#and sakura retreating to the bathroom to stare at herself and wonder why EVERYONE SHE KNOWS is like this

[mixelation]

here’s a crack concept:

so i have an itasaku AU which is basically just “Itachi lives but he very much does NOT want anyone going public with the whole coup thing, so he’s still technically a missing-nin” and basically all of konoha but team 7 + tsunade think he’s Evil. but also this is a “cracky domesticity” story so Itachi just like. constantly breaks into Konoha to bother Sasuke. sasuke IS interested in reconnecting so it’s like 1/3 a sibfic B U T sasuke can’t spend more than short amounts of time w/ itachi before he starts to Panic so itachi has a lot of down time to bother the rest of team 7

(that’s how the itasaku part happens)

but ANYWAY i was thinking about how ino would definitely figure out sakura is banging uchiha freaking itachi at some point, because she’s ino. and then i was like “well what do i do with ino AFTER she’s had this revelation” and then i went “double date!!” and here’s the EXTRA crack Ino concept:

ItaSaku is a thing. Ino wants to be set up with her own sexy missing-nin boyfriend. Itachi is like “sure, I guess?” and keeps bringing other members of Akatsuki as surprise double datemates. i say surprise because he does not actually explain what’s going on to anyone and has 0 sense of romance. deidara literally thought this was a mission. why is he being left alone with this hot girl that looks like him

[itslulu42]

Bitter Tea

Part Seventeen of Ninja Dorks Flailing at Interpersonal Relations.

Finally, the long awaited reunion!  I think this story might twenty parts.

One | Previous

Kakashi leaned against the kitchen counter as he waited for the tea kettle.   The council was never easy to work with, but today had been a particularly grueling day.  The program Kakashi was advocating would be great to the village, but he had trouble getting support.  Shikaku had come up with the idea a few years back and it was a frequent discussion between the two of them.  Kakashi and Shikaku both recalled that perilous time after the Nine-tails attack, where the missions were non-stop to bolster Konoha’s strength.

The Third War had ground Konoha down to the bones on manpower and resources.  It had been exhausting keeping up appearances, and they were quite fortunate that no one had called Konoha's bluff.  This new program was perfect to start in peacetime, a way of diversifying the economy in the village so they wouldn't have to rely so heavily on missions in the future.  Konoha could not risk having the same problem again.  

Kakashi was in a position of power that allowed him to make changes but he didn't have any support.

Kakashi had been prepared to be the worst Hokage in village history when accepted the position of Rokudaime.  He could still remember how excited the village was when Minato had been appointed. He hadn't been in the village for Tsunade's appointment, but she had no trouble in cementing her role as Godaime. Kakashi had never longed for power, it wasn't his dream, and he had never tried to play politics.  But those more suited for Hokage had perished in the war, leaving Kakashi with the obligation until Naruto matured.  Now, it was a problem.

Kakashi had spent most of his time in ANBU, taking direct orders from the Hokage, always wearing more than one mask.  Most of his missions weren't even documented for sake of village secrecy.  He had the loyalty of every agent in ANBU, his teammates who he had fought next to for years.  Everyone in the village knew he was qualified to be Hokage.  But they didn't like him. And with his greatest supporters masked or dead, Kakashi found himself thwarted every time he tried to make progress.  He was prepared to the worst Hokage, but he wasn’t ready to be the most useless.

Kakashi was pulled from his thoughts as the tea kettle began to whistle.

A loud crash caused him to start, the walls and floor shaking as he grasped for a pair of hidden kunai.  He spun around, grasping the tea kettle to send it flying.  He saw a flash of pink as the tea kettle connected.

"Sakura?” Kakashi could hear her swearing as he rounded the corner.  "What are you doing here?"

Dust was hanging in the air as he entered the living room.  Sakura had kicked the door off its hinges, causing his entryway to double in size. Part of the frame was on his couch, and the door handle had cracked his television screen.  Kakashi had a clear view of Panther in the hallway, his hands atop his head in surprise.

Sakura jumped her feet. "What the emergency?  Are you poisoned?  Are we under attack?"  Her hand landed on Kakashi’s arm and his muscles tensed automatically under her touch.  

"Emergency?" He cast one more glance at Panther, who seemed calm despite Sakura’s questions.  

Interesting.

Sakura placed herself in front of him like a shield, forcing him to press against a wall to keep space between them.  "Otter sent me here with an emergency scroll.  Maybe he heard about it before you did."

Otter?

“I see.  I can assure you that everything is under control. Otter has been gone for a bit and has some out of date information.  There’s no emergency.”

Kakashi placed his hands on Sakura’s shoulders to nudge her forward and slipped into the kitchen to return his kunai into the salad spinner.  Sakura was staring at the destroyed entryway when he returned.

"I can't seem to anything right,” she whispered.  Kakashi would have missed it if it weren’t for his keen sense of hearing.  He winced as he noticed her traveling pack on the floor. She had returned from her trip, but Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

Kakashi bent down to pick up the dented kettle.  The boiling water had spilled on the remains of his front door.  "I was just about to have a cup of tea.  It sounds like you could use one."

"I should go. I’m sorry about your kettle." Sakura scrambled away from him to pick up her bag, avoiding eye contact with him.  “And your wall.”

Something was definitely off with Sakura, and Kakashi wanted to know what it was.  Normally this sort of thing would have him running far away. Yet, when it came to Sakura, he couldn’t help himself.  

“You could stay.” Kakashi placed the ruined kettle in the trash and reached into a cabinet.  "I have another kettle in the cabinet and I could use the company.”

"My parents don’t know I’m back yet.  I could stay with them."

“Whatever you would prefer."  

Sakura nudged the broken picture of the Yondaime with her foot.  “Actually, I was hoping we could talk in private."  She glanced over the hole in the wall where Panther stood.

"I'm certain they will patch up the wall in the morning.  We don’t have to drink the tea in his room."  Kakashi saw Sakura give a sniff to her armpit out of the corner of his eye as he filled the kettle with water.  "You can wash up, while I make the tea ready."

Sakura made a squeak and then excused herself.  He was preparing the tray when the shower began to run.  Kakashi eyed the tea kettle, noting that it still had a couple of minutes before the water would be ready.  He went out to the hallway and to stand in front of Panther.

"Explain."

"I have no idea what you are talking about Hokage-sama."

"The last agent assigned the Otter mask was your cousin.  Sakura arrived prepared for an attack and that didn’t alarm you at all. The only thing that caught you by surprise was the property damage.  You brought her here with misinformation and an inappropriate use of a transportation scroll."

"You missed her. Something had to be done."

Kakashi clenched his jaw, irritated by his subordinate’s calm reply.  No one would have had pulled such a stunt on him if he was still Anbu Commander.  Unfortunately, he was Hokage, which meant that Anbu was directly responsible for his well-being.   Tsunade must have felt the same way about Kakashi every time he hid her sake a few years ago.  No wonder she always called him impertinent.  

The tea kettle began to whistle.

"We're not done with this conversation."

"Of course, Hokage-sama.”

Kakashi huffed as he returned to the kitchen, determined to apologize to Tsunade for all the grief he had put her through.  He placed the kettle on the tray before heading down the hallway.  Sakura emerged from the bathroom as he approached and he nearly dropped his tray.

Sakura had changed into one of his shirts, rather than selecting something she owned from her bag. Kakashi had let her borrow shirts before, but that was when she didn’t have her own clothes to change into. Sakura had washed with his soap and shampoo, draping herself with one of the few scents his sensitive nose could bear.

Kakashi was completely unprepared for the fierce desire that overtook him, the urge to press her against the wall and kiss her.  Sakura looked like she belonged with him, smelled like him, and he wanted to fill his other three senses with her.  Kakashi wanted to hear her gasp his name against his ear, to taste his way down her body, and to wake up with her pressed up against his side.

He bit his tongue hard to stop a swear word from leaving his mouth.

Kakashi had a tendency to dwell on regrets.  But this was completely unnecessary, tormenting himself with Sakura’s presence when he was nothing to her.  If she had worn her own clothes, showered with her soap, it would have been easier to remember those platonic boundaries.  He should have let her go to her family, to those important people in her life who had a right to her.  

Kakashi gripped the tea tray as he cleared his throat.  “Go ahead.”

Sakura gave a small smile before turning around and stepping into the seldom-used room.  Kakashi took a moment to get his bearings, trying to make a plan for the night.  He would listen to what she had to say.  He would let her stay the night if she wanted to.  And he had to tell Sakura how he felt towards her tonight or tomorrow morning.  She had no idea what she was doing to him and it wasn’t fair to her

Steeling himself, Kakashi stepped into the office, setting the tea tray down on the desk, and then pulling over a chair that sat in the corner so he could sit across from her.   “Did something happen on your trip? I thought it would be a couple of years before you returned.”

Sakura traced the brim with her fingertip.  “I thought the same thing.  I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Sasuke.”

Kakashi’s heart clenched at the breathless way she spoke Sasuke’s name.  Kakashi had only known Sakura for a few months; it was ridiculous to think that he could mean anything to her.  He thought of her declaration of love to Sasuke during the Fourth War.  He didn’t understand why it was so important for her to say those words at the time.  Only now did Kakashi truly appreciate how brave she was; he was certain that his own confession would destroy him.

He was never meant for happiness.

“And yet, here you are. What brought you back to the village so you could break down my door in the middle of the night?”

Sakura stared at her cup in silence, and Kakashi took the opportunity to memorize the sight of her, to selfishly pretend there was something between them.  Sakura raised the cup to her lips, finishing the tea in one go.  She gasped when she was done, placing her hand on her chest as she sputtered. Kakashi raised his hand to pat her shoulder, before remembering his place and retreating back to his personal space.  She placed the teacup on the desk and then turned to face him with squared shoulders and a determined face.   Her next sentence forced the air out of his lungs.

"Did I break up with you?"

Part Eighteen

[river-chan-blog1]

Forced Vacation (Itachi x Sakura)

Non-massacre AU/Soulmates AU

The one where you see the world in black and white until you come in contact with your soul-mate

Warnings:Fluffish, I guess thats it.

Sakura woke early, groaning as she rolled over in her bed. She slowly opened her heavy eyes, a world in grayscale greeting her. She had gotten home late from the hospital, having worked a 12 hour shift, and now she was about to go back to the hospital to work another one. Sure, many people said she worked way too much but she did it to keep herself busy. Sakura simply couldn’t stand relaxing or not doing something. She had to be doing…. something, anything to keep her mind off her old team mates finding their soulmates.

The thought of all those years so sure that Sasuke was her soulmate but upon their first touch when they were first put on team seven, she was highly disappointed. Her crush turned into sibling love and she tried her best to keep up with the both the boy’s growing strength, finally leaving Team seven like they had done to go apprentice under Tsunade. Since then, she had grown in tremendous strength, always training, always working. Somewhere along the way, Sasuke had gotten tired of always being compared to Itachi and had left to train, coming back years later with his soulmate and amazing abilities. Naruto had found his soulmate sometime ago on accident. Hinata had been training with her team plus Sakura and Naruto, when Naruto’s hand brushed hers when he jumped away from her attacks. At that moment for both of them, the world burst into color and the realization had been a beautiful thing to watch., and Sakura was happy for them, but a bitter sadness filled her at the realization that she was still without her own soulmate.

She pulled herself from her thoughts as she groaned at the thought of getting out of her warm comfy bed. The work was exhausting but she didn’t mind, she even did the extensive and boring paperwork Tsunade didn’t want to do. Sakura stretched and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, effectively shaking her out of her thoughts enough to stretch and stand before going to her bathroom to shower.

    The time in the bathroom was short and she was soon emerging in her towel, searching her drawers for her medical scrubs. She quickly found them and put them on, slipping on her shoes and shoving her keys and lanyard into her bag before slinging it over her shoulder and leaving her room to grab an apple before heading out.

    Upon leaving her room she half expected Naruto to be half passed out on her couch but to her surprise he wasn’t, instead there was an ANBU operative standing in her living room waiting.

“The Hokage requests your presence immediately.” He said.

Sakura tensed and became worried. Sure Tsunade-sama requested her presence all the time, but she had never heard them tell her immediately. Something must be wrong.

“I will escort you.” he told her, breaking her train of thought.

She merely nodded as she retreated her keys from her bag so she could lock the door once they exited her residence.

    She ran alongside the ANBU who she could now identify as Uchiha Itachi. She and her team of medic nin had treated his team on several occasions, and even if they hadn’t it was almost impossible not to recognize his signiture pony-tail which now flowed behind him. Thinking back on when his team would come in, she never really had to treat him specifically. He always made sure the other members of his team got treated first, and by the time she was done with the others, he had been treated by the other medic nins. Part of her was a bit jealous because she knew exactly what he hid under his usual clan shirt and his ANBU uniform. She had seen when she watched Sasuke and him spar and when other medics had treated him. Not that it mattered. She certainly didn’t have a crush on the ANBU captain, not at all.

    Her thoughts halted as they reached their destination, their run slowing to a walk as they entered the building and heading directly to the Hokage’s office. Sakura’s mind slipped into medic mode and she prepared herself for the worst. They didn’t bother to knock as they entered her office, ready for whatever crisis Sakura had been summoned for. Upon entry rage filled Sakura as she saw nothing amiss in the office. She was missing work right now! Still she bowed respectfully

“Hokage-sama, why have you summoned me so urgently?” Sakura asked with a tight voice.

Tsunade smirked as she laced her fingers together and brought them up in front of her face, resting her elbows on the table.

“You’ve been overworking yourself again.” She simply stated.

The anger almost instantly dissipated from Sakura as caution took its place, quite aware where this conversation was going.. She came closer to the desk and sighed in irritation.

“Tsunade-sama, I’m fine, honestly.” Sakura started. “I like working all the time.”

“Yes I know, and that’s why I’m forcing you to go on medical leave.”

    Sakura’s eyes widened at the statement and she went to immediately argue but Tsunade gave her a look that made Sakura keep her mouth closed.

“How long?” She asked.

“Two weeks.” Tsunade replied.

“Two weeks?!” Sakura practically yelled.

“Yes, it’s final. Now get out of my office.” She said dismissing her. “Oh, Itachi you may take your mask off now.”

Itachi did as told, clipping his mask onto his belt. She waved her hand in a come here movement and he stepped up to her desk.

“Make sure Sakura goes home. Don’t allow her to go to work.” Tsunade gave Sakura a sharp look as she said this, knowing very well that she would attempt to go to the hospital anyway.

She dismissed them both after Itachi’s affirmation that he would see her home.

    They walked through the village at a leisure pace, drawing out the time from the Hokage town to Sakura’s apartment as much as possible. Her apartment was in sight and she groaned, wondering what she was supposed to do for two whole weeks. They reached the stairs leading up the side of the building. She turned and looked at Itachi, not exactly meeting his eyes as she gave him a small smile.

“You don’t have to follow me up the stairs, thank you for walking me home.” She said.

“Hn.” was all he said, giving her a small nod in return.

She waited for him to leave but then realized that he was probably going to wait for her to enter her apartment. She sighed and quickly went up the stairs, taking her keys back out of her bag and unlocking the apartment before entering it and locking the door. She waited for his chakra signature to vanish before going to her window and climbing out, making sure to close the window behind her. She rushed over the rooftops, speeding towards the hospital.

‘Ha! If Tsunade-sama thought she could really keep me from my work then she had another thing coming.’ Sakura thought as she landed on the ground just outside the hospital’s front doors.

    She took a moment to fix her appearance, tucking her hair behind her ears, straightening her clothes, adjusting her bag over her. She didn’t even get to take a step forward before she sensed a familiar chakra signature and her blood ran cold. She pushed chakra into her legs, readying herself to spring up away from the Uchiha, but she didn’t move fast enough and he all but tackled her, encasing her in his arms. She twisted and turned, knowing very well that she was making a scene, but she could care less. She just wanted him to let her go, even if it felt nice to have his arms around her.

‘Oh kami Sakura get yourself together.’ She thought as she continued to struggle in his iron grip.

He started walking away from the hospital and towards her apartment, tossing her over his shoulder to make it easier to take her home.

    “Itachi you can put me down now.” Sakura huffed as he climbed the stairs of her building.

“Hn.” was all he muttered in reply as he dug her key back out of her bag to unlock her door.

They entered and Sakura became more and more irritated as time went on. He still hadn’t set her down.

“Itachi I swear if you don’t put me down,” Sakura started as she struggled more on his shoulder, twisting her body this way and that, “I’m gonna make you-” her sentence halted with a loud gasp.

And that’s when she felt it, and saw it, and she could tell he could to by the way his body tensed.

    During her struggling, her scrubs shirt had ridden up a bit, allowing the parts of Itachi’s hand not covered by gloves to grace her smooth skin. The vibrance of the colors was almost too much for her to handle as she looked around at the now colorful world. Itachi set her down at that moment, withdrawing from her like she had burned him, his mind confused and relieved all at the same time. His soulmate was at least someone he knew fairly well, she was strong, and now that he could see her, really see her in full color, she was absolutly beautiful. They looked over each other from across the room until their eyes met, a raging blush covering most of Sakura’s face and a barely there blush dusting Itachi’s cheeks, Itachi made the first move and he moved towards her, staring directly into her eyes as if to pin her to her spot with his gaze. Sakura’s breath trembled under the intensity of his gaze and she backed up until she was against the wall as he approached her, an almost predatory look in his eyes, she also saw a hint of caution in his eyes, almost like he was afraid to scare her away. He placed a hand on the wall next to her head and she looked up at him as he leaned over her. Never in her time of being as skilled and as feared as she was now a days, had she felt as exposed and vulnerable as she had now.

    Her body held still as his other hand came up to run his fingers through her hair. Her eyes and her hair were such a bright color, he wondered if everyone’s hair was this bright or if it was just hers. A tiny corner of his lip tilted up for a second before his face returned to its normal stoic expression. Sakura on the other hand, was as expressive as ever, reacting to the feel of his fingers threading through her hair and running through it. It was exceptionally nice to be tough so gently and calmly, her eyes closing and a sigh escaping her as her head tilted into his hand, wishing to prolong the touch for as long as he would allow.

    As Itachi looked down at the beauty before him, all he could think about was how lucky he was to get a soulmate as amazing as Sakura, and as beautiful too. He also thought it lucky that she had two weeks off work.

“Sakura,” he started. She felt a shiver run up her spine at the sound of her name rolling off his tongue so smoothly. “I don’t think it would be wise for you to attempt to go to work for the rest of your.... vacation.” He smirked at her as she gazed into his eyes. “Oh, but don’t worry, I’ll keep you plenty occupied.”

She bit her lip as she watched him lean down and she pressed up onto her toes to meet him halfway for a kiss.