Chapter Five: Apple Pie
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It was before dawn, the coffee was brewing in the kitchen with the scent filling the apartment while two best friends waited for their dates to show up.
"I'm a good friend," Ino pointed out. She crossed her right leg over her left knee and pulled on her warm woolen socks. "I could be sleeping until noon today, recovering from a night dancing with hot guys getting plied with free drinks and nursing a well deserved hang-over."
"Instead you are headache free, about to spend the entire day with Mr. October— who we both know is a ten out of ten on the hotness scale. And his personality is a ten out of ten," Sakura pointed out. She wasn't going to feel guilty that Ino was about to be introduced to the nicest, second most handsome guy she knew. Especially, not when the alternative was Ino partying with random jerks that were only interested in her looks and not her big beautiful heart and brilliant mind.
"I don't understand why if he's so perfect, you're not with him," Ino reasoned. The coffee machine chimed indicating it was done brewing. The blond pushed away from the couch for the kitchen while Sakura continued brushing her hair, wanting it to be smooth and perfect. "I'll get it, Princess."
"I already told you. Shisui is cousins with Sasuke and when we met I was still with Sasuke. While I was attracted to him, he wasn't an option at the time and we ended up friends." Sakura watched as Ino busied herself in her kitchen, pulling out coffee mugs and pouring them drinks, adding milk and honey and a dash of vanilla like they both liked. "And the more I have become good friends with him, I really think the two of you are better suited for one another."
"And you met another ten out of ten in the baking class Shisui convinced you to do, whom happens to be his best friend," Ino added, bringing the mugs back to the couch and setting them on the decorative tray in the middle of the coffee table. "If it works out, we could have a double wedding— best friends marrying best friends. What do you think?" Ino flashed a mischievous smile.
"I think we see how we do on a double date," Sakura said, with a laugh, picking up her coffee and sipping the caffeinated miracle. "I think you'll like Obito and Rin too. Obito is Itachi's cousin and good friends with the baking instructor," Sakura explained.
"Mr. September," Ino clarified.
"Yes," Sakura said with a smile. "Mr. September. Itachi texted that it's going to be the six of us — you, me, him, Shisui, Obito, and Rin. Kakashi declining joining us, citing he would be sleeping until noon."
"Lucky bastard," Ino grumbled sipping at her own coffee.
Sakura's phone chimed, indicating that Guy had let their guests inside. They'd be at the door momentarily. "While Shisui is a big flirt, Itachi is more reserved," Sakura explained. "Try to be respectful, Pig."
Ino snorted. "I'm always respectful, Forehead."
There was a knock at the front door. Sakura started to get up, but Ino reached out and tugged Sakura back to the couch with a hand on her shoulder. "Let me," Ino offered. She tossed her long blond hair back and after peeping through the eyehole, she opened the door to the handsome dark-haired duo. "Itachi," she greeted looking at the long-haired man first and then shifted her gaze and her mega-watt smile at the curly-haired man. "Shisui."
"You must be Ino," Itachi greeted, a bag of take-out from Sakura's favorite pastry shop dangling from his fingers on his right hand and a black Yeti thermos in his left with 'World's Greatest Brother' engraved in crimson. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
A sly smile spread across Shisui's face. "So you're the beautiful, brilliant best friend Sakura has been raving about for weeks."
Ino held out her hand towards Shisui and he took it, leaned down and brushed his lips over her knuckles. "That would be me. Come in." She stepped back, pulling her hand out of Shisui's grasp and inviting them towards the living room. They both kicked off their shoes and hung up their coats.
Itachi took the spot next to Sakura and began to unload the boxes from Tami's Pastry Shop. It had been a pleasant discovery to learn that Sakura and Itachi had the same favorite pastry shop.
"This is a nice place, Haruno," Shisui observed, walking around, giving himself a tour of the modest apartment.
"Thank you," Sakura said, glancing behind her to where Shisui stood looking over her bookcase. He noticed the framed photo of the beach and then laid it down face first. Sakura thought it was a little weird, but he was still pretty mad at his cousin, so she understood. The photo was rather bittersweet for her as well, but she refused to forget about precious memories. "Are you going to eat with us, or continue your inspection?"
Shisui grinned, holding up his hands. "You caught me." Apparently, satisfied with his little tour he sat in Sakura's over-stuffed armchair. And then Ino decided to sit on the arm of that armchair. "Well hello again."
Ino handed him a cup of coffee and he accepted it. "Sakura said you liked it black and bitter like your heart."
"Did she?" Shisui laughed before taking a sip of the scalding liquid. "More like natural and without flares."
"He's going to be like this the whole time," Itachi said quietly. "Once he starts laying on the charm, he doesn't stop."
"Ino is the same," Sakura assured him. "When do we need to leave for the airport?"
"Obito will be ready to take off in two hours, so we should head out after we eat. He might want help doing the pre-launch checklist. Kakashi decided to stay home — said his arm was bothering him. So I'll need to go through the procedures with him." Itachi bit into his pastry and sighed happily.
"Do you fly also, Itachi?" Sakura asked.
"I have a few hundred flight hours," Itachi answered. "I don't have a pilot's license or anything though. My eye-sight isn't good enough. Obito and Kakashi were in the military together. They both learned to fly during their service."
"This isn't the first time you have complained about your eyesight. When was your last exam?" Sakura internally grimaced, realizing she'd gone into doctor-mode.
"Last year," Itachi answered, looking over at her with amusement in his dark eyes. "The Optometrist only suggested I might benefit from blue-light blocker readers when I spent a lot of time on my computer." He wiped his hands on a napkin. "Did you want to come with me to my next eye exam, Sakura? Make sure they don't miss anything?"
Was he serious or joking? Sakura wasn't sure. "Sure! As long as it's on one of my day's off." She sipped at her coffee and savored the caffeine rush to her mind. "So, what's Obito and Rin's family name? Is it Karasu like yours?"
"Yes, their last name is Karasu," Shisui answered before Itachi could. The latter gave him a funny look, but didn't contradict him. They chatted about the weather and Itachi told them a little about the orchard they'd be visiting. It was on an island with a more moderate climate where the apples grew at an extended season. Though, if they'd waited a couple more weeks the trees would be barren. It was also a nice place to visit in May when the apple blossoms were in bloom.
The four bundled up in their winter clothes as well as their own individual backpacks with a change of clothes for picking fruit. Itachi and Shisui had both snatched up Sakura and Ino's bags and carried them for them— the perfect, thoughtful gentlemen.
Itachi and Sakura sat up front, Classical music filling the car and tickling their ears. Ino and Shisui had climbed into the backseat and had been rather quiet for sometime — an unusual behavior considering their typical loquacious habits. Sakura turned to look at the pair in the backseat to see if they were okay with the Classical music she and Itachi preferred, but saw they were otherwise occupied with their tongues down each other's throat, she snapped her attention back to the front, her cheeks burning.
Itachi turned his face towards her briefly, his dark eyes narrowed in concern. "Is everything okay?"
"Um, I think they like the music just fine," Sakura whispered.
"Why are we whispering?" Itachi dropped his voice, his tone amused when he shifted his eyes at her again. He looked into the rearview mirror and saw their friends making-out in the backseat and he cleared his throat. "Oh." A slight upturn of his lips was the only indication of his amusement. "I guess they like each other."
"I guess so."
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Sakura, Ino, and Rin waited in the heated office within the private airfield's hangar. The boys were working together doing the preflight check list and preparing for their trip. Sakura wasn't offended that she wasn't included — she didn't have a clue about airplanes after all. But, it would have been nice if she could have observed. She loved learning about new things and it would have been a good time learn about the mechanics.
"It's nice that you're a doctor," Rin said. She closed the magazine she'd been thumbing through. "I was a medic in the military. It's how I met Obito and Kakashi. I've known Itachi and Shisui for many years. They've never asked Obito to fly their friends anywhere before." She looked between Sakura and Ino. "Nor have I ever met any of their girlfriends before."
Sakura wasn't sure why she would know Shisui, but it made sense with Itachi since he and Obito were cousins. She simply smiled politely and let Ino dominate the conversation. Rin had been looking through a fashion magazine and the two women voiced their opinions on different outfits and styles throughout the magazine.
Forty minutes later, they were finally loaded up on the plane and ready to take off. Rin was Obito's copilot, she'd had enough flight hours that she'd been earning her pilot's license soon.
"If you want to take a nap, now is the perfect time," Itachi suggested. He held out a fleece blanket and half-size pillow for Sakura. "Your chair reclines or you can lean on me if you would prefer."
"Alright," Sakura agreed, gratefully taking the items. She wasn't terribly tired, but she noticed that Itachi had brought a detective novel with him and probably wanted to read. A quick glance towards Ino and Shisui showed them already asleep, leaning against each other. "They moved fast."
Itachi sighed, dragging his fingers through his long ponytail. "Shisui said since you already vetted for Ino, he didn't see a reason not to jump in headfirst."
Sakura giggled. "Ino said practically the same thing."
Itachi raised his arm in invitation. "You can lean against me. I'm just going to read."
Feeling emboldened, considering Shisui and Ino's behavior, Sakura snuggled against Itachi. She liked the feel of the toned muscles of his chest as he wrapped his arm around her back, clutching onto her upper arm and holding her snug against him. He was warm and smelled like cinnamon and cedar wood. "Are you in a book club too?"
"Hm, no," Itachi murmured. "Unless you're interested in forming one?" He shifted his bookmark between his pages one-handed and closed the book, holding the back of the book towards Sakura so she could read the summary blurb. "I'm almost done. You can borrow it and we can talk about it after you finish?"
"Sure," Sakura agreed, taking the book from him. She read over the back-cover blurb. "The Blossom and the Hawk were childhood sweethearts in the Land of Ninja, reunited after years apart. She's from a clan-less family, but earns the favor of the Princess. He's the heir of a noble clan. She's become a Healer while he's a Detective. Together, they must stop the international villain who's been kidnapping people for experimentations. Their biggest hurdle may be when they return home and find themselves embroiled in clan politics."
"I thought it was more of a detective story when I first picked it up," Itachi explained. "I really like the characters."
"I'd like to read it when you're finished. It will make a great first book for our initial bookclub." Sakura handed him back the book.
"And you can pick out the next book," Itachi added, taking the book back with his free hand and squeezing Sakura's shoulder with his other hand.
"You really know the way to this girl's heart, don't you?" Sakura murmured, closing her eyes and letting herself relax into Itachi's warm embrace.
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Itachi tried to focus on reading his book. It was hard with Sakura's soft body pressed against him. What he really wanted to do was bury his nose in her hair and sleep as well. He shifted his gaze across the plane to where Shisui and Ino were resting. His cousin wasn't asleep either and winked at him playfully.
Shisui was definitely up to something. Not only did he not want Sakura to know his last name was Uchiha, but now he also didn't want her to know that Shisui and Obito were brothers. Itachi had wanted to ask if Sakura wanted to watch the flight pre-check routine, but Shisui had requested to speak with them privately. He gave some elaborate reasoning about making sure that Ino and Sakura didn't know Shisui was related to them and that their last name needed to be Karasu.
Obito had asked if Shisui was worried that the girls would be prejudiced against them for their family name. The clan historically hadn't always been on the right side of history and people often feared members of the Uchiha without ever getting to know them.
Itachi could admit that he was fairly sheltered when it came to understanding women and their reasonings, so he deferred to Shisui in this case. Obito thought it was strange, but agreed none-the-less. He told Shisui whenever whatever he was plotting inevitably blew up in his face, he'd be there to laugh at him.
The man that owned the orchard was Nagato Uzumaki. Itachi had worked with him years ago on a case. He practically ran the Country of Rain and had several business ventures. The man's business associates Konan and Yahiko were both pleasant individuals. Yahiko was confident and boisterous, while Nagato and Konan were both serious and practical. Yahiko often joked that his two business partners often ran their Akatsuki Corporation like an International Terrorist Group.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. We're about to start our descent. Rise and shine, make sure your seatbelts are secured," Obito called out from the cockpit.
Itachi caught Shisui's eye as they started their descent. His cousin was up to something and it was strange. This outing was Itachi and Sakura's attempt to set up Shisui and Ino, yet it felt like the opposite was true.
Sakura took a deep breath and roused against Itachi. She sat up and gave him a sleepy smile. Her eyes shifted towards his novel and noted the progress he made while she slept. "How's the book?"
"It's good," Itachi answered. It was a bit of a corny story. He thought it was more of a good detective novel but it was turning a bit into more of a steamy romance than he thought. And the mutual pining and misunderstandings between the characters was starting to annoy him. Not that he minded reading a steamy romance, but he didn't want to read that sort of thing in front of others. That was best suited for the privacy of one's residence.
He retracted his arm from around Sakura's shoulders and checked the latch of his seatbelt. Then Sakura's cool fingertips were on the back of his hand and he flipped his hand to hold hers while the plane made its descent.
Nagato had his own private airfield. The only other plane was his personal one. No one would be at the estate, but their party and Nagato himself along with his staff including his personal security detail led by Hanzo. Yahiko and Konan were closing out a deal with Kirigakure.
"Wow," Sakura whispered, clutching Itachi's hand and leaning towards her window to peer outside. "We're at a castle."
"It's a private residence, but Lord Uzumaki is rather wealthy," Itachi admitted. They were on a private island in reality. Occasionally, Nagato would rent out the place for weddings. He even had a small herd of llamas that would participate in the weddings. To be honest, it seemed like something Itachi would want at his future wedding — though it would definitely give his mother gray hairs.
She turned towards him, her pale eyebrows shot up into her forehead. "How do you two know each other?"
"Work colleagues," Itachi answered. He was not about to tell her he was a lawyer. He truly didn't understand Shisui's elaborate half-truths of avoiding Sakura learning about his occupation, but he would honor his cousin's efforts. And Kakashi's efforts as well — he really didn't want the students to know each other's occupation. And Itachi understood why — he was already thinking about the fact that Sakura was a Surgeon as part of her identity. To her, Itachi was a career hobbyist. He kind of preferred to be thought about his eclectic interests rather than his Law degree.
"So the plan is to pick apples and then head back home?" Sakura asked, still holding Itachi's hand.
He didn't mind the hand-holding and was happily rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. "I thought we could visit the llamas too. We'll have lunch at the manor. And we'll head back in the early afternoon and be home before dinner."
He rose from his seat and helped Sakura stand too. With reluctance, he released Sakura's hand to grab their bags. Which was convenient because Ino rushed to Sakura's side, hooked their elbows together and disembarked the plane without preamble when Obito opened the door.
Two members of Nagato's security waited to greet them.
Itachi led the way to the little cottage out the outskirts of the orchard. There would be collapsable canvas bags for them to use to pick the apples. They passed the pasture with the llamas grazing lazily on the grass. The manor was in the distance behind them
"I've seen this place in magazines," Ino announced, as. "There was a royal wedding here like two years ago. We saw it on television, remember, Sakura?"
"The Princess of Redaku," Sakura said, her voice awed. "I never thought I'd see this place in person." She chuckled. "At least, outside of your fairy tale wedding."
"This is the location of your fairy tale wedding?" Shisui asked, stepping beside them and keeping pace next to Ino. "It would be fun to have llamas at a wedding."
"Are you saying this is the place of your dream wedding, Uchiha?" Sakura teased.
For a moment, Itachi thought Sakura was talking to him, but remembered she didn't know his surname, she was talking to Shisui. He had in fact thought about Nagato's estate for his hypothetical wedding. He loved llamas.
"Not mine," Shisui murmured. "But I'm sure I'd be happy to do whatever it took to make my future Mrs. happy."
"Good answer," Ino said, releasing Sakura's arm and latching onto Shisui instead. "Why don't you two go pick apples? Shisui and I will be going for a little walk."
"Sorry, Beautiful," Shisui said. "I don't abandon my friends to do the hard work. I'm happy to go for a private walk after we pick some apples though." He looked down at Sakura and smiled.
"I'm just here to watch," Obito pointed out.
"You flew us here. You don't have to work," Itachi reasoned. "And I am of course very grateful. Sakura and I can make you an extra apple pie as a reward for your trouble."
"Apple pie plus the cost of gas, sounds fair," Obito answered, slinging his arm over his wife's shoulder and holding her close. "And if any of you get married here, you best invite us. I've never seen a wedding at a castle with llamas."
"Well, we did have Kakashi's pug at our wedding with the rings tied to his collar," Rin reminded him. "That was pretty cute."
Sakura laughed. "That sounds adorable." She shook her head and smiled in amusement. "I remember my ex used to think it would be cool to have a hawk fly in and drop off the rings."
Itachi shook his head at the idea. It would almost be as bad as having a crow drop off the rings or releasing a cage full of doves. Birds could be messy creatures and it seemed like a lot of extra stress to try and wrangle them into a wedding. "Personally, I'd prefer a simple wedding with a few close friends maybe in a chapel or a small shrine."
"Beach weddings are nice too," Sakura murmured. "I'm more interested in the groom than in the location of my future wedding."
"Oh? And what is that you look for in a potential groom?" Itachi asked, more curious than he would like to admit. He opened the cabin and took out the needed items from the storage room.
"I want someone that is kind, intelligent, and not ashamed to introduce me to his family," Sakura answered.
There was a thud followed by Shisui swearing quietly.
"Are you okay?" Ino asked, peering into the cabin.
"Stubbed my toe," Shisui answered. He held the canvas collapsable bags Itachi had handed him.
"Watch where you're going," Itachi warned. He plucked several pair of gloves. "There's a bathroom if you girls would like to go ahead and get changed. Shisui and I will get the supplies. We'll be done in a minute or two."
"Sure," Sakura agreed. She and Ino vanished into the back of the cabin with their bags.
"Do you — know Sakura's ex?" Itachi asked, keeping this voice low. She'd made several comments that didn't quite sit well with him. He worried that maybe her breakup was too soon.
"Eh, yes," Shisui admitted. "He's not a bad guy. They were just a terrible fit."
"I see," Itachi murmured. "Thanks for not ditching us to make out with your new girlfriend. Don't you think you're moving a little fast? I saw the two of you getting hot and heavy in the backseat of my car."
"Sakura has vetted us both, no need to be shy," Shisui answered with a shrug. "I can ask Obito if he'd be okay heading back in the morning instead of this afternoon — give us some time to spend at the manor. Nagato has plenty of rooms to spare."
"No. Obito has a thing in the morning, which you should know. He's your brother," Itachi pointed out. "I don't like Sakura not knowing my real last name."
"Just for a couple more weeks, please?" Shisui said. "I don't ask you for much, do I? Just do this for me and if she gets mad, blame me. It's fine."
Itachi rubbed his forehead. He really didn't know what to say to that. So he said nothing. They made their way to the bathroom to change and then they'd start harvesting the fruit.
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They needed ten medium sized apples for each apple pie. Between the students and their baking instructor, they needed a hundred and thirty. They had wanted extra apples for just eating and giving to Obito and Rin. So in total, they needed a hundred and sixty apples. Three apples equalled a pound, so they would need to collect over fifty pounds of apples.
All the low hanging fruit had been picked. They'd not thought to get a ladder from the storage, so they decided to get creative.
"I'm probably too heavy," Sakura hedged.
Itachi raised his eyebrow and looked her head to toe skeptically. "How weak do you think I am, Sakura? You can't weigh more than a fifty-four kilograms."
"That is surprisingly accurate," Sakura said, cocking her head to the side. "You could tell that by looking at me?"
Itachi felt the tips of his ears burn and was grateful his hair covered them. "Your ID card. During class you had your zip ID case out on the counter. I glanced at it." He gestured towards the tree above them and the apples just out of reach. "All you need to do is sit on my shoulders, Sakura. It's like when you play chicken in the swimming pool. You've played that game before, right?"
"Ages ago," Sakura agreed. "When I was a teenager."
"Well I'm much stronger than a teenager." Itachi kneeled before her and gestured for her to come closer.
With a frustrated breath blowing out of her lips, Sakura climbed onto Itachi's shoulders, his strong hands held the tops of her thighs in place and he stood up carefully, feeling Sakura's hand resting gently on top of his head.
Ino and Shisui ambled over with the final two empty canvas bags. "You pluck and then hand them down to us," Shisui said. "Team work makes the dream work."
The group worked in tandem. Itachi held Sakura up and she plucked the apples she could reach, handing them to Shisui and Ino. They harvested from six different trees within the orchard. At one point, Sakura had stretched farther than she should have, Itachi's hands gripped her legs tight enough to leave a bruise to keep their balance, but he didn't chastise her.
Sakura burst out laughing, her hard won apple clutched in her hand, as Itachi took two steps back to steady them. "Unlike in the pool, if we fall, we hurt."
"I won't let you fall," Itachi promised. Those jade eyes of hers looked down and met his steady gaze. He squeezed her thighs gently. "Trust me."
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After a while, they'd collected enough apples and Sakura slid down Itachi's back until she was standing on the ground. It had been surprisingly fun sitting on Itachi's strong shoulders. He was a lean guy, but he was stronger than she thought.
Itachi wasn't quite as broad or tall as Shisui (or Sasuke), but he was strong and toned. They each carried a canvas bag — four in total with about forty apples each. "I'm letting Kakashi know he's on his own tomorrow with the market," Itachi said. "The apples are the main ingredient. I have to work on a case. Would you like to see a movie tomorrow evening? Or do you just want to wait until I pick you up before class on Tuesday?"
Sakura set down her bag of apples, Itachi did the same and turned towards her in question. She grabbed hold of his shirt front and tugged him down towards her before pressing her lips against his. She smiled against him and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth.
Itachi's hands settled on Sakura's hips and she melted against him. He walked her backwards, until her back was pressed against a large tree with a thick trunk. She started to go boneless, with only the support of the tree on her back and Itachi's hands at her hips keeping her upright.
Itachi pulled back and smiled down at her with a teasing light in his dark eyes. Oh God, she was such a sucker for dark eyes. There was something soul piercing when deep, fathomless eyes simply drank you in— like peering into the depths of the unknown universe. "You want me to carry you, Sakura?" Itachi's voice was husky.
"I want to lay down with you on a bed of leaves with your arms around me and never leave," Sakura confessed nervously.
If it was possible, Itachi's eyes darkened. He kissed her again until he really was fully supporting her weight. He chuckled, low and deep. "Come on, Sakura. It's not like I hypnotized you with magical eyes."
"Nah, you enthralled me with your magical tongue and hands," Sakura answered, earning another laugh from him. "I don't want to go to the movies— the floors are sticky and I fall asleep if I sit for too long, so I drink a large soda to stay alert and I always end up needing to pee halfway through the show. We can watch a movie at my place." Sakura smoothed Itachi's shirt from where she had wrinkled it earlier. "If that's okay."
"Should I pick up dinner or do you want to make something?" Itachi asked, swaying gently, as if to music only he could hear. It felt like they were dancing. Or maybe Sakura was low on Oxygen to her brain. He ran his fingers over her hair, removing the high-ponytail and letting her hair fall loose about her shoulders. "I like your hair down." He carded his fingers through her tresses.
"Any restrictions if I cook?" Sakura asked, sighing at the feel of his hands in her hair.
"I just don't eat red meat," Itachi answered. "I like onigiri and cabbage is my favorite vegetable."
"I can work with that," Sakura assured him. She reached for Itachi's low ponytail and removed his band, letting the midnight hair free. It came halfway down his back in a silk curtain. "I love your hair."
"Hm," Itachi hummed pressing his forehead against hers while she played with his hair. "I grow it long to donate to Locks of Love," he confessed. "I'll be having it trimmed soon, but I prefer it at least be long enough for a ponytail. It's hard to manage when it's short."
Sakura laughed softly.
"What's so funny?" Itachi asked, rubbing his nose against hers playfully.
"I grow my hair out to donate to Locks of Love too," she admitted.
"Of course you do," Itachi murmured. "We should head back. Let's drop off the apples and take a quick tour before lunch, then we'll head home," Itachi suggested. He stepped back from Sakura and she felt keenly aware of the distance between their bodies. He secured his hair back in his low ponytail. He gestured towards Shisui and Ino up ahead of them where the two were laughing and bumping shoulders. "I think they're into each other. They haven't even noticed we've fallen behind."
"I think so too," Sakura agreed with a laugh. She hooked her elbow through his, both carrying their bags and leaned her face against his upper arm. "I think we make a great team. We brought together those beautiful flirts."
"Yes, we did," Itachi agreed. He picked up both totes of apples and led the way. He glanced at Sakura over his shoulder. "This time, I'll be doing the heavy lifting."
Sakura huffed and then caught up to him. "Oh yeah?" Then she snatched Itachi up into her arms, holding him bridal style. His eyes widened dramatically.
Then Itachi threw his head back and laughed.
They caught up with Ino and Shisui quickly enough, only to have the blond tackle Sakura, eyes wide and twinkling with excitement. Ino shoved her phone at Shisui. "Get a picture of us with the llamas!"
"Yes, ma'am," Shisui murmured, flashing Itachi a quick grin.
Ino and Sakura ambled towards the llamas, the herd animals watched their approach somewhat lazily. Somewhat hesitant, Sakura held her hand palm out towards one of the animals and it seemed to nuzzle against her, so she scratched it behind the ear and it tilted its head. "Cute," she murmured.
"Smile for the camera, ladies!" Shisui called out, Itachi standing next to him, the apples sitting on the ground in their bags.
"This is going on my Insta!" Ino exclaimed. "Now, Shisui give the phone to Sakura so she can get some shots of us."
Shisui smiled broadly and started to hand the phone to Sakura, but Itachi took it and snapped some images of Sakura and then of Ino and Shisui. Itachi handed the phone back to Ino so she could take some selfies with Shisui and approached Sakura with his own phone held out. "May I?"
Sakura nodded, feeling ridiculously happy with the llamas nuzzling against her side. Itachi snuggled up close and captured an image of the two of them. He turned towards her, his cheek grazing against hers. "Too bad I don't do the Insta as Ino calls it. This would surely be a much appreciated image." He showed Sakura the photo of the two of them. "It will just have to be happy being my wallpaper."
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Monday evening, Sakura and Itachi sat snuggled up on her couch. Her favorite pastime was sitting snuggled up against a beautiful man while watching classic movies from Hollywood's Silver Age era. Itachi had been more than willing to accommodate her. She was particularly fond of Audrey Hepburn and Itachi had agreed to watch Roman Holiday. He'd appreciated the dinner she made and now they were eating red bean ice cream while watching the black and white classic.
Itachi didn't give her any grief about her fondness for sweets. His sweet tooth was just as eager as hers.
Ino had sent Sakura a text a short while ago showing a photo of Sakura sitting on Itachi's shoulders picking apples from the orchard. In the image, Sakura was laughing and Itachi had the softest smile on his face. "Send me that. It deserves to be framed," Itachi added. "And put on display. That's going on my desk at work."
"And sent," Sakura said, thumbs flying over her phone's touchscreen before she set it back down on the coffee table.
"So, my father is celebrating thirty-five years at his job this year," Itachi said, not taking his eyes off the television screen. "My family is having a big celebration and I'd like you to be my date." He turned towards her then, his expression earnest. "I'd really like you to meet my mother."
Sakura's breath hitched. "Sure, I'd be honored to meet your parents. Also, I'd love to celebrate the special occasion with you."
"And, it's not for a few more weeks, but would you go with me to the Aburame Bee Farm? I have a membership and they are asking for volunteers to check on the bees during the last few weeks of hibernation. We won't be able to collect any honey, that's not allowed until summer," Itachi explained.
"Sure," Sakura agreed. "It sounds fascinating."
Itachi tucked a strand of Sakura's hair behind her ear and then kissed her again, the movie forgotten. It was just so easy to ask her for things. He suspected if he asked her to accompany him on a hike up a mountain she'd agree as well. "I better head home or else I'll never want to leave."
"Would that be so bad?" Sakura asked, her pale green eyes enticing as she cradled his face. She nipped at his bottom lip playfully.
"I'll pick you up at five tomorrow," Itachi answered, holding his hands over hers and leaning back from her kisses. "We can get a quick dinner at a cafe then go to class. Sound good?"
"Not as good as you staying the night," Sakura mumbled.
Itachi smiled softly and gently tapped her forehead. "Another time, Sakura."
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OoO
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Tuesday had been a nice, relaxing day. Sakura had finished reading the novel she borrowed from Itachi, listened to music in the background, and even enjoyed an hour of yoga. She wandered around her living room, dancing to the music pouring over her stereo system, dusting and straightening. She righted the photo Shisui had placed facedown and then her phone gave off the notification that she had a guest.
Sakura hurried to the bathroom to look at herself critically once more. She swiped her brush through her hair, toyed with the idea of braiding it, and settled for a couple of barrettes to keep her bangs out of her face.
Itachi was at her door and he looked as handsome as usual, his dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail over his right shoulder. He wore his long winter coat and in his hands was a bright bouquet of Lillies, carnations, and daisies.
It took Sakura a moment to invite him inside while she stared at the flowers in disbelief. No man had ever given her flowers before. She rubbed her palm over her heart and felt her eyes tear up in emotion.
"I was assured these would bring you joy," Itachi said, closing the door behind him and holding the flowers out to her.
Sakura flashed him a smile. "They do, sorry, I was just a little overwhelmed. No one other than my parents or Ino have ever brought me flowers." She took the arrangement and ducked her head down to sniff it. The aroma was sweet, just like the gesture. "Let me put these in a vase and then we can head out."
Itachi leaned against the door, arms folded over his chest, legs crossed at the ankle. "Take your time. Did you finish the book?"
"Yes." Sakura opened the cabinet under the sink and pulled out a crystal vase Ino gave her for a previous arrangement. She filled it with warm water and arranged the flowers before setting it on her dining table. "These really are beautiful. Thank you."
"I hate that I won't see you for the next several days," Itachi admitted. "I figured these would last until Saturday at least."
Sakura put on her boots and slid into her coat. "Do you have a busy work week?"
Itachi nodded. "It's not quite as taxing as my previous case, but I do want to give it my full attention." He opened the door and after Sakura stepped outside, stood back while she locked up. "Tami's Cafe has a nice sandwich and soup combination for tonight. And of course, I know you love the mochi."
"You know me well," Sakura said with a laugh.
"Trying to get to know you better," Itachi said, offering his hand. Sakura took it and they walked hand-in-hand to his car. The spoke about the book while eating, she explained to him the meaning behind the flowers he gave her.
"Red carnations mean love and affection. White carnations are for purity and good luck. The tiger lily means wealth, good fortune in some cultures," Sakura explained. She blushed thinking about the other meaning.
"And in others?" Itachi pressed. They sat across from each other at a little booth at Tami's cafe. They'd both finished their meals and were sipping on tea.
"Motherhood and fertility," Sakura said, avoiding his searching gaze and staring down at her tea.
"Oh," Itachi laughed softly. "Maybe one day, I just thought they were pretty. What about the purple daisies? I assume those were dyed and not natural."
"Just that you're thinking of someone, or spontaneity, peace, fun," Sakura explained. "Ino's mother is a Florist. She and my mom work together a lot on…" Sakura trailed off. Would it be so bad if she told Itachi that her parents owned a bakery? "My parents own a bakery. They frequently cater events together. It's why Ino and I have known each other since we were in diapers."
"Ah, I've known Shisui for about that long," Itachi mused. "Well, I didn't intend to pressure you into motherhood, Sakura. Especially, since we are barely in the hand-holding and sharing kisses stage of our relationship."
"They are pretty flowers, Itachi. I didn't see any deeper meaning in their assortment other than aesthetics, but you asked!" Sakura pointed out.
"And so I did," Itachi agreed with a laugh. He finished his tea and shook his head, laughing again. "Come on. Let's not be late."
By the time they made it to class, Kakashi was there early, staring down at the accumulation of apples Itachi had dropped off earlier. "You know, I would have appreciated your company yesterday," Kakashi started. "Do you know how many times I was hit on at the market?"
"Did you not have your literature in front of your face as usual?" Itachi asked. "Usually, that's deterrent enough for you."
"No! And the ear piece to my mask snapped, so everyone was starring at me," Kakashi grumbled. He shifted his eyes towards Sakura, in an attempt to gain sympathy. "It is so hard being pretty, Sakura. I'm sure you understand. At least you'll accompany next week?"
"We'll both help you," Itachi interjected. "You're so needy."
Kakashi flashed them both his eye-smile, his lower face hidden as usual by a black mask. "Wonderful! Let's distribute these ingredients. The other students will be here in about fifteen minutes. Did you have fun at the orchard? Did any llamas spit on you?"
"Llamas spit?" Sakura asked. They'd looked adorably cute. She wasn't sure if she would feel the same way if they spat on her.
"Everything spits, but I suppose you weren't on the receiving end by your reaction," Kakashi observed. "I hear I'm supposed to deliver Obito and Rin an apple pie?"
Itachi nodded. "Yes. Should I make an extra one?"
"They can have the example one," Kakashi offered. "I don't need to eat it." He patted his flat belly. "It's hard to keep my rock hard abs if I eat sweets all day." He gave Itachi a pointed look.
"I exercise plenty," Itachi snorted.
Kakashi directed his gaze back towards Sakura. "I'll just sample a bite of yours later. You're my best student after all."
"Sure," Sakura said, beaming at him. She had always been eager to earn praise. She figured Kakashi was only teasing, trying to get on Itachi's nerves since the two of them seemed long-time friends. "Itachi has been an excellent partner, not letting me get distracted, so I haven't managed to mangle or burn any of our assignments so far."
"Ah, well, try not to let tonight's pie be the first victim then, eh?" Kakashi reached over and ruffled her hair, sending her Barretts flying. "Put your hair up in a ponytail, Sakura. I don't want any of your pretty pink hairs in my slice of apple pie."
Sakura scowled, but her expression softened when she caught the soft look in Itachi's eyes. He pulled to a plain, black hair band from his jeans pocket and handed it to her.
"Fine," she agreed, accepting the hairband, enjoying the feel of her fingers brushing over Itachi's palm, before she secured her hair.
Kakashi took charge, directing the class and everyone worked on their own pies. The table across the aisle was a little more rambunctious than usual with Temari and Shikamaru bickering.
"Just use the apple corer," Shikamaru suggested.
"No! That's lazy. It's important to slice the apples by hand," Temari argued.
"It's more precise to use the corer, then the slices are equal in size and the pie overall is more uniform," Shikamaru reasoned.
"Either option is fine," Kakashi interrupted. "It's up to the baker. Though, I personally prefer the corer because I don't want to spend all day cutting up fruit."
"That's because you're a big ole' peach, Kakashi!" Genma called out, earning a few chuckles.
"I have heard I am quite sweet and juicy," Kakashi teased waggling his eyebrows and earning a few more laughs, as well as a few groans.
Sakura shook her head and looked behind her towards Genma and Kisame's table, but was surprised to see that Anko was now sitting with Kisame and Genma and Shizune were sharing counter-space. She'd need to ask about that from Shizune later on at the hospital.
"You need to spread the lattice work," Temari hissed. "You're supposed to fold the six vertical strips then place the horizontal one then fold them back down."
"It doesn't matter. When it's cooked you just dig in anyway. This isn't an art show," Shikamaru retorted. "Troublesome."
Sakura glanced over at Itachi's pie — he'd precisely layered his lattice work, folding the vertical over the horizontal evenly. She'd used the lazier method that Shikamaru utilized laying all the horizontal first then the vertical strips on top.
"It all tastes the same," Itachi murmured, glancing over and catching her eye. "You've got to stop comparing yourself to other people, Sakura," he said, his voice low, his words only reaching her ears.
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OoO
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Itachi knew he was distracted, but he was also content. The lesson on Apple Pie earlier that night had gone smooth and Kakashi had agreed to drop off the pie he made for Obito and Rin. Ironically, Kakashi wasn't a big fan of sweets, so teaching the baking class was just a strange situation all around. Another situation where Itachi was certain Shisui was behind convincing the normally aloof man to sign up for. His cousin was good at persuading people.
Itachi had reluctantly watched Sakura disappear into her apartment complex without him. He'd been sorely tempted to stay over the night before. However, it went against his morals. Shisui would think he was being ridiculous — he was a grown man after all.
Maybe, if things continued on their current path, he wouldn't have to go home to an empty bed.
He made his way back to his apartment and found his brother sitting at the kitchen table, sketching in his journal. His phone was face down next to him. Itachi sat the cardboard container with the fresh apple pie in front of him.
Sasuke grinned at him. "I've been looking forward to this all day. I still can't believe you visited the orchard without me. Obito was surprised that I wasn't there, especially when you and Shisui both went without me."
Itachi ventured deeper in the kitchen, washed his hands, then grabbed a couple of cloth napkins and a pair of forks. He returned to the table, and sat across from Sasuke. "I figured you were too busy for something like that. Besides, it was more of a date type thing. Shisui and I both had companions with us." He handed silverware to Sasuke and watched as he bit into the pie.
He smiled faintly at seeing the brief flash of pleasure on his brother's generally grumpy face. Itachi ate a bite of the apple pie. It was delicious, but he simply didn't have much of an appetite. "Will you be able to come bowling this weekend?"
"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem," Sasuke answered. He closed his eyes and relished the pie. He set down his fork and met Itachi's distracted gaze. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong. I just want you to meet someone," Itachi answered. "I'm seeing someone. She has become very special to me in a short amount of time. I invited her to Father's celebration."
Sasuke smiled. "I can't wait to meet the woman that finally garnered the interest of Itachi Uchiha."
"Yeah, she's really something," Itachi agreed. He picked at his pie, but enjoyed watching Sasuke eat his slice with gusto. Hopefully, the girl Sasuke was inviting for bowling would be a good match for him. Itachi really felt such peace having Sakura in his life and he wished for the same comfort for his beloved little brother. . . . .