new mission. She doubts Itachi peeked at her missive but suspects he might suspect her of something. Both situations put her on the defensive. Even if he's not fully aware that she's meant to be observing him closer for this exact situation, Itachi knows that Kakashi knows. Considering the last time she informed the Hokage of the ghost, Itachi's work life was cut in half. His current mood suggests he remembers this as well.

The young medic licks her lips and swallows all the doubt attempting to permeate her thoughts. Itachi has a right to be unhappy. I was justified in my actions. Neither of those things cancels the other out. Sakura repeats it to herself a second and a third time. It doesn't help as much as it should. Deep down, Sakura knows the reason has everything to do with her expectations and wants. Itachi isn't giving her any of those things. Probably because he gave it away to someone else. Sakura inadvertently pictures the moment Itachi wakes up in the hospital with Honoka there. Did he smile at her and soothe her fears of being told to leave? Did he reassure her that everything would be okay, that she didn't need to worry? Was he gentle with her? Did he at least look her in the eyes?

The tightening in her chest burns in her throat. Sakura curses under her breath, blinking back unwanted tears again.

Goddammit, Sakura. Stop it. Stop.

She reaches for composure to at least get through the conversation. Not wanting to confront the back of Itachi's head, Sakura walks up beside him and leans against the wall his hand isn't holding. Itachi slightly shifts away from her. Sakura notices but pushes that hurt aside to better gauge his reaction.

"I did what I thought was necessary. What other reason would I have?" She challenges.

Itachi's brows draw together as he lazily blinks and quotes her words from earlier back to her. "To take care of everything in the way Sakura takes care of everything."

Sakura's eyes widen, then narrow, gaping at Itachi in disbelief. "You mean… the way you do? As in, making decisions without talking to the other person first? Putting one's life at risk because it seems like the right thing to do in your mind?"

Itachi's shoulders slump. His forehead tiredly rests on the doorpost. "I don't want to argue with you, Sakura."

She can't keep up with where he's coming from or what he's getting at. "What did you mean then?"

"Only that we have terrible habits of doing things our own way," Itachi answers. "Perhaps we are good at seeing this flaw in each and not ourselves."

"So you're mad at me about that now?"

Itachi perks up a little and observes her from his peripheral.

"When I did the same, were you mad last night?" Itachi questions.

Sakura blushes and bites the inside of her cheek. "Maybe for a minute, but that's not why I..."

Her eyes drift towards the floor. Sakura clutches her fist tighter, recalling things that should mean nothing. Like the panic of seeing him coughing up blood for the first time in a long time. Her instant reaction of catching him before he could hit the ground. The desire to protect him from invisible threats. Her restraining tears at seeing him cry for the first time. Every time he held tighter, every whispered sentiment and soothing touch.

Itachi's low grumble catches her attention. She looks up at him and furrows her brows to show her confusion.

Her partner repeats his question. "Were you afraid for me?"

Sakura snorts softly and shakes her head, "What kind of question is that?"

"One I'm sure I know the answer to."

"Then why even ask me?" she whispers.

"To be sure, maybe," Itachi replies, "The reason is not what you think. I want to be sure. You were scared for me."

Sakura reluctantly nods, which satisfies Itachi enough to turn his eyes back toward the living room. After a few seconds, he whispers just as softly.

"You are sensitive to others that way, I think. You are not foolhardy, just…stubbornly passionate, going beyond to help those around you. Your desire to heal the broken makes you an exceptional medic."

Sakura's grateful he's no longer watching her, or he may notice her ears tint red at his oddly comforting compliment. Itachi remains oblivious, continuing with his point.

"To your earlier question, I am not particularly happy. Some reasons have everything to do with you, and others have nothing to do with you."

"I couldn't just do nothing, Itachi." Sakura quickly defends.

Her partner shakes his head at her. "I know that. When will you meet with Kakashi?"

"Um," Sakura fishes the letter from her pocket. "It doesn't really say. I'm guessing it will be in the morning."

Itachi nods, taking a carefully measured step into the living room. "I have a meeting tomorrow to discuss the festival. I want you to come."

Sakura wants to protest all sorts of things with his directive. Itachi doesn't let her, slinking off towards the stairs and ignoring her as she follows after him. She stops at the base, watching him take careful steps, using the rail to keep himself steady. When he gets to the top of the stairs, Itachi closes the bedroom door behind him, leaving the conversation where it is.

Itachi sleeps for most of the day, waking up occasionally to use the bathroom. Every time, Sakura tries not to make a fuss. The medical inside wins out over her desire to talk things through more. But she keeps her eyes on him well into the night and the morning. Where Itachi typically wakes before her to make breakfast, Sakura purposely beats him to it. She warms the soup from the night before and makes her signature breakfast of tomago gohan as an accompaniment.

He's still asleep when she leaves for the Hokage Tower. A note greets her at the office door, informing her to go to Tsunade first and then meet him at Training Ground #3.

"Why do I feel like I'm being taken on a wild goose chance?' she grumbles.

Finding Tsunade doesn't make anything remotely better or clear. Her Shishou regards the letter in her hands with evident skepticism. As she does, her face settles into increasingly disgruntled features. Then Tsunade sighs, licking her lips and plopping her back against the couch.

"You want to keep him back from his mission?" The challenge only makes Sakura painfully aware of how little they actually communicate and how right Itachi was about both of them.

"Blackbird is not in a good place right now. Considering his first mission out of the village is in less than a week, I doubt he would have recovered by then."

"And you came to this conclusion how?"

"His medical condition seems to have worsened. I put the information in the request."

"His physical condition, right? Nothing to do with ghosts?"

Sakura grimaces. "It's…hard to say. He didn't directly mention any but was beyond agitated last night, which translated into me having to nurse him through a seizure."

Tsunade glances at the form again, vaguely gesturing to where the information is mentioned. "This happened after our meeting?"

The muscles in her face twitch, begging to contort into features that show her true feelings on that matter. But Sakura resists, pursing her lips for a moment, then answers.

"Yes."

There's a pause where her former teacher seems to recognize her error. A hum of vindication sings in Sakura's soul. Tsunade sighs, letting the paper fall between her fingers onto the table.

"I think I pushed him too far…" the older woman admits.

Obviously! Everything was fine until that meeting. She'd made progress. Itachi had given her a little peek inside his mind, sharing memories and things he saw. Then Tsunade took him, and Itachi came back as a hollow shell. The wall returned, and Sakura was shut out in favor of a dead girl.

"Shishou, I thought my new mission was to collect information on his physical and mental health?" Sakura questions.

"It is. I'm not undermining that," Tsunade asserts, mood shifting as if she were waiting for such a challenge, "I still have to investigate these phenomena he's experiencing. I had a hunch and followed it. It's the same hunch I've had all along. Except now Itachi knows."

"I thought that was the opposite of what you wanted?"

Tsunade shakes her head. "Itachi needs to face this and then choose. I hoped I was wrong. I really did. If I'm not, then we have a bigger problem."

This time Sakura frowns, having had enough secrets these past few days. She demands answers from at least one person. "What do you think is going on?"

Her Shishou puckers her brows at her. "You're his physician. What do you think is going on?"

The medic squeezes her hidden hands to bare knuckles. "I think he's suffering and is too stubborn to ask for help. His mental state is negatively impacting his physical health."

"Does he want help?" Tsunade challenges. "Or does he want something else?"

I don't know what he wants. I don't know anything.

"Give me the extension, and I'm sure I can find the answer."

Tsunade has the decency to appear understanding. Shaking her head, the woman before her grants her request. "Two days, Sakura. I can't do more than that. We have medicine to treat seizures. I'm less concerned about that. Removing the seals hasn't physically destroyed him, but they've done something mentally. What that something is and how much we can actually do about it is only something you can find. Do what you have to do, Haruno."

She responds by blinking once, confused and far away. The relief she should be feeling right now never comes. Instead, a sudden heaviness creeps in around her heart. Her calm veneer wavers in favor of pointed disappointment. Sakura fights against the wisp of hopelessness that colors her thoughts. The hands behind her back became undone. She drags a foot forward to get closer to Tsunade.

"Shishou…" She's not sure what to say or where to start. Only that it's not enough. Two days? What can we do with the extra two days?

She thought that her more medically inclined Shishou would have advocated for at least a few weeks. But she's wrong.

Tsunade halts her steps with a raised hand. "I know what you're going to say, Sakura."

"It's two days." Sakura cuts in anyway, trying to get the woman to see reason.

"I know what I said."

"Two days, Shishou? I can't heal anything in two days, let alone find the cause."

"What have you been doing all this time if not finding answers?" Her former teacher challenges.

Sakura bulks at the question, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion and anger. "Keeping him alive, that's what I've been doing! It seems I'm the only one trying to do that here."

"And who commissioned you to do that, huh?" Tsunade nearly threatens, "People who want to see him dead? Is that what you think? That you're the only one that wants his best interest?"

"I'm the only one who wants something," Sakura argues, stepping closer. "A genin could see that Itachi is unwell and unfit to go on a solo mission outside the Village without a medic. Shishou, if this were any other shinobi, you'd put them on the reserves list until they were cleared. Yet I'm the only one trying to convince you and Kakashi that Itachi needs more time. He's not ready!"

"Would you have said the same thing if he hadn't had a seizure?" Tsunade asks.

Sakura throws her hands up, turning away in utter amazement at the absurd question. "I'm asking because he had a seizure, Shishou. Itachi is not okay! What happens if he seizes while fighting enemy nin? Or traveling between countries, and he falls over a freaking cliff because of uncontrollable muscle spasms? He'd be dead. And the only person who seems to recognize how possible that is is me. Which is freaking ridiculous because you're a medic too!"

Instead of Tsunade responding with equal tenacity, the woman before her sits back, crossing her legs. She nods in a way that says she understands but disagrees.

"That's a bold statement to make, Sakura," Tsunade concludes, "Now answer my question. Would you have said the same thing if he hadn't had the seizure? Were you willing to send him off with his lung condition? Don't answer that. I'll do it for you. You were. Itachi's illness didn't draw complaints from you. Why? Because we have medicine to deal with that. As a medic, do you have nothing to stop seizures? Nothing?"

"You don't send a shinobi with a possible debilitating condition out alone."

Tsunade snorts. "Debilitating? Is it chronic or acute? This is Itachi's second seizure since getting those seals undone. Have you found the common denominator?"

Sakura's annoyance gives way to misdirected anger. She's mad at Tsunade. That's true. But she's also upset at other things and other people.

"The common denominator is that no one seems to be taking my advice as Itachi's medic," Sakura shouts. "I can't believe I have to argue how stupid this is! Itachi is not just a dojutsu! He's a person, dammit. The only reason you're sending him on this mission is to test a theory that you've found the answer to already."

"Itachi is a shinobi, Sakura," Tsunade cuts in, "You are one too, last I recall. Like every other shinobi, he has a duty to this Village and our missions."

Sakura glares, "Not when he's sick! Why is everyone inconveniently skipping the fact that Itachi is not well? He's not okay, just good at pretending like it."

"Who is everybody?" Tsunade challenges. "If something happened with you and Itachi, then have the conversation with him. As your fellow medic, I understand your concern. However, as someone who also knows Itachi is a special case, I firmly believe this is not just physical."

"On what bases?"

Tsunade shakes her head disapprovingly. "If you can't see that there are psychological components beyond his somatic symptoms, then we have a bigger issue than Itachi's seizures."

"I'm not a therapist, Shishou."

Her shishou only shakes her head. "Itachi doesn't need you to be that, and neither do I. I'm handling that part. Just gather the information, and I will do the rest. I'll give you those two days but don't take advantage. Stay focused, Sakura."

Although the answer is barely satisfactory, Sakura bows anyway, not wanting to keep Kakashi waiting. Also, realizing that a sparring session may be much needed. Even if the suggestion is probably some excuse to leave the Hokage Tower, Sakura takes it without a second thought. She just might need to punch something.

Spotting him on the low-spreading branches of a gnarled granddaddy of a tree, The Hokage gazes contemplatively up into the overhead branches, lost in his thoughts. Sakura smiles at the scene, then gets a sneaky idea. If only Naruto and Sasuke were here.

She thinks but takes up the cause anyway, just as they would when they were children.

She has little faith that it will work but runs around the surrounding trees anyway, creating distance between her and her comrade before taking to the treetops. A rush of something leaves her slightly breathless as she quietly jumps from branch to branch, ascending both higher and closer to the tree Kakashi takes refuge in.

After a few seconds, she's high enough to make it on a branch above and to the right of him. Crouching down, she spies him through crisscross branches, still looking in the opposite direction.

Probably a clone by now. Sakura reasons. Cha! Even if it is, I'm prepared for a surprise attack.

With a quick tug of her gloves, Sakura grabs the branch above her head and uses it to propel downward, foot flexed and prepared for him to disappear upon contact.

Her foot slams his jaw, and Kakashi gasps and flies off the branch toward the ground.

"What?" Sakura exclaims, wide-eyed as blood gushes from his nose.

Disorientation throws off her form. Sakura flares in the air for a few seconds, watching in horror as the Hokage hurtles toward the dirt below. He was supposed to be a clone! Or substitution, at least.

Realizing she is also headed straight toward the grassless dirt, Sakura attempts to brace for impact when a puff of smoke draws her attention.

"That wasn't very nice, Sakura." Kakashi drawls.

Shocked, she turns and narrowly misses the punch before tumbling to the ground. Kakashi hits the ground running, literally. No time to wince at the pain in her side. She gets to her feet, fumbling to stand and dodge the barrage of offensive strikes. A solid kick to the ribs sends her tumbling again. Sakura takes the hit as a moment of reprise, allowing the distance to grow between them as she rolls along.

Gathering herself, Sakura gets to her feet in time to go blow for blow with him. Kakashi doesn't train light. He never has. For his age, he moves with ungodly speed and agility. Not as fast as Naruto, but enough that letting her guard down is not an option. As a child, she would have loved this kind of consideration in training. But Sakura knew she wouldn't be able to handle it then.

Not because of her lack of skill. But mentally, the physical abuse would have pushed her over the edge.

Today it motivates her to keep up and keep him guessing. She does just that, not making the friendly spar any easier for him. Kakashi may be fast, but she is strong.

Strong. Frustrated. Confused.

They shuffle through a series of defenses, keeping the other at bay. It's always a toss-up for who will give or take the most damage. Landing a hundred blows means nothing when you can land the right one.

Chakra sizzles as she readies the strike. When his guard slips, she moves. Kakashi jumps backward, and she does the same.

The dust settles enough for her to see him holding his left shoulder. Sakura preens in triumph.

Kakashi slumps, left arm dangling temporarily paralyzed and uselessly. Weaving hand signs is hard with one working hand. She counts on that to keep him at bay for a half-second. Kakashi offers her a lazy blink followed by a cheeky grin that lets her know the fight isn't over.

The ground rumbles, and she barely has enough time to get out of the way of him bursting through the dirt. The clone across from her disappears. Sakura curses, once again on the defensive.

They are at blows again. For Sakura, the strain keeps her from thinking of earlier conversations. Kakashi takes up all of her focus, allowing her to forget. Their fight spans most of the training grounds and takes up most of her morning. Neither she nor Kakashi stops until they're covered in dirt, breathless, and unable to move without grimacing.

Sakura flops on her back, arms spread wide, knees bent with one glove missing, and slashes in her shirt and shorts. Kakashi slumps against the tree trunk, arm still paralyzed with half a mask on his face and flattened hair.

Around them, there are down trees and craters on the ground. Sakura takes a cursory glance at what she can see, then chuckles breathlessly at the mess they made. Above her, evergreen leaves sparkle in the sunlight, casting shadows across her face and the ground below. She blinks with heavy eyes, taking in the smell of disturbed grass and dirt and the promise of spring in the air.

She's covered in sweat, dirt, and a little bit of blood. The grass sticks to the underside of her arms. Sakura is sure there's a bug crawling on here somewhere. Kakashi looks half-dead beside her. But Sakura feels very much alive and herself and free.

Her muscles twitch from overuse. Her chest still burns from pushing so hard. Sakura feels the residue of chakra on her fingertips and lays her hands flat on the grass below. A low hum of natural energy responds to the little she has left.

Amazing.

The leaves gently sway, lulling her into deep relaxation to the point she forgets Kakashi is there. His foot nudges her ankle. Sakura grunts in protest.

He laughs a little. "Feeling better?"

"I was until you touched me," Sakura grumbles teasingly.

"Not in a talkative mood, I take it?"

She turns to lean on her side, offering the Hokage her back. "Depends on the topic of conversation."

"Itachi," Kakashi answers automatically. "Considering your husband paid me a visit, I'd say there's plenty to talk about."

Sakura's muscles tense for a different reason. She gazes blankly at the grass near her cheek, a frown on her face. While it shouldn't have been a surprise that Itachi would advocate for himself better, Sakura feels cheated somehow.

"What did he talk to you about?"

"Oh," Kakashi softly hums to himself. "This and that, missions and such. You."

Sakura's head quickly turns over her shoulder, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. For...personal reasons, I think."

Personal reasons? She blinks in disbelief at the odd picture of Itachi seeking advice about her from her former sensei.

"Can I offer a piece of advice?' He asks. "From someone familiar with the type of darkness Itachi may be wrestling with."

Hearing Kakashi calls it darkness only reaffirms her feelings of selfishness the other day. Sakura folds in on herself, laying back down on the grass.

"Yeah, sure."

In a patient tone, he tells her. "Staying is the most helpful thing and hurtful thing you can do. If you stay, he is not alone. If you stay, you are one more thing that can be taken away."

"How is that helpful?" Sakura quietly challenges, "I may as well do nothing."

"Yes," Kakashi responds, "That's exactly right."

Sakura nearly pouts, hunching her shoulders with a heavy sigh. "I can't afford to do nothing."

"Also, yes," her former sensei allusively responds. "Funny how two opposing things can exist together, isn't it?"

She doesn't find this sudden duality of roles in Itachi's life funny. Itachi started as a prisoner, then became her partner. She concedes that, along the way, they became something like friends. At what point in this whole mess did I become his emotional support? No. It's not that I am. I want to be.

"Don't leave, Sakura," Kakashi's voice filters through her thoughts. "That's the whole end of the matter. When I say don't leave, I don't just mean physically. You have to stay in it mentally and dedicate everything to stay. Itachi needs you as his partner and on the same level as his friend to stay. Darkness is only as dark as the absence of light will allow. Take away the light, and nothing stops the darkness from spreading."

Her uncertainty only complies. Kakashi is right. But what is Itachi to her? A friend? A partner?

I don't want to think about this. Sakura silently laments. Everything Itachi does sends her from one feeling to the next. The happiness she was just as visceral as her sadness. All of it was because of him.

I care. It's not wrong to say that I care.

Even as she thinks it, Sakura's mind comes up with a million whys and hows and what-ifs. She groans and throws an arm over her eyes.

"How did this become such a disjointed and convoluted situation that gives me headache after headache?" she whines.

The Hokage takes his time with answering. "Reasons and becauses, I guess. As long as you're aware and work to fix it, is it really a problem?'

"Yes, it's a problem!" Sakura objects, "What happened to simple? Five years of probation, and that's it."

"You don't want to help him, then?" Kakashi questions.

"That's not what I meant," Sakura quietly confesses.

"Aaa," Kakashi pauses and summarizes, "You want to help but don't want to want to help?"

"Maybe."

The Hokage's airy chuckle does not help. If Sakura were less mature, she'd stick her tongue out at him. If Kakashi were anyone else, he might have tried to give her something more. Instead, he stays with her until her mind runs out of thoughts to think. She rolls onto her back, watching him gaze blankly at the horizon.

"I'm supposed to meet him for a clan meeting or something," Sakura says suddenly, gauging his reaction.

"Hm?" Kakashi merely tilts his head in her direction. "It's a start."

Sakura snorts, rolling her eyes at him. "Yeah, I guess."

The man behind her stretches his arms over his head, finally getting his full range of motion back, and changes the subject. "Such a short sparring session."

"Maybe we should do another one?"

"Maybe get Naruto too?" Kakashi's shoulder sags at his own suggestion. "Maybe not…"

Sakura's smirk feels a little more real this time. She reaches her heel back to nudge his ankle this time. Kakashi accepts her thanks with a mask-covered eye crinkle.

They stay together until time forces her to leave and prepare for Itachi's meeting. Sakura half expects him to still be in bed when she gets home but finds the house completely empty. Considering he visited Kakashi this morning, she's unsurprised to find a vacant house.

Some small part of her wished he hadn't left. But Kakashi's words ring in her mind while walking up the stairs to their bedroom. All I can do is support you. She reminds herself, going to the closet to find something appropriate to wear to a meeting like she's never been to. She may not understand everything. Although truthfully, Sakura wishes she could. Itachi asked her to be there with him for a reason.

I can't do much, but I can do this.

Recalling Itachi's attire from the meeting she remembers, Sakura thinks to compliment. She flips through clothes, dismissing anything that seems too causal or unorthodox. Think like a clan member. So...something blue? Maybe traditional.

Green eyes pan up to the top of the shelves where she stores her kimono in boxes. As she takes a mental inventory of her items, Sakura gets a silly idea. She has a dark blue kimono with flowers sprinkled on the hem. That is their thing.

It's silly and whimsical and probably inappropriate, but it feels right to her. So Sakura gets on tiptoes to pull down boxes of more formal kimonos from the top of her closet.

Ha! Here you are.

The kimono is more royal blue than dark blue, with purple columbines and pink peonies sprinkled throughout the design. At the hem, the flowers cluster together. The matching yellow obi continues the flower motif, adding alliums and daylilies. Overall, the vibrant colors and the bold pattern doesn't quite match what Sakura's going for. But it's the only blue kimono she has. The ornate design reminds her of Mikoto's hairpins.

I have matching pins somewhere. Plus, I'm sure we have some of these in the garden.

It's a small thing and the best she can do. Sakura spends an ungodly amount of time fixing her hair, adding flowers, and removing pins.

I really should have thought this through. Sakura laments, checking the time to ensure she doesn't make him late. She settles for a halo of daises around a hastily made bun at the back of her head. With no time for pins and just barely enough time to add some pale pink lip color, she rushes out of the door, jumping house barefoot to meet him outside the Compound.

As soon as she lands, struggling to put her shoes on her feet, Itachi's gaze shoots to the top of her head. His eyes widen ever so slightly.

Sakura flushes and reaches up to self-consciously adjusts the buds in her hair.

"I can take them out," she says quickly, "It matched, and I just thought it would be nice."

"You're wearing daisies in your hair?" he calmly inquires.

"Is that taboo?"

"If it were a meeting within the clan, some would consider you very bold. The elders would frown. Younger women may be jealous. A small few would brush it off as youthful affection that would settle with time."

That's not what she means. "This is a big no-no, then?"

Itachi hums, frowning a bit to himself. "Wearing the flowers of courtship in such a public context could be considered flaunting."

That doesn't sound helpful at all.

"I'm going to take it out," Sakura declares.

"No," Itachi cuts her off, then quietly repeats. "No. Keep them. For now, no one knows the meaning but us."

She looks at him cautiously. "You're okay with that?"

He nods. "They are yours to keep."

She isn't sure if he means the flowers or the secrets they may represent. But Itachi doesn't explain any of it, taking the lead towards the Hokage Tower where the meeting is to be held.

It's a quiet walk that garners more looks than Sakura expects. Polite waves and gentle bows. People don't say much, but she feels every gaze on her. It's more attention than she's used to getting. She eases closer to her partner, peeking at him to confirm he's okay.

Better than okay. Itachi keeps his strides even and his eye forward. In his traditional meeting attire, Itachi commands attention and everything else. Sakura thinks about the picture they must make walking down the street. Skimming the crowd, she thinks her idea must be right.

Things aren't much different inside the meeting hall either. There are eyes everywhere. Sakura finds herself leaning into Itachi more, almost hiding behind his confidence.

Three men wait for them in one of the meeting rooms. Sakura bows in greeting, representing a clan she's only temporarily a part of. The specifics don't seem too different from meetings with Tsunade, with greetings and introductions passed around first. But the air has a subtle coldness that sets her on edge.

"We didn't know Uchiha-sama would be joining us," one man says.

Taking a cursory glance of the room, Sakura notes the four cushions arranged around the table. The four teacups make it apparent that she is not an expected guest. That she may be imposing. She takes a tentative step back, ready to apologize and leave them to it. But her back runs into a hand holding her in place.

Itachi keeps her still. She looks at him curiously and confused.

"Wait here," he says.

She frowns, not wanting to complicate the matter.

"I can go back to the Compound," she whispers at him.

"That won't be necessary." Itachi's already crossing the room, opening a door that separates this room from the one adjacent to it. He dips inside and then returns with an extra cushion and teacup. Itachi goes about rearranging the seating area to accommodate her. The three men scoot and shift, making her feel even more awkward just standing.

When they finish, she hurriedly takes the seat closest to the window.

"Thank you for having me," she bows politely again.

"Uchiha-sama insists," one man pipes up, "Who are we to refuse?"

Something in his tone gives her the feeling his words aren't sincere. Sakura inwardly bristles at the fake smile he throws at her.

"Anything involving the Uchiha Compound involves Sakura," Itachi gestures towards the other man on his left. "Can we proceed? I would like to finalize everything today."

Just like that, the meeting starts without another word of complaint about her presence. Plans and contracts litter the table. She knows the just of what's going on. The conversation begins with the spring festival. Sakura picks up the context surrounding crowd control and safety.

Sakura witnesses an Itachi she hasn't known until now. Posed, professional, and perceptive of everything around him, including her. The moment her thoughts drift into confusion, Itachi pauses the conversation to elaborate on the details that really have little to do with her.

But the men don't know that. They don't know that their marriage is a mission designed to hide a different tragedy. They don't know anything other than Uchiha Itachi speaking to his wife. Despite their faces and subtle glances, he proceeds until he's sure she gets it, then turns back to the men to continue the business.

Sakura feels the weight of Itachi's attention and feels the effects of the authority in his voice. He doesn't say much, and he doesn't need to. The men fall in line, and precautions for the Haru festival go according to Itachi's specifications. She sits next to him, contemplative and quiet.

Itachi is, for lack of better words, impressive. He is the head of the Uchiha Clan in every respect; no one would doubt that. Sakura admits to her admiration while recognizing that something is very wrong here. She doesn't know what it is or why. But it just is.

Sakura turns towards the window, thinking perhaps she's just bored.

I don't like this feeling.

The gnawing continues, every negotiation and trading of ideas making her nauseous. She discreetly rubs her neck, tuning in and then out of the conversation just as quickly.

Every compromise and bargain makes her increasingly unsettled, but she tries for Itachi's sake. He asked me to be here. So be here.

Sakura watches the scene unfold, listening to Itachi engage unperturbed. It occurs to her while her partner reads contracts that it's not the meeting that has her counting minutes but him.

The more she watches, the more obvious it becomes. The stiffness in his posture, the bland cadence to his voice.

The image leaves a sour taste in her mouth, and her stomach digs a hole into itself. For all she knows of Itachi, she knows absolutely nothing. What kinds of happenings could cause a man to cling to her so tight days before but then conduct business with such smoothness that one would never be the wiser? How does one put aside that much feeling as if it never existed?

Watching Itachi now is like watching a completely different person. There's no life in his eyes. There's no feeling. There's no anything. Just words and negotiations and duty. The same mask of responsibility that helped him punch a hole through his brother's guts. Or slaughter his entire clan in a night.

This is wrong. Sakura thinks with urgency. Why does this feel so wrong?

She can't put it into words. It's the same sinking feeling she had with Tsunade earlier. It's as if I'm the only one who sees this isn't right. This isn't Itachi.

But the men carry on questioning and pressing. Itachi gracefully doesn't miss a beat. Every time she catches glimpses of him, it becomes clearer that Itachi is an excellent shinobi for the same reason he's a great clan leader. At the end of the matter, Itachi does what he needs to get things done.

Itachi can be and will be whatever the situation necessitates. But he's also a man that hides from shadows and sees ghosts and cries like the world is ending. He hurts and bleeds and clings to her in the night.

Curling her fingers around her knees, Sakura tries to control herself from getting up and walking out. As selfish as it may be, she wants to go home where she can see the real Itachi. Where he can unfurrow his brows and lay open to the world, to her, the things that plague his thoughts. Not this. This person wields power and dismisses suggestions about the distances between the crowd and explosives. This person has to ignore side glances from people bringing in tea, who never see past the Uchiha name. This person always has to be strong for himself and everyone else. This person wears his unsung title on his sleeves the minute he steps out of the house.

Itachi is an excellent shinobi who never lets himself get in the way of duty.

And Sakura's heart breaks for him.

I need some air.

When the opportunity arises, she excuses herself for the restroom. Her kimono suddenly feels too stiff and too tight. She lingers in the hall, pressing her back against the wall and closing her eyes to calm her overemotional state. She thinks perhaps her hormones are getting the best of her. It is close to that time of the month. Sakura scraps her nails against the woods of walls behind her. The slight pain manages to help her think things through. Figure out what she wants and where she stands and why all of these differing and conflicting emotional responses are happening.

She has a mission and a job to do too. She also wants to do well. She wants to save herself. But she also wants to save Itachi. That's what they've been working towards this whole time, right? They are there. Right there. Sakura is one conversation away from unleashing the tendrils of courtship on her former apprentice. She's several months away from no longer needing to bear the name Uchiha.

She is so close.

At the moment, she just feels utterly lost. A tiny lump pushes past her defenses.

Sakura wants to cry. She doesn't know why. But it's heavy in the back of her throat. She squeezes tight to make it stop. She hasn't felt this out of sorts in a long time. I can't keep doing this.

Voices from down the hall pull her back into reality. Sakura's eyes shoot up, ready to run, to hide. She anxiously glances at her surroundings, trying to find where the people are coming from and where she can go before anyone notices. She turns away from where she came, thinking perhaps their voices are that way. She's already grabbing the side of her kimono when someone grabs her arms.

Sakura's heart beats triple time. She knows without knowing. His grip is sure but not tight when Itachi eases her around. Sakura feels something in her break when she comes face to face with those dark grey eyes.

Itachi's watching her closely. He blurs out of focus when the tears come. Sakura blinks too many times to stop them. She doesn't want to cry. She doesn't know why she's crying. She doesn't like the fact that Itachi's response is quick. He cups her cheeks to catch tears and wipes away new ones that just keep coming.

Please stop. Please don't.

But she can't bring herself to say it. She leans in and lets Itachi hide her face when the other shinobi pass by. Their hushed tones at seeing them hug in the hall only make Sakura want to scream. Because Itachi's doing it again. Protecting everything, being strong for everybody, and taking on the burdens of the world, of her. She just wants him to stop, breathe, and let himself go for once. But she clings tight and buries her face in his haori because she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't know how to help him. She doesn't know how to say that.

All she knows is Itachi's arms are comforting, his chest is firm, and his haori smells like home. She wants to conceal him from everyone who keeps taking things from him. She's more than aware of how hypocritical that sounds. She's taking from him right now. She's taken from him in the past. All Itachi does is give. Give until he has nothing left. Who's there to fill his cup again? No one. Not even her. And it sucks. And it hurts. She feels like she failed him because she can't even save him from herself.

"Sakura," Itachi's concern makes her want to simultaneously disappear and cling to him. "What's wrong?"

Everything! She only answers in sobs, tugging on the lapels of his outer jacket, begging him to do anything but this.

True to his nature, Itachi only holds tighter, sighing deep in the back of his throat. Against the top of her head, he whispers into her hair.

"Do you want to leave?"

Numbly she nods, not knowing if the meeting is done or negotiations are finished. She just wants to get Itachi out of here.

"Can you walk?"

Sakura shakes her head just in case he decides to send her away alone. Selfish.

Itachi's grip tightens enough to lift her a bit off the ground. The inertia of the body flicker technique keeps her pressed against him. Seconds later, she feels the floor beneath her. Itachi's taking flowers from her hair before she can process that he isn't holding her anymore.

"I can do that," she mutters pathetically.

Itachi shakes his head. "You did this for me, so let me do this."

Sakura's laugh is anything but happy. "It's a flower."

He keeps plucking them out and sitting them down on the table at the entry of their home.

"It's several flowers, actually. Not just one." Itachi corrects.

She rolls her eyes. "That's not funny."

"Yet you've stopped crying."

Sakura touches her cheek, absently wiping away at nothing. "Yeah…I guess I have."

When all the flowers lay on the table, he digs for pins holding her hair in place until it all comes tumbling down against her shoulders. The lack of pressure feels better than she expects. Sakura takes a step back, unable to look him in the eye. She isn't sure what's happening anymore. Taking in her surroundings, Sakura suddenly feels unbelievably selfish. To force him to leave an important meeting because she wants to fill some hero complex gap. Her stomach turns again. But Itachi is right there to catch her when she sways. Grabbing her elbow to keep her from falling, he eases her towards the living room. Sakura lets him guide the way, then maneuvers from him.

"I need a bath," Sakura lies, but she needs space to think.

Itachi doesn't say anything, watching Sakura as she disappears upstairs. He glances at the ceiling with regret, ignoring the sensation of walls closing in. Once again, everything feels too close, while Sakura feels too far.

Throughout his meeting, the only thing he could think about was keeping Sakura as calm as possible. He could have done the negotiations alone. With the way things went this week, Itachi needed Sakura and everything she brought to the table.

He'd hoped her chakra would put him at ease long enough to make it through. But her increasing restlessness towards the end of the meeting set him on edge. He could hardly focus. When she left his side, he had to force himself not to immediately follow after her. Because her confusion was all about him. Her mixed emotions are all for him. Itachi knew he pushed her to this point by laying things on her shoulders that she should never have to carry.

His burdens were his to carry. And Sakura is too kind to him, too gentle with him. Even now, she's thinking of him. Itachi can't quite place it or where it's coming from. He doesn't know what she's doing or what she wants.

Her aura is a mess.

He is a mess.

I shouldn't have asked her to come. Itachi clenches his fist, knowing what he needs to do and hating himself for keeping this from her for so long. I'm sorry, Sakura.

He gives himself as long as it takes for Sakura to finish. Then he goes upstairs, catching her in a robe just as she heads into their bedroom. Her chakra flares almost immediately. She turns, perhaps ready to tell him to leave.

His pain must have shown on his face as Sakura's fiery expression dies almost instantly. For a brief second, he wonders if she feels it too. Her green eyes are wide and glistening with care and concern for him. Behind that is a barely veiled layer of guilt. Her face settles into uncertainty. Sakura looks off and back again. Itachi cannot decide if this is better or worse. The way her lips tremble, fighting tears on his behalf. The hesitation in her actions. When shaky hands cup his cheeks, he closes his eyes with a helpless groan, falling, and failing. Not this. But also very much this. Apologetic. Comforting. Safe.

"I'm sorry, Itachi," Sakura whispers his name, threatening to make him fall apart at any moment. Years of fortitude and mediation are nearly undone by the touch of a woman who has no idea the hold she has on him.

He'd hurt her.

It hurt him knowing he did so to the one person in this life he swore wouldn't. Still, the only thing he wants most right now is to fall into everything Sakura is. Give in and let her swallow him whole. Because he wants to. Because she wants him to. Because she doesn't know that he knows what she wants.

"It's going to be okay, Itachi," He tries to believe that. "I'm here. You don't have to be strong for everyone. You don't have to do this by yourself."

Yes, he knows very well. Too well. Itachi reaches, and Sakura willingly draws closer. Arms around his neck, she eases his head down to her shoulder. Itachi buries his face in still damp hair, giving in without a second thought. Sakura reacts how he expects, with petting and quiet soothing, all saying the same thing: I'm here, you're okay.

Itachi indulges in the sensation of her feelings of her. The cool skin where his nose meets her neck, arms against his shoulders, the hum of well-meaning platitudes. The only thing he can focus on is her.

They stay that way for longer than Itachi knows they should. But letting go becomes even more challenging when fingernails accidentally scrape the nape of his neck. A sensation Itachi realized long ago that he likes. He shivers. She hums. He clings. She encourages him and gets fingers tangled in her hair right up to his ponytail.

I'm going to lose my mind.

"I know. I know." Sakura says.

But she doesn't, at least not the whole story. Itachi wills his eyes open, seeing pink. Wanting more closeness. Knowing that it wouldn't be right.

"You don't know," he quietly admits, searching for control and finding little.

"Tell me what I don't know." Sakura beckons.

"What if it is something you don't want to hear?"

Sakura halts her petting, fingers stopping mid scrap, pulse slowly escalating. "Like what?"

"Something that could make you lose faith in me."

Itachi holds back another shiver when she detangles her fingers to touch his shoulders. Sakura pushes but firmly.

"Let me go," she quietly demands, a quiver in her voice.

But Itachi isn't ready. "Can I tell you first?"

Sakura turns her head away from his face. "Are you planning something?"

"No," Itachi immediately answers.

"Did you plan something?"

"I did not."

His partner drops her arms, stiffening despite his best efforts to keep her calm. Sakura's disposition almost hurts. Skeptical, critical, and aloof.

"You did something?"

"Yes and no," Itachi holds on a bit tighter when she tries to move away. "Wait. Let me explain. I didn't tell you about something I knew and acted on."

"You lied."

Itachi swallows his pride and tries to explain in concrete details. "I was uncertain, but now I know. We are connected by some residual of the Reanimation jutsu. That is my theory. It is the only way to explain the things I feel. I know you are thinking of me. Every time you think of me, I know."

Realization comes in the form of a near-perfectly concealed alarm. Itachi grimaces when Sakura forcibly removes herself. Even if he doesn't want her to, she unhooks his hands anyway. Taking a careful, wise step back, Sakura holds his wrist and creates much-needed space between them.

Sakura narrows her eyes at him, not in anger but in surprise. Just curious. Very curious. But very cautious.

"How…?" Sakura questions herself, taking another step back. "I released you myself."

His shrug is as helpless as he feels. "I've only understood as far as connecting it to the jutsu."

"How long did it take you to figure that out?"

"Months," he says, honestly.

Sakura's green eyes look startled. "Months? You've known this for months!"

Itachi doesn't waver in the face of her irritation. He deserves as much and then some. "I noticed after the first few seals were removed. I imagine the connection has always been there."

She drops his wrist immediately. Backing up as if proximity is dangerous, she huffs several times, her expression darkening by the second. She's looking at him but not looking at him. Green eyes narrow, focused, concentrated, thinking. Whatever comes to her mind heightens her emotions just enough for him to feel it. Sakura's gaze skirts over his face then she frowns.

"It's comforting," she states, "You told me it comforts you."

Itachi nods in agreement.

"You meant it literally?"

"There is a real, very physical sensation when your thoughts change. I can see it in the form of bands of aura. These bands and these sensations pull on me to respond."

Pink brows puker together, disbelief evident in the way she fidgets. "I don't get it. I released you. I…".

She bites her lip, eyeing him critically. By her tone of voice, he speculates that she isn't asking him these questions. He doesn't offer her an answer. Instead, Itachi stands still for her visual assessment and when she decides to come closer. Sakura's ire still sizzles close to the surface. Her closeness only brings more discomfort, but he suppresses his distress and the nagging compulsion to action.

"What else do you feel? Is it always comfort?"

His jaw clenches since feeling these things is what he is trying not to do. Not acting on them requires even more strength.

"Lots of things," Itachi says instead, hoping perhaps she will recognize his earlier statement, "The closer you are, the stronger the feeling. The more intense the emotion, the deeper the sensation. When that emotion is directed at me, the stronger the pull is to respond."

"To respond to what I'm thinking?" Sakura wields, still hesitates, still unhappy, still curious."

"Yes."

"And what I'm feeling?"

"Yes."

Sakura blinks twice. "You can read my emotions?"

The tiniest bit of fear creeps into her aura, and Itachi quickly and swiftly puts it to rest. "I know what it is. I just don't know what it is. Your discomfort is uncomfortable for me. Negative emotions sting. Positive emotions are warm. The connection will either draw or push away. Sometimes it is absent. When you are nearer to me, the feeling intensifies."

Sakura crosses her arms defensively, hunching her shoulders, hiding from him. She turns her head away again. If her chakra is anything to go by, she doesn't think positively of the information he's just shared.

A bitter chuckle bubbles in Sakura's throat. She squeezes her forearms tighter while shaking her head.

"I thought I was crazy," Sakura's dismayed expression confirms his assumptions. "I couldn't understand how you just knew things. All this time you had this advantage over me. When I was..."

She trails off, pursuing her lips and giving him her shoulder.

"I've not used this against you," Itachi quietly reassures. "I am not unaffected either."

Sakura scoffs at him. "That's supposed to make it better?"

"I can't make it better. I can only tell you what I know, and I don't know. What I've done and what I haven't. But it is still true. I am not unaffected."

"You mean like the other night when you hugged me?' Sakura questions, "Or did you do something else?"

Itachi exhales through his nose and lays everything out for her. "I went to Tsunade-sama before you removed my other seals and covertly asked questions to prove my theory. I paid attention to your expressions and demeanor to connect them to the sensations. I tried, to no avail, sensing others the way I sense you. I responded to the pull and resisted it to see what would happen when I did so. That night, I knew touch made the sensations more refined. I knew that if I were closer, I could feel more."

"What exactly were you trying to feel?"

What was he trying to feel? Itachi thinks the answer is obvious, but as shadows loomed at the edge of his awareness, he notes the nuances in his own decisions. Sakura sought to be his pillar in the moments they cleaned together. As nice of a feeling as it was, comfort wasn't the top priority. No. He had no issue with feeling uncomfortable. He could stomach being in distress for some time and had done so for many years. Sakura's care was pleasant and added a buffer to what he truly needed.

Itachi's fingers flex. When Sakura takes a small step closer, the residual sparks of her aura filtering his thoughts, he finds the thing he wants most when she whispers at him.

"What did I make you feel?"

Itachi knows without knowing how he does it. A few words come to mind, but only one truly encapsulates what he was after.

"Safe."

It implies everything: protection, trust, comfort, and home. Itachi is safe with her, physically and mentally. If he chooses to hide from the world, some unconscious reassurance lets him know she will let him.

Sakura's chakra unfolds in layers too quick for him to catch any one thing. He does see her take a step. Green eyes search him, open but not angry. In the shine of the afternoon sun, his partner looks almost sad.

"Safe from what?"

Itachi wordlessly turns towards the door. Sakura grabs one of his wrists. Because Itachi knows her better, not from this thing that binds them but from years spent in her care. He knows that she's doing so on purpose. Because she gets what he says and what he doesn't.

"Being in my old home is hard," he finally admits, "I keep thinking of things, seeing memories of us living there."

Sakura responds by giving his wrist a gentle tug. "This helps?"

"When you intend to do so, yes."

His partner sighs, keeping her emotions close to her chest so that it barely makes a ripple. With her hand on him, he knows that there are fluctuations. A pleasant sharpness flutters across his skin, letting him know her thoughts are not wholly negative. A healthy mixture of good and bad, as unyielding as her expression, keeps Itachi leveled.

"This is so unfair," Sakura complains, "I want to be mad at you. I am mad at you, actually, for a few things. You should've told me about this sooner and in more detail than just my chakra tingles. I can't be mad at you right now…not while you're like this."

He nods back because it feels right, not because he thinks he is. "I'm sorry, Sakura. You have every right to be angry with me."

"Tsk," Sakura smacks her teeth. "Yeah, yeah, I know that. Trust me, I am not happy about this situation. But I guess you already know that."

She pulls on his wrist to emphasize her point. Itachi counters by taking her by the hand.

"I never truly know," Itachi corrects her, "You are not so simple that I can boil you down to mere sensations and auras. Right now, your emotions and thoughts seem mixed with many different things. I only know that because it feels that way, unsettled."

Sakura doesn't respond right away. Itachi watches the way she holds still in every respect. Unwilling to let him fully see her face or her feelings.

He breaks the silence with a question. "Do you want me to leave?"

Immediately her eyes find him, skeptical. "Why would I want that?"

"If you need time to process everything, I could leave so you can think things through without the fear of me sensing something you don't want me to know."

Sakura's eyes widen with uncertainty, which isn't what he is trying to do at all. He sighs, trying to remove himself, but she squeezes his palm.

"Don't leave," Sakura says. "We'll figure all of this mess out eventually. But…I want you to stay."

Her request startles him a little, and he can't bring himself to turn away. Sakura's face is illuminated by the sun, pink hair a mess, color in her cheeks, and uncertainty in her eyes. Itachi wonders if he should tell her how grateful he is for her tempered reaction. He expected explosive anger, perhaps a slap to the face for keeping secrets. Yet the most palpable thing in the room is her worry. What can he say that won't seem condescending or a bid to keep her anger subdued?

Perhaps the only thing that will make her feel better.

"I'll stay."

Positive emotions flare out in vibrant colors. Itachi's eyes widen slightly at subconscious shifts that barely show as a smile on her face. Sakura nods, still holding on to him. He lets her, waiting until her aura settles into something more neutral. Judging by her facial expression, Sakura attempts to work through her thoughts. Itachi doesn't rush her, nor does he read into the nuances at the edge of his awareness. After everything, it seems unfair of him to expect anything. He keeps himself from wanting too much. Selfishness has done enough. Instead, Itachi holds his breath when her chakra wavers in a different direction.

"Did you…" there's hesitation and reservation in her tone. Sakura purses her lips, unable to make eye contact. "Were you able to finish your meeting, or did you leave because…?"

"Of you?" he finishes, raising a brow for reassurance.

Her reluctant nod says enough.

"Yes," He tugs her wrist so she will look at him. "I don't like when you are restless."

"Sorry."

"Don't be," Itachi tries to reassure her, to soothe her slightly ruffled feathers. "Those meetings are tedious at best."

Sakura shakes her head and removes her hand from him, a sulky pout on her lips. "That's not it. I wasn't restless because of the details of the meeting."

Itachi stares uncertainly at her. "Then why?"

Sakura's ears turn bright red, matching the changes he feels deep down. She fidgets and sighs, then rubs hands through her hair to her shoulders.

"Because," her voice sharpens, and then she grumbles and lowers her voice. "I…I don't like seeing you like that."

"Like what?" he presses.

She huffs. "When you do that thing! I get why you do it. We're shinobi. We have to be like that. But still."

Itachi is still confused, but he thinks perhaps he may understand a little. "You were troubled because of me?"

Sakura throws her hands up. "Yes!"

"Because I was…?"

"Doing the thing you always do."

Itachi airly chuckles because he still doesn't understand even with their shared connection. But he gets what he suspects is probably the essential bit. Details could be ironed out later when Sakura is ready. For now, he addresses other concerns.

She tenses when he approaches. Itachi thinks she will recoil when he reaches for her, but she doesn't. He wraps his arms around her shoulders. Sakura leans back into his embrace.

"In that case," Itachi lays his cheek atop her head. "Don't apologize for being considerate."

Sakura mumbles. "You left your meeting because of me."

"Because of me," he corrects.

She snorts at him. "I feel like you're just saying this to make me feel better."

Itachi doesn't deny it, tightening his hold on her.

"Is that so bad?" he asks, "Your emotions affect me too, remember. When you are uncertain, I am uneasy for many reasons. Not least of which is because I prefer when you are yourself irrespective of the negative implications. I would be remiss if I didn't admit that I feel better when you are better. That is very true. Equally, sadness doesn't suit you, Sakura. If none of those reasons are enough, consider that you own me. I am only getting my due."

"Your due?" Her head tilts towards him, and Itachi hums approvingly at the turn of her mood. "I owe you what?"

"Happiness," he declares softly to remind her. "Or have you forgotten your flowerless vow?"

For a moment, Sakura's chakra is everything, everywhere, all at once. He fights not to sway, grounding himself in the brevity of her sudden change of mind. She lowers her head a little. Itachi feels her shoulders tense when she speaks.

"We're not courting." Sakura counters.

Itachi gives her shoulders a gentle squeeze and speaks gently into her hair. "Even so, the world is brighter when you are happier. Your happiness is mine. Be happy, Sakura."

The way she gasps leaves him pleased. She bows her head. Itachi contents himself with her initial reaction. Then something new but familiar glides through his veins, almost dizzying in its warmth, entreating him closer. Itachi blinks and inhales in surprise. She's expressing that he barely catches.

"...can't believe you would say that."

Sakura's turning around. He adjusts his hold until they are face to face.

Then it's there and calling, reminiscent of something from what feels like ages ago. Sakura's eyes are wide, lips parted. Itachi freezes because he wants to…or does she want to? His pulse escalates when she gets up on her toes. Sakura's arms circle his neck, and Itachi stills when she leans in, laying her head in the curve of his neck.

"Truth," her nose brushes his neck, and his face warms. "That's what you owe me, remember. Be honest with me next time you're not doing well, okay? I stayed up all night worrying about you. Now, do you want to bring up vows? Follow your own advice, you jerk. If you want me to be happy, talk to me about when you're sad."

Itachi swallows. His concentration entangles in this sensation, her face against his throat and the increased pulse under his skin. It's been a long time since he's felt remotely bashful about anything. But this warmth is more than just Sakura's chakra influencing his reaction. He hesitates to hug her back. Even though moments ago he'd initiated such an action.

Itachi isn't sure if it's her, him, or them together. The most he can do is a nod to keeping focus. That seems to be enough for her. Sakura's scent settles into something less overwhelming but equally as familiar. He keeps perfectly still, closing his eyes to maintain concentration. She knows everything now, which means she understands that he knows.

"Sakura," he calls.

"Hm?"

Itachi doesn't want it to stop, just to understand. "Are you...happy right now?"

There's a small fluctuation in her everything. Sakura shifts in his arms. "Something like that. Why?"

Not happy? More than happy? Hopeful? No, that's not it either.

Itachi gives up and gives in, holding tighter.

"It's nice."

---

A/N: Happy Easter from me to you! Did I have a more than midway through this story crisis and rewrite this entire chapter? Yes. Did I give up midway through this rewrite because I couldn't convey the emotions or make the transitions or set the tone of progress for them? Yes. HOWEVER! You all are so awesome and encouraging that I pushed through. I want to give a special thanks to CherryBlossoms Itachi whose latest review really helped give me motivation again!

The good news is that we are more than halfway through! Which will take me another twenty years to write! No, no, I'm kidding. More like another ten years. But it's going to get done! I can't leave these two unfinished! They are so close. Line 18 brings some spring festivities, guys. And...a little bit of other things. Maybe. Kinda. Yay!

Okay, bye!

Columbine: To feel/be at home with someone

-CeCe^^

Word Count: 16,667

Musical Inspiration: 'Emerald'-Rini, Adele. Again, 'Shirke'-Hozier, 'The Big Unknown'-Sade. (do you guys actually listen to the music I suggest? You should!