#budding itasaku????

[stu-dyingstudent]

Sakura Haruno fic recs: romance-centric

I, like many others, definitely enjoy a a good romance every so often. All of these recs are going to have the romantic development of the characters as the forefront of the story, so just because the fic includes a ship doesn't mean it will go on the list. That means, many of them might feel more on the slice of life side of the spectrum, but that's not the case for all!!

There is going to be a mix of ships here so if you're interested in one in specific then use the search feature!

Started: 2024.08.28

Last Updated: 2024.12.19

note: feel free to check out my master list which has a bunch of Sakura Haruno fic recs (all organized)!

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To Build a Home - RedPowder || ao3 || E || kakasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Sakura and Kakashi are assigned a mission that will change the path of their lives forever.

Kakashi and Sakura are forced to marry on orders from the village and I know that description sounds dumb, but trust me when I say this fic is gold. I've always had a hard time with kakasaku fics because I feel the whole teacher/student thing gets swept under the rug too easily, but that's not the case here. Their past relationship from team 7 is a glaring shadow over their marriage and the guilt over the whole situation weighs heavy on Kakashi. This mission isn't easy for either of them and it takes a lot of pull and tug to ensure things don't completely blow up. To Build a Home is probably one of my favorite takes on this ship as the portrayal feels realistic and the character feel accurate to themselves. Just give it a go!

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Approaching Sun - ANerdInAllHerGlory || ffn || T || sasusaku || blank period || ongoing

After 2 years, Sasuke returns to the village where friends anxiously await him. Still troubled by the mysteries of Kaguya and his personal guilt, Sasuke is split between friends and his journey. Troubled by rising casualties and international dependence on her abilities, Sakura is torn between her love for Sasuke and her duty to her village.

Approaching Sun is probably one of the most realistic depictions of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship that I have read. This takes place during the blank period and references the novels, so it feels like an actual possibility of what went down. As much as I love them, I have a hard time believing that their relationship was smooth sailing and so I think this is an interesting take.

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The Fool - thekatthatbarks || ao3 || T || shikasaku || blank period || complete

Ino kicked at a pebble on the ground, her arms folded across her chest. “How long?” Shikamaru sighed and pulled the cigarette away from his lips. “The war." It was a lie somewhat. He’d liked her since they were kids but had simply ignored the budding crush expecting it to fade over time. It hadn’t and by the time the war came around, he accepted he would always carry it despite his increasing efforts to drop it. He’d tried drowning it in the river, burning it in a fire, covering it up with something else. But it was all to no avail. It stuck with him, always apart of him. “Have you ever told anyone? Chouji? Her?” "No."

I actually really like Shikamaru and Sakura as a pairing (or just working together in general); however, I haven't read much of them. The Fool was a great post-war read where with some meddling (curtesy of Ino) we get to watch the progression of their relationship into something more than friends.

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Nightmare in Red - Sariasprincy || ao3 || M || itasaku || non-massacre AU || complete

Haruno Sakura used to think the eyes were the windows to the soul, but after witnessing the horrors of the Sharingan firsthand, she's convinced they are the doors. It was pure chance that led Sakura to the discovery of the disease eating through Uchiha Itachi's lungs and now that she's aware, she knows she cannot just turn a blind eye. But how is she to treat the very man who tortured her while at the same time keep her nightmares from consuming her? That she doesn't know, but she knows she has to try, even if it nearly kills her in the end.

Itachi unintentionally captures Sakura in his mangekyou after being rolled into the hospital for her to heal. While Sakura tries to work through the impacts of the genjutsu she continues to work with him in an effort to cure him of the disease infecting his body. I actually really liked how the whole thing played out. Itachi's sickness was sort of a mystery in the original series and so I found it rather interesting to see what was done in regards to it. Anyway, I love their interactions and Shisui is (like always) a great character as well.

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Blind - ObsidianSickle || ffn || sasusaku || T || canon divergent || complete

It was almost time, Orochimaru was going to take his body as a vessel. He hated being used...he refused to be used. With that thought, he took the kunai in his hand and slashed across his eyes.

I won't lie, Sakura is pretty weak in Blind and the whole thing is super cheesy, but it's still an enjoyable read.

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Ghosts - ElegiesforShiva || ffn || sausaku || M || blank period || incomplete

In love and loss, it often comes back to family, and Team 7 had always been fated, hadn't they? Deny it as she may, Sakura finds her heart strung to them with an uncanny reverence and the weight of their ghosts. Sakura-centric. Heavy, heavy angst. Slow burn Sasusaku. Canon pairings. Lots of friendship feels. Eventual (consensual) lemon.

Ghosts is a pretty dark read where basically everyone is suffering. Sasuke and Sakura in specific have an especially hard time coping with their individual struggles yet they find comfort in each other. Check TWs before going in

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Home is Where the Heart is - DeepPoeticGirl || ffn || sasusaku || T || blank period || complete

And with every moment together, they get just a little closer, a little more comfortable with each other. Fall a little more in love. Post-war. Pre-epilogue.

This fic is actually adorable! Taking place during the black period we get to see how Sasuke and Sakura's relationship slowly progresses. If you've always wondered what their travels were like then definitely check this one out.

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In Times of Peace - SouthSideStory || ffn || sasusaku || M || blank period || canon divergent || complete

The war is over, and like Konoha, Team 7 has rebuilt itself from the ground up. Everything has changed, but Sasuke and Sakura remain much the same. Eleven years, she thinks, is a long time to be in love.

Sakura and Sasuke have like a secret relationship going on. Also, Sakura as a jonin sensei is so good!! I really wish that someone from the original cast actually went down that route, but whatever.

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Labyrinthine - FM_White || ao3 || itasaku || M || canon divergence || complete

ItaSaku (Post Uchiha Massacre) AU: Some things are destined to be. It just takes a couple of tries to get there.ItaSaku. Light KakaSaku.

I actually really liked how this was done as team 7 is still a family, Sasuke didn't lose his mind, Itachi picked a much more respectable path imo, and the characters are all adults.

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Only a Crush by Gingersoup || ao3 || kakasaku || M || canon divergent || complete

It was supposed to be an easy, fun night out. She never intended to wake up in her sensei's bed, half-naked and with no memory of what happened the night before! As she tries to unravel the mystery of that night, something sinister is growing beyond the walls of the Leaf Village... and what was only a crush spirals wildly out of control.

Sakura is unwillingly thrust into the world of illegal drugs, trafficking, and sex all while coming to terms with her new feelings regarding her former sensei. I typically don't like kakasaku, but I think this work is done tastefully well. The characters are both adults and the immorality of the relationship is not ignored, so be prepared for a lot of "we can't," "this is wrong," etc.. Anyway, Sakura is an absolute powerhouse and I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between all of the different characters and villages!

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Dreaming's End - thepiedsniper || ao3 || T || kakasaku || canon divergence || complete

Sakura didn't avoid the Infinite Tsukuyomi with the others, and all the events that happened afterward were simply the product of her dream-state. When Sakura finally wakes up from years spent in her personal "paradise," she must to learn how to start again. Kakashi is there to help her. ~*~ (TWs for genjutsu-related unreality)

Basically, imagine the entirety of Boruto was Sakura's dream in Infinite Tsukuyomi. When Sakura manages to breakout during the war she's left to deal with serious ramifications of the life she just lived. She finds herself constantly questioning what's real and Kakashi tries to help her through it.

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Mamihlapinatapai - FM_White || ao3 || E || itasaku || canon divergence || ongoing

Mamihlapinatapai・Yagan. (n.) a look shared by two people, each wishing that the other would initiate something they both desire, but which neither wants to begin In which Sakura tries her hardest to raise one hell of a rambunctious baby by herself, Sasuke is searching for something unknown, and Itachi is the uncle.

In another life where Itachi doesn't end up dying and instead tries his best to help Sakura raise his niece in Sasuke's absence. It's my head canon that everyone came together to help with Sarada just like they did for Kuranai, and so Mamihlapinatapi satisfies that thought for me. I like how Sasuke was criticized in this since as much as I understand the necessity of what he's doing, I also find it completely unfair to his wife and daughter. Itachi and Sakura form a great bond and it's all very domestic and just super fluffy all around, which I love.

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Louder than Words - SouthSideStory || ao3 || T || sasusaku || non-massacre AU || complete

Sakura hasn’t uttered a single word since the day her family died, but Sasuke is determined to hear her, one way or another. (No Uchiha massacre AU.)

Sakura gets taken in by the Uchiha family after Fugaku finds her on a mission. She's been mute ever since, but that doesn't stop her and Sasuke from forming a close bond.

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Snake Bound - shefalls || ao3 || E || sasusaku || canon divergence || complete

"You... took me with you." "That's what I said." "To Orochimaru. You took me with you, to Orochimaru." Sasuke nodded curtly and shoved the medical kit a little more insistently into her hands. Sakura accepted, and prayed to every known god that Orochimaru would ignore her existence. She should've known the gods don't listen. Now only on AO3. Sequel up.

What if Sasuke took Sakura with him like she asked? Snake Bound explores that idea and it's honestly a very uncomfortable read. Their relationship is based off of the isolation and dependency their new situation puts them in. All they really have is each other and the new bond that brings is not a healthy one.

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Armour-Sleeved Single Hit - thatdamnuchiha || ao3 || T || madasaku || time travel AU || one-shot complete

Sasuke always told Sakura she was weak. Even after she trained with Tsunade for years he only had eyes for Naruto whom he considered strong. She would forever be invisible to him no matter how many mountains she toppled.Being a member of Team Seven despite Sasuke’s refusal to acknowledge her meant she got herself into her fair share of sticky situations. Getting stuck a hundred odd years in the past had to take the cake though.But she was just a weak little girl and compared to the shinobi of old she’d be ridiculously pathetic. Sasuke had said she was weak to him – a modern day shinobi who hadn’t been forced into battle after battle like they did in the Warring Clans Era. Obviously she’d be nothing more than a spec of dirt in the eyes of the Founders.

Sakura manages to find herself in founding-era Konoha! While trying to prove that medical ninja are capable fighters she unknowingly gains the affection of Madara Uchiha. After all, the Uchiha find beauty in strength. Super cute read!

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Always You - alex-halcyon || ffn || T || kakasaku || age swap AU || complete

[AU. Age-swap] Kakashi x Sakura. From academy days to the third shinobi war and beyond, Kakashi and Sakura grow up and fall in love.

Basically, Sakura takes Rin's place on the old team 7. The progression between the character is quite interesting as it definitely isn't smooth sailing for Kakashi and Sakura. However, even through everything they find themselves drifting towards each other. Pretty cute imo.

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interim - stannide || ao3 || T || sasusaku || blank period || one-shot complete

Sasuke lives with Sakura in the weeks after the war.

Interim is such a wholesome read where Sasuke and Sakura rekindle their former relationship. Super fluffy

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Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Tozette || ao3 || T || sasusaku || blank period || one-shot complete

Sasuke is actually eighteen the first time he looks at Sakura and realises abruptly that he wants her.

I think we all know by now that Sasuke has always been attracted to strength, power, so why not when it comes to romance? Essentially, one day on a mission, Sasuke discovers he has a strength kink. Watching him continuously get flustered throughout the fic because of his admiration towards Sakura's strength is so entertaining. Really fun read

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the problem with how time works - MurderMittens || ao3 || E || kakasaku || generation swap AU || complete

"I don't remember you being this uncomfortable when Kakashi was nine and had a crush on you," Ino pointed out neutrally. "You thought it was flattering before." She moved to pour more wine into their glasses as Sakura exhaled sharply out of her nostrils. "Obviously! It was fucking cute when he was a kid! But now he's..." she trailed off, gesticulating feebly. Ino, taking pity on her, finished the sentence: "Now he's a stone cold hottie who looks and sounds like he'd murder the ever-loving shit out of your vagina."

Sakura and Kakashi's generations swap place and boy is it entertaining. With Naruto as his sensei, of course Kakashi has met Sakura. Now that she's back in the village after years, Kakashi decides to try his best to win her over.

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on still water - summersirius || ao3 || T || shisaku || canon divergence || complete

and sometimes, there are days without rain. —shisui/sakura

I'm actually devastated that the author decided to not pursue the plot line after about chapter 15 (it was so good too), but On Still Water is great nonetheless. Some really cute Shisui x Sakura moments

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never let 'em know your next move - MirrorImage003 || ao3 || T || itasaku || non-massacre AU || one-shot complete

six times itachi is surprised by sakura, and the one time he's surprised by his mother.

Sort of drabble style moments between Itachi and Sakura and it's honestly adorable.

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Hatsukoi - sparklyfaerie || ao3 || sasusaku || gen || non-massacre AU || complete

Sasuke leans away as the girl turns to him, and his mother doesn't need to be any closer to guess as to the expression on his face. The girl's body language changes in an instant, and Mikoto recognizes the posture of a little girl in love. It's kind of adorable.

Probably one of the cutest sasusaku fics I have read as Hatsukoi follows them from genin to marriage! It's told in multiple perspectives and it's full of tooth rotting fluff. You get to watch the slow progression of their relationship over time and how they grow even closer in Naruto's absence. Definitely read is you want something light!

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(oh, you'll probably go to heaven) please don't hang your head & cry - SafelyCapricious || ao3 || T || itasaku || time travel AU || one-shot complete

There’s no such thing as a good death. But Sakura faces her death without any regrets. Her dying is keeping her precious people safe — and that’s all she can ask for. So she dies with a smile, taking thousands of enemies with her. She wakes up and falls off the branch she’s laying on.

More of a pre-ship than anything actually romantic, so maybe this isn't the best for this list lmao.

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Ghost - twilightdazzle || ffn || M || sasusaku || canon divergence || complete

Sakura is officially declared missing on a Wednesday morning. Wednesday, what a stupid day to go missing. Of course, Sakura is the only person he knows that is annoying enough to interrupt the middle of the week like this.

Sakura goes missing and this fic is basically Sasuke slowly losing his mind over it. Ghost is honestly pretty darn touching and feels true to Sasuke's character. Everyone is concerned for Sakura and that doesn't exclude him despite how nonchalant he makes himself seem.

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Send me some recs if you have any to share! I'm generally fine with any ship as long as the story is good :)

[beewolfwrites]

Olive Branch: Chapter Eight - Family

(Itasaku, Successful Coup AU) You can find the previous chapters on my masterlist at the top of my account page.

I have another chapter here. I'm trying to be better with updates :)

I hope you enjoy it <3

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Leaving Sakura wrapped up in bedsheets and sleeping soundly, Itachi wandered through her apartment. Out of courtesy, he switched off the lamps in the living room and straightened the cushions on her couch. It was surreal that one day, he would marry this woman. All he knew of her was what his baby brother had told him. But within the last week, he felt that Sakura had become less of an acquaintance and more of… what?

A friend? Not quite. She is something different entirely.

He couldn't place it. His budding relationship with Sakura was unlike his relationships with Shisui or Izumi. It couldn't be put into words because it was ever changing. One minute she was merely an acquaintance, and the next, she had stepped into his memories.

He had never imagined marrying anybody other than Izumi, even though he knew that marriage was expected of him. Although he had initially approached Sakura with business in mind rather than pleasure, standing in her apartment, he found himself wanting to learn more about this woman.

For the most part, her apartment was neglected. Dishes had been left in the sink and the surfaces needed dusting. A lot of dusting. Itachi picked up a framed photograph and wiped away the layer of dust coating the glass. It was a picture of a woman with brown hair twisted into a tight bun. She was cradling a young girl on her knee, and they were both dressed in traditional kimono. Itachi recognised Sakura instantly by her hair and large green eyes. The woman, however, looked very different. 

Her mother? 

It was unusual that such treasured photographs were covered in dust. But judging by the meticulously placed ornaments and the tidy stack of books on the coffee table, Sakura was not a messy person by nature. The state of her home could be explained by her lack of free time. Sasuke had often complained that Sakura was being worked into the ground.

Itachi understood this well; his own surroundings suffered whenever he was away on missions. It wasn't unusual for him to return home to find a thin coat of dust over his bed. However, it was extremely unlikely that Sakura had been on a mission recently. After her tutelage with Tsunade was discovered, Sakura’s missions were capped. The only missions she received now were usually medical in nature, and should she leave the village, she would be accompanied by a trusted member of Anbu. Even in these cases, Sakura's missions were usually of little import. His father didn't trust her with anything high-ranking.

It's a shame that her abilities have not been put to better use.

As Itachi silently explored her home, he wondered how much it truly bothered her. He had yet to see her complain about being tied to the village, but she probably hid her frustration from her friends. They were already frustrated enough about the situation. In fact, Itachi distinctly remembered one evening in which Sasuke returned home fuming and had refused to eat with their father present. As far as Itachi recalled, Sasuke had not spoken to Fugaku for the two months following, and the tension between the two sparked all sorts of rumours within the Uchiha clan.

Foolish little brother… Father is too far gone to see sense. 

Itachi thought he'd seen every room in Sakura’s apartment when he noticed a door in the corner of the living room. It was hidden in the shadows, and at first, he assumed that it was merely a cupboard. The door was no taller than four feet, and both the door and handle was painted white to blend into the wall. It was only when he picked up on the sharp scent of incense that he decided to investigate.

He had an inkling of what was behind the door, and he knew he should walk away out of respect for Sakura's privacy. But some strange part of him felt that she owed him a glimpse into her own past. She had borne witness to some of his most personal memories, and was it so selfish that she should return the favour? 

He took the handle and opened it.

His suspicions were correct, and he felt a weight tug at his chest.

The shrine was small but well decorated. Half-melted candles were arranged around two photographs. The resemblance Sakura shared with each was incredible — her mother's eyes and mouth, and her father's nose and cheekbones. The two pictures were copies of the regulatory photographs that all villagers are requested to have taken as part of their official paperwork. Itachi had a distinctly uncomfortable feeling that any other photographs had been destroyed in the coup. That could only mean… 

That other woman, she must be an aunt. 

In front of the photographs, Sakura had set up an assortment of objects, including a single wedding ring, a piece of a broken teacup, a hairbrush entangled with blonde hair, and a charred notebook.

At this point, Itachi knew that he had overstepped a boundary. He closed the cupboard door, and without a backward glance, left through the open window.

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‘What do you mean my shift is covered?’

Sakura was barely lucid, clutching the phone with one hand as she pulled on her vest with the other. After sleeping through her alarm — and waking up with a splitting headache half an hour later than usual — she had called the hospital in a panic to explain that she would be running late. However, it looked as though she needn’t have bothered. There was a rustle on the other line as Tajima Ikue, the hospital receptionist, filtered through sheets of paper.

‘We received a message this morning stating that Haruno-Sensei is to have today off,’ Ikue replied smoothly. ‘I don't know the specifics of who sent the order, but I’m looking at the rota right now and Hiroshi-sensei is covering your shift instead.’

Sakura had an inkling as to who had organised this, and she made a mental note to treat him to some premium dango as a thank you gift. 

‘I see. Thanks for letting me know, Ikue-san,’ Sakura said.

‘You're welcome,’ Ikue replied, ‘I'll see you tomorrow, Haruno-sensei.’

Putting the phone down, Sakura crawled back into her bed with relief. She rubbed at her temple, idly sending chakra to soothe her headache. Itachi’s Tsukuyomi had taken its toll on her. If Sakura hadn't been a medic, the after effects would probably have been far worse. And yet, she felt as though she were suspended underwater. The pain above her temple had been reduced to a dull throb, and her joints and muscles were weak and sore.

But this wasn't going to stop her from making the best of her time off. Yes, Itachi had given her this day to rest. However, it was because of her work that she barely had time to spend with her teammates. There was no need to spar or train with them; she was just happy to enjoy their company for a while. 

And so, later that morning, Sakura left her apartment and located the familiar warmth of Kakashi's chakra. She found him on the very bridge that had served as their meeting spot as genin. His nose was buried in a copy of Make out Tactics, and he showed no acknowledgement of her presence.

‘Well this is surprising,’ he said at last, glancing her way as she leant against the railings beside him. ‘Aren't you usually at the hospital by now?’

‘Not today,’ she grinned. ‘I've been given a day off.’

His eye crinkled. ‘I'm glad. You're always overworked. A breather will be good for you.’ With one glance at her clothes, he added, ‘I'm guessing you're not here to train.’

‘I'm kind of supposed to be resting today.’

‘Oh? What happened this time?’

She laughed nervously. ‘Just overuse of chakra again,’ she lied. ‘You know me.’

Kakashi hummed in mock disapproval, although Sakura could sense the genuine concern under his facade. ‘What use is a medic who collapses from exhaustion?’

She brushed him off with a gentle smile. ‘You worry about me too much Kakashi-sensei. I can handle myself.’

‘I'm sure you can Sakura, but that doesn't change the fact that—‘ He paused, then sighed. ‘Naruto and Sasuke have sensed your chakra. They'll be here soon.’

Within less than a minute, Naruto and Sasuke appeared in the distance. Sakura almost giggled at the sight of them strolling casually, as though she hadn't sensed their chakra signatures racing through the village only seconds prior.

‘Sakura-chan!’ Naruto waved.

Sasuke followed close behind, smiling faintly in amusement.

‘Shocked to see me?’ she teased.

Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head. ‘Sort of. When I saw you with Kakashi-sensei just now, I thought you were a ghost.’

Sakura lightly slapped him across the head, causing Sasuke to smirk. ‘You saw me a couple of days ago. We even ate ramen together. How could you forget?’

‘You know what the idiot's like,’ Sasuke said. ‘He can't even remember what he had for breakfast this morning.’

‘Oi!’ Naruto shook his fist. ‘You bet your ass I can remember. It was cup ramen, curry flavour too!’

Sakura wrinkled her nose. ‘Ramen for breakfast?’

‘Yep, you should try it some time Sakura-chan. It tastes way better in the morning.’

Sasuke shrugged, nonchalant.  ‘I don't know why you're so surprised, Sakura.’ 

He's not wrong. What else did I expect?

‘I know, I shouldn't be so surprised.’ She turned to Naruto. ‘You realise you're a walking heart-attack waiting to happen, right? You’ll be the first ninja to die from excess sodium.’

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, however the moment was lost as Kakashi tucked his book back into his pouch and clapped his hands. 

‘Well then,’ Kakashi said, smiling beneath his mask. ‘It's great to have the entire team here, especially since I know how hard it is for you to get away from the hospital, Sakura. Obviously, since you mentioned that you're supposed to be resting, you won't be training with us today—‘

‘Hold on,’ Naruto cut in. ‘How come Sakura-chan is resting?’ 

His large blue eyes were fixated on her with worry, whereas Sasuke eyed her knowingly.

‘You've exhausted your chakra again.’

She sighed deeply. Heaven knows she hated lying to her teammates. ‘Kind of. That's why I've been given the day off. I have to rest up before going back to work tomorrow.’

Naruto sulked, pouting like a toddler. ‘It's not fair. What do you even do that takes so much time anyway?’

Sakura wished she was better at lying. A moment’s hesitation could easily give her away. Her work creating antidotes to airborne poisons was confidential, and no matter how much she trusted her team with all her heart, she was under a strict oath not to speak about her current projects. If word escaped that Konoha had developed antidotes to suspected airborne poisons, enemy villages would keep adapting their poisons, rendering Sakura's hard work useless.

And so, unable to speak the truth, Sakura settled for a slightly curved version of it. 

‘I heal people,’ she said. ‘You know that already, Naruto. What else do medics do?’

Although Naruto seemed to be placated with her answer, she was painfully aware that Kakashi was eyeing her stonily. Perhaps he knew what her work truly entailed. Even if he did, he would never talk about it. That was just the kind of man Kakashi was.

‘If that's the case,’ Naruto exclaimed, ‘then when I become Hokage, you'll never have to work this hard again Sakura-chan. At least not enough to drain your chakra.’

At this, Sakura's heart sank. Despite her agreement with Itachi, she knew that it would be a long time before Naruto would even be considered a viable candidate for the title. There were just too many hurdles. The biggest being that the political wrongs of the village needed to be set right.

‘Hn. The Hokage title is reserved for the Uchiha, Idiot.’

And just like that, the air seemed thinner. 

Sakura bit her tongue to keep from saying anything. Sasuke was surprisingly unlike the rest of his clan; he was unaffected by the Curse of Hatred that was rumoured to run in his family. But there would always be a bridge that Sasuke failed to cross regarding the brutal reality of his clan. 

Sakura recalled Itachi's memories vividly. The Uchiha children had taken shelter beneath the Naka Shrine, blind and deaf to the chaos above. It hadn't taken much effort to convince a group of children that their clan was superior to others. Sasuke had never stumbled across the charred remains of bodies. He had never ran barefoot through the streets as buildings burned around him. He had never experienced the horrors that stripped Naruto of his independence, Kakashi of his Sharingan, and Sakura of her parents. 

She was grateful when Kakashi swiftly began the morning training. Whilst his expression was concealed behind his mask, Sakura knew that he had also felt the unmistakable tension in the air.

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Itachi knocked on the door to his father's office, however it wasn’t truly necessary. Fugaku recognised his son's chakra signature instantly.

‘Come in, Itachi.’

Itachi stepped inside and bowed stiffly. His father did not look up. ’You requested my presence.’

‘I did, yes.’ 

Fugaku rooted through his desk drawer before pulling out a mission scroll. He pushed it across the desk, where Itachi took it and lazily surveyed its contents. 

‘An infiltration mission.’

‘There has been an increase in the number of Kiri nin found along the border,’ Fugaku explained. ‘A team of Anbu ran into a group of them recently. They claimed that they were on a mission escorting a client, but we had a sensory-type amongst our squad, and there was no client seen or sensed in the area. I'm sure you’ve already read the reports.’

Itachi nodded. He had read over the details several times, perplexed by the situation. The Kiri nin had simply stated that they were on an escort mission, refusing to speak further. Any finer details were confidential and Konoha Anbu had no right to demand such information from another hidden village.

‘Normally, I would avoid sending you on a mission like this,’ Fugaku continued, folding his arms. ‘You are one of my strongest shinobi, and you are also my son and heir. If the Mizukage is indeed sending agents to potentially infiltrate Konoha, I would prefer to keep my strongest men here, should worst come to worst.’

It did not escape Itachi's notice that in his father's list of importance, Itachi's strength as a ninja took higher priority than their blood relation. But he said nothing on the matter.

‘There are very few people I trust with this mission,’ Fugaku said. ‘The villagers of Kirigakure have been suspicious of strangers for a long time, especially considering their bloody history. In order to complete this mission successfully, I need two ninja with high stealth and the ability to extract information without drawing attention.’

Itachi raised an eyebrow. ‘Surely there are Anbu operatives more suited to the job?’

‘The Anbu are needed here,’ Fugaku insisted. ‘They are to guard the village walls. I have said this already, Itachi.’ His voice lowered to a murmur, and Itachi could no longer be sure whether Fugaku was talking to his son, or to himself. ‘Naturally, Yamanaka Inoichi would be perfect for something like this. His information gathering abilities are some of the finest I've seen. But I want this mission to be carried out by loyal shinobi I can trust.’

There was an unmistakable venom behind those words. Itachi hadn't forgotten the incident many years ago in which the Yamanaka, Nara and Akimichi clans united to strike a rebellion, the result of which had included several further losses, including Yamanaka Inoichi's arm. From that point on, a curfew and lockdown on all inter-clan mingling was ensued as a means of preventing further conspiracy. The trio of clans had made a formidable enemy, and had it not been for an agent collecting information from the inside, the Uchiha clan would have fallen easily.

Information is the most valuable weapon of all.

‘There’s another matter to consider,’ Fugaku said, snapping Itachi out of his thoughts. ‘I would also like your recommendation for a suitable partner on this mission.’

Whilst the mission could technically be achieved by one ninja working solo, two nin working together maximised the volume of information gathered, while still being inconspicuous enough not to rouse attention. From the moment Itachi laid eyes on the mission slip, he knew that this was an opportunity he couldn’t let slide.

‘I have someone in mind,’ he replied. ‘I have reason to believe that Haruno Sakura would be an asset on this mission.’

Fugaku's expression instantly darkened. 

‘As you know,’ Itachi said, ‘her chakra control is flawless. She would be able to conceal her kunoichi background without error. And should the mission fail, the combination of her medical skills and field strength would boost our chances of us both returning in one piece.’

Fugaku looked far from impressed. If anything, his lip curled in disgust. ‘As I said, I want somebody I can trust.’

‘You trust me,’ Itachi interjected. ‘And I can assure you that I’d keep watch over her at all times.’

His father was practically seething at the suggestion of Sakura on such an important mission. But after a moment's thought, Fugaku gave Itachi a reluctant nod.

‘I don't like this, but I trust your judgement, Itachi. Do not let me down.’

With that, Itachi bowed and left the office. As far as he knew, Sakura's last mission had involved gathering medicinal herbs from a rural village at the border between Fire and Wind country. Whilst it would have been a peaceful mission, he suspected that deep down Sakura missed taking on something high-ranked. She was sure to be thrilled about their mission together, and the simple thought of Sakura's excitement left Itachi smiling.

__________________________________________

It hadn’t taken long for a Team Seven training session to turn into an all-out brawl between Sasuke and Naruto over who could punch holes in the most trees. Sakura would have happily put them both in their place, if not for her “chakra exhaustion”, and wisely chose to stay well away from the destruction. 

She had left them bickering over their scores, slipping away from the training grounds without either of them noticing. As much as she wished to stay and kick some sense into her idiotic teammates, Sakura had something else in mind. She wanted to pay Ino a visit. A proper visit this time. She had several hours before curfew, and she knew that the pig would be dying to gossip and chat freely without the clock ticking over their heads.

The two shinobi guarding the gates of the Yamanaka compound were different than last time. In fact, Sakura recognised one of them as Uchiha Tomoharu – a chunin only a couple of years younger than her and innocently swept up in his clan’s powerful grip. She had once saved after a botched mission. His team had carried him into the hospital, his leg slashed in several places and clearly septic. If not for Sakura’s team working on him all through the night, Tomoharu wouldn't have made it. Although Sakura had always made it clear that his teammates were the real heroes, Tomoharu never failed to show his gratitude towards her.

As she approached the gates, Tomoharu flashed her a boyish grin.

‘The gods must be rewarding me,’ he said. ‘It's been a long day and I didn't think I would be lucky enough to run into you, Sakura-sensei.’

She smiled automatically. Tomoharu was just like that; the warmth he radiated as a person made it impossible to place him alongside his relatives. In fact, now that Sakura thought about it, there was something about Tomoharu’s sunny nature that struck her as familiar. 

He’s so much like Shisui…  

Her heart ached at the memory of Shisui’s fate. 

‘Believe me,’ she said, ‘if anyone’s lucky here, it’s me. How have you been Tomoharu-kun?’

‘Sama.’ The other guard's steely voice cut through. He was glaring at Sakura. ‘You may refer to him as “Uchiha-sama” and nothing less.’

Tomoharu shifted uncomfortably, looking at his prickly partner with uncertainty. It was clear that he wanted to stand up for her, but didn’t want to make things worse. Sakura, however, was used to the Uchiha ruining her day. It felt so backwards, being forced to call Tomoharu by a name that he didn’t like. But it was the world they lived in. 

‘I guess we'll have to catch up some other day,’ Tomoharu muttered. This time, his smile was forced.

‘I suppose so,’ she said. ‘Perhaps when you’re not on duty.’

He nodded, and his mannerisms shifted, taking on an air of formality. ‘In that case, you may proceed, Sakura-sensei.’

Sakura bowed and walked through the web of chakra. It was strange watching Tomoharu's personality warp as he embraced his role as a guard. It was also so, so wrong. He was twenty. A chunin. He should have been out, having the time of his life on missions, not stuck on guard duty.

At least he actually reached his twentieth birthday. Shisui and Izumi weren't so lucky.

The thought weighed heavily on her mind as she strolled past rows of houses. Things hadn't changed at all. Whether it was Shisui, Itachi, Izumi, Tomoharu or even herself, children had always been forced to grow up a little too fast.

Don't think about it. It's your day off.

The voice in the back of her mind was right. This day was a gift. Dwelling on the cruel realities of life would only bring her sadness. 

She ploughed on through the Yamanaka district until she came to Ino's door. Unfortunately, it was Ino's mother who answered, inspecting Sakura shrewdly before explaining that Ino was out training. Sakura thanked her, and hoping not to drag out the tension any further, headed in the direction of the Yamanaka training fields. 

There was something about the training fields that soothed Sakura. While the main area had been cleared of any wilderness for ease, the grounds themselves were situated in a large meadow. Around the perimeter, the grass was sweet with wildflowers — flowers that many years ago, Sakura and Ino had strung together to make necklaces and fairy crowns.

‘Pig!’ Sakura called. Shin-deep in wavy grass and buttercups, she peered through the foliage. ‘It's me! I heard you were out here!’

Somewhere in the trees there was a snap of twigs, and Seconds later, a purple blur hopped down from a branch. Ino looked exhausted, her hair sticking to her face and her clothes brushed with soil. 

‘Hey Forehead.’ Ino predictably cornered her in a tight hug. ‘It’s funny, I was just thinking of taking a breather.’

The two sat down against the trunk of a large oak. Ino sipped at a water bottle and with one wrist, wiped the sweat from her forehead. Sakura closed her eyes and leant her head back against the bark. The afternoon sun warmed the exposed skin of her arms and legs, and Sakura could have easily fallen asleep right then and there.

‘So Itachi, huh?’

Oh no…

Sakura tensed, cracking her eyes open just enough to see Ino's sneaky smile. 

‘What about him?’ She asked, trying to brush off her nerves. ‘You know you can’t just go around calling him by his first name, what if somebody heard you? Plus, it’s rude.’

Ino hissed, and flicked Sakura’s upper arm. ’Don't play dumb with me, Forehead. I saw you together.’

’You saw us?’

‘Of course I did. You were out eating dango with that fine hunk of man meat.’

Sakura's stomach churned. The last time they spoke, she hadn’t mentioned anything about Itachi that could give his identity away. Likewise, Ino wasn’t as stupid as she sometimes acted. She could put two and two together. But more importantly, had she overheard their conversation at the dango shop? How much did she know?

There’s no way I can get Ino involved in this, Sakura thought, trying not to grimace.

‘So Forehead,’ Ino said. ‘Care to explain what you were doing dining out with the Hokage's right-hand man?’

Sakura could only hope that Ino would drop the subject. Who was she kidding? Of course Ino wouldn’t drop it. 

‘It was nothing. He was asking about a project I'm working on at the moment, you know, at the hospital.’

‘Yeah, sure he was,’ Ino snorted. ‘Don't lie to me, Sakura. I know you. Other people probably can't tell, but whenever you're talking about work you go all rigid and professional… kind of like a cardboard cut-out. Anyway, I know you weren't talking about work. You were way too relaxed for that.’

‘It really was nothing, Ino.’

‘Sakura I told you not to lie to me.’ Ino sat up on her knees, facing Sakura fully until it became impossible to ignore her. Her voice was barely above a whisper. ‘Last time, you said someone was asking you to choose between yourself and the greater good or whatever it was.’ 

Sakura opened her mouth to tell her that back then she had been speaking hypothetically, but Ino raised a finger to cut her off. 

‘Sakura, tell me straight. Is Uchiha Itachi blackmailing you or something?’

‘What? No!’

‘Then why the hell is he asking you such weird stuff about the greater good? Be honest with me. I don’t trust him, he’s one of them.’

Sakura's heart fluttered nervously. She was aching to confide in somebody; all of these secrets about Konoha’s past left her feeling like an unexploded mine. But she couldn't drag Ino into this. It was far too political. The fewer people knew about Itachi's plan to usurp his father right from under his feet, the better.

‘I… I can’t, Ino-pig,’ she answered. ‘I just can't risk it.’ 

I can’t risk anything happening to you. 

Sakura thought Ino would be mad, irritated that Sakura could harbour so many unshed secrets. But much to Sakura's relief, her best friend just gave her a weary smile.

‘Sure, Forehead. I understand. But whatever you've gotten yourself into, if it becomes too much to deal with, you can always let me in.’

Ino… Thank you. 

At times like these, Ino was the sister Sakura never had. It wasn't that she didn't trust Ino. But rather, she felt that if she spoke about it out loud – without Itachi's reassuring presence – the information would somehow be leaked and he would lose his advantage against his father. If word got out that Itachi was working against his clan, he would be stripped of all power, no longer in line for the position of Hokage.

The butterflies in Sakura's chest had begun to ebb away, and with a tired smile, she slid down the tree trunk and rested her head against her best friend’s shoulder. 

‘What would I do without you, Ino?’

‘Oh, you’d be hopeless without me, obviously,’ Ino scoffed. ‘But if that damn Uchiha causes any problems, just let me know and I'll pulverise him. It doesn’t matter how attractive he is.’

Sakura laughed dryly. ’That’s Sasuke-kun’s brother, you know. Stop making things weird.’

‘You can’t deny it. Even if he’s the enemy, he’s got the face of Adonis.’ Ino paused, humming pleasantly. ‘Not to mention that beautiful body.’

Sakura elbowed her in the ribs. ‘Stop! I don’t want to think about him that way.’

‘Too late, you’re already thinking about him.’ 

‘Shut up, Pig!’ 

There was still time before curfew, so for now, she could enjoy the quiet of the meadow. The sweetness of flowers lingered in the air, and above the canopy, swallows flocked in lines. With her head resting against Ino’s shoulder, the two simply enjoying the silence of the other’s company, Sakura realised that her headache had finally subsided. But more than that, she finally understood why she wished to stand by Itachi’s side. 

I want to fight for this moment right here. I want to fight for my family. 

[silverfootstepswrites]

Butterfly [22]

summary Who?

“I’m so worried!”

“Mmhm.”

“Maru is usually so energetic! He loves to run!”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think it could be a tumor? Some kind of stomach problem?”

Kiba sat up straight. His magnifying glasses made his eyes bug out. Ignoring the fretting old woman, he reached around to grab a pair of tweezers. Bending over the dog again, he pulled the big thorn out of the animal’s paw. He rubbed the big Akita between the ears before he applied a little ointment on the cut and placed a bandage over it.

The old woman thanked Kiba profusely, all the way to the lobby. Lifting his glasses on top of his head, Kiba squinted. He rubbed his eyelids before he looked around. After the woman had paid and left, Kiba frowned.

“Where’s Akamaru?” he asked his mom. 

“Sakura-chan came by and took him a little while ago,” Tsume replied, not looking up from her phone. 

“Took him where?” demanded Kiba. When there was no response, Kiba walked up to the counter and waved his hand in front of her face. 

“Ma. Where?” he asked again. 

Tsume shrugged. Kiba sighed.

“Thanks, Ma.”

“No problem, son- Alright! Sugar Crush!”

“And Kiba-san really doesn’t mind?” Naruto asked for the millionth time. He patted Akamaru on the head. Akamaru’s tongue lolled out as he stretched out on the cool floor. He exposed his belly, tail thumping back and forth as Naruto scratched it.

“Eh. It’ll be fine,” replied Sakura with a shrug. 

Naruto had returned from the baseball tournament significantly tanner and a little taller. Other than a bruise on his arm from a collision with a teammate, he was unscathed. And he had immediately headed to the rink. Not to see Sakura, so much. More like because-

“IT WAS SO HOT. There wasn’t even air conditioning in the dorms!” griped Naruto, lying on the surface of the ice. Sakura maneuvered around him to avoid slicing his hand open with the blade of her skate. 

“Well, you’re home now. And the summer’s almost over,” replied Sakura. She turned in time to see Naruto flail. 

“What’s the point of summer break if I don’t even get to enjoy it, Nee-chan? All because of dumb baseball,” he grumbled. 

Sakura stopped in front of him. 

“You love baseball. Besides, when it starts getting cold, you’ll be whining that you can’t wait to play baseball again,” she pointed out. Naruto pouted. She put her hands on her hips. When he continued to sulk, Sakura reached down.

“Come on, kiddo. You still remember how to do that Lutz?” she asked.

Naruto took her hands. Let her pull him to his feet. 

“Is it the toe pick or the edge? I forget.”

“Naruto,” she sighed, laughing a little.

Kiba showed up a couple hours later. 

“Hey! How are you going to go around kidnapping people’s dogs?” demanded Kiba, pointing at Sakura as she landed a perfect toe loop. She stuck her tongue out as she spun away from him. 

“Hi, Kiba-san!” Naruto chirruped. 

Kiba turned his head. He found Naruto and Akamaru both lounging on the bleachers. The cool metal surface was like a paradise compared to the heat outside. Akamaru wagged his tail a little but didn’t even get up to greet him. 

“Akamaru, you asshole,” growled Kiba. Akamaru snuffled once and closed his eyes.

If Kiba starred in his own ice show, Sakura had once said, it would be called “Disaster on Ice”. After nearly cracking his skull open in elementary school, Kiba refused to set foot on the rink. And this left Sakura free to skate around while Kiba was stranded outside. Which is exactly what she did.

“Say, Haruno...” Kiba said as he watched her glide past in lazy laps. 

“Yeah?” she replied, slowing a little. 

“Are you alright living in that big house alone?” he asked. 

It was only then that she stopped right in front of him. Snow sprayed out from beneath her boot. She came closer until her toe picks almost bumped against the side. 

“I’m not alone. I’ve got all you guys to come bother me, right?” she laughed. His eyes flickered down to her hand, to her bare ring finger. And she knew what he was implying. But she pretended not to as she pushed off again, to the other side of the rink. Just the scrape of her blades against the ice. 

Kiba stuck around for a little while longer, watching her. And when he waved her over, it was so he could say goodnight. He slapped the back of his hand against hers twice before hitting their palms together. Kiba clapped Naruto on the back in passing. Then he took Akamaru home. 

Naruto offered to walk her back later that night. But she could see his eyelids drooping. The tournament had taken a lot out of him. And he needed plenty of rest before school started again. Duffel bag over her shoulder, she ruffled his hair and headed out on her own. The cicadas serenaded her walk home.

“Have you seen Haruno-sensei?”

Asuma gave Mirai a push, sending the swing arcing forward. She squealed, hands reaching high into the air. It was cool enough in the morning to take the toddler to the park before the sun’s blazing heat destroyed all hope of a pleasant outing. 

“Hm... Mirai-chan, have we seen Sakura-san today?” he asked, grabbing hold of the swing. She tilted her head back to stare up at her father.

“Sakura-tan?” she repeated. And then she shook her head. “No Sakura-tan,” Mirai confirmed, still shaking her head. 

“Haven’t seen her today. Have you tried her house?” Asuma suggested, one hand on his hip. When Mirai said, “Papa, push!” he pulled the swing back and gave her a hearty push. Mirai giggled. 

Itachi pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

“I don’t want to seem... aggressive,” said Itachi. Asuma snorted.

“This is the countryside. It would be weirder not to. Just go knock,” Asuma urged. 

Thanking him, Itachi headed off to the east side of town. 

As August began winding down, it seemed like summer was gradually releasing its stranglehold. Every day, the days were a little less blisteringly hot. It was still humid enough to make sweat pour down the back of Itachi’s neck. But it seemed like the locals were already preparing for autumn. 

On his walk, Itachi ran into a few students goofing off during the last days before school started up again. Among them was Naruto, whose drawings of people always ended up looking like monkeys. Still, he was a good kid. And he gave a little bow as he walked past. 

A thought occurred to Itachi. 

“Uzumaki-kun!” Itachi called. And when he turned, Naruto had stopped in his tracks. 

“Would you happen to know where Haruno-sensei is right now?” questioned Itachi. 

Naruto blinked a few times. “Have you tried calling her?” he questioned, holding up his phone. 

“I did. She’s not picking up,” responded Itachi. 

“Oh. Then... why don’t you just knock on her door?” suggested Naruto. 

Itachi sighed. He thanked Naruto for his help and continued on his way. 

This certainly wasn’t his first time at Haruno Sakura’s house. He had even slept on her living room floor once. But it felt different showing up unannounced, as opposed to when she had invited him over. 

He rang the doorbell, waiting in the shade. But after a minute, there was no response. He rang it again.

Just as he considered leaving, he heard noises from inside. There were footsteps. And then the door swung open.

“Yes?” she asked. But when she spotted him, her eyes widened. 

“Hi!” Sakura greeted him.

“Sorry. I’m just sort of... here,” Itachi said in return. And then he added, “I did try calling you first. I didn’t want to just... show up.”

Sakura’s eyes widened. “My phone died so I’m charging it. What’s going on?”

Itachi held up his own phone to show her a photo. It was of a flyer he had spotted at the mall the other day. 

“There’s an art exhibition going on today. Are you free?”

Sakura smiled. “Another favor?” 

“Only if you don’t mind.”

She invited him inside. 

“I’ll be quick,” she assured him. But she could see that he was absorbed in staring at the magazine covers and newspaper clippings covering the wall. He wasn’t really hearing her. 

Sakura headed to her room to wash up and to change her clothes. She had been busy all morning sorting through old photos in her pajamas. She hadn’t expected company, so she took a couple minutes to at least fill in her eyebrows and curl her eyelashes. There was no need to rush, though. By the time she finished dressing, Itachi was still standing in the hallway, expression intense as he read.

“Is it true that you broke the world record at 17?” Itachi asked when she joined him.

He was in front of one of the biggest frames. Her photo splashed across the front page of The Asahi. In huge kanji, it read: ‘Teenage Skater Wows the World’. Beside was a photo of her, arms laden with stuffed Shiba plushes and bouquets. Just out of focus were the extra flowers and stuffed animals thrown onto the ice in a downpour. 

She remembered that season. Her light purple outfit with the sheer sleeves. Still wide-eyed and shaky at the end of that free skate. Winning a bronze medal at Worlds had seemed like a miracle at the time. She wondered how she would have reacted if someone would have told her she would grow up to become the six-time World Champion. 

“Yeah,” was all she could think to say. She shifted her weight to her other foot. “Shall we go?”

Itachi turned to look at her. Only, he wasn’t just looking at her. 

He saw her. 

Itachi’s eyes flickered back to the clipping one last time. He smiled. 

“Yeah. Let’s go,” he agreed.

The art gallery Itachi had chosen this time was farther this time. It was almost a two-hour drive up north. They had to stop to get gas while Itachi plugged the address into her phone. One thing Sakura had learned about Itachi during the summer was that he didn’t have a driver’s license.

“My cousin tried to teach me once. But I valued my life more than knowing how to drive,” commented Itachi, a wry twist to his lips. It was rare for Itachi to bring up his family. Sakura shifted her hands on the steering wheel.

“Are you and your cousin close?” she queried. 

“Unfortunately,” replied Itachi, chuckling a little. And then he asked, “What about you, Haruno-sensei?”

Sakura tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. She eased off the acceleration a little. 

“No cousins or siblings. My grandparents passed away before I was born. It was always just my parents and me,” she answered. She switched lanes to avoid getting off on the wrong exit. 

“But I was never lonely or anything,” she added, sneaking a glance at him. He was looking at her. Their eyes met as he nodded. She turned her attention back ahead. Tilting the steering wheel to follow the curve of the road.

As the highway cut through the hills, it began to follow the shape of the coast. The ocean glittered to their right. Itachi opened up his window, letting the wind whip his hair around. The smell of the saltwater filled the car. Screeches of seagulls traveling through the cloudless sky. 

Sakura leaned her elbow against the door. She turned up the music on the radio and opened her window too. 

The exhibition they traveled to was called ‘Sessions’. The esoteric ways artists titled their work were beyond Sakura. She bit her tongue to avoid making a snide comment about it. 

The paintings hung on the tall walls. Each one was lit by a sconce placed on either side of it. This gallery had a second floor; it looked like there were even more paintings up there. But what caught Sakura’s attention wasn’t really the canvases. There were chains of paper cranes tied to the pipes running along the ceiling. The colorful birds dangled in clusters throughout the room. They swayed back and forth as people brushed past them. And, in a way, Sakura almost liked the origami better than the actual paintings. 

Itachi handed his tablet over to her as they walked. The programs from last time were already opened up. 

“So, are you ever going to explain what this is for?” asked Sakura as she spun her way through the color wheel. She kept her eyes on the screen and let Itachi guide her in the right direction. When she almost bumped into a pole, Itachi pulled her to the left. And then he guided her past a small group of people. His hand lingered on her elbow as he continued to steer her.

“Thanks. Anyway, this could be part of some conspiracy,” she went on.

“A conspiracy?” Itachi repeated. 

“These hex numbers could be... code for something,” Sakura told him. 

She nearly bumped into his back when he stopped walking. Only then did she lift her chin. He looked over his shoulder at her, eyebrows rising. 

“For what, Haruno-sensei?” questioned Itachi. Sakura shrugged.

“It’s your conspiracy, not mine,” replied Sakura with a wink. He laughed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he gestured with his chin toward the painting in front of them.

“Well, it seems you don’t mind contributing to my evil scheme. What colors do you see here?” he asked.

They spent a couple of hours wandering through the exhibit. There were mostly paintings of forests and mountains with a few waterfalls scattered here and there. Sakura listened to Itachi comment about the “brush strokes” and the “texture” of each one. His talk of the painting’s “composition” only baffled her even more. 

“This one was done in Gouache. Look at the way this part reflects the light,” Itachi pointed out, gesturing with two of his fingers. Sakura looked over at him. He touched the earpiece of his glasses to his chin as he stared at the painting. There was a glitter in his eyes that wasn’t normally there. His lips parted as he drunk in every part of the canvas over and over again. 

A smile touched his mouth as his gaze finally flickered to her. 

“What is it?” he asked her. 

Sakura looked back down at the tablet. “Nothing,” she replied, smiling too, for some reason.

She engrossed herself in picking out the shades that colored each landscape. Nodding and humming in response to his comments. Because even if she didn’t understand the terminology, she recognized that tone. The way people spoke when they were so utterly in love with something. So even though she didn’t understand a single word of what he said, the rhythm of that passion was familiar to her. And that felt like enough. 

This art gallery was much bigger than the last one they had visited together. There were also more people. But everyone spoke in low voices, and Itachi did a good job of making sure she didn’t bump into anyone. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw that Itachi had actually taken a half-step back. So anyone who brushed too close would knock into him and not her. 

“Are you up for one more?” asked Itachi. Her gut let out a pitiful growl in response. They both looked down at her stomach. Sakura gave it a pat. 

“Sorry. I’ve usually had lunch by now. And a snack too, actually,” she said, glancing down at her watch. 

“Well then... screw the painting. What’re we going to eat?” Itachi asked her. Sakura laughed as she began closing the cover of his tablet. 

A gasp interrupted them. 

“Doesn’t that look like Haruno Sakura a little bit?” someone whispered nearby. 

Sakura’s eyes flitted to Itachi. Her gaze then darted toward the door. Itachi gave her a nod. Slipping him his tablet, she strolled along the wall, pausing every once in a while, like she was examining the paintings. She fiddled with her cap to make sure it was covering as much of her hair as possible.

“No way. I hear she’s still in Sendai. Rumor is that she’s coaching Shimizu Haku now,” someone else murmured in return. 

“Really? I thought she was mentoring that girl. Um... Honda? Harada? No, that’s not it.”

Eyes darting around, Sakura snuck her way to the door, Itachi just a few steps behind her. As soon as they burst into the afternoon heat, Sakura let out a huge breath. Hand to her chest, she shook her head. She retreated to the shade to pull out her phone. 

“That was close,” she sighed as they made their way down the street. 

“It must get frustrating,” commented Itachi.

“Huh? What does?” asked Sakura. 

“Having to avoid getting recognized. When you’re just trying to go about your business,” Itachi clarified. Sakura blinked a few times, frowning. And then she shook her head, waving her hand in front of her.

“Oh, no way! That’s not why I ran out! I love talking to my fans,” replied Sakura. It was Itachi’s turn to frown.

“Then why did you run away?” he called after her as she turned a corner, following the GPS on her phone. She looked over her shoulder at him to flash a quick smile.

“Because then I’d have to say hello to everyone. And that would get loud. And then it would take attention away from the art. Wouldn’t that be rude to the artist?” she replied.

Itachi didn’t respond to that. He just followed her the rest of the way to the ramen restaurant she had chosen. 

School resumed at the end of August. It was still hot. Classroom windows were left wide open. Students came back from break with various degrees of tans- some with sunburn. They shared photos between classes. The ones who had been stuck at home groaned with envy. And the sounds of lectures and chalk tapping on boards echoed up and down the halls. 

Sakura nudged her aloe plant into a good slice of sunlight. And then she leaned against one of the wooden tables as she looked around the room. As always, her eyes found the wall with the gorgeous mural. It was the perfect shade of blue to soothe her eyes. Sakura had even overheard a few students comment on how pretty it was. 

The door slid open. A few girls walked in, notebooks and pencil cases hugged to their chests. 

“Good afternoon, Sensei,” they said. They bowed to Sakura before they settled in at one of the other tables. 

Sighing, Sakura got back to work. She had received some donations from a local bookstore. The titles were mixed up in boxes with no rhyme or reason. Fashion magazines were put together with reference books. Self-help books were placed with manga. She picked up the title on top of the stack. She had been digging through the boxes since morning, but it felt like the number of books to sort hadn’t gone down at all. 

Sakura sighed again.

The door opened. She heard the girls greet someone. But she didn’t pay much attention. At least, until a hand rested on the cart. He picked up one of the books, leafing through it. His shirt was white with a pattern on it that wasn’t quite polka dots. She squinted until she realized that it was covered with a bee print. 

“You’ve got a bee on you, Sensei,” she commented. 

“Ha ha,” replied Itachi in a flat voice. He watched her roll a rubber stamp in ink before she pressed it to the inside cover of a book. She blew on the marking for a couple seconds. Then she added it to another pile on the opposite end of the cart. He handed her a new book and observed her repeating the process. 

“Is everything okay? Did you need to ask me something?” she asked as she pressed her stamp down onto the book. She flapped her hand over it to help the ink dry faster.

“Not particularly,” Itachi replied.

“Okay,” she said. When she set the novel down, he handed over a fresh one. He helped her get through an entire stack. The dry rustle of paper did the rest of the talking for them that day. 

[bouncyirwin]

For sweet @ohsotiny , thank you for supporting Sayuri-chan ❤️

Pairing: ItaSaku

Word Count: 3,388 words

Rating: Explicit

Summary:

Itachi returns home from a year long mission.

Snippet:

Her face lit up. “That’s amazing!”

“Yes,” he agreed, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone. “It’s been a tedious mission, but we can call it a success.”

“I’m glad you’re home,” she said sincerely. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Itachi’s heart swelled. There was so much about her he missed: her honesty, her sincerity, her boundless kindness, the tenderness in her voice when it was him she addressed, the soft way she regarded him...

He moved in for another kiss, missing the feeling of her lips on his and longing for her taste. It had been a year, and yet she’d lingered on his taste buds like his favourite sweet, unforgettable. He’d missed her almost every day he was gone.

[uchihasakurawrites]

Manifest (1)

Rating: T for language & depictions of violence

Summary: Their soulmate bond is borne of blood. With war on the horizon and tensions rising in Konoha, Itachi and Sakura try to navigate their newfound connection while balancing the growing demands of their own worlds. [Non-Massacre AU; Soulmate AU; ItaSaku]

Word Count: 3,394

Warning: This chapter contains somewhat graphic depictions of violence, so please wait until chapter 2 if that's difficult for you to read.

Note: Itachi doesn’t actually appear in this chapter. Chapter 2 will focus more on Itachi’s POV while the events of this chapter are happening - if you’re looking for ItaSaku interactions right away, please wait until I post the next part before you start reading!

(Also, heads up that I’m studying for graduate school & changing positions at work right now, so my updates on any multi-chapter fics will be slow this spring/summer. Thanks to everyone who’s still sticking with me!)

Cross-posted on Ao3 and Fanfiction.net

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Two careless hand signals from her captain telling the team to scatter and engage  bring Sakura’s pristine ANBU record crashing down in blood-soaked shards.

Every logical fiber of her being had screamed at the silent command, her near-decade of experience with Team 7 having seared the importance of teamwork into her mind. If not for the rogue nin on their heels, Sakura would have pressed the issue, arguing for a tactical retreat with the information they had gathered on the budding Iwa-Ame alliance.

Not that her rookie captain - a Hyūga with a superiority complex that could have easily topped Sasuke’s during his genin days - would have listened.

Staying together was the only way they stood a chance. Their mismatched ANBU squad was as well-balanced as Tsunade could manage with the current strain on Konoha’s ANBU forces. Impending war stretched ANBU thin, and those who weren’t assigned to diplomatic security details were saddled with near back-to-back missions; in the past six months alone, Sakura had almost doubled the number of missions she had completed in her entire first year with ANBU.

Intel of a meeting between Ame and Iwa leadership reached Tsunade’s desk when most of her veteran ANBU had already been dispatched. Amegakure, which had never fully recovered from the previous war, had remained neutral despite increasing tensions between the five great nations, and it was imperative that they remain so.

Losing neutral territory that bordered both Suna and Konoha would provide the enemy a staging area far too close to home, so Tsunade scraped together the best reconnaissance team she could with the resources she had left. Sakura knew from the grim look in her mentor’s eyes as she explained the parameters of the mission that she was assigned to this team for the sole purpose of dragging them all back home alive, as was usually the case any time she was assigned outside of her unit.

Sakura counted herself lucky that there happened to be a Hyūga and an Aburame available for the mission to make infiltrating the meeting undetected easier.

Out of her four-man cell, Sakura had the most field experience with just over ninety successful ANBU missions under her belt. The Hyūga had only recently been promoted to captain, and she could read his need to prove his worth in the way he carried himself: nose held a touch too high in the air, a smirk twisting his lips, and an arrogant sway to his hips as he strutted into the Hokage’s office.

A small part of her mind, the one that kept her entertained on particularly mind-numbing missions, absently wondered if punting him halfway to Suna would fix both his ego and his stride.

Pride had no place in ANBU.

The Aburame and the boy who looked as though he had been promoted three years to young were tolerable enough. She’d seen finer control of the Aburame Clan techniques during her occasional work with Shino, but Tetsuya still managed to get the job done and relayed enough information back for Sakura to record in a sealed scroll that she would deliver to Tsunade upon their return.

Kaito, who she discovered had joined ANBU less than a month prior, had surprised her with his fine-tuned tweaks to the strategy she had laid out once she’d managed to get their captain to shut the hell up  for two seconds and listen to input from his team. Sakura became rather fond of the younger boy during their two-week mission, perhaps because his personality reminded her of a teenage Naruto.

When she witnessed Kaito’s chakra control firsthand, she’d proposed the idea of recruiting him into the ANBU medical program. She could hear the grin behind his mask through the string of eager questions he endlessly chattered about as they sprinted home. With a laugh, she promised to file the request with Tsunade as soon as they got back to Konoha.

What she didn’t expect was for him to be slaughtered as they crossed the border into Grass.

With the odds stacked against her team 3:1, Sakura decides retreat is the cleanest option for their team and turns towards her captain, expecting him to reach the same conclusion and give the order.

His two hand signals and the team’s immediate obedience lock her muscles in disbelief; sure, taking a prisoner from this situation could provide another well of information, but that was only if her team somehow managed to win the fight.

Reporting back that their team had been pursued by Grass nin would have been enough information for Tsunade to work with. A different team could have been assembled to follow up, and Konoha would have at least been warned.

Her team is at a severe disadvantage fighting on unfamiliar terrain after a full day of running at top-speed to clear Earth’s border. Torrential rain means that they will have to fight almost blind, and the Hyūga seems to have forgotten that the rest of his team doesn’t have the same benefit of a dōjutsu.

Sakura won’t even be able to provide adequate medical support for her team if they scatter, as summoning Katsuyu would both expose her identity and require more chakra than she should expend with how much further they have left to go to reach home.

Well aware that her actions could give her captain adequate grounds to write her up for insubordination on the off chance they survive, Sakura takes off in the same direction as Kaito. He’s the most likely to accept her assistance, and the faster Sakura can drag him back to regroup with their teammates, the faster they can leave.

The third rule for all medical nin rings clearly in her mind: No medic shall ever die until they are the last of their platoon.

Sakura has yet to lose a teammate on a mission, and she’ll be damned if the Hyūga’s reckless call changes that.

She catches up to Kaito quickly, calling out a quick Doton: Doryu Heki to throw up a fifteen foot mud wall between him and an enemy lunging at his back. She adjusts the flow of chakra to her feet to use the slickness of the ground to her advantage, releasing some of her traction on the mud to slide underneath the swing of a sword and slash chakra scalpels across the assailant’s heels. In a single fluid motion, Sakura thrusts herself up from her crouched position and follows through with a fist into the man’s back.

The sensation of muscle and bone snapping underneath her knuckles is so familiar that she doesn’t falter when the ANBU’s spine snapps clean in half. At some point, she’d lost count of the number of shinobi she’d broken with her hands alone.

Sakura doesn’t have time to check their surroundings further, opting instead to shunshin to Kaito’s right and weave her chakra into a Doton: Iwa no Doomu jutsu. It’s a strategic move to conserve chakra, building on her last jutsu as she wrenches additional walls from the ground to enclose them in a rock-solid dome.

She grabs Kaito’s wrist before the chokutō he jabs in her direction can make contact.

Kaito’s emotions are again an open book, even with his cloak and mask still intact. She can read the fear in the trembling left hand that clutches his shoulder, where a katon has seared his uniform into his skin.

His hoarse “S-Sakura-senpai!” instead of her codename broadcasts his inexperience; it’s pure luck that none of the Grass ANBU have gotten close enough to guess her identity. They don’t need the bounty on her head further complicating the situation.

Sakura makes a mental note to personally track down whoever gave this kid the green light for ANBU. He’s talented but clearly needs more field experience before he’s ready for ANBU-caliber missions and the heightened risks that come with them.

They have just under thirty seconds before she needs to release her hold on the dome. The Grass nins’ lightning jutsu grate at the threads of her earth-natured chakra, and there are already too many negative strategic implications for staying in one place as long as they have.

“Monkey,” Sakura speaks in code in hopes that hearing it will snap Kaito back to his senses. “I’m going to cast a genjutsu over the surrounding ten square meters. Escape underground, and get to Ant. Regroup with taichou and retreat. Move!”

She punctuates the command with a chakra laden smack to Kaito’s uninjured shoulder, just forceful enough to startle him out of the daze he had slipped into. With a shaky nod, Kaito snaps through the signs for the Earth jutsu and vanishes into the ground. Sakura drapes her genjutsu over the area just outside the dome and follows right behind.

Tetsuya is spread across the ground in pieces when they arrive at his position.

Choking down the bile that rises in her throat at the gruesome display - most field kills are more clean-cut, partly for efficiency and partly out of respect, even for an enemy shinobi - Sakura forces herself to focus on nothing but strategy and the enemies fully prepared to kill her next.

The rate she’s been burning through jutsu isn’t sustainable, but there are too many enemies left for her to engage in close-combat, and the ground is too wet to shatter. She’s already having to direct additional chakra to both her eyes for visibility and her cardiovascular system to maintain body heat.

She and Kaito are going to have to make a stand here, at least until they can thin the enemy’s numbers enough to create an opening to their team leader. With what little she’s seen of his abilities, their captain should be able to hold on for another few minutes.

Sakura is painfully reminded of why she prefers to work with her regular team when Kaito dives toward the nearest ANBU, the faint glow of lightning-natured chakra humming down his blade.

Team 7’s battle formations were second nature; they discussed mission-specific strategy setting out, but their battles were almost wordless. In this situation, Sasuke and Naruto would have taken on the long-range fighters as Kakashi drove the mid-range fighters into close-range combat with Sakura. Sai would have provided aerial support focused on mid-range fighters if Sakura had her hands full at close-range.

She resolves to never complain about her teammates’ penchant for turning every fight into a damn competition again - even with their dramatics, she’s never once doubted that her team will be there at the exact moment she needs them.

She’s yet to feel that level of synchrony with any other team, and she certainly doesn’t feel it now.

Sakura keeps Kaito in her peripheral vision as she catches a blade with her kunai and tries to fit his style into one of ANBU’s standard formations. New ANBU squads typically operate on variations of a standardized set of battle formations, as the sets allow for more flexibility between teams.

Kaito’s style, however, is erratic, driven by fear as his eyes stray towards every piece of his teammate he manages to spot on the ground. His stilted movements are more focused on keeping the enemies closest to him back than coordinating an attack with her.

Sakura adds yet another resolution to her increasingly long list, but she’s viciously stubborn that she’ll get back to Konoha and check every one of them off. She’ll need to speak to Tsunade about integrating more teamwork scenarios into ANBU’s training regimen.

Lashing out alone is the fastest way to die in the field.

Sakura sweeps her thumb along the seals on the underside of her left wrist-guard and launches a set of poisoned senbon at the three ANBU closest to her. She doesn’t actually expect the senbon to hit, and they don’t as the ANBU either dodge or deflect. Instead, Sakura takes advantage of the split second distraction to shunt chakra into her feet and drive close enough to an ANBU to trace a chakra scalpel neatly across their jugular.

The body hasn’t hit the ground before Sakura has the ANBU’s katana out of its scabbard and moves towards the next target.

She manages to hold her own for several more minutes, exchanging blows and countering a handful of A- and B-rank elemental jutsu with her own, until a scream cuts through the air. It’s the desperation in the scream - a wet, terrified noise almost ripped from Kaito’s throat - that draws Sakura’s attention from her own fight.

Time seems to slow as she realizes she’s not fast enough to stop what’s about to happen. She can almost hear Sasuke’s constant harping for her to work on her speed over the rushing sound in her ears.

Kaito stands frozen, mask shattered to pieces on the ground, as he locks gazes with one of the Grass shinobi. Before Kaito even has the chance to realize he’s ensnared in a genjutsu, the Grass nin’s companion brings his sword down on the boy’s neck.

Desperation immediately overshadows any grief Sakura might have felt over Kaito’s death as she finds herself surrounded by seven of the original twelve ANBU. Her natural chakra reserves are just over a third full, enough to push out a few elemental jutsu with her level of chakra control, and most of the wounds she’s sustained are minor sans the two-inch deep gash in her thigh. Her eyes burn from the strain of the chakra she continues to circulate through them, and she can feel the rain leeching warmth from her body.

She’s not hopeless, not yet. Not until long after she’s tapped out her byakugō and the scrolls at her waist. She’s got plenty of hell left to give.

That same desperation begins to give way to mounting anger at the brutal way her teammates have been killed, but she shoves it back in hopes of finding her captain in this mess and getting out. If they can lose the Grass ANBU even for a few seconds, she can use one of her personal genjutsu to hide their presence until they can work out a safe route to Konoha.

Her strategy is promptly dropped when the same man who captured Kaito in a genjutsu motions to one of his own teammates. Hyūga Ryota’s body drops unceremoniously to the muddy ground, at the best angle for Sakura to see that his eyes have been taken.

She’s only slightly relieved to notice the weak rise and fall of his chest.

As the pieces click into place, Sakura realizes that the attack with this large of an ANBU force was too well-timed to be a coincidence. If Grass had known there would be a Hyūga on their squad, this was an inside job.

A Leaf traitor had cost her two teammates.

It’s all Sakura can do to keep her breathing under control and steel herself against the steady voice in her mind that calls for blood. She gives Ryota a quick once over and decides that he may not survive long enough for her to retrieve the Byakugan and get them somewhere she can provide proper medical treatment.

Kakashi’s first lesson to her team - that those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum - runs through her head to damn the decision she comes to, but this is war, and she’s confident she can accomplish both objectives if she plays this smart enough. Her mind is already running through every possible scenario in which she can find the eyes in time to get Ryota out of there.

Sakura shifts into a defensive stance and surveys the ANBU who form a staggered circle around her, but curiously have yet to move against her. She promptly discards that observation, as she’ll gladly take the first move. She doesn’t even try to pretend she has a chance against all of them at once, so she prioritizes.

She’ll start with the ANBU who had been carrying Ryota and work her way through the masks she doesn’t recognize from her and Kaito’s earlier fights if that one doesn’t have the eyes.

A low laugh catches her just as she makes her way into the signs of a suiton jutsu she’d intended to use to capitalize on the relentless rain. Again, the voice is there, edging closer to the forefront of Sakura’s mind and clamoring for her to make the man who finds this amusing bleed.

She’s not sure how much energy she cares to spend continuing to stifle that voice.

“Haruno Sakura - the Tsuchikage requests your presence back in Iwagakure. Come quietly, and I’ll have the Hyūga boy dropped safely back in the Land of Fire near a well-traveled trail so he’ll be picked up soon.”

Sakura slowly drops her hands back to her sides, one with an active chakra scalpel and the other resting on top of her kunai pouch, as she unpacks that one statement. It’s evidence that Grass has joined the long list of smaller countries aligning with the enemy and that the contact in Konoha is privy to sensitive information beyond ANBU, who don’t use those regular trails.

She also notes the implications of how the Grass shinobi, who she pegs as the leader, phrased his statement - the Tsuchikage seemed to want her alive, most likely to lure the rest of Team 7 into enemy territory. It gives her a bit more leeway, since she’ll be the only one fighting to kill.

Baring her teeth, Sakura bites out a tart response:

“You can tell the Tsuchikage to go to fucking hell. Keep each other company once I take you out, asshole.”

Another laugh. The circle of ANBU take a step closer. Red tinges Sakura’s vision as the leader twists his sword into Ryota’s palm, earning a broken whimper she can still hear clearly through the rain.

Sakura’s moving with a speed even Sasuke would have been proud of in the next moment, her kunai bearing down on the man’s throat. She meets his gaze head-on, wanting to see the life drain out of them, and instead sees the world melt into an inverted grey-scale before she can even nick his skin.

The lead Grass nin is a fucking Uchiha. A shinobi from one of the Leaf’s most powerful clans turned rogue.

“You traitorous bastard.”

Sakura’s low growl is met with a louder, clearer version of the laugh she’d just heard seconds before that echoes in the empty space around her.

“Just say the word when you’re ready to come willingly, Sa-ku-ra-chan. Or don’t.”

The world around her goes dark. It’s an empty, infinite blackness without the sharply defined edges that come with shadows in reality. This is a formless, all-encompassing sort of darkness that threatens to steal the air from her lungs and breathes a chill of terror down the back of her neck.

It’s a genjutsu. Focus, Sakura.

Over the course of what feels like days stretched into weeks stretched into years, Sakura watches as her friends, family, and comrades are taken apart piece by piece. She feels the phantom pain as Sasuke’s Sharingan bright eyes are torn from their sockets, all while he rages at her for being the same annoying, useless, pathetic girl she was as a child.

Escape, Sakura. Focus.

She feels the slicing and tearing of a hundred swords piercing every inch of her body as she watches the same happen to Kakashi until he bleeds out, all while he spits venom about having ever been assigned to teach such a useless little girl who has no business playing kunoichi. Dead weight, he calls her.

She screams through the torture of having her skin flayed from her bones as Naruto is stripped of his. The image of his bright smile faltering into a silent scream follows her even as she tries to close her eyes.

Lee. Neji. Shikamaru. Kankuro. Hinata. Chouji. Tenten. Shizune. Sai. Ino. Tsunade. Okaa-san. Otou-san. On and on and on.

Sakura snaps. Black lines twist out from her seal, etching themselves down her cheeks and arms. She doesn’t even notice as the force of her chakra and rage shatters the genjutsu around her, the mantra of kill kill kill ringing through her mind as she lunges to the first sign of movement.

Soaked to the bone in blood, Sakura doesn’t notice the red string that knots itself around her wrist as her hand plunges through the chest of her enemy.

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A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I was a little hesitant to post this since another one of my works starts with a fight scene as well, but hopefully I was able to convey the emotional difference between the two. A Lesson in Practicality will be a Time Travel AU (eventually), while this one is obviously a Soulmate AU! I've also never written ItaSaku, so fingers crossed.

Please let me know your thoughts if you have the time. Your feedback means the world to me. ^_^

[vesperlionheart]

Vesper’s Quarantine ‘Finished’ Reading List

If you’re stuck indoors and feeling anxious sometimes the best thing is to drown your brain in distractions until you’re able to function again. Thus, I’ve put together a list of Sakura centric stories to entertain you. There’s a lot of shameless self promo here, fair warning, but it’s my blog and my blogpost so that’s where we’re gonna start.  Some of my favorite fic are ones still being updated but this list includes only stories marked as [complete]. 

[Finished personal fic]

Obelisk: Kingdom of Man By: VesperChan 'She could swear she smelt sulfur when she exhaled. Nothing good ever came from boys who smelled like sulfur.' An ancient Egyptian curse and a world of dreams opens Sakura up to a life devoid of safety. In the darkness her nightmares bow themselves to her. In the morning they feast on her heart. AU SakuraMany Obelisk: Kingdom of Beasts By: VesperChan One Kingdom down, three to go. Carrying the scars on her heart, Sakura must brave the dreams again as this time, there are more sinister things then men waiting for her when she goes to sleep. The wolves have come to feast and her body will know their teeth. AU SakuraMany Obelisk: Kingdom of Monsters By: VesperChan More than halfway through the curse, Sakura's nightmares hold nothing back as fangs and spells seek to drag her down and bury her with the dead. Monsters have come at least to feast on what is left of her bones and devour her wounded heart. Beyond the scars and bloodshed, her soul is beginning to fade under the dim lights of another enchanted speakeasy and ruby eyes. AU SakuraMany Obelisk: Kingdom of Gods By: VesperChan Entering the final kingdom, Sakura stands atop a castle of sand to face down the gods who first orchestrated the curse and began the bloody tradition of collecting human souls in a little black obelisk. Gladiators, Egyptian gods, and blood thirsty pharaohs paint a vivid picture on the inside of her mind as she sleeps, dreams, and struggles once again. AU SakuraMany Total word count for Obelisk series: 565,292 (just over half a million words)

RED KING By: VesperChan In the wild country where it never snows but always freezes, the Red King marches his armies against the White Tsar. That is why Sakura is swept away from the lonely streets and the empty barracks into a car with a bastard prince and a promise of redemption, but if only she can face the demons that chased her in the first place and be what the king needs in his war. SakuraCentric 

Touken Revolution by Vesperchan (rated E)  Sakura, a sword smith, is nearly killed for what she really is: a sage, one who can animate weapons into warriors and give bodies to the souls she hears inside swords. Now a refugee in the land of Kiri she's building an army because it's her only hope for survival and maybe even happiness. SakuraKiri Sakura centric

Things We Lost in the Fire By: VesperChan Years later, living alone in the woods with half a dozen dogs, questionable reading material, and crippling non-attachment issues, Sakura realizes she has turned into her teacher. Agebent Sakura Sensei ShiSaku

Jealous gods by Vesperchan When a coup takes the lives of the king and the rest of the royal family, Sakura, the sole surviver, escapes to the edge of the world with Kakashi to strike a bargain with an old god. Her worship in exchange for his power. She's warned he's a dark and jealous god, but that's not enough to sway her. ItaSaku Kakasaku darkItachi AU

Lindworm & the Tam Lin Love a Changling by Vesperchan Sakura travels as a curse breaker across the land, doing what she can to put some peace back into the world. She doesn't think much of it when she breaks the curse on a lesser dragon or a fae knight, but maybe she should have. MadaSaku, HashiSaku Poly

A Confluence of Stars by Vesperchan (my WitcherAU) With the war over between two princedoms, Sakura, a sniper, returns home to celebrate Confluence with her grandmother, the local Story Keeper. She had expected it to be nothing more than just another celebration when the star rivers overlapped and the poor people partied. But, along with the rest of the world, Sakura soon realizes that Confluence did more than just give people a reason to celebrate. A wicked new world filled with monsters and magic straight from Baba's tales spills into theirs, and Sakura is forced to turn to her rifle and her stories to make sense of it. Sakuracentric 

Sugarplum by Vesperchan "They will use you up, and love you all the while, until there is nothing left of the girl you used to be." Sakura had been a chosen one, once upon a time, but that was years ago, and all the magic has left her. Still, the world calls her back and she has a new role in supporting the next girl savior many years her junior. ItaSakuSaso

Stag by Vesperchan  He was a wizard with a tower and a set of rules he should never break. Sakura was a girl with just a bit of budding magic he decides he can't ignore. Some things were made to be broken. TobiSaku 

[Finished general fic list]

Hollow Point by Sariasprincy @sariasprincy​ Arms dealing is her trade, but young and in a man's world, it takes a criminal mastermind to play with the big dogs without getting bit. TobiSaku/ItaSaku. Crime!AU. Rated M for mentions of adult themes.

Where it Happened also by @sariasprincy​e He was the new head of Cardio and her new boss, and though she thought him a little full of himself, it seemed there was more to the famed Uchiha Itachi than he led on. Not that she could claim her life was that uncomplicated as well. ItaSaku. Modern AU. Grey's Anatomy AU. Rated M for mentions of adult themes.

Nightmare in Red by @sariasprincy​ Haruno Sakura used to think the eyes were the windows to the soul, but after witnessing the horrors of the Sharingan firsthand, she's convinced they are the doors. ItaSaku. Nonmass. Rated T

Blurred Lines  by @sariasprincy​He was an international criminal. She was a federal agent. And she wanted nothing more than to arrest him - or shoot him - if only he would stop providing her leads to more desirable criminals first. MadaSaku. Rated T.

The Man in Black  A man in black haunts her hospital. But what does he want and why is it that Sakura is the only one that can see him? ItaSaku. Modern Myth AU. Death AU

The Choices We Make by @sariasprincy​He was the Head of the Uchiha Clan and she the fearless discipline of the Hokage, but how the hell was she supposed to find the strength to tell him she was pregnant? MadaSaku. Rated M for mentions of adult themes.

halcyon days by jaylene @thefreckledone​ Sakura sees dead people. Well, two dead people to be exact. Everything changes. Sakura-centric. Indra/Sakura/Ashura. 

hands like houses by @thefreckledone Sakura finds herself trapped in the past and discovers a new family along the way, however unwilling she may be. Time travel. Fix-it fic. Sakura-centric.

Borage by @thefreckledone Sakura is in search for answers. What she finds doesn't please her.

Forest Fire by Moor @kendochick-moor Mod AU. Sasu x Saku x Ita. A small spark can launch a forest fire.

Forest Fire II by Moor @kendochick-moor Sequel to "Forest Fire". University AU. Sasu X Saku X Ita. After Sasuke inexplicably broke up with her when he leaves for Oto, Sakura throws herself into her school and social life. Friends like Ino, and surprisingly Itachi, are there to help her along the way. Meanwhile another threat, in the form of unbalanced Uchiha Madara, stalks her, ever nearer.

Tipsy series by Moor @kendochick-moor Mod AU. MadaSaku. The 1-5 part  of the "5 Drunkfics" prompts.  (Rated 'M' for language & themes)

Akatsuki Sakura AU by moor  DeiSaku, ItaSaku. Konoha-verse AU. Akatsuki Sakura AU. Raised by Uchiha Madara as part of the Akatsuki, Sakura is sent to infiltrate Konoha's ranks. Things become complicated when she is promoted to a team with one of Konoha's most well-respected ANBU captains, Uchiha Itachi.

Soulmates by Moor - KakaSaku. Age-swap AU. Based on the "Soulmates" prompt from the October 2015 tumblr KakaSaku fest. Kakashi has a reputation as an enfant terrible; at least, until Sakura sensei takes him under her wing. Rated M for later chapters.

Fancy Footwork by silverfootsteps @silverfootstepswrites For Sakura, there's always been dreary days of schoolwork and unreliable people. Who knew a clumsy womanizer, an accidental pervert, a soft-hearted glutton, and an incredibly sexy virgin would light her life up like this? A friendship founded on dancing and the strange threat that tied them all together: "Fiji". AU

Equinox by silverfootsteps Sakura is half-siren, half-human, and 100% unprepared for what waits for her when she moves to a little seaside town. A place where calling someone a monster always receives the answer: "….well, duh". Monster AU. Multisaku.

Lullaby by Silverfootsteps Sakura is part-siren, part-human, and learning how to deal with a nest of lovable dorks. But nothing seems impossible in the sleepy little town of Old Pines, where magic hangs heavy in the air and a certain werewolf has learned to stop pissing everywhere. Sort of. Sequel to Equinox. Monster AU. Polysaku af.

Butterfly by silverfootsteps After winning her first and only Olympic gold, Haruno Sakura shocks the world by announcing her retirement from skating. When she returns to her little hometown of Konoha, she finds that not much has changed. The same old temples, the same old persimmon trees. Resigned to a quiet life, she settles in for what she hopes will be an uneventful retirement. Skating AU. Itasaku.

Five Kingdoms for the Dead by Evil Is A Relative Term After the Forest of Death, Sakura comes to realize that being weak is no longer an option. However, she finds that change is sometimes painful and that truth doesn't always come easy. Luckily, she'll have some help along the way.

Vertigo by Cynchick Sakura accepts the most critical and dangerous mission of her life, but the price of success may very well be her soul. When your entire world turns upside down, how do you keep from going under? DeiSaku.

An Indispensable Assistant by TayMor Professional. Intelligent. Intuitive. Haruno Sakura is the assistant every boss wants. She is smart, she is capable, and she is experienced. Operating with her own hard and fast rules, Sakura has one, very important personal rule. Never fall in love with your boss. However, being indispensable to Uchiha Itachi will put that rule under heavy duress. AU. 

The Third Chance by TayMor reviewsJust because he died didn't mean he got to stay dead. The Rikudo Sennin reincarnates Uchiha Madara as his 26 year old self and he begins his third life broken, humiliated and full of despair. But things change as Madara finds himself competing against Sasuke for the attention of Konoha's favorite medic... MadaSakuSasu Set after the final battle and during the blank period.

Rainy Days by Wynth It took her a while before Sakura was convinced that she was once again in her twelve year old body, but by that time it was too late. •Time-Travel / AU•

Consequences of Saving a Life by BelleDayNight reviewsAt the end of the war, Neji is revived by Sakura. She has saved his life, now she is responsible for it. The Hyuga clan leader covets the power that Naruto and Sakura could bring the clan with unions with Hinata and Neji. Can they survive the politics of the noble clan? Naruto trains with Sasuke and Hanabi for CPE while Sakura and Neji embark on a mission together for the Daimyo.

Take It or Leave It by kc-archive  Akatsuki & Sakura. After a moment of shock, Sakura realized that two fully grown, fully naked men were sitting squished uncomfortably together in her bathtub. (dubcon warning)

Till Death Due Us Apart  by SpeedDemon315​ Ever since he was gone, she never was the same. The world was warm and cheery while she was cold and dreary. She thought there was no hope left for her…or was there? Oneshot, character death [SasorixSakura]

Bringing Back What's Dead by SpeedDemon315  Sequel to Till Death Due Us Apart. She made a promise to herself to discover a way to revive him and have him finally see his son. What happens when your greatest enemy from the past is the only one who can grant your fondest wish? SakuraxSasori

Time Flies Like An Arrow by katlou303 Sakura traveled back in time with the intent of changing everything, but something went wrong, and now she's a four-year-old civilian having nightmares about impossible monsters and losing friends she has yet to meet.

Uneasy coexistence by DeGlace One grinning shark–man. One pink–haired medic. Ankles. Teeth. Kisame x Sakura. Yes, you read that right.

The Art of War by leafygirl  Entry for the LJ Kakasaku AU contest. Sakura gets stuck following her teacher after a bet with her friends. But his mysterious life is nothing she ever expected.

Vespertine by Cynchick  Two enemies strike a bargain to save what they both hold dear. He will reveal a truth that shakes her beliefs, drawing her into a web of lies and betrayal. She will offer the redemption for which he never hoped and show him how to be human again. ItaSaku.

Caught and Set Loose by Celtic Oak AU. On a mission, Sakura and her companions find themselves in the custody of the wildest clan of the East Province. Forced to accept their hospitality and a redheaded escort, the medic must make the best of her situation, wherever it leads her. GaaSaku. 

[sariasprincy-writes]

Hollow Point 01

Hollow Point TobiSaku ItaSaku

Summary: Arms dealing is her trade, but young and in a man’s world, it takes a criminal mastermind to play with the big dogs without getting bit. TobiSakuIta

a/n: Inspired by @silverfootstepswrites​' "Eastern Suns" story. If you haven't read it, you need to! (Find her on tumblr and fanfiction). While the pairings and AU may be similar, this story itself will vary significantly. Hope you're ready for a ride. 

One (here) // Two

Chapter One Life is just a Playground

Haruno Sakura rolled the lollipop around in her mouth. The sweet, artificial cherry flavor coated her taste buds and turned her tongue a deep red color. She swung her legs lazily as she sat on a high wall, the heels of her boots knocking against the stone with every tap.

They were her favorite pair. Black, thick-heeled and matching nearly everything in her closet. Like the ripped jean shorts and the white halter top she had chosen for this special occasion. It left her shoulders bare, but the late summer sun kept her plenty warm. Already her arms and thighs were beginning to redden with sunburn.

Sakura didn’t notice. She pulled the sucker out of her mouth with one hand, checked her phone with the other and resisted the urge to sigh. He was late. Only by a few minute but still.

Popping the hard candy back into her mouth, Sakura eyed her surroundings behind her sunglasses, her legs still swinging carelessly. Children were playing on the jungle gym across the street as teenagers skateboarded in the concrete park. Their laughter and shouts could be heard even from here. Just another warm, summer day in Suburbia.

“My, my how you’ve grown.”

A smile formed around the stick poking out of Sakura’s mouth. She saw his approach out of the corner of her eye before he spoke, but she didn’t acknowledge him until he was standing on the sidewalk beside her. Even given the heat, he was dressed powerfully in a three-piece suit.

“Hashirama. You’ve aged well,” she said around her treat. And it was true. There were laugh lines beginning to show around his dark eyes but his easy-going nature was still the same as it had been when she was a child. Or so it seemed.  “If I didn’t know any better, I would still think you were in your forties.”

His expression flattened. “I am in my forties.”

Her grin widened. As if to say she was only teasing.

Hashirama softened at that before his gaze swept behind her. When he was certain they were alone, he looked back at her. His dark eyes seemed to pierce through her sunglasses. “It’s been nearly ten years, Sakura. And while I am happy to see you, I doubt you contacted me without reason. So why have you called upon me?”

“Don’t look so suspicious,” she said after she pulled the lollipop from her mouth. She pointed it at him as she gestured lazily. “I heard from a very reliable source that your…” she paused as she thought for an appropriate term, “company may be in need of assistance and I thought I might see if my talents might be a good fit for you.”

Hashirama’s face was calm, relaxed almost, but his eyes were hard and stony. Debating. Whether he should hear her out or just kill her right there.

Fortunately he chose the former. “And what source would that be?” he asked.

“Tsunade.”

Faint surprise colored his handsome face. “She passed her trade down to you?”

Sakura nodded. “She did.”

Secret thoughts flitted across his mind, only revealed by a soft smile on his lips. Then he blinked and they were gone. “Well, in that case, I might be willing to accept your offer. Come by the Penthouse tomorrow night. We’ll interview you then. See if you’re a good fit for my...company.”

She replied with a grin and stuck the red sucker back into her mouth.

Hashirama turned away, only to stop before he made it three steps. “And Sakura,” he said, eyeing her where she still sat on the stone wall, “I am running an important enterprise. Do try not to dress like a twenty-five year old.”

She smirked. “But I am a twenty-five year old.”

Hashirama said nothing but the look on his face was warning enough. Without a backward glance, he turned and disappeared around the corner.

Sakura stayed where she was, her good mood lingering. She watched the children play across the street as she finished her candy. Once it was gone, she dropped the red-stained stick onto the ground below her. Her phone rang.

“Black town car picked him up, heading North. He’s gone,” the person on the other end said.

“Hashirama was never very good at blending in,” Sakura said into the receiver. “He’s always enjoyed flashing his money.”

“Did he agree then?”

Sakura nodded, knowing that somewhere out there, the man on the other end of the phone was watching her through a scope. “Of course, Kakashi.”  Then her smile faded. “However, logistics will be tricky. Hashirama’s office is on one of the tallest buildings in New York City.”

“I won’t be able to cover your six,” Kakashi told her.

“That’s alright. This meeting should be friendly,” she said as she finally slipped off the wall, her boots thudding loudly. She headed in the opposite direction Hashirama left. Towards the silver charger she had parked around the corner. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

She heard him sigh, displeased. She knew he preferred to accompany her. “I figured you might try and go in alone. Check the trunk.”

Sakura hummed curiously but popped open the back of the car nonetheless. Her eyes lit up when she found it empty, except for a single black case. Inside sat a sleek handgun. Perfect for her slim fingers. Even more perfect for her slim waist.

“Kakashi, you shouldn’t have,” she said delightfully.

“Only the best for you, dear.” Then he hung up.

Sakura pushed her phone into her back pocket before she inspected the weapon. It was fully loaded and ready to use. And it fit perfectly against her hip.

Closing the trunk, Sakura slipped behind the wheel and headed into the heart of the city. The security guard at her apartment’s garage recognized her immediately and allowed her access to the underground parking.

She didn’t stay long. Just slipped upstairs to shower and change before she headed off into the city again down by the waterfront. She pulled into valet and handed her keys off before she headed inside the restaurant.

The interior was stunning. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, bathing the dining room in a gentle glow. On the far side, a wall of glass allowed guests to gaze upon the sparkling water of the bay stretched out into the night.

Sakura fit in perfectly in a black cocktail dress that clung to her curves. Her pink hair cascaded down her back, her bangs pinned back to reveal her pretty face. Emerald eyes rimmed in black kohl briefly searched through the throng of people. She found who she was looking for at the bar.

“Sorry I’m late. Traffic was horrible,” Sakura said as she slipped into a chair.

Ino gazed at her over the martini glass between her manicured nails, her blue eyes like stormy, unforgiving seas. “You’re always late. Did you even come in your own car?”

Sakura blew air between her lips as she looked over the tri-sided drink menu on their table. “My car didn’t match my dress.”

“You’re wearing black,” the blonde said flatly.

Sakura just smirked in response. She ordered a lemon drop from the waiter as he stopped by to deliver dinner menus before leaving them alone again in their corner of the bar. Ino read through the entrees quietly as Sakura eyed the other patrons.

Most were couples, intermixed with a handful of businessmen. Sakura relaxed a little when she found none had wandering eyes and she relaxed completely when she caught sight of a hotel window cracked across the street. Kakashi really was too kind to her. She’d have to remember to buy him those new sights he had been talking about the other day.

“How did your meeting with Hashirama go?” Ino asked, putting her menu down. Upon Sakura’s smile, her eyes widened, “He agreed?”

“He has history with Tsunade. It wasn’t difficult,” she replied.

Sakura didn’t elaborate further as their waiter returned with her drink. He quickly accepted their dinner orders and collected their menus before he stepped away again. Only once he was out of range did Ino press, “You’re meeting with him then?”

Sakura lowered the sugared glass from her lips before answering, “Tomorrow night.”

“Just be careful. He’s pleasant with Uchiha Madara now.”

“So I heard. But I don't expect him to be there tomorrow,” Sakura said. When Ino cocked her brow curiously, she explained, “He's out of the country right now. In Asia somewhere.”

The blonde continued to frown. “Well, I know you regard Hashirama highly, but keep your eye on Madara. I wouldn’t trust someone who turned traitor against the CIA.”

“I have no plans of trusting Madara,” Sakura said, setting her drink aside. “A new organization is beginning to grow in the South. They call themselves ‘Akatsuki’. Have you heard of them?”

“I have. Though I thought their dealing was in drugs?” Ino asked.

“Drugs, arms, human trafficking,” Sakura listed. “If it makes them money, they deal it. They’re starting to converge on Hashirama’s territory. It’s putting a strain on his business with Madara.”

“And so you’re offering your help to smooth out their relationship?”

The blonde’s tone gave away her disapproval and Sakura quickly shook her head to correct her. “I don’t give a damn about their relationship. Hashirama and Madara both need guns. And I have connections in the Middle East that are only too willing to offer me the weapons that could help the Senju and Uchiha deal with this ‘Akatsuki’.”

“You’re in it for the money,” Ino guessed.

Sakura smirked over her glass. “When am I ever not?”

That seemed to satisfy her blonde friend for their conversation turned to trivial things after that. They spoke of the success of Ino’s latest beauty products and her parent’s flower store over dinner. Only once both their plates were empty and the tab paid for did they stand and make for the door, arm-in-arm.

Outside, Ino handed her valet ticket off to the attendant. As the young man retrieved her car, she said, “I’ll talk to my contact about Akatsuki and see what he can find. I’ll let you know if I learn anything.”

“I owe you one.”

“You always do,” Ino said, her eyes tracing her car as the attendant drove up. Her tone came out annoyed but they both knew she was anything but. “Tell Kakashi I say hi.”

Sakura couldn’t resist her grin. “Tell him yourself.”

Ino glanced at her sharply before she scanned the surrounding buildings. After a moment of searching, she turned back to Sakura. “You know that’s creepy, right? Having a sniper follow you around.”

“You always tell me to be safe. He ensures that I am.”

Sighing, Ino accepted her car from the valet. Sakura watched her drive away silently.

Once the blonde was out of sight, Sakura turned to the young man at the valet stand and gasped. “Oh no. I think I left my purse at the bar. It had my ticket inside. Can you get it for me?”

The young man blinked stupidly at Sakura’s pretty smile. “Uh, yeah. Of course. I’ll be right back.”

The moment he was gone, Sakura looked through the box of car keys. In his haste, he had left it unlocked and open to her viewing. She picked out a Jaguar before she strode through the lot until she found the stall it was parked in.

It was all sleek and shiny and new. Sakura melted into the soft leather as she slipped behind the wheel and brought the engine to life. It purred beneath her like a content jungle cat and growled when she hit the gas.

Even Hashirama wouldn’t find complaint with this beauty.

xx

The next evening, Sakura found herself at one of the tallest buildings in Lower Manhattan. She pulled her newly-acquired Jaguar into the underground parking garage and grabbed the tablet sitting on her passenger seat before she took the elevator to the one hundredth floor.

Senju Enterprises dominated the top five floors of the impressive building. The company name was bolted into the wall beside the elevator in thick, silver letters. Even well into the evening hours, the lobby of the high-valued business was bustling with activity. Receptionists typed away quickly behind their computers and answered phones with pleasant but direct tones while men and women in business suits hurried across the large room. Some held coffee cups. Others juggled documents and files.

Sakura weaved her way around the organized chaos like water around rocks. The thick heels of her boots thudded against the statuario marble floors, a harsh and bold disparity from the sharp click of high heels.

The receptionist didn’t immediately look up upon Sakura’s approach. She finished her frantic typing before she peered at her. “Can I help you?”

Sakura smiled. “I’m here to see Senju Hashirama.”

The woman was older than Sakura. Likely by near that of two decades. She raked her eyes down Sakura’s form once, taking in her pristine, white blouse under her sharp, black suit. Her lips pursed when she couldn’t find even a strand of pink hair out of place. “You have an appointment?”

“I do. Tell him Sakura comes bearing a gift.”

The receptionist frowned but she picked up a phone nonetheless and dialed out.

A few minutes later, Sakura was escorted down the hall by a young man about her age with a bluetooth in his ear. She tucked her tablet under her arm as they walked. She vaguely listened to the man as he chatted idly, but her attentions were focused on the computers and projections in the office spaces as they passed.

It seemed Hashirama was more than just a black market trader. Much more. Interesting.

Towards the back, Sakura followed her escort to another elevator requiring badge access to the top floor. It opened up to a plain hallway with a single door at the end. The young man knocked upon reaching it and stepped aside for her when the door was buzzed opened from the inside.

Sakura went in, not at all surprised when the young male didn’t follow her inside. At the end of the single, long table was Hashirama. Beside him was his younger brother, Tobirama.

Sakura had never met or seen Tobirama until now. He looked just as fierce as his brother even with his suit jacket discarded and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows. His face didn’t betray his thoughts but his dark eyes were piercing as she stepped into the room.

Even with only just the two of them, Sakura knew just how powerful this room was.

She resisted the urge to smirk. This would be far more interesting than the Middle East.

“Sakura,” Hashirama greeted.

She smiled prettily. “Hashirama, how very kind of you to invite me to your humble suite.”

The doors closed behind her with a note of finality. Both their eyes settled on her but she was not unnerved. Two hot men in suits paled in comparison to what she had already faced in her young lifetime. Even if those men were the Senju brothers.

Sakura lowered herself into an available chair at the end of the table without prompt. Tobirama’s face betrayed nothing but he watched her bold move intensely.

Hashirama simply crossed one leg over the other as he regarded her. “We're on a tight schedule so let's keep this short, shall we? You claimed to have talent that may benefit my company. I’m ready to listen.”

“Hold on,” Tobirama said before she could even open her mouth. He glanced at his brother. “What is this regarding? You and I both agreed we weren’t going to bring on anyone knew. We have our projections calculated on the market and-.”

“I’m not here to talk about your projections with you,” Sakura said. Tobirama nearly glared at her blatant interruption, but she continued nonchalantly, “I have some numbers that I believe you will find far more interesting.”

Tobirama’s face shifted. If only to glare. “What could you possibly know about stocks?”

“I don’t give a shit about stocks,” Sakura said with an air of boredom. “I’m not here to discuss your shadow business. I have another proposition.”

The scowl on his face didn’t fade but he remained silent. Sakura waited for Hashirama’s gesture to continue before she reached for her tablet and lit up the screen. She pulled up the information before she slid the device across the table to them. It stopped directly in front of Tobirama.

He barely glanced at the first image. “We work in stocks. What makes you think we have any interest in arms dealing?”

“Oh, come now,” Sakura sighed. “You’re attempting to expand your power south, but a little gang known as Akatsuki is thwarting you at every turn. Now you can keep Madara in Hong Kong to gather more men and weapons, which can take anywhere from weeks to months even with his status, or you can see what I offer.”

Tobirama held her gaze for so long Sakura almost thought they would forever be stuck in time. But then he spoke, “How did a little girl like you acquire all of this?”

The nickname was meant as an insult but Sakura only smiled as her eyes shifted to Hashirama. “You haven’t told him.”

Tobirama’s eyes flickered to his brother. The corner of Hashirama’s mouth turned up as he regarded her across the table. “It appears Tsunade has trained you well.”

“Tsunade?” Tobirama repeated as his gaze returned to her again. He seemed to consider something before he finally reached for the tablet. It was silent as he swiped through the files.

“And you can guarantee all of this?” Tobirama eventually asked.

She bit back her smirk. “The weapons are already on a ship bound for New York. And I have a whole list of men only too willing to be of assistance to the Senju.”

Silence fell again. Sakura gauged Tobirama but his expression was void of all thought and emotion as he scrolled through her information. Of course not all of it would be sent to the Senju brothers if they agreed - she had other clients - but they at least would get an idea of the services she could provide.

Her gaze turned out the window as she waited for the final say. From this view, she could see the cargo ships traveling down the East River as they made their way in and out of port. In two days time, she would be meeting one of those ships to unload likely one of the largest shipments of illegal weapons into the States in years.

Her blood hummed with excitement.

The sound of her tablet case being closed drew Sakura’s attention. She looked up as Hashirama slid it back across the table towards her. “It seems that we agree we could use someone of your skill set after all.”

That was surprising. Considering they hadn’t even uttered a single word while she had been gazing out the window. Not even a whisper.

Sakura slid her eyes to Tobirama again. She got the impression he didn’t care for her very much, but it was hard to tell. The way he was reclined back in his chair, she would have thought he was bored if not for the fact his eyes were watching her so intently.

Turning back to Hashirama, she nodded. “Good. Text me where you want your first shipment delivered to and I’ll see that it gets done.”

Hashirama nodded.

Standing, Sakura slipped her tablet off the table. She turned towards the door, only to pause. “Oh and one last thing. My clients know me as Tsunade. I prefer that in the presence of others you address me as such.”

A curious look fell over Hashirama’s face but he inclined his head nevertheless. Sakura shot him a charming smile before she finally made her exit.

Sakura waited until she was out of the parking garage before she dialed out on her phone. The other end picked up on the second ring.

“They agreed,” Sakura said. “We’ll be giving part of the shipment to the Senju.”

“Really?” Kakashi said, his tone betraying his surprise. “I didn’t think Tobirama would trust you so easily.”

She snorted. “I don’t think he trusts me. More like I haven't given him a reason yet to dispose of my body in the river.”

“Which one?” he asked.

“All of them.”

Kakashi chuckled lightly. “I’ll call the boys and make sure they’re ready.”

Sakura hung up then. She dropped her phone into the cup holder between the seats as she stopped at a redlight. A smile clung to the corner of her mouth.

Let the games begin.

to be continued...

[shyyynobi]

Hey guurrrll❤️ I was wondering-idk if someone has asked you yet, but can you pleaseeee give me a last of all your Naruto favorite fics?!!😩😭👏🏼 we have the same taste 👌🏼 thanks boo! ✨✨

Hi love! Sorry this took me forever to answer, I had to go back and dig up my favorites. I hope you don’t mind an assortment of pairings, since my otps have changed throughout the years, but these are just some of my favorite fics in no particular order. Enjoy and happy reading~Kaleidoscopes by twilightdazzle – SasuSaku, M, multi-chap, complete (I read this a year ago and find myself re-reading it again from time to time. It’s a present AU, and I don’t want to give anything away but please go read it, you won’t be disappointed. Very few fics have gotten me to cry, but this is one of them and I don’t know how it isn’t more well known.) It’s A Humble Path by Amarack Love - Sasusaku, M, multi-chap, complete (I love their characterization here, and I really think this story deserves more recognition for it’s post-shippuuden ending take on their relationship in the blank period.)skinny love by theeflowerchild - Sasusaku, M, one shot, complete (another blank period piece. Goodness, I love this one so much – short but sweet and entirely fitting for the budding of their relationship.)A Full Circle by Lady Momo - SasuSaku, M, multi-chap, complete (a different take on their relationship as Sakura is saved by Sasuke, and the smut in this story is astounding.) A Cornucopia of Conundrums by zunaira ghazal - SasuSaku, M, multi-chap, ongoing (A present time AU where Sasuke is a Yakuza lordling that has a one-night stand with Sakura – and all I have to say is angstangstangst.) Found by kc-archive - DeiSaku, M, multi-chap, complete (I never once thought of this pairing before, but I stumbled across this story and it’s so beautifully written that it turned me into a hardcore DeiSaku shipper. The author’s portrayal of both of these characters is amazing.)

House of Crows by Silvershine – KakaSaku M, multi-chap, complete (My favorite KakaSaku fic, it’s cleverly orchestrated and filled with angst.) The Window by Silvershine – KakaSaku, M, multi-chap, complete (Another glorious story  from Silvershine, her smut here is something I only wish I could write myself, but the plot is what put me into a year long KakaSaku addiction.) Pop the Top by moor ItaSaku/Madasaku, M, multi-chap, ongoing ( smutsmutsmut)– I tried to only post completed works, because I know how frustrating it can be when you’re suggested a story that isn’t finished, so I hope you like a couple of these.  I have a lot more favorites, so please feel free to message me if you want more suggestions!