Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue: "Till Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown"

"We have lingered in the chambers of the sea

By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown

Till human voices wake us, and we drown."

-The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S Eliot

Her ears ring before they can say a word.

A sharp pain flashes across her temples, down her neck and seizes in her shoulders and neck.

Sakura presses her eyes closed, as light suddenly becomes too bright. She squeezes them with her fingers and thumb and hisses at the sudden oversensitivity. Her lower back tightens as tension returns and the entirely of her frame goes stiff from an onset migraine. 

The weight of words unsaid force her to lean into the doorframe. Konoha’s top medic resists the urge to scream and bites her lower lip instead.

“Haruno-san” it’s Dog who speaks first, voice muffled beneath the white Anbu mask and the white noise clouding her hearing. “Your presence is required at the hospital.”

Sakura hears his words in a drowning haze, knowing without having to fully listen. It’s just past midnight and this many Anbu only come to her at this time for one reason.

The moment her eyes landed on the young bright-eyed interning resident, she knew. She knew he was going to say that, knows who they are calling her about. Nevermind the fact that she’s standing in a bathrobe and towel. Forget that they barged in on her mid shower. Sakura can care less about all of those things. Worse has happened in her medical career.

Please. Not now. 

Pathetic thoughts conjurn in this moment between painful spasms against her temples. Sakura pulls her bathrobe tighter, huching her shoulders as she shivers. It’s the only thing she do to keep her knees from buckling under the weight of exhaustion. Stress from an encounter that hasn't even happened yet sparks a migraine that very much makes her feel like she needs to puke. The medical jounin inwardly groans and turns to lean her back against the door. 

“Do you need time, Haruno-san?” Dog continues. 

I don't want to go at all!

She mentally screams and rubs her fingers over her eyes. Of course she can’t say that. She is Konoah’s best hope in Tsunade’s absence. More than that, she’s a grown adult and should conduct herself as such, especially because one of her interns is here watching. Sakura chances as glance at Honoka, the brown haired, blued-eyed civilian who’s too nice for her own good. It was upon seeing her that Sakura felt her insides turn on itself and her brain started to throb in her skull. Honoka herself was a joy to be around and to teach but her patient was...less so. Since the young intern is here and not at the hospital, than that means something happened….something big enough that they need Sakura to step in. Had it been any other patient, Sakura would have jumped at the chance. This patient, however, made her want to vomit, run and punch something all at the same time.

I can’t deal with him now.

She mentally laments. Yet the oath she took as a doctor negates her conflicting emotions. Sakura bites the inside of her cheek. Her hand falls and she gestures without making eye contact with anyone in particular

“What...what exactly is the problem?” her voice is unbelievably small and tired but it's something. 

It’s effort to keep her breath even but Sakura fights her growing apprehension. Honoka, the young civilian intern that incited this reaction takes a calculated step forward. 

“He woke up!” Honoka exclaims, nearly bouncing on her toes as her blue eyes dance with excitement. “I went in to change the bedsheets since it's gotten a bit colder and when I opened the door, he was looking at me! Uchiha-san is alive . Isn't that great?”

It should be great. 

Sakura should be pleased to know her top patient has made some progress. Had it been anyone else, she would have burst into a wide grin of pure joy, pleased that she’d succeeded in saving yet another.

But it's sudden and choking the way her body almost recoils at the name. Sakura grimaces and clenches her abs to stop her stomach from lurching. But it's not enough. The jounin bites her tongue and takes a step back towards the bathroom. 

“I’ll be out in a minute,” she says in a rush then quickly closes the door in time for them to miss her dry heave. 

Sakura’s chest burns as the thought of death flashes instantly in her mind. She slaps a hand over her mouth and stumbles towards the skin. Her free hand clumsily jerks the water on to cover her gasping.

The very thought of him makes her physically and mentally sick. Four months is a long time but not long enough for Sakura to be okay with the only Uchiha left in this world. He is the person she's tried hard not to see or thinking about because of his role in the demise of the rest, of the one that mattered the most to her. 

Green eyes glisten with overdue tears. Even as her chest flutters and tenses at the the imagine of Sasuke’s dying form slumping against his brother’s shoulders. Tremors force her over the sink and Sakura gags into the bowl. 

Oh god, I’m gonna puke.

“Haruno-san?”

It’s Honoka. A soft knock at the door follows then a question. “Are you okay?”

Sakura gripes the porcelain sink to white knuckles until her teeth stop grinding against each other and her nausea settles enough for her breathe. It takes all of her power to shake off her anxiety and panic. There are people out there waiting for her.  

“Just a minute!” Sakura calls and exhales.

For several seconds she gazes into the bowl of her sink. Letting her pulse relax, allowing her body to calm itself down, to preserve what little scrap of dignity she has. She is a shinobi, afterall. Grieving or not, angry or not, she has a job and her job is waiting right outside the door. 

Without looking in the mirror, Sakura pulls away from the sink. Wringing her hands, she walks towards the door, reaching for the door.

‘It’s going to be okay.’ She reassures herself. ‘In and out, that’s it. I can’t run from him forever.’

Bare feet stay rooted to the floor. Green eyes drift down towards the cool beige tiles laid diagonally in her bathroom. She waits as her eyes moisten then cloud over as feelings culminate into bearable misery. Biting her bottom lip, the young woman allows herself a moment to be human, to feel, to regret and to be angry.

Running from her duty is not an option. But she grants herself this small mercy.

I just need a minute. She assures herself, scrubs a hand through her hair and reply the moments in time that lead to here. 

For a long time Sakura stayed in denial, not wanting to believe her friend, teammate and hopeful lover was capable of such hatred. Sasuke told her over and over and over again, that she could never understand how deep his hatred went, how strong his thirst for revenge was. Sakura was foolish enough to think that if she loved him hard enough, she could save him.

She couldn’t.

There was only one person that could reduce the deranged Uchiha to ashes. One person capable of bring an end to Sasuke’s manic quest to rule all of the shinobi nations. 

It’s been four months. The war is over thanks to her and Tsunade and Orochimaru’s plan to stop him, stop Sasuke. For all the Sanin’s efforts and hardwork, it was Sakura who practically pieced humanity’s last hope back together.  Resurrecting Itachi Uchiha was her greatest achievement. It was the first time a victory rested almost solely on her ability to heal. 

And yet, it was the first time a victory tasted so bitter and heartbreaking. 

But it was necessary.

Sakura knows this but her heart and mind cannot rid itself of the imagine of Itachi sucking the life from her beloved.

She presses her eyes closed as the metal door handle folds against her strength, dimpling in places where her fingers dig in.

‘That’s enough. Check on him now, cry later.’

She tries, really tries to distance her personal thoughts about Itachi Uchiha the murder from Itachi Uchiha the patient and savior of humanity. Regardless of what she thinks of him and how he contributed to Sasuke going down that path, he is still a patient in her hospital. She is still a medic. He needs her. 

Shifting perspectives ease her fears. Sakura shakes her head against the pounding in her ears and sighs. 

“Haruno-san?” Honoka calls once more, voice laced with confusion and worry.

Stealing her nervous, the jounin cleans her face and opens the door, looking for her intern. 

“When did he wake up?” Sakura clears the lump in her throat then steps out into the hall.

If any notice her disheveled appearance, they do not comment, much to her liking. Honoka takes up the question instead and dogs Sakura’s steps as she explains. 

“He just woke up and there’s no other doctor tending him tonight.”

“Just as in right now?” Sakura questions and stalks into her bedroom.

Honoka answers, “Yes, not ten minutes ago. I told the Anbu I needed to get you right away so they carried me here.”

That news makes her frown for an entirely different reason. Sakura pauses rummaging through her dresser to place a hand on her hip.

Itachi is the only patient that has specially assigned nurses and medics looking after him. One of them is her, the other is Ino, who is supposed to be his head medic tonight so Sakura can take a break. So why the hell is Honoka asking her to check on Ino’s patient?

‘I shouldn’t even be dealing with this right!’

Annoyance grips her for a different reason. Sakura glares and jerks her head in Honoka’s direction.

“Where's Ino?” she demands, “ She's the lead on the Uchiha case tonight.” 

Honoka fidgets under Sakura’s hardened gaze. “Erm, Yamanaka-san was called away by the Hokage about two hours ago. She told us that she'd be gone for awhile and if anything were to change in Uchiha-san’s condition, to find you.”

“How freaking convenient...that pig!” Sakura grits out before she can help it. Honoka flinches. Sakura sighs. “Sorry. It’s just...tonight was my night off. I didn’t know…”

“Sorry, Haruno-san.” The girl whimpers.

“No, no, it’s ok. It’s not your fault, Honoka.” Sakura soothes, “Wait here. I’ll be dressed in ten minutes.”

Honoka complies, closing the door quickly behind her as she leaves Sakura to dress.

By the time they reach the hospital, Sakura’s checked herself enough not to panic. Her shoulder are still tense and her apprehension manifests itself in a pointed frown.  

The Anbu escort her and her intern to the special entrance reserved for such cases as Itachi. The hospital is lightly staffed and, as far as she can see, no one looks twice at the two Anbu flanking her and Honoka. 

They take the back stairs to the second floor, then ride a sealed elevator up to the top. Though the village is currently on the mend, the hospital still holds some of its necessary protections. 

Sakura steps off the elevator first and is immediately stopped by two Hyuuga Anbu. She offers no resistance as they check her, using the time to clear her mind. 

“Haruno-san,” one of the Anbu greet her pleasantly.

Sakura extends the same nodding courtesy as she turns her attention to Honoka.

“Here’s his file,” the intern explains. “I’ve updated everything as best I could. I’ve checked his vitals and asked light questions to get him to comply but he won’t speak.”

The news makes Sakura’s brow creases. “Does he have motor function?”

“Yes, but slow.”

‘That could be bad. He’s going to need some rehabilitation after this. Strange for such a short time...’

“Visual reflexes?” she questions absently while glossing through the notes and check boxes on each page of the clipboard.

Honoka shakes her head, “I didn’t do a thorough check. I figured you’d know what to look for better than me but his eyes followed my every move.”

“No delays?”

“Not as far as I could tell.”

Sakura looks up from her clipboard and rephrases the question, “Honoka, would you say that he was looking at you or through you?”

Blue eyes cross slightly and Honoka hums. “Erm, a bit of both at times. He definitely saw me but sometimes he looked distant…”

The answer doesn’t help considering Sasuke was notorious for daydreaming in the middle of a conversation. 

That can mean anything from indifference to blindness .

“Alright,” Sakura concludes and tucks the clipboard under her arm. “Thanks, Honoka. Go on your break now. I’ll come find you once I’m done.” 

She directs the last statement to the guards, “Don't let anyone else up until I come out. Send word to the Hokage that blackbird is awake and stable.”

All orders are taken and acted on immediately, leaving her with nothing to do but go inside.

Swallowing her anxiety, Sakura slides open the door to Itachi’s room, keeping her gaze and body pointedly against him. 

The first thing she notices is the very apparent and biting chill in the air. Honoka is right in saying it is cold here. Outside it’s the last few days of autumn, with winter not too far away. Itachi’s room must get the wind through cracks in the room. She shivers and lingers near the door, then pulls the clipboard from under her arm to give her eyes something to do.

 Itachi’s heart monitor goes out of sync. The beeping speeds but and her chest tightens. It’s only a few seconds, she notes, but enough for the spike in pulse to raise her suspicions. Professional curiosity makes her look up. Her eyes barely make it to the foot of the bed before every hair on the back of her neck prickles. Her heart jumps hard in her chest as the sudden and weighting feeling of eyes on her keeps her rooted to her spot. Her panic from earlier returns and she tries not to swoon. It takes all of her strength to keep her body from shaking. Sakura squeezes the paper in her hand and pulls the clipboard closer to her chest to steady herself.

‘Calm down,’ she chants mentally, ‘ He can’t do you anything.’

Licking her lips, Sakura waits until her pulse is under control. They are not in the battlefield. She is not in danger, yet the image of Sasuke’s terrified expression as Itachi delivered the final blow will not go away. 

‘Stop It! That man wasn't Sasuke anymore…’

It takes everything for her to inhale deeply and exhale the memory away. 

‘Focus.’

Green eyes travel across the expanse of the room at its occupant. There, half sitting up in a small bed, with an IV in his arm, several tubes stuck in places, Itachi watches her with half lidded eyes.

Her entire body tenses at the sheer intensity of his gaze. The elongated tear ducts only sharper his stare, with eyes so black and sunked and deep. Sakura can’t quite read it at her vantage but there is something there, and that something borders menacing. 

Her first instincts are to run. Bravery forgotten, Sakura wants to be as far away from this man as possible. Not only just because he’s watching her but the memories of a battle to fresh for her heart to take comes in waves. The valley, the rain, Kakashi restraining her against running down to help Sasuke after he collapsed in the mud. More than the fear for her life, the pain of grief threatens to be her undoing.

Sakura’s brain skirts through images and ideas, bouncing between a death scene and medical questions. She tries to force her thoughts on the latter and sorts through her mental dysfunction to find one rational thought. 

Honoka said visual function is fine but maybe he just...can’t see me.

As crazy a notion that is, it’s enough to make her brain pause. When they found him dead, Sasuke took his eyes. Although she and her mentor worked hard to restore them, there is always a chance something went wrong.

Overuse of the Sharingan leads to blindness. But he's got three sets of eyes in there, something unheard of. Maybe the effects are more negative than we thought?

Familiar things always bring comfort and she quickly takes hold of the small scrap. Sakura, clinging to the theory until her fingers loosen on the clipboard, muses and chews her lower lip.

Maybe he’s on the verge of blindness. I hope not. Kakashi may give some executive order for me to fix it…

The idea is enough to make her cringe. Being around him for this long is too draining and the mere thought of coming in here gave her a migraine.

Anything beyond this and I’d go insane . 

She clears her throat in the absence of conversation, noting just long she’s stood there staring at him staring at her. The heart monitor beeps steadily to fill the silence. Itachi has his pulse under control but the beats are harsher than normal, indicating some sort of unease. 

Speculation will only leave me in dark. The medic reasons and tucks her hair behind her ear. 

Plus I can’t just stand here staring at him. 

“Uchiha-san,” her voice cracks horribly and she flush. “Ahem, Uchiha-san. Welcome back to the world of the living. I’m your attending physician tonight. Your aid, Honoka-san, is on break at the moment.”

Her legs move on their own. Sakura allows a mask of professionalism to hide her dislike of the patient before her. As she makes her way towards him, Itachi’s eyes jerk with her every step. He watches her closely until she’s near his side. He never turns his head but his eyes look obliquely at her before turning forward again. 

The gesture is enough for Sakura’s tensed shoulders to relax and ease into the distant persona of medic. She takes a moment to really look at him, noting that he’s lost quite a bit of weight since he’s been in the hospital. His skin is more pale and clammy looking. 

Body temperature is normal, if I remember .

The rest comes automatic as she sets about gathering equipment need to check what she feels is the most immediate concern. Sakura walks to a low counter and grabs several tools from a nearby drawer, including a ophthalmoscope for his eyes. Taking a rolling table, she lays out all she has in order of necessity then grabs some eye drops from a nearby cupboard. 

“Uchiha-san,” Sakura’s tone borders mechanic as she recites courtesies from memory. “I’m going to asks you some questions. Try to answer them as best as you can. If you can’t answer any of the questions, do not force it.”

She removes tips from plastic casings, fitting it to the exam equipment then fits her hands into a pair of latex gloves.

“Do you know where you are?” she questions and adjusts the overhead light to get a better view of his face without blinding him.

Itachi takes a moment. Keen greens eye watch for any sign of distress as he appears to think. Years in the medical field and years with Sasuke have taught her to look underneath the stoic expression of an Uchiha. Itachi holds still, not even a noticeable raise or fall in his chest, for nearly a minute. For anyone else, it can be seen as a mental struggle to sort information but Sakura knows that he’s not struggling with the location but some other thing amongst the million that seem to cloud the minds of people from his clan.

Finally barely, he nods without eye contact.

She quickly proceeds to the next question in a series of standard ones with such a patient.

“Do you know how you got here?”

Immediately his heart rate jumps. Sakura looks to the monitor at the sudden increase in blood pressure. But just like earlier, the older shinobi manages to pull himself back into control.

I’ll take that as a yes . Sakura reasons

It’s a reaction and sufices enough for her that he has not forgotten his battle with Sasuke. Her eyes narrow a fraction but she quickly stuffs the resentful thought away and reaches for the eye drops.

Sakura takes a step towards him, keeping her movements visible to him at all times.

“Tilt your head back, please.” 

Itachi’s eyes drift back to her. Sakura looks placidly down at him though her pulse is near erratic.

Stop looking at me. Stop looking at me. Stop looking at me.

He doesn’t.

Itachi does however ease back against the pillow. Black eyes watch her critically in silence as she places one hand just above his eye lid. The Uchiha doesn’t flinch as she administers the medicine. Sakura tries to ignore it, tries to hide how unnerved she is by his attention and staring without so much as blinking. 

“Close your eyes please,” she instructs and moves away from him quickly when he does so. 

It’s a small moment of privacy but enough for Sakura allow herself to physically cringe, ball her fist and release it before grabbing the ophthalmoscope. A shiver runs down her spine and she resists the urge to do anything drastic.

Doctor first.

She reminds herself. Exhaling, the young woman walks the few steps back to the bed. Immediately Itachi opens his eyes. Without giving him a moment, she shines light from the ophthalmoscope directly into his eyes. Itachi’s eyes take on a charcoal grey color when the his pupils dilate. By contrast, his pupils are much darker and that, for some reason, makes Sakura feel a bit more at ease, knowing she’s not looking a deep black void of a soulless man. 

Everything looks fine so far. I’ll do a more thorough exam later .

Satisfied, Sakura pulls back and in doing so accidentally brushes his arm as she moves. She jerks away quickly, the sensation leaving her skin burning and face warm. 

“Sorry,” the medic says quickly. Itachi doesn’t respond and Sakura refocuses on her question. “Do you know who I am?”

“Hn,” it is the first noise Itachi makes. It’s rough, like gravel underfoot but audible.

She nods and mentally catalogues his answers. Sakura removes the stethoscope from her neck and leans over him once more. 

“I’m going to check your lungs,” Sakura says to him. “Can you sit up on your own or do you need me to help you?”

A few seconds pass before Itachi’s arms twitch into motion. Sakura gives him room as he moves slowly to a more upright position away from the pillow. When he settles, she presses a stethoscope to the upper right side of his back and focus on her task.

“Inhale for me, please.” she asks.

Itachi obeys and takes a deep breathe. There’s a mild rattling sound that draws her brows together. Sakura moves the stethoscope down a little. “Again.”

He complies throughout the ordeal, wordlessly, deep breathes at every command. She listens with expert ears at the rattling in his organ. The noise seems worse in his left lung than in his right. Noise in general is not good, especially since discovering he has an illness that she hasn’t had the chance to properly diagnose. Given the circumstances surrounding his ‘resurrection’, any little thing is a cause for concern.

They go through the motions in silence, much to her gratitude. Sakura checks his chest as well as his stomach until she’s satisfied. Pulling away from him with a thoughtful exhale, she charts her findings along with the answers to the general questions. She can’t rule out anything at this point. Who knows how long he actually has to live. 

She bites the inside of her cheek, confused at his symptoms and whether they should be any cause for concern. Immediately, she suspects some kind of pneumonia. His clogged lungs attest to as much but the reason behind the immune response is still a puzzling mystery. Even more so because he’s been in a hospital bed for four months with no way of coming into contact with viruses or bacteria. 

Maybe the change in temperature aggravated something…

She grabs pen from her coat’s pocket and starts to write, matching common symptoms to see if she can map a diagnosis. So engrossed in her own thoughts, she starts when Itachi speaks at length.

“I am alive,” his voice is almost a whisper and whiny with disuse but loud enough and deep enough to give her goosebumps. 

He keeps his gaze ahead, hands resting at his side. 

Sakura looks down at him, the tightness in her chest from earlier returns with a vengeance. Her eye twitches at the almost nonchalant way he speaks the obvious. 

Yes, he is alive, at the expense of the brother he claimed to love. 

She blinks then curtly nods.

“Yeah,” she says trying for an air of detachment, then goes back to work. 

“You are here, again.” Itachi continues, suddenly feeling talkative.

Her grip on the pen tightens but Sakura flips through papers and writes more notes, keeping her eyes on her work.

 “I’m your medic, Uchiha-san, that’s my job.” 

Itachi makes a noncommittal sound and inclines his head. Silent settles around them once more, much to her comfort. It’s easier to be his doctor when she isn’t reminded that these are the hands that took Sasuke’s life. 

Sakura sits the clipboard down and goes to check his IV fluid dangling from his bedside, trying to stay distracted. Being in this room, being near him reminds her so much of Sasuke that her fingers fidget a little as she adjusts the bag. His dark hair and even darker eyes, the distant and disinterested way he looks is almost too much. 

“Sakura,”

The whisper startles her. Clumsily she misses the hook for the IV bag and juggles it precariously in her hands less it falls to the floor. 

“Crap!” she hisses as she hastily manages to clench it to her chest. 

“What” Sakura demands, and glares at Itachi. 

There’s a slight frown tugging at his lips and his eyes harden towards the door. On instinct she looks at it, thinking someone may be coming in. She watches it a few seconds and looks back at him to see if he’s looked elsewhere. 

Itachi keeps his gaze straight ahead, silent. She can feel herself growing annoyed with him stopping her only to just stare off in the distance at nothing. 

Her temper pushes towards the surface. She turns to face him, placing her hands and the IV bag on her hips. “Did you have something you ne--”

Before she can finish, Itachi tightens his grip on the sheets just as the heart monitor beeps in warning of a cardiac emergency. 

“Itachi? Itachi!” Sakura exclaims.

Her eyes widen slightly as she watches the charted spike in heart rate. Tossing the IV at the foot of bed, Sakura moves quickly and places a hand on his chest. Small tremors rock his shoulders. His erratic heartbeat is so sudden that she’s unsure where to focus her attention at the moment. Immediately her hands glow green and she presses them over his heart, trying to find the problem.

“Itachi?” Sakura calls, hoping for some type of response. 

The Uchiha clenches his jaws and bares his teeth as the tremors travel down through his legs. 

It takes a few seconds for her to realize he’s partially paralyzed and the jerks are all involuntary. 

There’s nothing blocking the arteries and blood flow is there just way too fast! A panic attack, maybe? Of all the things to have right now!’

She grabs him by the chin and forces his face in her direction to check for any signs of something more serious.

“Breath, Uchiha.” Sakura demands, trying to stop whatever is causing this odd reaction. There is no way he’s having a heart attack. Honoka would have spotted the signs earlier. Would the breathing exercises have triggered something so adverse?

It’s more like a seizure but his eyes aren’t shift and there’s no foaming at the mouth. By all accounts she shouldn't have been able to speak if that were the case.

The only thing she can rightly deduce is that he’s hyper reacting to something and needs to calm down.

Like right now.

“Deep breathes,” she instructs and tries to get him to lay down. “Open your mouth.”

She expects immediate compliance but Itachi did almost the exact opposite, turning his glare on her, daring almost with a hint of confused malice. She can swear the air in the room drops several degrees as a cool fear snakes up her spine. The monitor’s beeps turn frantic and faster as they hold eye contact. 

Itachi is not listening, not exactly. He’s fighting his body’s response, trying to will it to do something else. The suppressed tremor gives her that much. But his eyes, hard and deep and black keeps her from doing more to aid him. Sakura wants to look away at anything but Itachi’s eyes will not let her. He holds her there with a gaze so cold, so strong her knees weaken. She is almost sure that, if not for the fact that he cannot use his Sharingan, he would have used it in that moment.

‘Wait!’

It clicks then. 

Sakura narrows her eyes at him as his body’s distress becomes more clear. His skin starts to glisten with sweat, most likely cold sweats, she thinks. When his lips start to tint, Sakura annoyingly growls.

“Itachi, you need to stop, right now.”

The warning goes unheeded. Growing frustrated, she contemplates just knocking him out. But there were risks to that at this point. He could go back into a coma and not come out this time.

She pauses on that thought.

No not now, brain!

 She chides herself, and charges chakra to her hands then place them on his temples. 

“This is gonna hurt, Itachi, but it’s better than suffocating.” Sakura warns then forces her own chakra into his temples to temporary shock the nerves around his eyes.

There’s a beat before the tremors turn more spastic. The Uchiha hisses between clenched teeth as his body spasms and jerks.

Then his eyes roll.

“Don’t you dare!” Sakura yells and hits him hard in the back to get air back into his lungs and, hopefully oxygen to his brain less he has a full on seizure. 

Itachi’s lip twitches then he lurches before a harsh, unforgiving coughing fit takes him. Immediately, she slaps her hand over his mouth, just as the bloody mucus in his lungs spurts out between her fingers. It’s perhaps one of the most reckless and unsanitary thing she’s done as a medic but the way Itachi’s weight leans into her palm, she doubts he can lift his own hands to catch his blood. She places a hand to his back as the coughing continues to wreck him. One hand is quickly becoming too small as the blood drips into the sheets. Sakura’s not as concerned with this as she is his heart rate. It seems he’s stopped trying to use his Sharingan, because the beeping slows. 

But that clearly hasn’t helped his lungs. 

She keeps her gaze away, looking at the wall behind them grumbling to herself while the man before her tries to catch his breath. The episode lasts less than a minute but it takes a few moments for the Uchiha to stop shaking and leaning into her.Whatever sympathy she would have for a patient in this situation is lost for him.

Itachi’s labored breath struggles to get under control. Sakura jerks her hand away when he moves then forces him into the pillow before stalking over to the biohazard bin to dispose of her soiled gloves. More than her fear and frustration, her angry fuels her actions as she walks towards the sink.

Half expecting him to have passed out by now, his voice only serves to irritate her further. “Sakura,” Itachi calls then coughs more.

She pointedly ignores him, glaring into the sink as she adamantly scrubs her hands with soap. 

“Sakura,” he repeats between deep exhales.

Warning bells should have gone off, but her temper overrides all of that. Her brow twitch in impatience, her temper struggles as her thoughts bounce between different ways to give him a good beating for being so reckless. She washes her hands raw then reaches for one of the wrapped plastic cups on the counter. They keep bottled water in a cupboard above the sink, she grabs one then yanks off the plastic wrapping on the cup. If not for the IV in his arm and feeding tub lodged in his side, she would have hit him. But Itachi isn't Naruto. Had the blond pulled what happened moments ago, the last thing she'd offer him was fresh water.  

“You shouldn’t be talking right now.” she flippantly orders, carrying both cup and bottle to Itachi’s bedside. “Drink it.”

Itachi furrows his brows and juts his chin at her, refusing. The medical ninja licks her lips to keep from splintering the plastic at his defiance. 

“Fine,” Sakura chides, “Don’t drink it. But I am not offering my hand if you choke again.”

She slams it on the nightstand by his bedside and moves away, going back towards the sink. 

“Saku--”

The pinkette cuts him off, agitated at his stupid Uchiha stubbornness for doing something so thoughtless. “As your medic I’m telling you to be quiet, Uchiha.”

“Why?”

Sakura whirls around and scowls.

“Because you have blood and mucus in your lungs and all over my sheets. You just woke up from a coma. A coma , Uchiha. Do you know what that means?  Muscles like your vocal chords are weak from disuse. You are weak and malnourished and the only reason you’re able to do anything is because you’ve been liquid fed vitamins.”

Sakura waves her hands angry at him and gestures at his hunched form. “ So while you’re trying to jump start into normalcy as if you’ve been asleep, your body is going into shock wondering what the hell it is you think it’s capable of after doing absolutely nothing for the past four months.”

Before he can retort she turns away, slamming cupboard doors in her wake. She snatches paper towels and dries her hands before reaching above the sink to put on more latex gloves. 

“By the way, that stunt you just pulled was stupid.” she adds as she snaps her left glove in place and grumbles the latter part to herself. “Four months in a freaking coma and you try to use chakra. Idiot.”

“Why can I not?” Itachi asks hostilely.

She looks down her nose at him. “It’s called a chakra seal. It keeps your chakra at a low state.”

Itachi shakes his head and levels an accusatory look her way. “My eyes.”

“Are you serious?” Sakura counters. “Did everything I just say go over your head? You’re in a hospital, Itachi! Under surveillance by at least four Anbu mind you, and you’re asking me about your dojutsu now?”

Itachi doesn’t so much as flinch at her outburst and sets his features. “You will answer my questions.”

Sakura meets his glare with stubbornness of her own. “You’re not exactly in positions to make demands.”

“You are my medic, are you not?”

“That has nothing to do wit-”

“My eyes ,” Itachi cuts her off. “I cannot feel the chakra at all. Tell me why.”

Sakura blinks at the coldness with which he regards her. For a moment she stops her rant as the weight of Itachi discontentment settles in the room. 

Anger falters in way of nerves. 

She swallows but holds her ground. “You had...I performed a surgery on your eyes while you were in coma.”

“Explain.”

The storm in Itachi’s scowl turns more violent and Sakura fights not to flinch as she does as he asks. 

“It’s a temporary surgery that closes the chakra pathway to your eyes so you can’t access your dojutsu. It was a safety measure, ordered by the Hokage to go along with the chakra seals. Since we know the Sharingan can be triggered by emotions, he thought it best for you not to have access to it...given the situation.”

Itachi blinks. “The situation?”

Sakura finds her will again and snarkily replies, “ Yes. Because, as far as everyone knows, you’re Konoha’s number one family killing missing-nin.”

Her condescending response is met with silence. However, Itachi’s eyes are no less accusing. They stare at each other across the expanse of the hospital room.  The medic in her notes his hostile response and, suddenly, it occurs to her that maybe...maybe he doesn't remember.

She shifts her weight then ask in a slightly softer tone, “Do you know what the situation is? Do you remember what hap-”

“You healed me.” he interjects. “The Hokage gave me an order. I completed the mission. Now I am here with you, again .”

His words are empty of feeling. Of sorrow. Of remorse. But no less accusatory towards her, as if she's done some great wrong against him. 

It only serves to make her angrier. “Yes, again . Which, by the way, you’re welcome for me saving your life twice.”

“A necessary task to complete your orders. Surely if not for the Hokage commissioning you, you would have chosen an alternative.” 

Sakura bristles and counters, “I took an oath to my patients , not the Hokage. My job is to save lives, whether I am told to or not. Whether I like the person or not is relevant.”

Itachi hums and narrows his eyes, “Then you chose to resurrect me both?”

“No,” Sakura quickly replies.

“You would have chosen another if the mission did not dictate otherwise.”

Sakura’s stomach turns sour at the truth of his words and the callousness with which he speaks them. “So that’s it, huh? He was just another mission on your list?”

Itachi looks away from her, towards the door. “Was it your mission to leave me defenseless?”

Sakura smacks her teeth. “I’m acting on orders.”

“As was I.”

“Don’t change the subject!” Sakura yells then bites her tongue.

Itachi’s eyes glance at her and then away. At length, he closes his eyes and replies. “Sasuke was a threat to the village. Nothing more could be done.”

“He was…!” Sakura catches herself and forces down the lump in her throat and heart, “Nevermind.” 

She bites her cheek and, not caring about winning this little standoff, walks towards the cabinet in the corner of the room. She can feel his eyes on her, though she wishes he would not stare. Whether he’s glaring or just watching, she can’t say. It doesn’t matter, because now more than even she just wants to leave. 

I swear to God I’m gonna kill you when I see you, Ino.

She takes a medium blue bowl from the top shelf and tucks it under her arms. Under the first shelf a folded table is tucked against the wall. She makes quick work of getting it out and assembling it to its upright position so she can sit the bowl on top. 

“I’m going to clear the blood from your lungs so I’m going to need you to sit back.” Sakura informs in a gentler voice, sensing his unpleasant mood. 

Itachi, surprisingly, lays down without hesitation as she wheels the bowl over to him. Sakura keeps her gaze on his chest and sets to work with pulling the blood from his lungs. She focuses all of her energy and all of her emotions into the task. When she chances a glance at his face, Itachi’s eyes were closed. Knowing this makes it even easier to focus on removing the liquid. The procedure is timely but not hard. Thankfully, she doesn't have too much where she has to stand there all night. 

Once the last drop is removed, she makes a note to have Honoka administer a round of antibiotics. Sakura also collects a sample of the blood and mucus for further testing. After taking a swab of his salvia, Sakura quickly leaves the room with no desire to go back.

“Busy morning’’

Sakura startles for the second time that night. “Jeez, Kakashi-sensei, don't sneak up on me like that.”

“Standing in the hallway hardly counts as ‘sneaking’. There are more subtle ways to do it than this.”

The medic smacks her teeth and moves around him to get away from the door. 

“It's too early for any of this, “Sakura reasons and shifts the saliva sample and clipboard to one hand. “Did you get my message?”

“Yes,” Kakashi drawls and rocks on his heels, “I heard blackbird was awake but no one warned me about his fiery medic.”

Sakura rolls her eyes at his comment and looks elsewhere. “I'm tired and a little cranky so say what you have to say so I can bring these samples to the lab.”

“Do that first, then come back.” Kakashi instructs and the change of his tone cause her to look his way. 

His grey eye looks both lazy and steady at her, all traces of playfulness gone. 

This time warning bells do go off and she cautiously ask, “Why?”

Kakashi’s eye drifts up as he eases hands into his pocket. “Come back here when you're done. I have a mission for you.”

“For me?”

“For both of you.” Kakashi clarifies.

The words register slow, the implication of the Hokage’s command come after. 

Sakura closes her eyes and purses her lips to keep everything from spilling out at once. 

There's a proverb she knows that comes to mind:

“If you save a life you become responsible for it.”

Words have never rung truer until now. Whatever the mission, Sakura knows it will tie her Itachi in some way, shape or form.

One inhale.

Then another. 

She bottles her anger, seals it tight, then turns on her heels toward the elevator. With one word she quietly accepts the unwelcome hand fate so cruelly dealt her. 

“Ok.”

Chapter Text

Line 1: Alluding to the Illusion:

"I carry your heart with me (I carry it in

my heart)..."

-"I Carry Your Heart"

-Line 1, Stanza 1

by E.E Cummings

Silence permeates the air, thick and almost oppressive in its presence, dropping the temperature of the room several more degrees. 

It’s true that Konoha’s winters vary but this one is not as freezing as it could be. Although there is a potential chance of snow, there is no reason for the Hokage’s office to feel any of the biting drafts of wind from outside. 

That does not in anyway stop Sakura from shivering and shifting her weight, rubbing at her elbow and gnawing on her bottom lip. Nor does it stop the tingles of cold dread from making her stomach clench and contract as if trying to shrivel up and pull all of her body heat to the center. 

Her sensations of cold are most definitely false as evident from the sweat beads at the nap of her neck, tickling light hairs as it slides down the collar of her shirt. There is a source for this phantom freezing and it’s sitting across from her in a gigantic chair just staring. 

The loudest thing in the room is her bobbing jugular as she swallows and watches and waits for some type of answer. It’s been a hell of a long time since Kakashi made her nervous but his silence is messing her up all kinds of ways on the inside. The fact that she’s functioning on less than 6 hours of sleep spanning three days, makes her twitch at a simple, lazy blink. 

It’s the first response in the full five minutes of their stare down. Sakura counted. At the three hundredth second, the Hokage’s dull grey eyes flicker down to the thickly bound book laid out on his desk. 

Her pulse escalates in hope.

Sakura stretches her eyes to see his next action. Hands tightly clasped behind her back, the high ranking kunoichi balances precariously on tiptoes, glancing between the document she’s so carefully drafted and her former sensei. He takes his time with placing gloved fingers on the opened page then gradually turns it. 

Sweat trickles down the middle of her back. Sakura licks her top lip and stares intently at the Hokage. She knows what chapter he’s turned to, could recite it verbatim if he asks. It’s by far her favorite and seeing Kakashi’s gray eyes glued to the pages only makes her nervousness and impatience at his reaction more apparent. 

If Kakashi notices her poorly concealed restlessness, he does a great job at playing calm. He keeps his head slightly down, looking at the pages on the book before him. Actually it is not a book at all, but a proposal composed by Konoha’s lead medic.

It is the size of a book though. For Sakura being as thorough as she is, included clauses and sub clauses and sub sub clauses to every recommendation. This particular set of recommendation took the longest time and the most research. It’s why it is her favorite section in the entire proposal. Now Kakashi can share in her joy or at least she hopes he will feel the same joy she felt when typing this up. 

So she waits. Impatiently but quiet, watching for any sign of approval.

Outside a gust of wind blows, swaying distant trees. Sakura glances away at the window behind Kakashi, noting the height of the moon.

I can’t wait to sleep . She thinks. 

A remissful sigh escapes, distracting her from Kakashi and her work long enough to regret the approaching crash of too much coffee and soldier pills. 

At least I finished with this. I’ll have to take at least a day off for it but tomorrow shouldn’t be too tragic. With exception to that one case, any other major surgeries are done and no one is due back from missions tomorrow...

Her thoughts travel in speculation. Sakura stares out of the window, pondering possible freak accidents that would warrant her to scrub in. How long her reverie goes, she’s unsure but it’s long enough for the unbroken silence to register.

Kakashi hasn’t said a word.

Green eyes flicker from the window down to the book.

The Hokage hasn’t moved an inch in any sense of the word. Not even reading.

He’s still on the same page, hand still in the same spot, gaze blaringly unfocused.

Sakura blinks once then frowns.

Has he even…?

Groaning inwardly she drops down to her heels. Nerves, the silence and the cold win out over patience. Her temper that she’s been smothering from the time she’s entered this office forces her to take two steps towards the desk. Kakashi glances up as her hand comes down over the heading and taps the page.

“The parameters of these clauses extends beyond the clinics,” Sakura clarifies. 

Kakashi raises a brow.

Sakura waits for more of a reaction to her statement.

The Hokage offers none.

She huffs and further elaborates, “I believe it’s important to make preventative measures with regards to current and future kunoichi hoping to have children. There needs to be failsafes.”

The Copy Ninja’s lips dip into a frown beneath his mask and, if it is impossible, he looks even bored than he did a few seconds ago. 

Sakura’s brow twitches at his lackluster response to her dedication and efforts to improve an outdated system.

The last time Konoha took a step back to examine its medical and social practices was the Second and Third Shinobi War and that’s been decades ago. She’s spent the last few months of her life bathing in updated solutions and the only thing Kakashi offers is a blink.

Don’t get upset. She mentally chants. He’s lazy and everybody knows it. Let’s try this again, shall we?

“The current programs we have in place aren’t exactly the most efficient. We already have an orphanage flooded with children that Kabuto is looking after. I believe if there were more options for women other than have a baby and leave the service, we can limit the number of orphaned children. Also, if you turn a few pages,”

She does the liberty for him and Kakashi moves his hand back to his lap to allow her to turn the pages.

“I also suggest an adoption service just in case. It’s something Temari told me they have in Suna and I think it’s a good…”

Kakashi’s eyes drift and stare longing at the large window.

“...idea…” Sakura trails off and stands straight then looks at the window out into the night skyline of her beloved village. She frowns. “I know it’s late but…”

“Yes it is.” 

It’s the first words Kakashi’s uttered since his initial questioning of why she came banging on his office door well past midnight. 

“This work is very extensive,” grey eyes shift back to greens ones. “And detailed.”

A part of Sakura swells with pride at what she considers a hardy compliment. Mentally she partly forgives him for not taking her work seriously.

The medical ninja stands straighter and nods, looking elsewhere to avoid a self satisfying girn.

 “It took some time.” Sakura proudly announces. 

“Sakura, why are you here?”

“Huh?”

The Copy-Ninja’s tune turns uncompromising, bordering on accusatory as he questions.

Kakashi repeats. “Why are you here ?”

His tone washes over like ice, cooling her pride instantly and drawing unsureness that makes her fidget. “Because of the proposal.”

Sakura looks at the book and gestures to it. “I wanted to discuss some of the details with you, hash out particulars.”

“Ah,” the Hokages tone is less than satisfied.

“I figured you'd still be here when I finished so-"

Kakashi’s grey brow tentatively rises, “When you finished? Did you do all of this tonight?”

“No!” Sakura quickly and defensively answers. “I did the final edits tonight. It took me nearly three days to type all of this and months of research. “

To her surprise, the Copy Ninja whistles and leans back in his chair. “Impressive.”

“Very,” her retort borders sarcasm and she crosses her arms. “So are you going to read It?”

Grey eyes ponder the ceiling for far longer than Sakura thinks is necessary before he offers a curt and short, “No.”

“No?”

“Not yet,” his clarification doesn't make his answer any less cryptic or annoying. 

“Why not?”

Kakashi reaches to close the proposal, in the process of pushing it aside next to the other piles and piles of papers on his desk. “For reasons,”

Quickly, before she can register, a firm hand comes down on top the paper and stops the physical dismissal of her hard work. Green eyes met grey and she cocks a brow at him. 

She is already being bold, Sakura pushes the envelope and dares to question. 

“What reasons?” she presses.

Kakashi doesn't seem the least bit fazed by her display. Inwardly Sakura is sure he's just waiting for her to move her hand as evident by the way he looks down and stares longing at her fingertip. In moments like these, she's both aware and grateful that her former sensei is also the Hokage, small acts of defiance tend to go unpunished. 

Sakura’s never been more tempted to push her luck with this until now. 

“Why won't you look at it?” she reiterates, a little softer this time. 

Kakashi shifts his gaze back to her. Sakura swallows, expecting an answer that her Hokage offers minutely.

“Well first,” he drawls and pushes his chair back, “I want to go have a shower. For that, I need to go home. Second,”

He stands and steps from behind the desk. Sakura eyes him as he shimmer his way around a stack of documents to the other side of his desk where she stands still half bent over holding her proposal. Kakashi strolls over to a wooden coat rack and pulls off his Hokage hat. With a deep sigh he shakes out naturally light grey hair then places the hat at the top of the rack.

Sakura furrows her brows as she watches his back, waiting for him  to continue where he left off.

He doesn't.

He does, however, remove his robe, shake it a little then drapes it on the front most hook. Kakashi grabs his lower back with both hands and leans back until it cracks. He rocks to the left, then the right, aligning his spine with every shift. If not for the fact that she's sure he is just messing with her by ignoring her on purpose, Sakura would have told him that his movements were extremely unhealthy to do when his muscles were not warmed up first. She glares at his back, pulls herself upright and crossed her arms.

“ Ahem? ” Sakura impatiently questions.

Kakashi looks over his shoulder at her and asks in a voice way too sweet to not be sarcastic. “Hm?”

“Kakashi!” Sakura exclaims.

“Whatever happened to respecting elders and leaders of villages?”

The medical jounin grunts and rolls her eyes. “The second reason, Lord Hokage ?”

“Oh. That.”

He turns his head back before turning around to face her. The seriousness in his older and wiser grey eyes make her stand straighter. Kakashi walks up to her and Sakura feels her anger cool when he stares down his nose at her. Instantly she’s reminded of her genin days when this man offered some offbeat but true wisdom. No matter how smart she is or how old she gets, Kakashi will always be older.

When her former sensei finally speaks, he punctuates every word. “ You need to go home.”

Sakura opens her mouth but closes it just as quickly, coming up short for words. She looks down at the floor, trying to decipher his intention. There is always more with Kakashi, layers to his words. So she thinks a bit before meeting his gaze once more. 

“I have been home,” she defends, “I did everything like I was supposed to and the mission report was given to Shizuen. I'm sure she put it on--”

“I have it,” Kakashi says cryptically, “But it's rather...brief. As were the other two from three days ago.”

“There wasn’t stipulations on length before.”

“True,” Kakashi agrees, “But I expect a briefing from a mission to be less...brief, more thorough, as thorough as is possible.”

“Every detail was included.” Sakura defends but Kakashi quickly cuts her off.

“Summarized in a rushed one page document. As a jounin, I expect you to take your mission seriously, Sakura.”

She bites the inside of her cheek at the reprimand and squares her shoulders “I do take this seriously.”

Kakashi rocks light on his heels and offhandedly replies “And yet you’re here, while the person you are assigned to keep an eye is elsewhere.”

Sakura glares this time and crosses her arms in defense. “There’s an Anbu stationed around the premises.”

Kakashi nods, “Very true and we’ve only chosen the best of the best. But that Anbu does not have the wherewithal to outmaneuver a Mangekyou Sharingan.” 

“Itachi doesn’t even have his Sharingan anymore!”

“Because of you.”

Sakura throws her arms up in defeat. “You do realize that I’m Konoha’s lead medic, right? My missions are both on and off the field. You can’t expect me to neglect one for the other.”

“I expect you to be a well balanced shinobi, able to perform in all capacities. Regardless of the number of mission as is your rank, no duty should be replaced with another. Particularly when one of your missions require constant supervision.”

Sakura flushes as both anger and embarrassment aries simultaneously. She came in here for a consultation of sorts and is instead met with the third degree.

 “You have got to be kidding me” She challenges, “You’re making it sound like I’m shrinking my duties and that this mission is somehow more important or dangerous than treating poison patients.”

Kakashi nods once. “Closer to my original point, yes.”

This time she smacks her teeth in defiance and folds her arms. “It’s been four years. If he was going to do something to us, he would have done it already.”

“That’s a dangerous assumption, Sakura. What gives you the authority to say such a thing?”

“Four years of guard duty!” Sakura exclaims. 

He jerks his head in agreement and offers some common ground. “Fair enough, you’ve been around him for some time. That doesn’t change the fact that he was once the most wanted missing nin in this village.”

“For reasons that had nothing to do with his own plans! Was he not on your Anbu team? Wasn’t it you that conjured up this mission in the first place? If Itachi was going to be a threat to us all, I highly doubt you would have wanted to reintegrate him back into Konoha from the start.”

For a second, Kakashi says nothing. Sakura wades in the joy of shutting him up for a few seconds. 

That is, until he speaks again. 

“As your Hokage, I’m going to repremind you on your lapse in judgment by underestimating a known threat. Regardless of my reasoning, we both know Itachi can be motivated to do something if it fits his convictions.” Kakashi observes.

Sakura looks away, both embarrassed and defeated while Kakashi continues.

“As a friend,” he hedges and takes a step closer, “I’m going to overlook that lapse for the moment. Is something wrong, Sakura?”

“Huh?” she questions, suddenly caught off guard.

The air in the room shifts and Sakura watches as the man before her struggles for words. Whether Kakashi really means that’s she slacking off or he’s just trying to get her angry enough to leave, she isn't sure. But the last question leaves her heart beating faster for a different reason.

She hates these questions. At any given moment she can swing between being ‘okay’ and having a total meltdown. So drastic are her mood swings that picking one is almost impossible. 

Is she okay?

Depends on the second of the day the question is asked . She thinks bitterly and frowns. 

As of this moment, Sakura is more confused than anything. This has less to do with the ‘normal’ humdrum of her life and more to do with the man avoiding eyeing contact as he scratches his hair.

“It’s been awhile…” Kakashi finally hedges, “Maybe time has made you lax?”

Avoiding eye contact, the medical jounin releases the tension in her shoulders.

I should have known he wasn’t trying to be mean. I swear Kakashi has the oddest ways of showing concern.

Sakura uses the desks as a leaning post, pressing her lower against it as she slouches. When she speaks, her words come calm and slow.

“It’s not that. Itachi has one more year of this monitored probation before he’s free. We both can agree that he’s not stupid. Trust me, I’d be the first to say that my trust in Itachi is minimal at best.” 

She glances at him and shrugs one shoulder as she tries to clarify without inciting more concern than necessary. “ Do I think he has the ability to be nefarious? Absolutely. But he’s not a man without a cause. He doesn’t act just because. Years ago, his motivation was Sasuke. Now that Sasuke’s gone, Itachi doesn’t have a reason to do anything.”

To her surprise, Kakashi crinkles his eyes and jokes, “If I didn't know better, I’d think you were his wife.”

The words make her grimace and look away from him, frowning. The ease she felt a few seconds ago is washed out with an odd feeling of detachment. Though a lot transpired in the four years since she took the mission to be Itachi's watchman, certain things still make her uncomfortable.

“That’s not funny” she retorts and looks obliquely at her former teacher.

“I’m simply making an observation. Your defense was so...well thought out.”

“I was defending myself .”

“It was riddled with so much passion, I almost thought you two were lovers.”

“I’m going to throw something at you.” 

“Now, now, no need to beat up an old man.”

“Stop saying stuff like that.”

He holds up his hands up defensively and peeks around them at her. Kakashi tentatively offers, “Friends, then?”

“Partners ,” Sakura corrects, “on an assignment that should be under review in three days." 

“Someone sounds ready to be relieved of duty. Is that why you’re avoiding going home to chat about reports that can definitely wait until morning?” Kakashi pauses then admends, “Later in the morning.”

Of course he would catch it. Sakura thinks sourly and sighs. “I’m not...avoiding…”

Her former senesi raises a challenging brow, she clarifies. “I really wanted to get these reports done. It has nothing to do with Itachi. Honest.”

When Kakashi says nothing, Sakura insists. “Really, when I need a break from Itachi I take one but I’m okay. ”

Just as quickly as her solution rangs out, the old man offers a crinkled smirk behind his mask, “I believe you, Sakura. ” Kakashi practically sings.

His tone throws her for a loop and Sakura pulls back in confusion. “What?”

“Far be it for me to get between a lover's quarrel.”

“Kakashi, I swear,”

“But ,” Kakashi hums then placing a hand on either of her shoulders, he forces her around towards the door. “if things get too out of hand, I'll take meddling into further consideration.”

“Further?” Sakura questions, looking over her shoulder as she’s gentle but hardly subtle pushed out of the office. “Meaning you’ve already given some consideration…?”

“You don’t miss a thing do you, Sakura? Did I tell you you were always my favorite?” His eye crinkle increases, raising alarm bells like the night Kakashi told her about her current mission. 

“Liar,” Sakura accuses, “What are you up to?”

“Itachi’s unique situation hasn’t gone unnoticed. But we’ll talk more about that another day. Until then,”

He gives her a not so gentle shove into the hall. Sakura stumbles over the carpet. Catching her footing she turns around just in time for Kakashi to give her a half hearted two finger salute.

“Later,” he greets before the telltale pop and puff of smoke reveals the clone she’s been conversing with for the past half hour.

Sakura glares at the closed door and grumbles. “Jerk. I need to shower my butt! And what unique situation!”

There’s no use in arguing with the vapors of a shadow clone so the distinguish medic turns away, leaving the Hokage Tower for the walk home. She doesn’t have to walk. There are plenty of rooftops that will make this journey much quicker. But days of energy spent leaves her exhausted. She exhales and rubs her shoulders, deciding on the longer way though longer is relative. Walking always gives her time to reflect and reflecting usually lends itself to clarity.

Sometimes I feel like I never grow out of my own shadow. Take me seriously for once!

Strolling along empty streets kissed by midnight frost, the medical jounin tugs at the hood of her coat and scowls at nothing.

While Kakashi may have meant well, it almost always comes across as misogynistic. When I need help, I’ll ask for it. Trust me a little when I say I know what I’m doing. Yeah Itachi can be a challenge but I wouldn’t lie! Those reports took me days to work through and are worth looking over.

 Breathe comes out in visible white huffs. Sakura tucks her chin in the top of her coat and watches her feet. 

“He didn’t mean it like that, I know…” she mumbles to herself. “Get over yourself, Sakura. You’re well pass the age of needing to prove yourself. I’ve done so much...this mission’ll be another milestone I’ve passed.”

She walks the rest of the way in silence. It takes all of twenty minutes to walk the lamp lit streets to her little house on the corner. Separated from its neighbors by two Sango-Kaku trees and a cluster of juniper shrubs pressed against an oak fence, the modest abode blends with the modern turns of the city while retaining lots of traditional flare.

This place was custom built just for them. A gift of sorts from Kakashi to make this mission more a success and an easier pill to swallow. Neighbors are there but not too close. A God sent considering the twist and turns their mission has taken. On the far reaches of a growing neighborhood close enough to the old Uchiha Compound that it doesn’t seem unusual for them to settle there. Yet still a stone’s throw from civilization that if anything should happen, it can be seen from the Hokage Tower and acted upon immediately.

Sakura walks the short path that winds through the gate in their front yard. Illuminated by tiny flood lights, something Itachi installed years ago, she takes the two short steps to the sleek, modern black door.

Distance movement tingles on the edges of her awareness. Sakura pauses and looks up towards the roof. A gentle gust makes her turn around to the Anbu crouched on her fence. 

“Sakura-san,” Dog greets with an inclination of his head.

“Oh it’s you,” Sakura offers a soft smile of gratitude, “Thanks for staying again tonight. Anything to report?”

“Uchiha is routine, rarely diverges.” Dog juts his chin at the window. “ It’s quiet. He’s probably sleeping.”
Hopefully , Sakura thinks but wisely keeps those words to herself. 

“Yeah that sounds about right. The Hokage’s left the office. I advise giving him the mission report in the morning.”

With a nod, Dog disappears. Sakura opens the door to darkness and the sweet earthy smell of juniper wood. Sakura takes her time with removing her shoes in the entryway. She looks around as her eyes adjust to the dim lights coming from the kitchen. The tendrils of normalcy echo in the layout of her living room and a small hallway containing the stairs. A wedding photo strategically placed on the end table, Sakura switches on the lamp to give herself more light. There’s another set of frames on the mantle, some of them, some of Sakura as a child. None of Itachi before returning to the village. But the picture of Team Seven rests in the middle of all of them, a reminder of what Sakura is doing all of this for. 

Despite the ruse, she has tried to make this place more of a home for her over the years. It is her home, no matter how she slices it. Sakura wanders into the kitchen for something to chew on before bed. Sliding open the shoji doors, a small white box with a note sitting in the middle of the table greets her. Sakura glances around the kitchen and dining room combo, noting things that are his and things that are hers, she spots the thing she knew would be waiting for her.

“If that’s dinner”, green eyes swing to the table, “what’s this?”

A weariness takes her. She walks suspiciously to the table and kneels, picks up the note and gets a waft of something...sweet. She flips open the paper and settles on her knees. Itachi’s small, but pristine script reads:

‘Hinata made a chocolate tart assuming you would be home. The remainder of which is here as well as the recipe she wished to share. She also brought some new tea from Naruto’s last trip to the Land of Tea. It is a type of kombucha that pairs well with the tart. The kombucha is in the refrigerator. Dinner is near the stove.’

“Oh, Hinata made cake!” she softly exclaims and repositions herself to lean over the white box.

Tossing the note aside, she pulls off the lid only to be greeted with a mostly eaten tart save maybe two decent slices. 

“...and Itachi ate most of it…”

Sakura sighs, closes the tart box and goes to the dinner instead. She’s not terribly hunger for a full meal and the cake isn’t her ideal ‘small bite’ so she places them both in the fridge for tomorrow.

“I’ll be off so at least I have something already precooked.” 

She leaves the kitchen in favor a shower. Up the stairs, more reminders of a mission that’s take four years and counting. Sakura passes a small vase in the short hallway, the only keepsake from Itachi’s childhood. Not a year ago, a similar object was a casualty in a turbulent partnership. Things are better, not the best but better than they were. Sakura makes due with what she has. Itachi hardly ever fusses. They move with and around each other, not quite friends, no longer enemies. They have to work together or this entire mission falls apart. So somethings are inevitable, like her knowing his affinity for sweets, and him making sure she has food after long nights spent at the hospital.

Their bathroom boost of a much greater partnership. Their home is fitted with only one and a single bedroom for then to ‘share’.

Her shampoo.

His soap.

Her comb.

His brush.

Sakura ignores the doubles of items, too tired to dread and too used to it to be sour. They keep their things on opposite sides anyway. So she turns her back to Itachi’s things and hops in the shower for twenty minutes of much needed stress relief. She stays in there until she’s decent, dressed and dried. 

With a tired sigh, she turns off lights both downstairs and upstairs before venturing into the bedroom she shares. It’s too dark for her to see but Sakura doesn’t need light to know there’s someone else’s laying on the other side of the. She’s perfected the art of ignoring him at night. 

Slipping between covers, careful not to cross the barrier they’ve established, she turns her back to Itachi and let’s the day’s worries slip in favor of much needed sleep. 

While Sakura is usually late to bed, Itachi is always early to rise. As winter hums over the sleepy village, Itachi meets morning twilight as his day starts at dawn. He is far from the only person traversing the village before the sun can give enough light to properly be called day. Naruto is awake. Itachi knows this by the pull and signature of chakra near the Uchiha section of Konoah’s Cemetery. His own chakra fuels the genjutsu that only recognizes and allows in a limited few. Every time Naruto or Sakura goes, Itachi always know. It’s a feeling, a tugging at the edges of his awareness that someone passed through the illusion. 

The future Hokage spends the better part of an hour there and when he leaves, a flood of chakra returns to him. Coils loosen to capitalize on and maximize the flow throughout his body. It’s more than just an energy boost, his entire being responds and Itachi jumps backwards, landing on bare feet. 

He’s adjusted to the seals keeping his chakra at more of a sedated state. If anything, the lack thereof forces him to focus more on his muscle’s ability than anything else. Though chakra is more than just fuel for magic tricks, the small boost after more than an hour of being without pooled into different resources is refreshing. His body appreciates it and the skilled shinobi harnesses his new strength by pulling himself upright and squaring his shoulders once more. Before him, an oak tree whose bark is strong enough to withstand the coming assault. Lean muscles flex in preparation. His hands go up near the sides of his face, open palm prepared to strike. His right foot drags backwards. Itachi plants his heel firmly into the dirt and bends his left knee. 

Thank you, Naruto. The outlines of a smirk tug at his lips as anticipation mounts.

Deep breath in and then out again. The cold tickles at his lungs but it’s nothing compared to how it feels against his unclad chest. Today’s conditions make for harsher training. It’s not terribly cold. In fact, if he dons his shirt, he may feel more warmth. But the material is long since discarded next to his bag, leaving Itachi in loose fitting pants and nothing across his chest or on his feet.

He squares off with the tree, coal black eyes narrowed in unwavering concentration. 

Stay focused.

His core braces for an invisible punch, pulling in warmth and adding stability. He waits until his body is solid and still, stacked on top of itself so shoulders and hips and knees lineup with each other. While the center of him is a rock, Itachi keeps his knees flexible. Light on the balls of his right foot, muscles in his hands loose tension and he relaxes his fingers. 

Unwilling to lose concentration over something so mundane as Naruto paying a visit to his brother or let his heart rate drop, Itachi pulls power from his hip, pivots his left foot and swings his right leg up, smashing into the side of the tree with his shin. 

Just as explosive as his kick, his retreat shuffles him around the tree, shoulders rocking as he throws three palm strikes in quick succession. A kick follows, then a shuffle and another barrage of palm strikes. 

Left strike, right strike, elbow, kick and shuffle. 

Itachi dances alone in the forest around a large oak under the winter’s early morning sun. He strikes again, adds a dip and dodge from an invisible enemy then goes on the offensive once more. Sweat and swings fly, his breath puffs out in white vapors.. Hair sways with every extension of his body. Harnessing his new chakra, Itachi adds a little more power to his hits, kicks a bit harder with his left leg and switches feet much faster. 

It’s far too cold for him to properly heat up. His body teeters between sweating to keep cool and shivering to keep warm. Itachi has to regulate his oxygen or he’ll be huffing not five minutes into his routine or end up with hypothermia before this training session ends. Worse still, his lung could fail him and his sickness forces him to cough up blood.  The challenge only makes him attack the oak tree with more vigor. The higher his heart rate the more heat he generates. If he stops moving, he’ll freeze. 

So the dance goes on, the only thing changing is the order with which he strikes the tree. Sometimes a jab, other times an open palm followed by hooks and elbows and kicks both high and low. All the while, he stays agile, always moving, always assessing the battlefield for enemies coming from the left, right and behind.

End it swifty!

Itachi knows that his stamina is quite low, so getting through all of his movements as quickly as possible is essential. He changes stances and shuffles backwards just enough for a running start. Propelling forward, he uses speed to run the length of the tree, as far as gravity and his quads will let him without chakra. Before he can fall, the Uchiha pushes away, arching his back as he soars through the air. 

Quickly, he snatches kunai from his pants pockets. They fly through the air just as gracefully as his body arches through it. Hands at the ready, Itachi pulls his legs up so his body tilts then turns. His fingers slid across the ground. Itachi twists before he falls out of the handstand, then opens his legs and spins around before finally stopping in a deep lunged crouch.

Ten seconds slower.

Brows narrow, Itachi grinds his teeth then lunges for the tree again. This time he runs and kicks away, snatching a kunais from  targets as he bounces between a neighboring oak, gathering all of them before gravity forces him to the dirt on his knees.

Twenty seconds slower. I’ve pushed my limit.

Breathless, muscles burning and feeling slightly lightheaded, Itachi takes a moment to just inhale the crisp cooling air. He stays low and stabs the kunai in the dirt. When he’s sure standing will not be too much, pulls himself up and tilts his head back towards the sky. A canopy of branches hides the sun, letting in small glimpses of light through gray clouds. 

His training is over.

Itachi clears his throat. There’s a mild tightness in his lungs. He wheezes through it and gathers things scattered throughout the forest. The training grounds he frequents is a small portion of what was the old Uchiha Training grounds. Now, it’s an extension of a much larger training area. But most people won’t venture to this edge and Itachi usually has the area to himself. 

He dresses, packs his things, shoulders his bag and walks through the winding paths of untouched forest. So much of the village has changed. Neighborhoods spring up every day. While he understands the need for modernity, a part of him relishes in the days when he walked through trees and on dirt paved roads to the Uchiha Compound. 

He stays on the path for as long as he can before veering off and out of the underbrush, onto the streets that lead in town. There’s no use in going home first. They are lacking food and since he knows that Sakura has slept all of four hours, the shopping falls to him. It’s just as well. Itachi usually does the shopping for the both of them as Sakura’s duties often leave her schedule too heck to squeeze in groceries.

The wind does a great job of drying perspiration. Though his muscles twitch with aches from a lack of stretching (something he makes a mental note to do once he’s inside),  Itachi goes into his bag and puts on his cloak. He tucks his chin inside, covering all the way up to his nose and secures his bag on his shoulder once more. Taking a different route, he turns and heads towards the center of the village.

“Perhaps seafood today,” Itachi muses aloud and starts down the street towards the market. 

He keeps his strides slow and steady. The walk in town is a familiar one. He coasts through Konoha’s streets passing women who watch him in curiosity. 

If time allows, I will pass by the Yamanaka Flower Shop for more seeds. I need more winter plants. I’ll have to move the others inside the screened porch before they die of frostbite.

The winding road opens to buildings. In a few minutes, Itachi walks just enough to touch civilization again as evident by rising smoke from restaurants. Stalls and businesses come into view. Wafts of freshly baked goods and brewed drinks tease the air. Konoha awakens and those who enjoy early morning shopping walk the streets. 

A returning group of genin whisper as he walks by, taking steps back to let him through. Not too far away another group points and giggles. 

Itachi glances at the sky, tracing the position of the sun. From what he can see, it’s still early enough for his favorite venture to be out at the open market.

 “Hopefully, the things I need are still there.” he mutters to himself, and chances a glance at a woman who grabs her daughter’s hand and crosses the street.

She offers him a pretty smile, tinted with a dust of pink on her cheeks. Itachi closes his eyes and lets his instinct carry him the rest of the way. 

“Uchiha-san, looking for something good for dinner?” a chirpy voice calls out to him from inside the bazaar. 

Only one person has the wherewithal to yell at him from feet away. The other venders remain relatively quiet with his approach, the people look up when he ducks under the canopy that shields Konoha’s Morning Market. Through concealed gasps, unimpressive whispers and passing glances, Itachi focuses his eyes on a round and relatively short young woman waving a freshly sliced burdock root. 

“You’re a little late for the morning shopping.” Her smile is bright and genuine.

She offers the root to him and ignores the others who either turn away or watch him with curiosity. “Maybe some kinpira gobo? This baby was pulled fresh today!”

The woman is one of the few who show no outward qualms with him. Normally her stall is further towards the back, though Itachi is pleased to be addressed. It gives the other shopkeepers reason to both ignore him and smile at him. He looks down at the root.

“Minami-san,” he greets her and juts his chin in the direction of her stall. “Do you have carrots?” 

She beams at him. “You bet. Yellow and purple, great for winter. They’re from yesterday’s harvest though, I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

“Not at all.”

“Come browse around, then. I think Kento has some mackerel left from the morning’s shipment. You can make a nice teishoku.”

Minami takes hold of his wrist and pulls him along as she rattles of recipes. Itachi gladly follows behind the woman, allowing himself to be tugged along through the rows of vendors. 

While her excitement is admittedly adorable, Itachi takes a moment to interrupt when she stops babbling to take a breathe. “I was thinking tempura for tonight and eel for lunch.”

Brown eyes swing around and she arches a slightly bushy brow. “Prawns?”

“And earthy vegetables, if possible.”

“A go to meal for you, I see. Hm, I have eggplant and potatoes, white and sweet. Here we are, shop around and I’ll bag the burdock root for you.”

“Hn,” Itachi agrees and stops before the stall.

Minami arranges her items by fruits and vegetables, then separates them further by color. It makes for a spectacular eye catching rainbow effect that appeals to his neat instincts. It’s the thing that drew him to her and her uncle’s store in the first place. Though the older man looked leery upon his approach, Minami greeted him with a smile and thank you for his help against keeping the village safe. Then she quickly followed that up with an apology for having to go against his brother. Her stuttered embarrassment was refreshing and he’s given them his business ever since. 

Itachi takes several small plastic bags and goes about selecting a variety of vegetables and fruits. As he does so, Minami watches him with a small smile from her vantage on a stool near the register. He’s aware of her eyes on him, even more aware that she seems to be debating between speaking or silence. He offers her a bone.

“Has business been slow today, Minami-san?” Itachi inquires while testing the softness of a melon.

The brunette shrugs and waves her hands in a way that can mean confusion and acceptance. “Kind of but not really. I mean, we had customers at day break. The loyal ones usually come around the same time. But Oji-san went home about two hours ago because he said we didn’t need two people here today. So, I guess it’s been a bit slow.”

“You disagree?”

“With it being slow?” she counters in confusion.

Itachi stops selecting apples to look at her. “With your oji-san going home early.”

Minami pauses long enough to wrinkle her nose. “I think that the old man just didn't want to be out in the cold.”

Itachi carries his bags of fruits and vegetables to her cash register. “He is getting quite old.”

She snorts at his comment and rolls the melon towards her. “Sounds like a bunch of excu--,”

“Minami-chan!” An older woman lingering on the outskirts of the stale calls.

The both of them turn to her and though she does offer a polite smile, it’s tight at best. Minami glances at him, looking once again at a crossroads for what to do. 

“I can wait,” he offers and she smiles in relief turns to go to the woman then turns back around as if she’s forgotten something.

After grabbing a small purse, Itachi watches as Minami greets the woman with a smile. They chat for a little while before exchanging a bag of something for cash. When Minami returns, the telltale familiar sticky sweet scent hits Itachi with a wave of nostalgia. Though there is very little resemblance with exception to the brown hair, Minami’s kind nature often reminds him of Izumi. If he closes his eyes and allows his mind to drift, the smell of dango conjures memories of them on the dock near the Uchiha train grounds. He and Izumi sitting together, sharing dango. It’s a nice memory, one that he keeps filed away along with other cherished things.

Minami weights his assortment of bags. Itachi pays his due as she rearranges things to make it easier for him to carry. And as he’s situating things beneath his cloak, Minami’s voice draws his attention.

“Here,” she says.

Itachi looks up and then down at the small white box holding one of his greatest weaknesses inside. Automatically he swallows and looks up at her with a raised brow. Minami just offers a kind and knowing grin. 

“I have two more boxes anyway. Think of it as a...pick me up. You looked a little down before I saved you from the infinite stares of the masses. I can’t make that go away but I can at least give you some of your favorite food.”

“...How did you know?”

Minami nods in the direction the woman disappeared to. “Her husband owns the dango shop you frequent...apparently every other day. 

“Ah,”

He knew the woman looked familiar, but never made the connection to the old man that he often shares tea and sweets with. 

Gratitude prompts him to bow gently at the shopkeeper. “You are very kind, Minami-san,” he offers. “Thank you for this.”

She laughs outright and shoves his shoulder to make him stand. “Oh come on, Uchiha-san, you’re embarrassing me now. It’s just dango. I haven’t done anything spectacular.”

“Dango is spectacular,” Itachi says with enough conviction to make Minami laugh. As he straightens, notes the comically red blush creeping down her neck.

She huffs playfully and ties the dango in a bag, as well his fruits for the day. “You don’t say? Well, I guess I should expect any less from a man that is the main bread and butter of a dango shop. Reminds me of the rumors about Naruto-san and his infatuation for ramen. Did you know he only goes to one place to eat it? There’s tons of ramen places but he only frequents the same place and gets the same thing!”

“I’ve been there,” Itachi concedes and gathers his things, “The ramen is quite good. Have you tried it?”

Minami crosses her arms and twists her lip in disbelief. “I’m not much of a ramen fan, strange as it sounds. You like what you like huh? Anyways, don’t keep all the dango for yourself. Share with Sakura-san, okay?”

Itachi nods. “Of course, Minami-san.”

Minami offers him a pleasant grin before reminding him to get to Kento before the man closes shop. The fish market isn’t too far away, but good seafood is always best gathered in the morning. While shrimp and eel are favorites of Konoha citizens, Kento has both in plenty supply. 

Itachi greets the older man with a nod. They discuss the day while he shops. Unlike Minami, Kento’s disposition appears a lot less friendly though he is quite harmless. He’s worked the waters around Konoha for decades and sold his goods since he was a teenager. In that time, he’s known Itachi all of his life. This is the same man he and his mother frequented in his childhood.

While most of the village had more questions about why Itachi acted the way he did the night of the Massacre, Kento is the only person who shook his head. 

“I don’t wanna know,” Kento told him the first time Itachi crossed his path. “Your mother always said you were a kind child. Your father spoke highly of you. I’ve seen you grow from the time you could walk. I don’t wanna know why you did it. But I believe the kid that I saw shopping with his mother. And that’s it.”

Itachi respects him for it.

They never talk about his family. They never talk about Sasuke. They hardly ever talk about Sakura. Most of the time, it’s just what seafood Itachi needs. Not in a mean way. Kento is all business. But rarely, on some occasions when he’s getting everything pack, Kento will make some one off remark about his life.

“Making her favorite again?” Kento comments in the dull and slightly uninterested way he always speaks and double bags the prawns so they don’t leak.

“Hm.” Itachi replies.

The conversation stops for a moment will the eel is wrapped. Kento keeps his head down during his work. “Was your mother’s too right?”

His stomach warms at the memory. Itachi nods once, “Yes it was.”

“Funny how life works like that, huh?” the old man doesn’t crack a smile as he hands over the items. “My wife acts just like my mother too. Tell Sakura never to change her favorite food. Or else I’d have no one to buy my prawns.”

It’s a joke, Itachi knows, but falls flat with Kento’s dry humor.

“Your fears are unnecessary. Sakura has enjoyed tempura all of her life. However, I will voice your concern.”

Kento grunts and plucks the stub of rolled tobacco from behind his ears. “Just keep it that way, kid.”

Just as quickly as the conversation starts, it ends. Itachi thanks him for his service and returns home before the afternoon.

He’s not surprised to see the living room lights on. He shifts bags to remove his shoes, then takes the one step into the hall that leads to the sliding doors opening up to their living room. There, Sakura hunches over papers sprawled haphazardly over their low coffee table. It’s hardly an usual sight. Plenty of times Sakura’s research of cures and poisons left the hospital and made it home. But that doesn’t stop him from speaking up.

“Sakura,” Itachi calls, venturing closer in and letting his sports bag slide from his shoulder to the floor where she’s currently kneels. “You’re off today.”

“Yeah, something like that…” Sakura answers, distracted, and bites the inside of her thumb.

Itachi mentally tsked.

....Hardly focused.

Dark eyes scan the plethora of documents, noting some of them are actually about him. 

Has she found something new?

“What is this?” he changes tones, using his one free hand to unbutton his cloak.

Sakura grumbles to herself and sits the paper she was reading aside and glances at him, then down to the bags in his hands.

Pink brows raise and she looks up. “What’s that? ”

Itachi holds the bags close enough for her to see but far enough that drippings won’t stain her work. 

“Lunch and dinner.”

“Seafood?”

“Eel and shrimp respectively.”

Sakura offers a small smirk and drops her hands to her thighs. “Put it up and let me check you.”

Itachi nods, tossing his cloak on the sofa behind them before turning to the kitchen. 

He hears more than sees her stand. Itachi deposits the dango, bags of fruits, vegetables and meats on the counter before going to the fridge to make room. 

There are leftovers from the day before. The food he made Sakura is still in there. Itachi straightens and looks around for the white box containing a chocolate tart. After a moment of searching and coming up empty, he goes to the sink. 

Has she eaten…?

Sure enough, a plate stained dark brown sits next to what looks like an empty cup of tea. 

He tuts and frowns.

Cake is hardly breakfast, but more importantly perhaps is the now apparent lack of a dessert in the house. 

Itachi walks to the trash to be sure. He presses the lever on the bottom that lifts the lid with mild hope that perhaps some small scrap remains. The white box rests right on the top. He sighs and lets the lid close as he goes to wash his hands.

Four years of sharing. Four years of compromising. Eating the last pieces of one of Hinata’s chocolate tarts is hardly the worst thing Sakura’s done. By comparison, it’s very tame. Itachi’s endured much worse in life and from his mission partner and ‘wife’. They’ve learned a lot about each other and from each other. One thing he knows is her blatantly obvious lack of cooking skills. 

“What are you doing?” Sakura calls from behind him.

Itachi grabs the sponge and picks up the dirty plate. Without justifying his statement with eye contact, he risens the plate under warm water. “You ate the tart.” 

When she smacks her teeth her grunts. Sakura knows his blatantly obvious love of sweet things.

“You ate most of it,” She accuses. 

Itachi cleans cup and plate, then turns off the water just as Sakura finishes putting the things away.

“Hinata and I shared,” he corrects and looks down as Sakura turns, box of dango in hand. 

“Yeah and these dango magically appeared on their own.” Sakura sits the box on the counter near him and takes a step closer. “How’d it go today?”

Itachi stands still as the familiar green glow and warmth of medical chakra presses against his chest. 

“Better.”

Sakura’s brows crease in concentration. “Mild fluid build but could be anything from your sickness to standard mucus from being in the cold. Mild vasculitis here...here and here. Did you take the injection?”

“Hnn,”

“Right dosage?”

“As prescribed by my physician, yes.”

Her lip twitches but she offers no other sign of catching his mild teasing. As professional as ever, Sakura nods and runs her hands down his arms and then back, “Any difficult with full range of motion?”

Itachi shakes his head.

She pushes into his bicep then up to his shoulder blades and across to his heart. “How long did you manage?”

Itachi looks up at the ceiling, calculating time and movements. “One hour was enough to feel tired. However, I managed to push in another once Naruto exited the cemetery.”

There’s a beat, the small twitch of her fingers. Sakura only nods. Itachi glances down at her and then away. 

They don’t talk about Sasuke unless it’s necessary.

She lays her hands flat against his heart and mutters to count the beats before asking,“Breathing?”

“Mildly rough, but otherwise okay.” Itachi supplies.

“Yeah...I see that…” Her hand travels further down his chest and she presses fingertips just under his heart. “How’d you train?”

“Shirtless,” he calm offers.

Fingers pause their probing long enough for Sakura to glare at him. “Seriously?”

Itachi raises a challenging brow. “This is nothing new, Sakura. What better way to test the medicine than by maintaining my normal habits?”

“Ugh,” Sakura groans and moves away, “By not introducing unnecessary and uncontrolled variables that can mess with my results. We’re trying to find a cure not exacerbate a preexisting condition.”

Itachi takes her annoyance in stride and tries to make his point a different way. “Should I not continue with my everyday activities?”

“That doesn’t give you a pass to be reckless! Who trains in winter shirtless ?”

The fridge door swings open, Itachi holds his retort to watch her grab both vile and syringe from the bottom most drawer. 

Sakura sits them on the nearest counter and busy around the kitchen getting alcohol pads and a few napkins.

“There’s more riding on this than you.” she continues, “I have a patient presenting to the ER with the similar symptoms as yours, only add a rash and kidney problems. I need to know if this actually works, Itachi. Hold still.”

Another?  

The idea of someone else having his disease never occurred to him. 

“When did this patient come in?” Itachi asks and offers her his arm. 

Sakura jabs the needle in the vile’s lid, then drags out the experimental medicine she’s concocted. He clenches his fists and let’s her pluck the junction at his elbow until his vein is visible enough for her to ease the needle in.

“Poor guy came in yesterday. I managed to get him in stable condition but only barely. Any later and he would have had renal failure…”

Sakura pauses to remove the needle, then presses the napkin over the spot to stint blood flow. “Unlike you were it’s mostly your lungs, occasionally kidneys and joints, this kid’s got vasculitis everywhere and a mixture of aneurysms and occussions. For the life of me I can’t find what’s causing your blood vessels to go haywire.”

“How old is he?”

“Twelve,” Sakura looks up at him, “about the same age as you when you first started showing signs but I’d say his condition is much worse.”

“And you’re sure it’s the same thing?”

She shakes her head, “I can’t be sure now but I think so. If it is, well, all the more reason for you to train with your shirt on.”

“Hnn,” he turns his gaze to the fridge behind them while she finishes up his treatment.

An unpleasant thought but if there is more than perhaps a cure can be found sooner.

Itachi doesn’t particularly like the idea of a child suffering the same way he has. However, the fact remains that they are more likely to find a greater connection now that there is something to compare it too. 

Sakura wraps a bandage over his elbow when she’s done. He steps away and turns his attention to the produce waiting to be turned into lunch.

Sakura sets about preparing tea and offhandedly adds, “Our meeting with Kakashi is tomorrow.”

Right. 

Meetings with the Hokage usually happen at the end of each month but this is different. The start of year five means preparations for transition. Neither know what the next step is but by tomorrow they will. 

Itachi ignores the slight twinge in Sakura’s voice that she tries to hide. It’s no secret that this mission has had it’s challenges. The ease with which they move around each other now has not always been. They are not friends, barely partners. They work together and have to as is outlined in the description of their mission. 

Relief is something neither of them would deny.

As Itachi chops onions,  he adds to the conversation,“Are you going to report your findings with this new drug?”

“Pfft, I think Kakashi is tired of reports from me but I’ll definitely tell him what I’m working on. I’m more curious to see what he has to say about...this.”

This being their current mission. 

“Are you looking for a specific solution, Sakura?”

“I just want to know .” she stresses, “I mean, we’ve done all of this to get you back here. I’d say we did everything we were supposed to. So...now what, you know?”

Itachi nods but wisely keeps his thoughts to himself as he too is also curious as to what the Hokage has next for them. But he lets the conversation die by offering no audible reply. She grumbles behind him but he doesn’t press for her to speak louder. It’s not that Itachi does not care. He does very much want to know what his next moves will be. However, and as much as she will try to hide it, Sakura has some unspoken expectation. Yeras have taught him not presses topics which make her emotions more volatile. 

I hope the Hokage has thought this through.

“What can I do to help?” she calls from behind him, interrupting his reverie.

He sits the knife down and takes a step backwards. “Chop these and the carrots. I’ll prepare the eel.”

And so they switch places, her chopping and him preparing the main course. They work together to make lunch quickly. Grilled eel with veggies, rice and tea.

Itachi takes his lunch at the kitchen table. 

Sakura takes hers in the living room among her piles of medical research. 

When the food is done, he turns his attention to his garden. She buries her face in tomes.

Time goes with them in separate spaces. A forced partnership made the most of. 

As day turns to night, Itachi settles in the bed they share with a sense of shifting.

Whatever will happen, everything will change.

Chapter Text

Line 2: Glimpses Of A Truer Reality

"I am never without it (anywhere

I go you go, my dear.."

-I Carry Your Heart,

Line 2, Stanza 1

by E.E Cummings

Wrist deep in mineral rich plant fertilizer, the pungent smell of organic matter temporarily stifles out every other outdoor scent present.  With carefully cupped hands, Itachi leans over the gigantic bag of plant food and scopes out two large handfuls. He lets the overflow fall off the edges of his palms before slowly turning towards the garden arrangement. His hands tilts down and the rich deep brown dirt flows across his fingertips on top of the soil. 

In the back garden of his and Sakura’s home, during a slightly warmer winter’s day, Itachi changes out the fall plants for winter succulents.  He watches with expert eyes as he empties the last clumps of dirt in measured increments. When it seems like enough, he stops pouring and dumps the excess back into the burlap sack.  Itachi precedes to mode the dirt like potter’s clay, tucking and patting, smoothing and spreading until it shapes around the freshly planted kalanchoe. The succulent plant adds just a pop of red from its thick leaf tips to his otherwises green landscaping. Planting it around the edges of the sectioned off space creates a red halo around the entire thing, which he will later place a rock barrier around as the final touch.

Itachi licks sweat beads from his lip and pats down the dirt around the outermost part of the succulent plant cluster. Satisfied with his hand’s work, he takes to using a spade to press and mold until the newly applied dirt lays flat enough to look somewhat uniform under the greenery. In the midst of him sculpting out excess dirt, a misplaced ‘thud’ catches his attention. For a moment he scrapes off too much dirt, distracted by the sound but Itachi wisely keep his gaze on his task and pushes it back in place. He may be without chakra but his instincts have not dulled in the years since his return. Itachi knows his house. He knows the noises associated with his backyard, especially at this time of day when gardening is most opportune. The soft patter that landed on his roof is not one of them.

Sakura would have made more noise and used the door . He discerns. Naruto would not sneak.

The Uchiha avoids overtly looking around for the intruder. Whoever it is, they do not wish to make immediate introductions. It lowers the list of suspects significantly. To not make assumptions, Itachi continues to listen for continued steps of someone just using his roof as a jumping post. It’s not uncommon for shinobi to travel by rooftop, particularly returning shinobi or new genin. However, his home is not quite on the usual path that shinobi takes. That doesn’t stop curious eyes from dropping by for a quick glimpse of the last living Uchiha.

With this in mind, he leans back on his heels and sighs, tilts his head towards the afternoon sun. Rolling his shoulders to release stress, he uses his arm to wipe perspiration on his forehead. Itachi discreetly scans the roof in the seconds his arm provides shade for his actions, then catches the gleam of sunlight from shin guards.

Anbu . He thinks and quietly chides the recruit for lack of subtlety. 

If he, a ‘normal’ citizen of Konoha heard the moment sandals made contact with the roof, enemy shinobi would have no problem finding and disposing of him. 

My guard for the day? There were no Anbu this morning. Why so late in the afternoon?

Itachi knows that Kakashi knows Sakura is working. Usually, the moment she leaves the house another presence flocks the perimeters of their humble abode. There are never introductions and Itachi’s not particularly bothered that they keep their distance. They’re job is surveillance and nothing more.

But this is different.

Every Anbu that’s tred near his front door has been on the force for years. Their skills speak for themselves and the only reason he’s aware of them is because he’s been trained to be aware.

This person’s entry is so noisy by comparison that Itachi reasons him to be a new recruit. There is no way that Kakashi would send someone like that to guard such a dangerous suspect.

Or have you come on your own?

Shaking off his thoughts, Itachi shifts his bangs then eases to a stand. Choosing to ignore his visitor until addressed, he refocuses on the layout of the flower garden. It’s a small section of the backyard quickly taking over the left corner of the house. There is more work to be done for it to be complete, but he contents himself to the kalanchoe today. His hands pause. He gives the garden another once over before tucking the spade under his arm.

“I should leave it for now,” Itachi declares and turns on his heels to gather the rest of his garden tools.

As soon as his back is turned, the pricking feeling of being watched closely tickles at the back of his neck. Itachi keeps walking at a leisurely pace, giving the person time to say something at least. It takes a few seconds, enough for him to get close to the roe laying haphazardly in the dirt before an unnatural gentle breeze accompanied by a flutter of dirt against his calves alert him to his approaching visitor. 

He has worked up courage to approach...

“Anbu-san,” he whispers loud enough to be heard and keeps his back to the man.

“Uchiha-san,” the Anbu replies then walks around so they finally meet face to face.

The man is eye level height to him, burly and tan, obviously meant to be intimidating. Ironically, he wears the cat mask, something associated with leaner fighters. Or women.

Itachi assesses him automatically before deducing that he is not much of a threat. Nodding in acknowledgement, the Uchiha offers his full attention to his unwelcome guest should there be justifiable reasons for this visit. Cat slowly and dramatically lifts his head up and down, doing his own appraisal. Afterwards he turns his attention to the garden supplies scattered over the ground.

“New hobbie, Uchiha-san?” Cat asks and circles the area. 

“It passes the time.” Itachi offers.

The shinobi behind the cat mask whistles. “Not something I can say would suit me. But you?  A garden boy suits you, I think.” Itachi feels more than he can see the grin on the man’s face. “You’ve been keeping yourself busy these days, haven’t you?”

He ignores the question and the jab to asks his own. It is obvious to him that the art of gathering information discreetly is lost during peace times. Or perhaps Cat simply lacks the skill altogether. He seems more of muscle than the thinking type, getting straight to the point would mean Itachi can return to the humdrum of his afternoons.

Itachi politely inquires, “Are you here on business of the Hokage?”

“Something like that” he replies allusively.

Cat crouches down and picks up a weed grabber. He twirls it in his hand before chucking it back on the ground. Then he picks up the roe, the closet tool to his feet and quickly tosses it behind his back. Itachi watches as the man repeats the same thing with several garden tools, picking them up then ‘randomly’ scattering them on the ground. For anyone who isn’t privy to battle, they would miss the significance of his actions. 

Does he think I will attack? Itachi slowly rolls his eyes. Ridiculous. 

“If you are looking for Sakura-san, she’s not here,” Itachi offers and turns his attention to the less threatening looking tools, walking toward the water pot. “You are welcomed to leave a message and I will give it to her when she comes home.”

“Nope,” Cat grunts, dusts his hands and stands. “I have what I came for. Just checking up on you, Uchiha-san.”

The words give him pause. Itachi looks over his shoulder as black brows raise minutely. “Checking up?”

“Heard from some genin and chunin that you were at the training grounds a couple of days ago tearing the place up.”

The underlying accusation causes Itachi to turn slowly, brows creasing together in an obvious show of confusion and questioning. Cat laughs and passively waves a hand. “No need to get riled up, Uchiha-san. I told you, I’m just checking up.”

“On an accusation proposed by genin and chunin?” Itachi questions flatly, hinting at suspicion. 

“On an accusation proposed about Itachi Uchiha ,” Cat corrects and rocks on his heels.

I see . 

Using his free hand, Itachi slowly gestures about their surroundings. “So you’ve checked and I found me gardening. Is your business finished here? I have matters to attend to.”

Cat ignores him.

“Last I heard, you were under some heavy restrictions. Now, if I recall...those were training restrictions as well, right?”

“I’m allotted five hours a week for training purposes. How I choose to utilize those hours is up to my discretion, Anbu-san.”

“Mhm, not really,” Cat clarifies and stalks around Itachi full circle to his face. “See, you are not allowed any  shinobi style strength training, weapons training or jutsu training. In fact, the only thing you can do is the minimum to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Now, if I recall, tearing up the training grounds ain’t necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

Itachi can't hold his scoff at the holes in his theory or means of justifying coming to his house unannounced. Kakashi makes sure that all high level ninja are aware of all of his movements, with Sakura being head of it all. 

Poorly formulated excuses made by a poor Anbu for the sake of some personal vendetta. Itachi obliges this farce if only to see how far he will go, hoping that compliance will limit bloodshed. It would be troublesome to explain self-defense to Kakashi. 

“Surely, as Anbu you are able to verify claims made against me by genin and chunin who are liable to misunderstand for obvious reasons. The training grounds can attest. But if you are truly curious, the Hokage keeps tabs on my actions through my wife.”

“I prefer to go directly to the source when I can, Uchiha-San. But you make it seem like you have something against our genin and chunin.”

The immediate isolation of him from the village doesn't go unnoticed. Itachi tries not to be aggressive but he will not lie.

“Children exaggerate,” he calmly explains, earning a snort return.

“Konoha shinobi aren't all geniuses or advanced enough to take down hundreds of people, but they aren't blind. If they say something, I'd believe them.”

Over you.

Itachi fills in the rest and sighs, exacerbated with this conversation and all others like it. The overreach of power only makes him more frustrated. He has no expectation for all citizens of Konoha to see him in any saintly light. It is impossible, especially because his actions are still a well guarded secret. Itachi sees no reason to change that just so people will be nice to him. He’s above such things. That does not mean he will stand to be disrespected, however.

“Does the Hokage know you’re here?” Itachi challenges.

Cat shrugs one shoulder. “Maybe. Maybe not. The Hokage has far too much to do than to keep constant tabs on those doing their jobs. And I’m just doing my job here, Uchiha.”

“ This is your specific task? The Hokage has you on duty to monitor my movements today? Question me if you find anything nefarious? Bring accusations against me about something that transpired almost three days ago?”

The Anbu chuckles darkly. “Well, it’s not as if I wouldn’t be justified in thinking you’ve done something heinous now would I?”

Dodging the questions is bad enough but Cat no longer tries to hide his nearly palatable dislike of Itachi. It’s the truth the Uchiha picked up on the moment sandals hit his roof.

 Feeling no further need to justify himself against this obvious abuse of authority, Itachi offers no rebuttal. He does narrow his eyes at the man, disgusted with the way he uses his position as some odd leverage, as if it dictates Itachi’s actions. The reminiscents to clan habits is strong and an old bitterness threatens to wreck his emotions. There is no obligation for him to comply with this man or even offer any information. Itachi’s willingness to indulge this folly is of his own volition and yet, Cat tilts his head in expectation.

With no real facial features for context clues, the bland whiteness of the cat mask decorated with twin magenta stripes on each side exudes both disinterest and mockery. Itachi can’t see his face. He doesn’t know if the man is grinning or glaring, smiling or frowning, teasing or testing. It’s meant to invoke fear, disorienting and intimidating, a faceless phantom from Konoha’s elite forces. Paired with bursting biceps and broaden war beaten shoulders, Cat must have been chosen from his squad to make him feel little, small, and useless in the presences of one so strong.

Had he been anyone else, Itachi would have been at least ill at ease, racking his brain to find his mistake. A spiked pulse instead of the steady drum of his heartbeat, fear and cowardice instead of annoyance and malevolence. Lesser men would cowered at this overtly obvious show of bravado that no doubt would not impose itself into his personal life had Itachi not been limited such as he is.  

In his small backyard, surrounded by things that are familiar and homey, Itachi tries to defuse the situation quickly, keeping his mouth shut at the teasing nature of Cat’s tone.

“Out of words, Uchiha-san?” the man laughs, “Cat got your tongue?”

Instead, he turns away and gives his attention to the water pot waiting to be picked up. If the Anbu wishes to continue talking, he will have to suffice with talking to himself or leave. 

Preferably the latter.

The telltale scrap of unsheathing metal sends Itachi on high alert. “Didn't they teach you not to turn your back on a shinobi?”

Childishness, utter childishness . 

Itachi suddenly becomes hyper aware of the metal spade pressed against his side by his arm, something that Cat unfortunately missed. He moves his arm slightly, letting the tool ease down until he catches it in his palm. For a flicker of a second, Itachi’s lip twitches as his fingers tighten around the spade. Cat uncoils and springs on him with swiftness that rustles his black stained hair. Itachi offers no resistances to the meaty fist clutching his wrist in a vice grip, nor the tanto pressed against his jugular. 

“I wouldn’t do anything rash, Uchiha,” Cat warns, and whispers, “Drop the weapon.”

Itachi tilts his head away slightly from the face that’s far too close for comfort, inflicting a small cut on himself. Dark eyes glance obliquely at his attacker as he calmly replies.

“Chastising me for your oversight? Since when was a simple garden spade in the hands of a civilian consider a weapon, Anbu-san ?” Itachi calmly questions. 

Cat hisses and presses the blade deeper. “Since you started violating the rules of your probation. Drop. It.”

Itachi waits a moment then loosens his grip on the handle. But just to show that he is no helpless schmuck, lets the spade twirl through his fingers like he would a kunai before releasing it head down into the dirt.

“Your accusation is without merit, as is your assault.” the Uchiha rebukes. “The spade is down, why am I still being held at swordpoint?” 

“You know goddamn well why. I’ll decide when to lower my weapon and if my accusation is ‘unmerited’. Answer the question, what the hell were you doing in Training Ground 4?”

Itachi huffs and slants his eyes away in boredom. “Training.”

“For what?”

“It is as you said, to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you have questions with regards to my workout routine, take it up with my wife. She is my primary physician and appointed by the Hokage to ensure that my chakra seals remain intact. You are welcomed to go to the hospital and enquire about my file if you have doubts.”

Though he cannot see the man’s expression, the audible aggravation manifests in an impatient grunt that feels as if it’s accompanied by a matching glare. Itachi’s lips thin at the waves of malicious intent rolling from this guy and his obvious dissatisfaction with the response. 

Cat tightens his fist around Itachi’s wrist and sneers. “Oh I bet you’d just love that, wouldn’t you? If I go check in with the traitor’s cheerleader?”

For the briefest seconds, emotions win out over reason. It’s a long enough time for Itachi to curl his fingers into a fist. 

A long enough time for his actions to cause consequential reactions. 

Cat moves immediately. 

Using his weight to his advantage, the man hooks one of Itachi’s ankles then pulls him down to the ground. It’s hard not to struggle, but Itachi knows if he fights back, it will be enough incentive for the Anbu to justify neutralizing him. 

So he falls gracefully on his back, wind vanishing from his lungs as a knee jams itself into his chest. He gasps just as Cat uses his free foot and press a worn sandal heel into his one arm, holding it down. Hovering over him with the tanto still pressed against his neck, Cat forces his restrained arm high above his head and away from the spade. 

“Treading thin ice, Uchiha,” Cat growls. “I didn’t give you permission to make sudden movements.”

This time, Itachi doesn’t withhold his thoughts and snares. “Then maybe you should not insult a man’s wife.”

“That’s funny coming from somebody that took pleasure in killing other men’s wives from his own clan. You’re talking about your wife like you know what it means to care about family and loyalty.”

“If your gripe is with me, leave Sakura out of this,” Itachi warns. 

Cat snorts and leans in closer. “Or what? You’re gonna kill me too? Put me under your oh so famous genjutsu?” He eases the blade over the first layer of skin on his throat, drawing blood. “Go ahead and do it. No need to pretend like you’re some saint when we all know you’re just a psycho. The only reason you’re here is because you killed your even crazier brother. Fucking Uchiha, scum.”

Itachi almost reacts. 

His legs, free from Cat’s horribly done restraints, twitch in reflex at his thoughts. Finding reasons to not draw from years of shinobi training is quickly becoming hard. More than just the insults to Sasuke, it’s to him as a man. To have another man invade his home and attack him on the assumption that he is helpless does wonders to Itachi’s pride. 

It’s hard to get those feelings under control, but he clenches his fist and bites his tongue. As much as he would love to reenact the death scene playing across his mind, Itachi calms himself. It wouldn’t do for him to attack out of anger and sully the redemption granted to him by Kakashi. Even in the face of utter disrespect and ignorance and obvious taunting. This man is just one of many men that harbour hatred and distrust in their hearts for him, not understanding his standing in the village because of their ignorance of his sacrifice. He’d prepared himself for these types of encounters. 

That doesn’t make them less annoying. 

Itachi closes his eyes, inhales through his nose and clears his mind, then repeats an earlier phrase. “Is your business finished here?”

“Don’t change the subject!”

“On the contrary, I’m going back to the original excuse for your intrusion.” Itachi reminds him, “If you want to know whether I’ve violated my probation, speak with Sakura or inquire with the Hokage. There are no answers for you here. Kindly remove yourself from my person and my home.”

“You’re not exactly in the position to be making demands here. Not with a sword that with one little stroke by me could make sashimi of your throat.” Cat sneers.

Itachi grunts dismissively and looks away at the grass. “Assumptions are easily made given the right conditions.”

“The hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You come to my home on the nonsense excuse of ‘checking up’ on me with the assumption that I cannot defend myself. However, your continued survival is not a matter of can or cannot but will or will not.”

“I’m sensing a threat,” the man whistles. “Threatening Anbu can get you killed.”

Itachi tilts his chin up, letting the blade cut deeper without so much as a flinch. The blood coils down his neck, into the dirt and his hair. Cat startles a little at his action and Itachi grunts, unimpressed. 

“If I wanted to be a threat to you, you would not need to sense it. Remove yourself.”

There is a moment, Itachi can sense it, where the man battles between his pride and his instincts. He seizes the opportunity and clarifies. “You’ve left my legs free, Anbu-san. If I truly desired to defend myself in this moment, I would have already. This is my last time saying so: remove yourself.”

Cat holds him for a few more seconds before reluctantly easing away the tanto. “I’ll check those records. In the meantime, try not to murder any plants. Uchiha-san .” 

The man stands and, just as quickly as he comes, leaves in a gust of unnatural wind. Itachi doesn’t immediately get up. Warm blood still cascading down his neck is a reminder of the unpleasant event that's just unfolded. He watches gray winter clouds, hands at his side, physically still but mentally scattered. 

People mistake his ability to control emotions as him having none at all. This is simply not the case and the last few minutes is a testament to range of things that flutter through his mind. 

Resentment. Anger. Sadness. Annoyance. Frustration. Haughtiness. All come and go, sometimes together, sometimes separate and in cycles, Itachi allows himself to feel each and understand where they come from. As he does, his hands go to his side, nails dig into cold dirt and rips up fistsful of muck. Impassively staring at the sky, he squeezes the gunk in his hands until his knuckles hurt and the dirt and grass and rock mash together into one long fistshaped log. He squeezes until the burning anger in his chest cools to something less murderous. It only takes about two minutes at best for him to settle himself down, resign to the fact of his reality.

I can’t force people to see what they do not wish to see. I can be angry, but what good would it do for me to respond out of it?

None. It will only setback decades worth of work. Although he isn’t looking for acceptance, peace would be a nice alternative.

It would be nice to garden without being attacked.

His thoughts turn slightly humorous, giving him some initiative to get up. Though still a touched agitated, he is no longer contemplating using a human target for kunai practice. Itachi drops the dirt and stands, dusts his hands and starts the process of returning his gardening supplies back to small closet inside the house. 

He takes care not to make a mess on the floor from his wounds but it’s hard when he needs to bend to pick things up. Still he takes his time with gathering everything. One tool at a time, he carries them inside of the house until the backyard is clear of clutter. Every so often a small drop of blood falls on the ground. Itachi ignores it and the sting against his skin to continue cleaning. Once he’s done, he goes to the bathroom to shower instead of bath. No longer desiring to stay inside, Itachi decides on tea and dango. He cleans himself, dries and goes to the skin to further inspect his wounds. He disinfects his neck, cleaning the taunt and oddly stretched skin as the water washes away excess. He will have to ask Sakura to heal him later. The thought pulls his lips into a frown, wondering for a moment if she will oblige him or agree with the Anbu. 

He shakes his head and reaches for the faucet. “She is not so cruel...but she will ask questions.”

Itachi goes over scenarios of the conversation in his mind, idle background noise to him applying ointment to his neck then wrapping it in gauze. Tilting his head up, he traces the crooked line from the blade’s mark from the top of his neck, across his jugular and nearly down to his shoulder. It’s mostly a superficial wound, nothing life threatening at all. But he likes to believe a part of Sakura’s vivacious sense of justice will fuss over him. 

Itachi pauses his ministrations at a nagging thought. “She will feel guilty as well…”

As soon as the words leave him, he shakes his head to dismiss it. 

I cannot coddle her. He rebukes himself and exhales. 

The fact that Sakura is more compliant now doesn’t change anything. One year is not enough to make up for things that have happened before. He knows that she is weak to her own emotions. If the slightest evidence of her past actions points to Cat’s recent ones, the consequences could be overwhelming.

That has nothing to do with me.

Resting his hands on the bathroom counter, the Uchiha turns introspective, checking his desire to protect Sakura from a mission she freely chose and he agreed to. Despite their own reasoning motivating them to partially cooperation, one year ago they came to an agreement to properly work together as Konoha shinobi. While still not an ideal partnership, respecting each other as equals, recognizing the person they both cared for spurs them to do, they get along.

But he knows this feeling, felt it towards his little brother and used it to keep him in the dark and it turned against him in the end. Slowly letting his eyes close, Itachi clenches his fist against granite countertops. One only makes those kinds of mistakes once in life. He can’t protect Sakura from...herself.

Itachi hardly approves of her treatments of him during early half of her mission. He more or less accepted her hatred as recompense. These last few months have seen some changes, some shred of understanding. But he will not be so assuming. Most of the time, he has little expectation of her to be different from the Anbu with her thoughts of him. Even though she knows the circumstances surrounding the massacre, Itachi understands that it is still a hard pill to swallow. Even he struggles with his own convictions about his reasoning those years ago. 

Perhaps because of that he knows the struggle of duty’s necessity when faced with something undesirable. He, of all people, knows what it feels like to be forced to do something or act in a way that is against the consciousness of one’s heart. 

In this manner, he can’t bring himself to resent her. 

“I should not hold her less responsibly either.” he chastises himself with resolve and opens his eyes. “Regardless of if she feels guilty or not, that is not my concern. I cannot protect her from her consequences. That would be...foolish.”

A late revelation on his part considering their joint mission is almost over. Nevertheless he stifles the misguided thought in favor of preparing to leave. Once they meet with Kakashi in a few hours, this may not even be an issue anymore.

Neither of them will have to pretend for the citizens of Konoha. 

Itachi eases away from the counter and takes his time with going to their room to change. Such a mundane tasks allows him to think critically while getting things done. He slips on his shoes and grabs a black cloak that will cover his bandages and shut out any chilly breezes. Just as he’s prepared to continue inside of his own mind, a scratching sound at his front door sucks that opportunity away.

Itachi looks blandly at the door as the scratches continue, mixed with muffled thumps that’s ultimately meant to be a knock. He weighs the consequences of not answering but dismisses it because he is not a child. So he opens the door with reluctance, just as the dog raises his paw for another knock.

“Pakkun,” Itachi states as a greeting and looks out towards the street for the ninken’s owner. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

Pakkun tentatively sniffs the air then eyes Itachi’s throat. “You’re bleeding.”

“I was,” Itachi clarifies.

“Somebody else was here.”

“They were.” 

“You smell faintly of dirt and plants. Care to tell me what the hell happened?”

The Uchiha offers nothing. “Not particularly. Did the Hokage send you to fetch me?”

The pug grunts and bares his teeth a little. “Don’t get snappy with me, kid. Kakashi did send for you but are you in any condition to go there?”

A faint smirk dances at the man’s lips. “Surely your nose is better than that, Pakkun.”

Itachi takes a step forward in response, causing Pakkun to shuffle back and to the side as he closes the door. Wordlessly he changes the course of his day again and heads towards the Hokage Tower instead of the market. Pakkun trots alongside him through the light afternoon crowd. Itachi gives little attention to the intentionally clear path they have as people easy out of his way. Pakkun on the other hand grumbles under his breath loud enough for Itachi to hear. “Don’t mind us, just a guy and a dog walking along the sidewalk.”

“You don’t appreciate being the center of attention, Pakkun?” he asks mildly.

The pug frowns. “Only if it’s a pretty girl and belly rubs are involved.”

“I am sure some would oblige if you asked,” Itachi adds as he passes a mother pulling her young son closer towards her side.

The ninken chuckles a little. “And they said Uchiha’s can’t be funny.”

“Hn”

Pakkun ensures that they get through the doors of the Hokage Tower with little fuss. Shinobi subtlety take notice of him and his cloak. Itachi keeps his gaze ahead and allows Pakkun to lead the way to his old taichou’s office. He knocks once against the large oak doors before pushing them open and letting the dog enter first before silently following.

“I brought the Uchiha, boss.” Pakkun announces.

Itachi lingers by the doorframe. Across from him, Neither Shizune nor Kakashi seem to give much attention to the rooms occupants. The two sort through a stack of haphazardly piled papers on the Hokage’s desk. The silver haired shinobi briefly looks up, glancing between the approaching dog and the lone figure looming near the door. Itachi has no doubt that Kakashi was aware of their arrival the moment they stepped foot in the door but he manages to give off an air of pleasant surprise as he regards him with one eye. 

“So you have. Good job.”

“Yeah, well, I think we called him in at the right time.” Pakkun announces as he jumps on the desk, circles the spot then folds his arms and lays down.

“Oh?” Kakashi regards him, perhaps looking for signs of his distress. Itachi keeps his face neutral during the stare off before the Copy Ninja turns toward the only female in the room. “Give us a moment, will you, Shizune?”

The brunette nods and neatly arranges the stack of papers on a nearby shelf before making her exit. She smiles a greeting as she leaves and Itachi takes the opportunity to step closer inside the office.

“Did you need me for something, Hokage-sama?”

The Shichidaime keeps his words to himself, favoring instead to give Itachi a cursory look. He glances to Pakkun. Some unspoken words pass between and before he’s finally regarded again. Itachi catches the faintest smirk under Kakashi’s mask as he leans back against his chair in a relaxed pose. 

“You seem a bit….agitated?” The man finally drawls.

Itachi stares, wondering if he should withhold the information from him. His reluctance to recount can backfire on him as one can never tell with Kakashi. He tends to have layered meanings with his words. 

“That would be a fair assessment.” he answers vaguely. “I was on my way to the shop for tea and dango.”

“He’s bleeding too.” Pakkun lazily supplies, not even offering an apology for interrupting his favorite pastime.

In an abrupt shift, Kakashi’s single eye hardens, putting Itachi on edge immediately at the response. “What happened?”

So it seems that this is not about what happened earlier. Part of Itachi feels pleased but the other more than a tad concerned that the Hokage had such little knowledge of the whereabouts of those under him. 

“I was visited by Anbu this morning.” Itachi answers with as little inflection as possible, not wanting to stir up anymore ill feelings than is already present.

Kakashi’s single eyed gaze penetrates in its intensity as he takes to tapping his fingers against the wooden desk.It takes a few moments but his words come slow and calculating. 

“There were no Anbu assigned to you today...”

“Hn,”

“Did they say why they came?” the drumming against the table increases.

Itachi explains casually given the situation. “According to him, my training methods the other day did not match the guidelines of my probation.”

“On what basis?”

“The testimony of a genin and a chunin.”

Pakkun snorts and peaks open an eye to look at Kakashi. “That doesn’t sound like a reason to go after someone’s throat.”

“Throat?” Kakashi repeats, brow raising significantly as he zeros in on Itachi’s attire.

“A flesh wound,” the man supplies and tilts his chin up just enough for white bandages to peek through.

The Hokage tuts and sags his shoulders. “Pakkun,”

“Already on it boss,” the dog jumps down and trots towards the door. “He’s not too far away from here. Should I bring him or let him stew for awhile?”

“Stewing works just fine. I have other business with Itachi right now. We’ll address this situation afterwards. Actually, no, bring him to Sai and don’t say anything. That should get enough of a raise out of him.”

Itachi half expects Kakashi to enquire more about the events surrounding his wound when Pakkun leaves.. The man rubs his chin thoughtfully, regarding the ceiling as if it holds some mystic secret of the earth. He eases his hands down and, immediately, Itachi notes the hand signs being woven that activates the privacy seal in the room. The fact that he does notice means the silver-haired man intentionally does it slow enough that his eyes can follow, meaning he wants to make him aware that what they are about to discuss is for only them. 

Few topics fall into the ‘privacy’ category with regards to him in any case. Once the signs are finished, Kakashi lets his eye drift to meet Itachi and he nods faintly before lacing his fingers together and resting his elbows on the desk.

“So,” his tone is unusually light considering the information just given him. “How are things at home?”

What?

Itachi fights not to react outwardly, although inwardly, his suspicions are in high alert. Because, just like earlier, there is no telling with Kakashi.There is always meanings under meanings under meanings. But seeing as Kakashi has not just come out with the question he’s trying to find an answer to, Itachi errs on the side of caution. 

“I would enjoy it much more if Anbu did not make unwelcome and unannounced visits.”

Kakashi nods once and hums. “Noted. I can assure the matter will be dealt with accordingly, that’s not exactly what I was referring to. ”

Itachi makes a noncommittal sound and inclines his head.

“I’m curious as to how are things between you and Sakura.” Kakashi edges closer to his true intentions. 

Itachi offers more information while attempting not to unknowingly incriminate himself until the full truth is revealed. “Sakura has kept up with the details of her mission. I followed the restrictions laid out to me upon my return. We...cooperate in that regard.”

“And in other regards?” 

His brow raises. “Can you clarify, Lord Sixth?”

Kakashi’s eye crinkles but he doesn’t respond. Instead, the man lazily gestures towards the chair in front of his desk then leans down to reach for something under it. Itachi takes his time with sitting, keeping his eyes on the man’s movements as he places one glass then another followed by a jug of sake between them. Before Itachi can politely decline, Kakashi flicks his hand then pours the both of them a glass. He slides Itachi’s across the table and holds his gaze with his own sake gaze up to his mask. A moment passes but eventually he takes the cup and they both drink down the alcohol. 

The Shichidaime pours them another glass. Itachi takes caution with his drink. It goes down with three tentative sips this time while the other man takes it one go again. Whether he is attempting to get drunk quickly or ease tension is unclear but when Kakashi sits the cup down and pours them a third glass, he leans towards the former.

However, the drink goes untouched this time by both of them as Itachi waits for Kakashi to answer his earlier question. It doesn’t take long. The man sighs and slouches over folded hands, eyes slightly clouded and far off.

“I’ve been told Sakura’s taken extra shifts at the hospital,” grey eyes shift to black ones. “That in and of itself is not so bad….except she’s taking on triple and quadruple shifts.”

Itachi quirks a brow in questions but offers nothing as the Copy-Ninja continues. 

“Sakura tends to overwork herself when she is upset about something. Since this has been going on for, oh, the past three days, I’m curious.”

I see , Itachi thinks. 

It’s no secret that Team 7 was and is still very close. Naruto is never too far from their home, Sai--the former root member, visits with his wife as well. He has no doubt that if his brother was still among the living, he too would be a part of this close-knit group. Over it all is Kakashi Hatake, current Hokage. While he will venture to say their attachment is both help and hindrance to their overall growth, Itachi knows better than interfering with their little family. The sake, the lazy but concerned and accusatory attitude currently being shown to him can only mean this is less a ‘Hokage’ meeting but something more personal.

That makes this meeting much harder.

Itachi’s eyes drop to the liquid in his cup as he chooses his words carefully. “Perhaps...you should ask Sakura herself if something is bothering her.”

“I’ve tried,” Kakashi sighs and grabs his cup. “A few days ago, in fact, when she came in my office far later than I would have liked.”

There’s a pause before the man continues. “I’m concerned that this mission is taking an unhealthy toll on her.” 

The accusation is not thrown at me? Itachi wonders and furrows his brows as Kakashi lays bare his heart. “It’s been four hard years for all of us, I think. Sakura especially considering her...feelings about Sasuke. I thought the mission would help her heal some but I’m beginning to suspect it’s making her a bit more unstable than normal.”

Sakura was unstable before this mission . Itachi’s frown deepens, then he takes his sake cup and sips. I may have unknowingly perpetuated it .

Sakura’s reasoning for take the mission is her own. But his, Itachi knows well. Guilt spawns him into compliance, penitence into submission. However, the encounter with Cat and the current undertones of his present conversation shines lights on his impatience...with Sakura.  

I do have expectation for her to have moved on.

“Hokage-sama, may I ask a question?”

“By all means.”

“Why did you allow Sakura to take this mission?”

“Good question,” Kakashi wagers and takes a drink. “Partly out of necessity. Sakura is the only one with the medical skills to be your physician. The elders were also quite adamant that she be the one assigned to you because she's privy to confidential information. And...no one else wanted to because they are not privy to confidential information.”

Itachi nods in understanding of all of these things. “And the other part?”

Kakashi looks to the ceiling once again. Itachi makes out the outline of downturned lips through the Copy Ninja mask. “Guilt probably.”

“In what way?”

The Hokage exhales long and heavy, letting his shoulders sag even more in either reluctance to answer or disappointment. “It's very easy to fall into old habits. Sakura doesn't take too kindly to that and can be very...insistent.”

Itachi takes the information and holds it, understand the man’s perspective deeply. Perhaps all of them have been coddling her. The fact is, Sakura is a shinobi and an adult. No matter the reason, they cannot shield her from her reality.

“If you’re asking my opinion,” Itachi ventures, “I don’t believe at the time this mission was commission that Sakura was mentally prepared for what it entailed.”

“Fair enough,” Kakashi concedes.

“However,” Itachi continues, “To your earlier question, Hokage-sama, Sakura and I fair well. Things have...improved on both parts.”

Kakashi pours a fourth cup for the both of them and raises a brow. “Sakura can be a handful.”

The Uchiha agrees and adds to her defense, “She had reason to be difficult.”

“You were okay with that?”

“No,” he answers without hesitation, “But I understand her rationale. From that she has matured but I do believe she is in need of a break. When things become overwhelming she will either work more or visit Sasuke’s grave. In the past she chose the latter but has eased up on the practice.”

“...so I’ve heard from Naruto…”

“Then you have a witness to her growth.”

The Hokage slouches a bit in his chair and rests his cheek against his knuckle. “And I have your word. You seem well acquainted with Sakura’s habits, Itachi.”

Itachi’s first response is nonverbal, a twitch if anything to the odd phrasing. The knowing look given to him only confirms his theories. If reassure is what the man is after, he will gladly give it. But more important than the thing he’s trying to get Itachi to say is why he wants him to say it.

Sakura reports to him everyday. He should be more than acquainted with our state of affairs. Why seek me out for clarity? Unless Sakura withheld information. If so, why bring that up now? Unless my answer in turn affects the outcome of our later meeting?

He forgoes another cup of sake to keep his wits. Kakashi never seemed the type to stoop so low as to get a man drunk to make him talk. Itachi doubts his former squad leader assumes such a strategy would work. Still, he’s leery of both liquid and Lord, picking and choosing information while cataloging every twitch and stare and sound. 

“Her skills as a shinobi are what they are, Lord Hatake.” He offers.

Kakashi hums and finishes his drink. “True. Very true. I guess you could say, overall, you two are getting along?”

The same question just rephases. 

He must really want the answer.

Itachi nods. Kakashi sighs in what the Uchiha notes is relief.

“That's good to hear. I assumed that Sakura was the right fit for this. I had moments of doubt, admittedly. However, I trust your assessment, Itachi. If you say she is handling it well, then I believe you.”

Kakashi drums his fingers on the table, as if to signal the conclusion of the conversation. Grey eyes drift to the door, linger for a second before he reaches in the desk for the jug again. 

Is he trying to get drunk?

Itachi watches closer as his leader shivers when the fourth cup goes down, hiccups at the fifth and pulls himself together at the six. His eyes shift to the sake then up again to Kakashi who stretching, looking much more relieved than he had a moment again. Itachi’s suspicions return two-fold. They hardly ever has pre-meetings together, no less about things like this. So if not the mission he is currently on, then perhaps the mission to come calls for some background on Sakura. 

And alcohol...

Itachi clears his throat, prepared to lay his questions about their meeting. “Kaka-”

Just as he starts the doors to the Hokage’s office flies open. Sakura comes rushing in, pushing hair out of her face as she apologizes.

“Sorry! I’m sorry I’m late.” she says quickly, grinning and blushing and hurrying to the available seat next to him. “Oh. Itachi. You made it here before me? Am I that late?”

“No,” Kakashi assures in a voice much kinder than early, “You’re on time actually.”

Why is she here now?

Itachi looks at the Hokage and questions. “Was not our meeting later today?”

The man nods and cracks his neck. “Yes, well, certain...circumstances called for it to be moved up a bit. Now then, shall we get started?”

“Looks to me like you already have,” Sakura gripes and gestures at the sake. “Since when did drinking become a part of these meetings?”

Kakashi dismisses her concerns with a flick of his wrist. “Itachi and I were having a man to man conversation.”

Sakura snorts, crossing both arms and leg in disbelief. “I highly doubt that. You suck at those.”

“How would you know? Certain parts of your anatomy exclude you from having man to man conversations.”

They descend into a playfully banter that doesn’t leave Itachi any less concerned for the next turn of events. Namely because Kakashi speaks to Sakura in circles. It’s truth but not truth. Not a lie but almost false. Kakashi says what happens without saying anything at all. They were having a conversation and it was about her and the very thing they are gathered here for. But the air is different. Whereas before, Itachi could taste the edge in the Hokage’s demeanor. Now it’s almost playful. He may not have been around his former captain in recent years but experiences from long ago tells him to be leery. 

Kakashi is never without motive. If he is trying to set her at ease, than there must be bad news. 

His entire body tenses with anticipation. Itachi rests hands on his knees, eyes alert  and on edge as the Hokage settles in his seat and and removes his Hokage hat.

“Well see about that,” Kakashi challenges and sits up a bit straighter. “Well now, should we get started?”

Itachi’s tension doubles when banter ceases. He’s hyper aware of all parties in the room even without his Sharingan. Next to him Sakura tries to maintain an air of indifference but he knows her, knows when she’s practicing restraint. If he has to guess, she’s keeping in excitement. 

“Uchiha Itachi. Haruno Sakura. Konoha would like to thank you for your services in this mission. S ranked missions are usually very taxing and to maintain such a mission for this extended period of time is commendable. You have my gratitude.”

Grey eyes lock on black ones. Itachi makes no outward show but feels the inflection in his heartbeat. “With formalities out of way, let’s start with you, Itachi. As you know, by the end of next year the restrictions on your chakra will be lifted. The seals will be removed and you are welcomed to train as you like. The goal was never to make you a prisoner so the restoration of your civil and shinobi liberties is paramount.”

Standard stuff, nothing worthy of concern. Kakashi starts their meeting on a reality mild note, stating facts that they all know. Itachi nods for lack of a better thing to do and continues the conversation with an inquiry of his own. 

“With these new liberties, will I be able to join the shinobi ranks again?”

Kakashi reaches for a folder atop of stack of many. “Technically speaking, yes. You would be ranked as jounin or, if you prefer, joined to Anbu again as a captain. But...I was hoping for a simpler life that makes you more readily accessible. It’s no secret that you are a highly skilled shinobi, talented in everything from weaponry to espionage. All the more reason why having those skills reserved for special missions seems like a better idea to me. Of course, you are free to decide that on your own.”

The Hokage then slides the folder across the desk towards him. Itachi catches it before it flies to the floor.

“What is this?” he questions.

“A simpler life,” Kakashi reiterates, “Konoha is in a state of transition. Going from a full scaled world war to global peace doesn’t come without making changes. We’re undertaking several projects, some external with other Hidden Villages and some internal. This one seemed suited for you to head, Itachi. Take a glance at it and tell me what you think.”

Sakura leans over her chair. Itachi angles the folder so as to offer her a better view. It’s unassuming at first. Papers decorated with several plans and ideas with a few circled in scattered areas. He flips through, skim reading the documents as he filters what’s unimportant, there seems to be quite a lot of that. The way the information is organized, it doesn’t immediately say what this is. There are plans and reworked plans all of which denoting a renovation. For a moment, Itachi is ready to dismiss it as nonsense, assuming the mission will be him sorting out whatever plans are trying to be formed here. While office work has never been something he actively disliked, for Kakashi to suggest such a thing seems like a waste of resources. 

When his partner mumbles of scribbled words, then mutters how she wish it were clearer, Itachi relishes in the fact that he is not the only confused one. A quick glance at Kakashi who encourages him to flip further, Itachi shuffles through to the last few pages. Finally, at the very back, a blueprints for what looks like old Uchiha Compound makes him stop.

He pauses abruptly, eyes widening slightly at the sketch that loosens in his gripe.

“Is that…?” Sakura questions as Itachi flips back through to the beginning.

“Yes,” he curtly fills in the blanks for her. 

The place where I lost everything...

The last time he ventured to this place, Itachi could hardly muster the strength to go a few feet. Not because of guilt.Yes. The Massacre was necessary. Yes. He was acting on orders. But he is no machine. Seeing it from his home’s window is enough to recall old regrets and his mind likes to remind him of a million things he could have done differently. Knowing what he knows now, how Obito assisted only to achieve some convoluted end, how Sasuke could have helped him if given the chance. All of it were memories he prefers not to dredge through.

To put it short: it hurt .

One doesn’t simply kill off their entire clan and live a mentally peaceful life. You never truly get over that lost because grief doesn’t come with an expiration date. You deal. He’s been dealing with in his own way for over a decade.

But now.

Itachi closes his eyes and the folder, mentally processing what he’s seen long enough to compose more of a statement than a question. Because Kakashi doesn’t just want to keep the Compound around, he wants to immortalize it . 

“You want to change the Old Uchiha Compound into a museum.” There’s no malice but those who know little about him would miss the restrained tone of voice. “What would this have to do with me?” 

Kakashi gestures to the file and explains. “At first we were going to tear it down. Most of it was destroyed in the War and isn’t in use. It’s simply been abandoned. However, Shikamaru thought of the idea you have there.”

“No offense, Kakashi-sensei,” Sakura interrupts, green eyes flicker to Itachi and then away. “It’s just...a museum? I find it a bit hard to believe that people would like this idea. I mean, by and large people seem okay with Itachi being around. But some people still see him as a killer and the Uchiha Compound is kinda seen as a place of mass murder.”

“She has a point.” Itachi agrees.

Sakura catches his eye once more and something like sympathy flickers across her face but it leaves before he can be sure. She looks away and he turns his gaze back to Kakashi who offers a slightly crinkled smile.

“All valid concerns,” he concedes, “All things we thought about. I admit I was against the idea at first but Shikamaru made some good points. First and the most important is that Konoha’s history is mostly recorded in books. The only structures we have to commemorate the start of our village is the Valley of the End. We don’t have any buildings dedicated for this purpose and building one would be costly. By contrast, the old Uchiha Compound has enough buildings there to represent both prominent and lesser clans. Refurbishing that place is more economical, not that we are in financial straits but….wars cost money. To that end, we need Itachi to agree….considering he is currently the sole owner of all of that property, Itachi.”

“Hold on. Pause.” Sakura interrupts again, “Itachi actually owns the entire compound? Why wasn’t that discoursed to us earlier?”

“Well,” Kakashi drawls and leans back in his chair, “Certain circumstances made it a bit harder to do than just giving Itachi property.”
“Because of the probation,” Itachi supplies then turns his attention to Sakura to explain. “By law, I could not own the property because of that.”

“But you weren’t a prisoner!”

Itachi agrees, “Not in the traditional sense. Think, Sakura, it would be no different than allowing me to freely move around the village”.

“Exactly,” The Hokage agrees. “We needed to wait until the probation was over to give him the deeds and money considering he is also is the sole beneficiary of every will and testament, funds which were originally meant for Sasuke. Since Itachi is now the last Uchiha, it all goes to him.”

Money? Itachi mentally questions. “I did not know there were funds as well.”

“As I said, they were for Sasuke at first as per your agreement with the Third Hokage. Or, if we are being technical, for the last remaining Uchiha, which is you. Now that you have access to it…”

“You want me to use that money to fund this project,” Itachi interjects,

Kakashi’s eyes crinkle. “The village is willing to match the cost considering this will be a public museum. As I said, this is a simpler life for you. You won’t lose too much in this investment. The account has enough that this project can be completed and you will have plenty left to live comfortably. The village will handle the maintenance fees and pay a salary to anyone employed so you are not coming out of pocket.”

Itachi turns the idea over in his mind. Financing turning his old home into a museum is as easy as signing papers. The way Kakashi started this, Itachi doubts that’s the end all be all of this.

“What else is there to this?” he questions, “If I choose to finance this, what other task will I be responsible for?”

“If you decide to take this project, I’m expecting you to also be curator. You can still be on the payroll as a shinobi much in the same way an Anbu would be. That way the curator can be your primary job and specific missions will be allotted to maximize your skillset.”

Itachi manages a mask of indifference but his mind is already fast at work.

To revinate is one thing but to work there everyday? Surely a test of sanity.

He almost snorts at the truth of his thoughts. He’s come to terms with his decision many years ago. One cannot simply undo a mass slaughter. That is not the part that worries him. It’s coming to terms with his new life that has him teetered off-balance.

I should be buried with the rest of them. Now I am being asked to commemorate them.  

To be fair to Kakashi, the offer is not a bad one, just unexpected. He’s never given much thought to what would happen to his old home. Turning it into something pleasant seems like a good idea. But who would come to the site of a massacre?

The irony of having me facilitate. Did they not consider the adverse reaction that could cause? 

It’s almost laughable.  The killer telling the story of the killing. 

He looks down at the incomplete blueprints, thinking of ways this can go right and ways this can go wrong.

Perhaps by honoring the village, my name will be cleared in the eyes of the people. This may be what they are hoping, people will associate this with a sign of loyalty. It will not happen overnight. Changing people’s heart takes time…

“Itachi?” Sakura’s soft call pulls him from his reverie. “You were staring a hole into the paper. Kakashi asked what did you think.”

“I have concerns,” he admits. “Sakura is right in saying people will shy away from the place because of its history.”

The Hokage agrees in his own way and leans back. “People will come around. They may not know the true sacrifice that happened that night but for you and those of us made aware, there is no better place or person to represent the Will of Fire. In time, that aspect of the Uchiha Compound will only add to the history and allure.”

Overly optimistic. Itachi mentally mutters, closing the folder and sitting it on the table. “My doubts still remain.”

“Alright.” Kakashi says. “Doubts are understandable. I also had doubts but I can see beyond it enough to recognize the potential.”

The Uchiha makes a noncommittal grunt.There is potential. He is not blind. Nothing Kakashi said is without merit. Honoring the clans, refurbishing an abandoned complex, the idea is solid in theory. It hinges on people being able to see beyond...Itachi isn’t some pessimist but he’s seen how hatred corrupts the human heart.

This will take far more time than I believe he knows.

Years maybe, perhaps not until he dies will people appreciate all the museum encapsulates. “Can I consider it before answering now?”

“Considering is not a no,” Kakashi amuses, folds his hands on the desk and nods in kind. “It’s a start, at least. How about a month to think it through? Just in case you come up with….other plans for the place.”

“Other plans?”

“It was your former home at some point. Maybe you will use it like that again?”

Itachi blinks in shock but has no moment to voice his questions about that last state. Kakashi keeps going. “After all, Konoha is in a delicate spot right now. Peace is a fragile and circumstantial thing. It could last for five years or five decades but, eventually, someone will come along that doesn’t know the sacrifices of people like Naruto. They will be too far removed from the horrors of this war to not wish it again. Greed. Revenge. Power. All of these can be the difference between cooperation and occupation. I want Konoha to be ready.”

It’s Sakura who speaks up and Itachi is glad for it. “I don’t understand. What does this have to do with the museum?”

“Everything and nothing.” Kakashi answers cryptically. “It’s not the building...more the content being memorialized. Above everything, the Hidden Leaf Village and its shinobi’s job is to protect those within its walls. As the Hokage, I would be remiss if I did nothing to ensure that we are protected in the future. Our greatest resource is our shinobi, within that, the skills specific to each clan within our borders.”

As soon as the words come out, the conversation becomes muffled background noise. For Itachi was not slow. If Kakashi through any more hints, he would be outright saying what he means! To have such a conversation here, in an official meeting now is no accident. As the Hokage cryptically lays out pieces of what this meeting is truly about, he can’t help but feel used.

The meeting, the question, everything. Kakashi was fishing for information for this.

It all comes together in one rushed puzzle. Kakashi must have sensed when realization dawned. He will not make eye contact. It’s just as well because Itachi’s face tightens with furrowed and narrowed brows. Fist clench with nearly unrestrained discontent. He can’t quite decide if his indignation is for himself...or for Sakura.

A quick glance her way reveals she’s still bathe in confusion, waiting for Kakashi to feed her more verbal encouragement to ‘defend’ Konoha in the such a way only a woman can.

Has she not caught on yet? The fact that she hasn’t only means that when she does, things may end badly for all of them.

“Okay so,” the medical ninja presses, unfolding her arms to sit a bit taller, “You want to make sure the village is protected from future threats by reminding us of mistakes we’ve made in the past.”

Kakashi straightens in his chair then looks intently at Sakura. “What I want and what the elders want is to protect the village from threats and to protect its heritage.”

“With a museum?”

“With shinobi .”

“Eh?” Sakura questions, “...how’s that gonna...?”

“By preservation.”

“And restoration,” Itachi supplies through gritted teeth, unable to continue this guessing game. “Be plain with her, Hokage-sama.”

Much to his surprise, Kakashi does just that.

“We want to see the Uchiha Clan restored.”

The conversation comes to a deafening halt. The Hokage’s office shrods in silence as both men watch and wait. For the longest time Sakura sits completely still, lips pursed, hands hanging loose at her side. There’s a twitch, then a blink, she uncrosses one leg and brings her hands to her knees. Itachi watches with batted breathe as the news unfolds in her mind. He can see it on her face. They way her eyes shift, pupils dilating gradually, the slight flare of her nostrils and growing flush creeping up the back of her neck. All a sign of barely contained emotions trying to push through.

The next time she speaks, Sakura’s voice is dangerously low, eyes glued to the floor. “Restored...how?”

The Hokage is not unaffected by this either. He’s already unlaced his fingers and pushes back slightly from the desk. His mouth opens and closes, eyes shifting to the ceiling as if it will give him words.

“Well,” Kakashi hesitates. “In theory...Itachi needs to have children in order to properly restore the clan.”

“With who ?” Sakura’s words cut like a knife as she growls. For a moment an odd feeling of vindication fills him when she glares at their superior.

“Ahh…” the caution in his voice is wise, Itachi thinks. Whatever he is about to say could be the spark or diffuser of a Sakura bomb. “Such a thing is a delicate matter.”

Her fists clenched to white knuckles as she avidly demands, “With who!”

Itachi thinks Kakashi must either be a fool or very brave because his next words put the entire build at risk of being torn down.

“Ideally?” Kakashi tells her. “You.”

The chair under her flies across to the back of the room, crashing against the wall. One doesn’t have to been a sensory ninja, he can feel the crackles of her chakra all over his skin. Itachi reacts quickly, getting up and stepping aside. Her entire body trembles, face red and absolutely furious. The source of her fury stands as well. Kakashi’s stance is no less defense but he doesn’t back down from her either. 

“Who’s idea was this?” she demands through gritted teeth.

Kakashi manages to answerly calmly. “It was a joint proposal. The elders and I have been tossing this idea around for awhile.”

At that, Itachi speaks up, getting between Sakura and Kakashi to raise his own concerns. “How long has this been under consideration?” 

“Since the moment you stepped back in the village....But…” Kakashi cautions, “It was not something we wanted to make a mission out of, rather...something that happened naturally.”

“With me ?” Sakura’s voice carries over both of theirs. “Is that the reason for this faux marriage? Were you guys trying to play matchmaker and just assumed that because I loved Sasuke I would be willing to pop-out Uchiha babies!”

Kakashi sighs. “You were considered for reasons that have nothing to do with your relationship with Sasuke. There are many factors at play here, the integrity of the village being one of them.”

“I’m a citizen in this village too! What about me? What about my integrity!”

The Hokage’s tone shifts as his jaw clenches under his mask. “You are a citizen and a shinobi.”

Kakashi quickly cuts Sakura off just as she opens her mouth to rebuttal. “ The well-being of Konoha is my number one priority, Sakura. If that means ensuring that one of our greatest dojutsu survives long enough to protect us from another Otsuki Clan threat, than I will do what must be done. These missions are not uncommon in any village. They are no different from any other seduction mission kunoichi are trained for, what you are trained for.”

“ Seduction! ”  Sakura nearly pushes Itachi out of the way and, if not for the desk he is sure Kakashi would have been sent through the wall. But she bangs her fist against it, sending fissures all throughout the sensitive wood.

“Yes, seduction. You are a kunoichi, Sakura, this shouldn’t surprise you. Do you think you’re the first to have something like this presented? The Uchiha were not the only clan on the edge of extinction. Konoha’s done things like this since the village was formed.”

Sakura lets out a choking gasps, physically reeling at the information. Scrubbing a hand through her hair, she takes a defensive step back.

“This is my life!” she pleads, “What you’re asking isn’t just a mission.  It won’t go away in two months or five months or even five years. I can’t just give babies back once they’re born. I’m stuck with them until the day I die, Kakashi!”

“How many shinobi have given their life to a cause?” Kakashi raises his voice, stilling all movement with the sharpness of his voice. “Are you a kunoichi or are you not?”

Sakura whimpers, clenching her fist as tears build. “Don’t try to make this about patriotism and duty.”

“It is about duty.” The Hokage reiterates. “Would you leave the village vulnerable?”

“That’s not fair.” Sakura insists, “You can’t guilt me into...into…”

She can’t say the words and bites down hard on her lower lip. Itachi mentally teeters between comforting her and confronting Kakashi. But the Hokage does not relent, going as far as to come around the desk that’s shielded him from her fury.

“Sakura, I’m not trying to guilt you into anything but truth is truth. This is a mission that exist. I am considering it for reasons.”

“What reasons?” Itachi challenges. “This mission, it’s purpose, does this not seem like an extreme solution?”

“Haven’t the elders learned how crappy the results are when they meddle!” Sakura opines.

Kakashi’s gray brow raises and he folds his arms, turning his attention away from his student a moment. “Those possess the Sharingan have the potential to develop a Rinnegan, an inaugural part of defeating the Otsuki Clan. My question remains, would you live the village vulnerable to such an attack?”

“This isn’t right!” Sakura jumps in, “You can’t make me be a mother.”

“I’ll agree with you on that point. I can’t make you be a mother but you have made yourself the most qualified shinobi for this task. The mission,”

“...No…”

“....allows you six months to consider accepting…”

“My answer is no!” Sakura raises her voice over his. 

“Your mission .” Kakashi presses, “As of now is to take six months to consider the unique situation our village is in, Sakura, I wouldn’t ask this from you if it wasn’t paramount. Accept the six month mission and we will revisit this then.”

“I said I won’t do it!” When Sakura’s hand goes up, Itachi moves with quickest. He hardly sees the two shadow clones until they pop at the magnitude of chakra emanating from her right arm. He instantly goes to the left, getting an arm around her throat and pressing his free finger against pressure point behind her ear just as she swings towards the wall.

In seconds her body goes limp against his at the same time concrete and steel and metal shatter, leaving a sizeable hole in the wall and several cracks surrounding it. He pulls her in close and with his free hand scoops her up bridal style just as Kakashi groans. Shoulders hunched, Kakashi falls weighted into his chair, shaking his head. The bravado from early simmers away and Itachi sees the gravity and strain etched into his forehead. 

The sake makes more sense. The meeting early becomes even more clear but even still it was no enough to prepare them for her reaction. Itachi would have felt more sympathy if not for his own reservations about what may be Sakura’s next mission. 

“Did it not go as you expected?” Itachi wagers with a hint of sarcasm because how the hell Kakashi thought this was a good idea is beyond him.

Kakashi actually shakes his head. “From Sakura? Yes. But with more casualties to my office.”

“You could not have assumed she would accept this.”

The Hokage lets his head drop back against the chair and regards the ceiling. “I imagined she would be against it but I am more interested in your reaction.”

“Mine? The mission wasn’t given to me.”

“No.” Kakashi concedes then grimaces, “ Well, we can’t really...do it without you. I want to know your thoughts.”

True enough.

“Very well,” Itachi says. He walks back to his chair, an unconscious Sakura in tow and sits with her cradled like a child in his lap. Then reveals his thoughts.

“This mission is, for lack of better words, insulting. You assume that I am incapable of finding someone to bear children. Creating this into a mission in order to get it done is beyond degrading. You presume this is something that I want. Perhaps rebuilding the clan is not something I planned for the future but this questions was not posed to me, rather I was indirectly told this was the next trajectory of my life. To commission Sakura, who’s dedicated the last few years of her life to a trying mission while battling the grief of losing the man she loved at the hands of the man she was commissioned to watchover is careless and heartless. My opinion is that I disapprove.”

Kakashi doesn’t miss a beat, dropping an elbow on the desk to hold two fingers. “All fair points that have reasonable explanations. But let's be honest, can you blame me at this point? Trust me when I say the last thing I want to consider is what my ex student does with men. But four years spent living with a woman and…. nothing ?”

Itachi nearly glares, clenching Sakura tighter at Kakashi’s insinuation. 

“I am on duty .” he stresses.

A hand scrubs through gray hair. When Kakashi avoids eye contact, Itachi knows he’s made his point. The man across from his takes a moment to gather his thoughts, a long enough time for Itachi to lose the small puff of steam he built a moment ago.

Kakashi’s words come slow, careful with a hint of what the uchiha picks up as genuine concern.

“Nothing about this situation is comfortable for any of us. But hear me out, Itachi,” the man pleads and lays his hands out on the table. “ Danzo’s goal may have been to keep the powers of your dojutsu to himself but Lord Third never wanted to annihilate the Uchiha completely. It’s why Sasuke was left alive and why one of your brother’s mission was to rebuild his clan. As much as I don’t want to consider this aspect of your life, the fact is that I’m obligated. Konoha cannot afford to lose the Sharingan.”

“But to keep it by force? If Sakura nor I want to have children, what then? There are other ways to reach this goal without inflicting unnecessary trauma on Sakura or the child.”

“Yes. I’ve thought of that. We tossed around the idea of simply keeping your DNA stored and….using it at a later time.”

Kakashi pauses long enough to scratch his chin, gaze still elsewhere but now settled firmly on the desk between them. “The problem with that is time.”

“What do you mean by time?”

“Well...babies take time to grow up. They take time to make. Time is not something we have right now, or more correctly said, time is something you don’t have right now.”

Black brows furrowed in confusion. “Explain.”

“We wouldn’t impregnate a woman with your sperm now. That would just be...insulting to her and the child. It would have to be after you died. Can you see the problem with that option?”

Kakashi pauses to give him time to answer. Itachi is sure they reached the same conclusion. If the purpose is rebuild the clan, one can’t do that from nothing.

“The child needs to be train,” he supplies.

Something like relief washes over the Hokage. He props his head on his hands and continues. “There are only two people alive who’ve wielded the Sharingan and one who knows its true intricacies. I’d hardly call myself an expert on the dojutsu enough to teach another. More than that, there are secrets about the clan that only you are privy to that any Uchiha coming after needs to know.”

His point is fair. Itachi thinks and looks at the table as well. Kakashi may have learned a great deal from having Obito’s eye but there were things even he didn’t know. 

To entrust someone else to share the secrets of the Uchiha would be irresponsible. They will not understand all of the nuances and complexities that make up the clan and its customs.

To that end, Itachi understands the Council’s need to have him alive but that didn’t answer the question of why Sakura. 

“I’ll agree to your point that having me alive in necessary, “ Itachi concedes. “I understand the village’s concern about losing such a jutsu. I have no doubt that Sasuke would have eventually started the process of restoration in his own time. Which begs the question of why am I being rushed and Sakura being forced?”

“Because time,” Kakashi answers cryptically.

Itachi presses for a clearly explanation. “Time for what exactly?”

“As I said before, babies take time that you don’t have. Particularly because of your...resurrection. The fact remains that we don’t know if or when this will have an adverse effect. The sooner you have a child, the more likely it is that you will be able to train that child. Medically speaking, until your disease is cured, we can’t rule out you dying young like before. You’ve been brought back on what could be borrowed time. Every year that passes raises the risk.”

“And our first mission was your insurance.”

The older man huffs. “Yes and no. The primary reason for your current mission was and is what it has always been. But...we wouldn’t have looked down on you if something more came from it. To put it plainly, it would have made things easier for three reasons. The first, having a strong mother not only assures the health of the child but also the capabilities as a shinobi. Both of you are ept in different ways, Sakura being book smart and you filling in the practically skills. You balance each other in that way. The second, you and Sakura already have a foundation. A rocky one but it exists, versus you having to hunt for a kunoichi willing to be in the same space with you without wanting to kill you...or passing out. Finally, for Konoha’s sake, Sakura knows all of your secrets. It eliminates the risks of sensitive information getting out.”

“These reasons are all valid, Hokage-sama, but you are forgetting a valuable part of this plan.”

“Which is?”

“The mindset of an Uchiha. If the goal is to create a more loyal Uchiha, forcing a reluctant woman to give birth to a child will only foster hatred. Sakura may grow to resent you. If that is the case, the child will feel it and also grow to resent the position of the Hokage and ultimately the village.”

The Copy Ninja nods in agreement. “All the more reason I wanted you to be aware of  our concerns and what this mission entails. I need your help with this, Itachi. The six months are not just for Sakura but you as well. 

“You want me to convince her.”

“I want you two to work together and come to an agreement. I trust that you will find the best solution possible.”

The meeting ends with Itachi offering his willingness to consider the idea of bearing children with Sakura. Kakashi encourages him to think wisely, something that did not need to be said but Itachi says nothing to the other’s concerns, leaving the office with a still sleeping Sakura. He takes her the back way home to avoid suspicions and leaves her on the sofa to visit the tea house. The aftermath of this conversation will echo through the walls of his house for days. Itachi has no desires of dealing with an infuriated Sakura when she wakes. Not for fear. Itachi is more than capable of dealing with her when she gets that. He simply does not have the wherewithal to do so now. The things Kakashi said all make sense in theory. The rationale behind both ideas are worth considering. He needs time to consider. So he takes refuge in his favorite teahouse with dango. He’s hardly in the mood to cater to her emotions when he is still trying to sort his own.

“Your oolong tea,” the server announces, setting up the drink and pouring his first cup.

“Thank you.” Itachi accepts and cradles the warm cup in both hands. 

It’s watery depths won’t give him answers.

I simply need time to think of a solution.

And, according to Kakashi, time is something he has very little of.

Chapter Text

Line 3: Caught In A Bad Dream

"and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling..."

-I Carry Your Heart,

Line 3/4a, Stanza 1

by E.E Cummings

"They look nice." Naruto mutters.

He assumes they are market flowers that Sakura just so happens to have a nice pot for. There's no point in trying to figure out what kind of plant it is. Kunoichi were trained in flower arranging arts since the Academy and Sakura's best friend owns a flower shop. And Naruto only ever cares about plants or flowers when Hinata is mad at him. Other than that, a rose is a fern is a tulip.

Despite his lack of knowledge in horticulture, the future Hokage says what he feels.

"I think they fit, too."

Naturo waits for her to offer a comment to his praise. Whether he wants gratitude for his observance or a selfish display of self-confidence on her part, he isn't sure. Sakura's always been the smart one and he's kinda always leaned on her for mental approval.

When she doesn't so much as look over her shoulder to acknowledge his words, he shifts his weight self consciously from one hip to another and tugs at the glove protecting his 'natural' hand. The shrill wind of early winter passes between barren gray trees. Naruto reaches for his hair and holds it down against the gust to protect his head from the cold.

I should have taken that hat Hinata had.

He frowns as he looks down at Sakura once more. She's already dug through the frostbitten dirt on the ground. A sizeable hole sits to the left of a large nondescript stone. Sakura cradles the plant in her hands before carefully plopping it inside. It's an evergreen plant, Naruto thinks, something that will last the coming winter and ice that's already started to stick to the ground.

The idea to bring some color to this place seemed good when they made the plan, albeit out of nowhere. Winter is coming in slow, with no promise of snow. Temperatures steadily drop and crystal blues of frozen dew reflect off gradually forming icicles. The silvery gray bark of leafless trees stand in the backdrop of the surrounding area, making the world around them feel stagnant and motionless. Even though the beech tree for which they are currently under is technically an evergreen, everything just feels more dull.

A gravesite is depressing enough as it is without winter adding her icy touch.

This will definitely liven up the place.

Blonde brows twitch. Maybe not liven. Brighten?

Naruto rubs his hands together and looks out at the the sun balancing against the misty horizon amidst rolling clouds. Streams of light peak through and break the covercast though Naruto doubts it'll get much brighter or warmer than this.

Maybe I should have taken that scarf too, he inwardly laments and turns his gaze back to his friend.

Sakura came to their home some two days, requesting to stay because of some quarrel she and Itachi got into. Though Naruto still has no clue what could have caused such a reaction, if them doing this helps, he's willing to sacrifice time. He'd never turn down a chance to visit Sasuke.

It would be nice if she actually explained what the hell's going on though.

Sakura's already filled the hole on the left side of the unmarked grave. She's currently scoping up wet dirt to cover the twin shrub stuck into the ground on the right. The process is mostly finished, so Naruto turns away to look for the incenses she brought with her.

"I'll get the rest of the stuff," he tells her, not expecting an answer this time.

Chilly winds whistle around them and he's not exactly trying to carry his voice over it. There are reasons, mostly because it's quite early and he is still waking. More importantly, however; there's always some unspoken protocol for silence to show reverence and Naruto isn't the hyperactive, knucklehead ninja anymore. He's training to be Hokage after all, diplomacy lectures and politics have taught him the importance of decorum.

Somewhere deep in the branches, a morning bird squawks overhead. The blond looks up as he walks toward the bench near the beech tree, searching for the source of the noise. Above and not too far where he can't see, a lonely raven twitches and ruffles its feathers against the chill. The black bird calls out again as he shimmies closer down the branch where some sunlight hits. Naruto grins, understanding the bird's quest for warmth. He's not desperately cold but every once in awhile a shiver gets through the back collar of his coat. The blond nods in solidarity before continuing his task.

He spots Sakura's bag on the bench, half sticking out of it is a black box that he assumes are the things he's looking for. He pulls it out, making the bag flop open more, revealing something that gives him pause.

Blue eyes soften and Naruto purses his lips at the symbol etched into the cup and outline in gold. Moving the incenses box under his arms, he grabs the holder as well. The pad of his thumb brushes over the distinctive red and white uchiwa fan, bold against the blackness of the holder. Memories of childish bravado, challenges and competitions return. There was once a time where his eyes were always on his friend's back, always glaring at the clan symbol sewn into his shirt. Sasuke seemed to be ahead in everything, from training to trekking. There were many missions where Naruto's eyes had no choice but to stare at the uchiwa fan proudly displayed on the back of one who carried so great a burden.

Where did she get this?

A solemn respect washes over him. It's not that Naruto hasn't seen the clan symbol since his best friend's untimely demise. The eldest Uchiha, who Naruto will even call a friend, still sports the emblem. For some reason, and perhaps because of what he and Sakura are here for, seeing it etched into an incenses holder reminds him of stolen innocence. Naruto's stomach drops and he lowers his eyes to the matted grass beneath his feet.

I never felt you were better than me, Sasuke. But there sure were a lot of times I didn't have a choice but to follow your lead. Guess you knew that already, right?

The raven caws again, eerily in sync with his question. Naruto finches out of his reverie to look up. Another bird joins the first. The two speak together and shake the beech tree branch. Beady eyes zone in on their human audience.

"Hey...when did you get…?"

"Naruto."

"Ahh!" the blond screams, arms flare and he stumbles backwards, clenching the items to his chest

"Naruto!" Sakura yells.

Hands on his back, she shoves him forward to keep him from crashing into to her. The push sends him stumbling on his feet until he catches his balance in a hunched over position. He tucks the items into his chest less they fall and peeks over his shoulder.

"S-Sakura?"

"Yes!" the medical ninja deadpan, "Who else did you…"

Another caw stops her mid sentence. Green eyes drift above then oblique at him.

"The birds? Really."

Naruto gathers himself enough to stand and defend is earlier blunder. "They were looking at me." he stresses, "I didn't even hear you finish or move. All I heard was 'Narruuttooo'. I was confused."

"I didn't say it like that though."

"That's how I heard it!"

Sakura levels a disbelieving look his way then folders her arms over her chest.

"Sometimes I find it very hard to believe you're gonna be the voice of Konoha one day," she teases, " But….you know, they say ravens are a bad omen."

"Sakura!" Naruto squeaks, an unnatural feeling of dread zigzagging down his spine.

The last thing they need is anything bad or any omens at all!

She ignores his protest and opens the slick black box, plucking scent sticks between her fingers.

"I've also read that they are messengers of the dead, especially if they travel in pairs."

"Messengers of the…?" This peeks his curiosity. Fear forgotten,Naruto looks behind her at the unmarked grave and widens his eyes. "Really?" he questions.

"Of course," Sakura assures, rocking on her heels as she nods.

A part of him hoped their friend knew what they were doing for him and that he wasn't forgotten, even if Konoha didn't honor him with a proper grave.

For Naruto, the folklore resonates and he crosses his arms over his chest in serious concentration. "Raven and crows are basically the same bird. Crows are Itachi's thing so maybe the Raven is…"

Sakura giggles, stopping Naruto's rational. It's a muffled but pretty tinker at first that blossoms into a full on chuckle when he looks crossed.

Blue eyes meet green and Naruto finds himself grinning at the wistful smile on her face. It helps that the wind catches her hair in a carassing breeze so gentle it barely disturbed the nature around them. She's let it grow out, nearly to the small of her back and her low ponytail sways behind her. Against the background of gloomy grays and browns, her bright green eyes, soft pink hair and tickle of chiming chuckles adds more vibrancy to this place than any plant or incene or holder ever could.

Naruto laughs as well, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of the situation and the odd peace that follows familiarity.

They both hoped for a different outcome.

They both wished Sasuke was still alive.

Any semblance of his presence they wanted, be it bird or body.

When the chuckles die down, Sakura sighs and nods to the tree branch.

"They're still there," she informs.

Naruto checks and sure enough, the two birds sit next to each unaware of their audience.

"Do ravens carry messages to and from the dead?"

"I don't see a reason they wouldn't."

Naruto's eyes swing to her as he asks, "Would you leave a message if you could?"

Sakura's face twitches in odd places, an expression that wants to show is kept by restraint. Instead, she shrugs one shoulder and tucks hair behind her ear.

"Maybe." her voice is calm and in control but not harsh by any means. "Do you want to set those ups?"

Naruto turns fully to her and looks down at the incenses and holder still in his hands. Sakura gestures to them and looks up at him. "You can do that part."

"Are you sure? I mean, this was your idea Sakura."

She shakes her head and pulls the collar of her coat further up her neck, hiding her lips on down. "You do that while I get the other stuff."

Sakura steps around him to get to the bench next to the beech tree. Naruto nods, following her instructs and kneeling down before Sasuke's tombstone.

"Where should I set them up?" He asks.

"Anywhere you think looks nice." Sakura calls over her shoulder.

Naruto grimances slightly. He has never been the kind of guy to properly understand when something "looks nice". With exception to when his wife gets extra fancy, looking nice to him usually ends with just throwing stuff anywhere.

He places the items down with care, scratching the back of his neck and surveying the area.

Hinata would say something like 'it looks better off to the side'...but Sakura's already put the plants there.

For a second he just stares at his best friend's final resting place. Slowly his hand comes to rest on his thighs as the events that led all three of them to this point come rushing back. The senseless war, an act of retribution and a modern miracle that brought the dead back to life at the expense of killing his brother.

And Sakura.

I want to do this right. For her.

Cautiously he eases the cup towards the middle, in hopes that she will like it. Naruto takes great care with getting out the incense. He sits the tray next to the cup as well as the active charcoal for which to light them.

If ravens did carry messages to the dead, Naruto whispers in hopes Sasuke is listening. He drops the final incense in the decorative holder, presses his hands together and says a quiet prayer.

"Most of your life, you lived in darkness. Hopefully these will lead you to the light. You can thank Sakura for the help…"

"Thank me for what?" Sakura asks and settles next to him on the ground with two boxes in hand.

"I was leaving a message." Naruto replies, "Maybe it'll get through today."

"Maybe," Sakura absently replies as she removes the lid of a bento.

Blue eyes gaze curiously and Naruto raises a brow at the rows of cherry tomatoes all line neaty. "You brought breakfast?"

Sakura grunts and shakes her head.

"Not for you," she halfheartedly comments, then sits the box on the other side of the incense.

Naruto opens his mouth to retort but pauses when she lays a couple talismans on the headstone and, finally two small stones to keep them from blowing away.

"There," Sakura confidently concludes then sits back on her heels.

Both of them eye the place where Sasuke's body lays. Silence surrounds them for a brief moment and not even nature makes a sound. No wind, no birds, just the two of them in Konoah's cemetery just after dawn.

There's peace in it. A kind of acceptance of reality that allows them both to bask in the fact that Team 7 is somewhat united again. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke all in the same place but on different planes.

"I can't believe it's been five years already." Naruto says. Hushed. Astonished.

Sakura nods slowly and hugs her elbows. "It's been a long time hasn't it…"

The blonde looks obliquely at her smaller frame swaddled in a warm red winter coat. She fiddles at the loose strands hanging from zipper pockets and eyes the ground. With nothing else to do to keep busy, Naruto notices the lines of sadness on her face. How much older and wiser she looks under the morning sun. More than that, how much he owns her and what he can never repay. Naruto can only watch her for so long before looking away. Maybe she just misses him. Maybe Sasuke's shown up in her dreams again. Naruto isn't sure exactly what she's wrestling with but it's something. The fact that he can't do anything (because she won't tell him anything) reminds him of things he should have long since been over. Older griefs and broken promises tug at his heartbeat. He squeezes his knees, pressing blue eyes closed.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura." His voice cracks horribly. "I should have…"

"Don't you dare," Sakura sharply cuts in. Sighing, she lightens her tone, "Please, Naruto. We've been over this a thousand times. We did what we had to do. All of us."

Naruto clears his throat, then tilts his head in her direction. "I know but…"

She looks up quickly and shakes her head. "There's no use dwelling on old promises."

"It wasn't just an old promise! I wanted to bring him back, Sakura. You have to know that."

The smile she gives is both heartbreaking and encouraging. Sakura softens her eyes and places her hand a top his. Instantly his body relaxes and he leans instinctually in her direction.

It's not a lot but it's something.

"Of course I know, Naruto." she reassures him. "But even if you did...things wouldn't have been like they used to be."

Naruto knows she's right. Sasuke was beyond all of them at that point. But knowing all of this doesn't make it hurt any less. He nods anyway because it is true. Because Sakura is actually talking to him and not staring blankly in the distance like she did at his home for the last two days.

"Sometimes I wish it wasn't real." Naruto sumizes.

"Me too," Sakura whispers, "but five years is a long time to hurt."

"Has it stop hurting for you?"

"No," Sakura quickly remarks and follows it with a resolved huff. "Just a little less everyday I guess. I have good days and bad days….bad weeks...bad months. It sucks that's for sure. But it's where we are, Naruto. It's all we are."

He hums at the wisdom of her words, comforted by how much Sakura's moved pass phases of grief.

Hearing you say that...I'm glad for you, Sakura. He thinks.

Naruto turns his hand over, palm up so that their fingers lace for comfort. The sun slowly crawls up the sky. He gives her hand a squeeze and she returns the gesture in kind. They sit in silence once more, gazing ahead but lost in their own thoughts. As time passes, his friend presses closer to him, then rests her head on his shoulder. He lends her his strength to let her rest. Even if he never finds out why she stormed his home in the middle of the night. He'll be here for those silent fears and unspeakable situations. He'll be here for her as long as she needed him to be. That's what partners do. They are there for each other. Though nowadays their missions are mostly solo. Sakura being Itachi's guardian and him training to be Hokage, Team 7 will always be Team 7. No mission or death or marriage or duty would change that.

Naruto parts his lips to say just that but bites down on his tongue to keep it inside. Perhaps now is not the time. Instead, he tucks her head under his chin. Sakura's other hand grabs his forearm and she curls closer.

I hope you know you can always come to me when things get tough. You don't have to suffer alone...whatever it is.

Maybe his feelings get through. Naruto hopes Sakura feels his need to ensure she is alright. The only thing that ever gets her this down is the person they are reverencing now. Sasuke was a precious person to both of them. While he can never understand the lost of lover, he knows lost well, even the lost of a friend.

You did more than any of us….and protected all us in the end.

"I never did properly say thank you." Naruto muses aloud.

The medic ninja tilts her head just enough for him to see her quizzical look. "For what?"

"For saving us," he answers and quickly adds, "Stop looking at me like that, I'm serious."

"You don't have to thank me, Naruto. We all did-"

"I do," he insist and squeezes her hand tighter. "Please let me say this? I've been thinking about it alot and I know none us sacrificed more than you did. Everyday I see Hinata and Boruto, I think about the dreams you gave up to do what was best for the village. Now that Hinata's pregnant again I just..I want you to know much I appreciate everything you've done."

Sakura's gaze is unsatisfyingly blank. He hit a nerve. He can tell by the way she stills completely. Which was it? What did he say that made her go ridgid on him?

Naruto unconsciously holds his breath, hoping that she's caught his true meaning. She watches his eyes for a few more seconds before hiding her own from view.

Silence follows them once more and Naruto looks longingly and regretfully at the top of his friend's head. Feeling even more useless than before, Naruto opts to do nothing at all but be a leaning post. That seems to be the best course of action.

After a few seconds, she gives his forearm a gentle squeeze. Sakura holds him tight and, in a voice much softer than earlier she answers.

"She is having another baby, isn't she?"

Naruto sighs at the way she avoids his show of gratitude. He looks ahead at his best friend and brother's grave.

"...Yeah, she is."

Naruto expects Sakura to follow up with something but she doesn't. It's odd for her to be so quiet. Maybe some of it is because of where they are. He reasons it's more because who they are here for and whatever else's got her down. Naruto tries not to be impatient. The urge to reassure and reassure again compels him to do something. He fights against the fidgets and keeps still for as long as she needs him too. Time isn't a factor for he's already lost track of it.

His muscles tingle with numbness by the time Sakura pulls her head away, keeping her arm and hand locked with his.

At length, she tells him solemnly, " I appreciate your thanks but I don't really need it. Sasuke made his choice and I needed to make mine. If the situation were different and we did lead the life I wanted, I still would have done the same if Sasuke decided to betray the Leaf. I took an oath as a medic and as a shinobi."

She pauses long enough to glance and smirk at him. "So don't you go feeling sorry for me. I'll be okay. Besides, you're about five years too late to be issuing heartfelt thanks."

Relief quells some of his worries but Naruto hides his deeper fears and agrees for the moment. "Yeah I guess you're right. Better late than never."

"Of course I am," Sakura retorts, "Plus, you have more things to worry about than me. You're gonna be a dad again. That's big news. Poor Hinata."

Naruto readies a retort but the statement only tugs at things he's curious about. His mirth at her teasing falls flat in light of more questions, questions he wants to know answers to. The blond hesitates and slouches a little as he thinks over how to phrase it.

Sakura must have noticed his change in disposition. She pulls her body away. The lack of heat makes him shiver. Naruto looks down as she looks up with furrowed brows and a tug of a frown.

"What?"

The blond doesn't answer. He can't met her eyes yet either and lets his gaze drift towards the slow burning incenses.

"What?" Sakura asks earnestly, leaning to catch his eye.

Naruto chooses his words with care, drawing from tactic training. "I was just wondering...about your mission."

She pauses.

Naruto chances a glance in her direction. There it is again, like shudders that slam over her true feelings, keeping him far far away from the real reasons they are here.

Sakura stares intently at the ground. "What about it?"

So this is about the mission…He contemplates.

The topic is somewhat sensitive, though he knows his longtime teammate will disagree. She'd say it's not a big deal, that it's just a mission that's almost over anyway. But Naruto's seen her cry, knows the way she questioned her decisions throughout the mission. He's comforted her when grief came swiftly and reassured her when insecurities made her feel inadequate.

Even still, Sakura will say it's all a part of being a shinobi just so he wouldn't worry. It never stopped him from doing so. Even more so now that he knows that's why she's been so withdrawn. Something happened, something she won't say that has to do with mission. Sakura wouldn't have come to him if she didn't want him to do something. That much he knows though the something eludes him. But if he says the wrong thing, it may set off a Sakura bomb.

She'll get defensive if I say what I want to say.

"Naruto?" Sakura insists, "What is it?"

He can't not say it now, though. He's already opened his mouth.

I really gotta watch my mouth sometimes...

Naruto looks at anything but her and scratches the back of his neck. "I was just wondering how the you two were getting on that's all?"

It's not a complete lie. Naruto has a hundred questions. This one just seems the less likely to cause Sakura's temper to flare.

He feels more than sees her scruity. Naruto makes a point to look at a shifting branch above them. Sakura pulls away from him completely, pulling herself to her feet and dusting melting dew from the back of her coat.

For a moment Naruto thinks he's overdid it. On instinct he readies himself for a burst of temper or smack to the back of the head.

I shouldn't have said anything.

Sakura stretches her arms high over her head places her hands on her hips and seemingly ignores him in favor of loosening stiff muscles.

"We're better," she finally says, "We're working better together now, would be more accurate. Itachi's not such a bad partner, overall, I guess."

Well, that was unexpected. "Oh. So...you two aren't fighting?"

Sakura's brown twitches in a way that says everything and absolutely nothing. She mutters to herself too quiet for him to make out the words then shakes her head. Naruto watches the way her face cools into indifference, something he's noticed she's learned over the last few years since this mission started. Sakura's matured in many ways, and perhaps she doesn't see how some of Itachi's mannerisms rubbed off on her. Yes, she's still Sakura. Naruto would bet that she's thinking a ton of things right now. They hardly show, though. For him it only makes it more obvious.

Sakura only tries this hard when faced with a dire problem.

Naruto pulls himself to his feet, dusting off ice and shaking his legs to loosen his pants. He's adjusting his jacket when Sakura finally speaks.

"No," his friend admits and grimace. "We're not exactly fighting, more like vehemently disagreeing."

But they are something.

"I'm sorry, Sakura." Naruto blurts, unable to hold back anymore.

Sakura shakes her head. "It's not your fault."

"I can't fix whatever it is…"

The jounin medic snorts and sniffles. "You can't fix everything, Naruto. Somethings people have to fix on their own."

"Yeah but you're not just people, Sakura," he stresses, "You're my best friend, my sister the closest person to me besides Hinata. I want to help you."

She stays silent for a long while, then finally speaking. "You did help. I appreciate everything you've done for me. But this is something I'm going to have to figure out on my own."

"So this isn't all about Itachi, then?"

Sakura bites her lip and turns her head completely away from view. Naruto holds back a sigh, feeling suddenly shut out again. All he has his pieces, pieces and expressions that his friend has never been that great at hiding. Sakura may have adopted the stoic Uchiha mask but underneath she is still is best friend. He knows her.

Did Kakashi give her a new mission already?

Sakura exhales and much to his relief, relents. "Kakashi shared something with me...something about Itachi that I think he wants me to...to fix."

"How to fix?" Naruto pauses and frowns. "Did he tell you how?"

"Just the desired outcome and a possible way to achieve that desired outcome. But that can't be the only solution. There has to be another way…"

Naruto nods. "Is that why you were so angry? Because of this problem? Is that why you and Itachi are…" he pauses to remember the phrasing she used but Sakura supplies it for him.

"Vehemently disagreeing?"

"Yeah that."

"Yeah. To be honest, most of this is Kakashi's fault."

Naruto huffs and crosses his arms. "Sounds about right. Kakashi-sensei loves, meddling, giving information without actually saying anything."

"...with bits and pieces..."

"But there's always a reason, right?" The blond offers hopefully.

Sakura shivers and crosses her arms, then looks down at Sasuke. "I suppose..."

"What's gonna happen after next year?" Naruto hedges closer to the thing he originally wanted to ask.

Naruto watches his friend carefully, waiting for some kind reaction to his question. Sakura only shrugs and takes a step back.

"I don't know yet," she admits.

"Oh,"

Naruto hides his mild disappointment. It's half an answer to half a question. On the one hand he's concerned about the village. On the other, he wonders about his closes friend's happiness. Before he can rephrase, Sakura's already turning away from him and walking towards the bench to get her things.

"I have to get to the hospital," she announces and shoulders her bag. "You can stay here if you'd like. The genjutsu over this place will let Itachi know you're still here and when you leave."

Surprised, Naruto raises a blond brow. "He knows we're here?"

"He always knows," Sakura informs with a hint of something, "There's monitors all over this section of the cemetery and Itachi's chakra fuels the genjutsu keeping the Uchiha section of the cemetery hidden. Any unfamiliar chakra signature that manages to registers past the genjutsu automatically alerts Itachi, Kakashi and me."

"Oh…"

Sakura gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and a light smile. "Don't look so worried. Itachi doesn't spy, just senses that you're around. Anyways, I really should go before things get too crazy. Thanks for coming with me this morning...and everything else. It means alot."

Naruto nods in agreement. "Yeah no problem. It really looks nice and I'm sure Sasuke appreciates it."

Sakura leans in for a hug. They embrace for a few seconds before she pulls away and juds her chin to the sky.

"Maybe he did send the ravens to show approval."

Naruto looks up to see if the two birds are still lingering there.

The branch is empty and when he looks away, Sakura already has her back to him.

"Yeah," Naruto says abscently, watching his best friend as she walks away.

"Maybe he did…"

Hopefully it's not a bad omen…

Sakura arrives at the hospital early enough to avoid questions as to why she's set up a futon in her laboratory office downstairs. By the time she makes it back to the main building, Honoka is already lingering in the hall next to the ICU double doors. From the time of Itachi's miraculous resurrection, the young woman went from intern to resident medic, capable of handling her own cases but often refers to her mentor when things were unclear.

As of now, Sakura's entrusted her with the overnight care of the young boy exhibiting similar symptoms as Itachi. It's just as well since Honoka was also her right hand with Itachi after the war.

Sakura slows strides, watching as Honoka paces in small circles with a clipboard nearly glued to her face. A familiar action, something Sakura does when things are complicated. Honoka's picked up more than just medical jargon and suture dressing from her, which only leaves the older woman wondering.

Should I be worried? Sakura thinks and closes the distance between them.

Honoka doesn't miss a beat, looking up with wide brown eyes and a fixed frown.

"Sakura-san thank god!" she says and shows the new entries on the boy's chart. "Please tell me you have something about what this could be because last night was awful!"

The pinkette seizes the chart and flips through. "What happened?"

"Mild stroke. His blood pressure was through the roof and we couldn't figure out what was causing the reaction. " Honoka bites her thumb nail and gestures at the ICU doors. "I induced a coma and he's stable but I'm not sure if that was the best course of action."

"What meds did you use?"

"Propofol."

Sakura tongues her cheek and rereads the EEG report from before and after the seizure.

Itachi never had a stroke. Did I miss an aneurysm in his brain? How can he have so many blood vessels so messed up at once?

She sighs, flipping through papers, comparing data mentally with the new information presented.

No medical history, no serious illness prior but a stroke in such a short period of time! If we don't figure this out soon, we're gonna lose him before I can even get my hands on a proper cure.

Honoka clears her throat and chuckles nervously, "And, um, one more thing. The parents…"

The way the brunette looks at her makes Sakura want to tuck tail and run. Because Honoka has never been good at hiding her feelings, not that she would. If the young woman is giving her that look (of unfeigned symptony and mild relief), it could only me one thing.

"Aw no," she whines, "Please tell me their not those kind?"

"When we told them about the stroke, they nearly refused all of us from entering the room, demanding we wait until you come back. They don't want anybody to touch him."

Sakura groans and scratches her head. Being the top medic in the entire village always comes with drawbacks (obviously), namely the constant request for her presents or only her offering treatment. Flattering as it may be, her duties extend well beyond treating patients now.

"Where are they?"

Honoka nods at the door. "The mother's inside and the father left to get blankets and breakfast."

Green eyes watch the door with disconnect.

I hate these conversations.

Against the sinking feeling in her gut, Sakura offers the way out. "I'll talk to her,"

"Thank You," Honoka breathes a sigh of relief.

"All in a day's work, right?" Sakura teases, "Meaning you get used to these things, Honoka. People are always going to question you."

"I know," the young medic admits, "I just don't like it."

"Go check on your other case load" Sakura soothes. "I want to meet everyone on the team in about three hours. Think you can round up the crew to the meeting room by then?"

"I've done most of my rounds so I'm sure I can."

"Great. The quicker we can solve this medical mystery the better for all of us involved."

When Honoka leaves, Sakura mentally prepares herself for the awful conversation ahead. The delicate balance of patient needs and doctor competence presents a unique challenge, specifically for her. She understands from years of experience that people are blind when they panic.

As she opens the door to ICU, Sakura keeps this truth in mind when she goes to the last room. No soon as she steps a foot in the door, the mother's head jerks up from its nestled position on her son's bed. She freezes. Sakura watches as a plethora of emotions play across her face. Relief. Fear. Anger. Happiness. Joy. Uncertainty. Hope. Each lingering for a moment than flickering to next in sunken bloodshot eyes.

This woman hasn't slept at all, understandably so. But Sakura has to keep her composure and gauge which of these extreme emotions she will land on. Finally, after several seconds, shock gives way to relief. The mother's lip tremble and her eyes glass over with tears. Quickly she ducks her head, squeezing the white sheets in her fingers as she shoulder's shake.

"T-thank you so much" she huffs out between tears, "I was so worried they wouldn't call you...but you came…. Thank you, Sakura-sama!"

Gratitude. So much gratitude.

Oh dear. This will be harder than I thought….

Sakura takes several more steps into the room, going to the woman's side and offering her hand for comfort. The mother leans into the touch on her back, shaking as she cries her sorrows and worries. Sakura lets her get it all out, express her grieves before pouring the proverbial ice water all over her sorrows.

Because while Sakura understands that panic makes people do and say crazy things, she will not stand for her team being belittled by anyone.

"And then...then she said they gave him meds and look at him!" She exclaims. "My son was awake and talking before you left for the night. They did something to him and now I can't...I can't hear his voice anymore…"

Sakura has hope, as her tone isn't as nastiest she's heard. Still…

"Haijin-san," she interrupts before insults make her less empathetic, "Did Honoka-san explain to you why your son is in a medically induced coma?"

The mother comes up short between sniffles and looks up at Sakura and then over to her son. "Honoka-san...that's the little one with the short hair, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Yea. That one said Kai had a stroke and that the coma would protect his brain or something like that and-,"

"That's correctly," Sakura cuts in, "Doctors will usually do this if the patient has a stroke or any kind of condition, known or unknown, that could put the brain at risk of damage. In Kai's case, his stroke put him at risk of brain damage and the cause of the stroke is unknown. Honoka performed a...preventive procedure to keep him stable and avoid any more strokes in the future."

Tired eyes gain new life. Sakura takes a half step back as the woman sits up full and offers her full defiant attention.

"Preventive procedure? To stop what? She never explain any of this. She just said it was necessary and made my baby a vegetable!"

"He's not a vegetable." Sakura stresses then tries to soothe. "Kai is safe. Stroke patients are usually at a higher risk of having another if something isn't done. Honoka is a well trained medic and she knows that."

Before Sakura can finish her explanation, the mother vehemently cuts her off.

"Kai didn't have signs of a stroke until after they came in and checked him. He was fine. I'd just talk to him."

The pinkette offers a pleasant smile. "Strokes can be sudden, Haijin-san. Your son has a number of enlarged blood vessels. It's possible that there are some in his brain that caused the stroke. Because we don't know what's causing his body to react this way, there's no way of gauging when these vessels will burst, as was the case last night."

"Okay, yes, but these people….!"

"Are highly trained medical professionals, Haijin-san." Sakura jumps in, "We have an entire team working very hard to heal your son. Trust me, you have one of the best general physicians looking into the well-being of your son."

"You mean Honoka-san," the woman answers bitterly.

Sakura nods sagely, treading carefully put sternly, "Honoka is nothing short of the best, my student, and well on her way to being my predecessor if I ever choose to retire. She knows what she's doing."

The woman's face scrunches in disbelief and looks away at her son. "...The best of the best would be the best medic in Konoha. I just want my son back, Sakura-sama."

Sakura nods in understanding, sensing the fight leaving before it really starts.

"Trust me, I understand. But I need you to trust them. These people, every person on Kai's team wants to get him back, including me."

The other woman doesn't reply at first. She wipes at her tears with one hand and holds Kai's hand with the other. After a few moments, the woman mumbles at her son but the words are definitely meant for Sakura.

"What about chakra?" her plea is desperate and Sakura can understand the presumed misunderstanding. "Isn't medical chakra supposed to be superior to traditional medicine? Why hasn't that cured my son? Why haven't you...used it?"

A question that Sakura gets often and an answer that she knows will leave her patient's mother underwhelmed.

"There are limits, even to chakra, Haijin-san. We can heal fractures, mend wounds but I can't magically cure your son from an unknown agent. It simply doesn't work that way."

Haijin-san pulls her hands close to her cheeks, pressing it there most likely for comforter.

"Maybe," she whispers steely, side glancing at Sakura and then away. "You should find something that does work that way."

As silence drags on, Sakura takes the hint of her waiting to be left alone.

"Of course, Haijin-san." Sakura doesn't need a louder que to leave the room. She bows gentle and takes a step back. "Honoka-san will be back to check in later."

The mom purses her lips and squeezes her son's hand but offers no answer.

Discreetly Sakura backs out of the room, exhaling as soon as the door is closed.

"It could have been worse," she mumbles to herself and quickly leaves the ICU for her office, which doubles as her sanctuary.

She gathers papers then retreats to the lab that will double as her new residence for the time being. Naruto and Hinata were very sweet, taking her in as she raged that night. The newly pregnant woman made her tea and food, fixed up the guest room and ensured that she is never a burden. Sakura would have stayed there as long as she could if not for the constant reminder of why she left home in the first place. Any other day, Sakura would have loved to see Boruto's chubby and curious face. But not now. She couldn't take that kind of reminder.

So her lab suffices as a hiding spot until she figures out what the hell her next move will be. Sakura knows that she can say no in two months just like she did yesterday. She can let this ridiculous idea brew over and then kill it when her waiting period is up. That doesn't make her any less angry that a group of people attempted to plan the course of her life. That Kakashi agrees makes it worse. That Itachi did nothingamplifies it. That she can't even lament her frustration at the stupidity of this plan to anyone but those who concocted or condoned the damn thing pushes her over the edge.

Because of the mission, always the mission.

The mission. The mission. The mission.

She doesn't know what Kakashi is planning or thinking. Honestly, she doesn't care about him or her partner. The only thing, at this moment that's sure is the need to find a cure for Kai. So Sakura pushes Itachi, Kakashi and her two month deadline out of her mind and focuses her attention on something that makes sense.

For the next two weeks that's exactly what she does. Most of her time is spent in the lab, hunched over a microscope in her makeshift homes in the basement of the hospital. When she's not in the lab, she monitors Kai. If neither of those things are available, she checks on other patients. Anything to keep busy. Anything to avoid going home.

Anbu will be there. She reasons.

When Honoka comes, informing her Itachi's looking for her, the head medic tells her to tell him she's busy. They repeat that song and dance, Honoka acting as ferrier between them. A small part of Sakura feels for her fellow medic because Honoka is close to both of them. She and Itachi are proper friends. Ever since his time in the hospital they have developed quite a relationship. If there is anyone at the hospital Itachi trusts, its Honoka.

Sakura knows that and uses that to her advantage now.

So Honoka, like a good friend, tries to mediate. But Sakura can't deal with him now, choosing to barricade herself in her workspace and keep everyone out.

A do not disturb sign goes up, warning Honoka and everyone else to stay away. Instructions were left for Kai's care and the pinkette sets to work on blood samples.

Sakura isn't sure how long she's been locked in her lab with one eye pressed to the eyepiece of her microscope. It's long enough to have accumulated quite the styrofoam collection of take out and empty chip bags.

At the moment she blindly pats at the stainless steel table for the bag of chips not far away. She can't bring herself to look away from the microorganism interacting with Kai's blood. But an aching stomach hellbent on finding something to fill it, forces her to pull away.

"Great!" she hisses with no real steam behind it and pushes her rolling chair away and to the left of the microscope. The blood sample and bacteria doesn't have much reaction to the chemical she's doused it in anyway. A little break will not hurt, especially not one for snacks.

The chips weren't that far away, tucked behind a notepad. It gives her an excuse to stand and move about. Sakura's back cracks horribly at the sudden motion. She groans and stretches out her arms and shakes out tension in her legs, then grabs the chips for a much needed snack. Sakura eats and paces around the lab, sighs in contentment at the nourishment and gazes at her surroundings for no particular reason other than passing time.

Sakura looks at the ceiling, then reaches up to tug at the pair of shorts hanging from her man made clothesline. She licks her fingers and stuffs the half finished chip bag under her arms to pull down her dried clothes. It's in that moment someone dares to knock on the metal door. She pauses her motion as she peers over her shoulder to see if it will stop.

They don't.

The person currently ramping up the knocks clearly wish to test the limits of her patience. Sakura growls and forces her shorts from the clothespins, trying her best to ignore her unwanted visitor.

Finally, after almost a minute of pounding, it stops. The pinkett sighs and goes back to feeling if the rest of her hanging clothes are also dry.

Bang!

Sakura flinches in fright and drops her chips on the floor. There's a huge ass dint right in the middle of the door.

Bang! And another one.

Bang! And another.

"Sakura, open this goddamn door right now or I'm two seconds away from breaking it down!"

"Shishou?" clearing her throat, she speaks a little louder less her lab be open for the public. "I'm coming! Just..just give me a few seconds!"

Sakura makes quick work of her clothes, yanking them down and tossing them behind the partition onto the cot. She hastily rubs at pink flyaways from her crudely made low bun then kicks the fallen bag of chips and its spilled contents under the table before running to the door. For a moment she frowns at the three fist imprints in the door then opens it without another moment's hesitation.

Tsunade doesn't wait to be let in. She pushes past Sakura into the lab, hands on her hips looking around. Sakura closes the door after her, then follows the older woman further into the lab. Her former mentor makes a show of snooping around, picking up vials, flipping through notes and wrinkling her nose at old takeout.

"Shishou, I thought you were on vacation?" Sakura asks, while discreetly pushing a styrofoam container behind a stack of books.

Tsunade turns slowly to face her, eyes narrowed and critical. Sakura knows this look, knows when her former teacher is analyzing, searching and evaluating. At the moment, she is the subject of such scrutiny. It makes her fidget under such intense attention and Sakura finds herself flustering and looking away.

"I was on vacation," Tsunade speaks carefully, full of motherly skepticism and crosses her arms. "But Kakashi called me back here."

The confession instantly puts Sakura on the defensive, sensing where this may be going. She really does not want to go there.

"Why?" Sakura questions for conversation sake but there's a bite to her tone.

Tsunade seems to ignore this.

"Apparently, Konoha's topic medic has gone missing. I'm guessing he may have been worried. Know anything about that?"

Sakura smacks her teeth and rolls her eyes.

"I didn't go missing, Shishou. They know where I am and what I'm doing here. They didn't need to send you to get me."

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, narrowing her eyes as if looking at her former teacher.

Tsunade's brow raises almost mockingly. "Oh?"

"Yes," Sakura stresses, turning away from the heavy skepticism Tsunade sends her way. "I'm very busy right now and they know that. I told them that."

She turns to the table and straightens the same books her takeout hides behind, trying to make her workspace look a little neater and give her hands something to do other than twitch every so often.

As soon as she gets a chance, Kakashi is going to know exactly how she feels about this meddling.

The Godaime strides closer and pucks at a piece of trash. In a voice far too sweet to be serious, she expands her accusation and leans into Sakura's personal space.

"Too busy for Naruto, too?"

Sakura feels herself tense. She pauses for a moment with a book in her hands then carefully places it on top the pille. She's not ignoring her best friend and teammate per se...she just doesn't want to see him now.

Sakura winces and mumbles. "Naruto...Naruto knows what I'm doing too. He's knows I'm working. I'm on the cuffs of something here, Shishou."

When Tsunade sighs, Sakura tries perking up, tries changing the subject to something more pleasant and stable. Something more within her control and in her current comfort zone.

Quickly, she turns away from her books and ushers her former mentor towards her work. Sakura grabs the first vial and hands it to Tsunade.

"I'm sure Kakashi told you. There's another patient presenting to the hospital with the same symptoms as Itachi but much worse. We've managed to lessen the inflammation of blood vessels with a new medicine I concocted but I'd hardly call him cured. I've been testing his blood and bodily fluids against every known virus and bacteria we have. I'm moving on to fungi now just in case his illness came from that too."

"This is all fine and great, Sakura..." Tsunade tries to cut in but the young woman keeps up her rambling, louder and more frantic.

Sakura scrubs a hand through her hair and directs Tsunade to open medical text.

"Even though I'm running through all kinds of microorganisms, I'm thinking it could be a genetic thing, since it's still in Itachi's body. If it were a bacteria or a virus, it should have died by now."

She flips through pages and keeps her eyes away from Tsunade. "There are lots of blood related diseases that fit the symptoms. I have to test all of them first before I can…"

"...Sakura…"

"...come up with a definite conclusion and cure for his…"

"...Sakura…!"

"...illness. Or maybe it's not even a blood disease, maybe some other kind of…"

Tsunade pounds a fist into the table edge, leaving the same fist imprint as she had in her door. "Sakura! Stop!"

She does shut up then, heart racing, eyes wide at the undone state of her former mentor.

"Just stop it Sakura, I know what you're doing."

Sakura shakes her head childishly and speaks slowly. "Yes, I'm trying to find a cure for Itachi's-"

Tsunade growls and glares. "Do you think I'm an idiot, Sakura? You think I can't see what's going on here and why you've been drowning yourself in work for the last two weeks?"

Sakura fumbles with her hands as she tries to explain and force down the feeling of being caught. "I haven't! I'm doing my duty." Sakura rationalizes and challenges, "I have a patient that requires much more of my attention right now. Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Save lives? That's why I'm here. That's why I've been stuck in this lab for god knows how long."

"To save a patient? No. This," Tsunade gestures towards the mess around them, "is so you can barricade yourself in this lab that smells like stale tempura and sweat! Perfect place to hide from citizens and colleagues and friends, who worried about you!"

"I'm not hiding!" Sakura yells and stomps her foot as tears threaten to fall.

Tsunade doesn't even flinch at the action. "The hell you aren't. I've known you since you were twelve years old, you're not fooling anyone with this crap. I know the difference between avoidance and medical curiosity."

Adamantly Sakura shakes her head at Tsunade's words and the pounding in her ears. "Shishou, I,"

Tsunade cuts her off, "Save it! I can look at you and see you've hardly slept. The dark circles under your eyes are so black, you could rival Gaara. You've lost weight. Your hair looks greasy as hell, like you haven't washed it in days."

The shaking gets worse. She cries against her own will, thick warm tears in streams. Biting her lip, she grinds out a warning.

"Please stop.." Sakura whispers, begs.

"I've been a medic a lot longer than you, kid. I know neglect when I see it." Tsunade snorts and gestures at the woman before her. "I know what it looks like when a shinobi struggles with an impossible choice. You're not the first and won't be the last, Sakura."

The pinkette squeezes her eyes shut, to force her tears to stop and her breathing to regulate and her thoughts to settle.

She knows. Sakura thinks, a suddenly relief washing over her at not being alone. But her annoyance kicks up as Tsunade keeps picking, keeps digging and prying and pulling up carefully laid bricks for the wall she's trying to build around her heart.

"Even more, the fact that you would insult me like this, as if I'm some idiot. You're talking to a woman who's cradled her lover as he died in her arms."

"Shishou!" the cement floor cracks under her feet as her emotions threaten to loosen her chakra control.

Had it been anyone else, they would have tucked tail and run. But Sakura knows she can't intimated Tsunade away. She knows the woman can probably beat her to the ground and back. It's frustrating and infuriating, making her feel helpless as if she were twelve years ago again, blane and useless.

'Don't you start' she warns herself. But the seed is there and blossoming and it burns. Tsunade just keeps rapid firing in her ears without thought for what it's doing to her inside.

"I know what it's like to be forced into a position you don't want to be in. I know how it feels to be handed a mission you don't want to take. You think it was easy for me to become Hokage knowing it was something my lover wanted? Do you know how much guilt I felt at the thought of filling a position that was never meant for me? We all have to do things we don't want to, Sakura. Hiding from it won't make it go away."

"That's not the same!" the pitch of her voice manages to silence Tsunade for a moment, "How can you even compare being Hokage to what Kakashi is asking from me?"

Her mentor lowers her voice this time, "You can make the argument that its not the same but my point still stands. You're just going to keep ignoring it in hopes that it goes away?"

"I'm not ignoring anything!"

"Bullshit! That's bullshit, Sakura, and we both know it!"

They both glare at each other. Steel brown eyes against glistening green, Sakura meets her Shishou's temper blow for blow.

"How can I? How the hell can I ignore it when every goddamn day I'm working my ass off to save Itachi's life! Every blood sample, every glance in a microscope, every failed test reminds me that I'm throwing myself into curing the man who killed Sasuke! I've been throwing myself into saving him for four years and now Kakashi wants me to give the rest of my life to being the mother of his children! No. No!"

Sakura spreads her arms wide and flicks her wrist at the many samples scattered about. "I'm doing my mission, I'm finding a cure for him and my other patient. I've done my part in this. Kakashi's just going to have to find another solution. And if he can't then I will."

Much to her surprise, Tsunade smiles. "So there is some spirit left in there?"

Unable to think of anything else, Sakura furrows her brows and utters a confused. "Huh?"

The older woman grabs the nearest stool to take a seat. Arms folded, she levels honey coloured eyes her way and smirks.

"When Kakashi sent for me and told me you'd been locked in your lab, I though for sure we'd lost you with your new mission. Admittedly I was concerned this mission was too much for you to handle, but maybe you can prove me wrong with that determination to find a new path. What? Did you think Kakashi came up with this plan on his own?"

"Wait," Sakura holds up her hands to stop the one woman at this new found revelation. "You too? You agreed to this?"

"No." Tsunade says quickly. "I've never liked missions like this but I understand their importance. After all...I was a victim of one."

The news floors her and Sakura quite literally goes down, sitting on her butt at the news. Tsunade a victim of a mission like this?

"Wait. So you...you were asked to do something like this too?"

The blonde huffs, then rests her elbow on her knees. "Not me but Dan. You can understand why. The Senju line started to dwindle, mixing with other clans. The village wanted the chance to have Wood Release survive and I...I was the only direct descendent of the one person in history to use it."

Tsunade chuckles, closing her eyes with a smile. "So. When they saw that Dan and I shared an interest in medicine, they approached him the mission, which he accepted. But things didn't quite go as planned for several reasons…"

When Tsunade opens her eyes again, Sakura catches the faraway look. "What happened?" she presses.

It doesn't take much pushing as Tsunade willingly tells all. "For one, these missions are done in secret. Usually only the person the mission is given to knows that it is a mission. To make it feel more...real. Dan wasn't supposed to tell me but he did. He said he wanted our love to be genuine. I believe it was. Naturally I was angry but I couldn't say anything. Revealing that I knew Dan's S-ranked mission could put him in a bad position. The Third Hokage suspected that I knew something...but before anything the could be done about it, there was war. Then Dan died...and I left. I never gave them the opportunity to that to me again."

Silence follows her words. Sakura pulls her knees in and stares ahead, absorbing the information. Of course she never knew but hearing it givings an entirely new layer to everything. Kakashi told her that she wasn't the first to be presented with this mission but Tsunade and Dan never came to mind, Actually, she could not think of anyone that fit the description of a mission like this. Now, it makes sense.

But it's so wrong. Love shouldn't be forced. It should be natural.

She frowns at her thoughts, replaying Tsunade's story in her mind, noting some similarity. Dan was convenient. He and Tsunade already had a history. They worked together to achieve a goal and that shared experience was enough for Lord Third.

Just like me. But not at all. Tsunade loved Dan. Itachi and I...

Her shoulders slouch. Sakura glances up to see Tsunade watching her intently.

"So?" she prompts, "What's it going to be?"

Sakura shrugs, "I don't know what to do. I don't even know what this is."

Tsunade nods sagely. "I figured. That's why I told Kakashi if he decides to go through with it, make the both of you aware. The Sharingan is important but you are just as important as any dojutsu, Sakura. And Itachi is smart. I know the both of you can figure this out if you tried. Hiding from it like this isn't the way."

"I was hiding!"

"Uh-hn. Doing research, right? I know about your patient. I know you have a lot on your plate. That's why Kakashi sent for me, to give you a little encouragement and your new new mission...or lack thereof."

"What?"

"You've been ordered to take a mandatory furlough." Tsunade says offhandedly. "Don't argue with me, girl, just listen. You're taking a furlough for one month. No hospital or any kind of mission like duty. You're going to do some landscaping jobs around the village.

"Landscaping?" Sakura gawks. "I can't landscape!"

"No, but you can break stuff and landscapers need that." Tsunade smiles and pats her on the shoulder. "Yamanaka has already been informed and, as part of your furlough, you're going to help at the flower shop in the mornings. There are plenty orders for the new gardens being planted and they need someone strong to ferry around arrangements."

"Who's going to run the hospital? What about Itachi? What about...everything?"

"I'm filling your spot at the hospital. You better be damn grateful because you're the only person in the world I would do this for. As for Uchiha, Kakashi's informed me he's accepted his other mission of working on the Compound. He has a strict schedule, which means he will be under constant surveillance except at night. As for his medical condition, you can thank one Honoka Kotonoha for agreeing to be his PCP."

"Honoka?" Sakura questions.

Tsunade grins. "Apparently she comes highly recommended by you. Since she has cared for him before, it's only natural. So your only active duties will be when the both of you return home. Kakashi waved the need for a mission report and only wants a health report, which will in turn help me with your new patient. Got it?"

Sakura sits stunned, unsure of how to respond. A furlough? Of all the orders, she's never once been mandated to take a break. The timing is too convenient, effectively forcing to do what she's been doing for the last two or more weeks but made more official. It's just one thing after another. Sakura isn't quite sure where to plant her feet with this.

What are you doing, Kakashi?

"Sakura?" Tsunade calls, stepping closer and kneeling down to her height.

"Yes?"

Golden eyes lend wisdom. Tsunade offers her hands as stability, holding her shoulders as if to ground her in reality.

"Take the furlough." She instructions.

Sakura doesn't have it in her to argue.

Chapter Text

Line 4: Moral Precepts

I fear no fate (for you are my fate,my sweet)

I Carry Your Heart

Line 5, Stanza 2

-By E.E. Cummings

It's too cold for anyone to enjoy the waterfalls on the peripherals of Konoha's forest even if the cold has yet to freeze the natural phenomenon. Situated against mossy cliffs between an impasse, this particular formation of nature is thunderous and imposing, taking over the stretch of hillside. Despite the loud crashing against the rocks and the river below, the water flows peacefully. Cascades deposit into the stream then floats lazily towards the ocean.

Standing on a neighboring cliff across from the scene of earth's most elegant displays, Itachi feels at ease. Able to behold it but far enough away that it only reaches him in mist. The juxtaposition of calm and wild, still and rushing waters dance together, gracious enough and loud enough to drown his own thoughts.

It smells heavily of minerals and earth, of life and energy. Energy that he wishes to harness. He takes a breathe, filling his lungs with the fresh revitalizing breeze of nature. He takes measured steps over the frozen grass. Even with his heavy cloak, a chill breezes against his neck. He tucks his chin deeper inside the high collar, gaze fixed at nothing.

The area is notably barren of human life, save the lone former shinobi tethering near the cliff's edge. Perhaps fate is willing to show him kindness today. The Anbu tasked as his watchmen has accompanied him on this journey before. After the last fiasco at his home, Kakashi seems to be more cautious with who is allowed to stand guard in Sakura's stead. Weasel is a calm man, tall and lean in stature but no less formidable. The Anbu had walked a respectable distance behind Itachi their entire journey. When he veered towards the forest, the man slowed even more. Not that Itachi needs permission to be himself, but some intimacies call for greater levels of privacy. On the first of many trips, Weasel had not known the significance of this place. When they approached the base of the forest, Itachi simply stated his terms.

"I require privacy." He'd said.

Weasel regarded him stoically. Seconds later, he'd taken to the trees, perched on a branch and seemingly ignoring him. Itachi nodded to the gesture and ventured further towards the falls.

As is their tradition, Weasel is the only human within miles of him. Waiting patiently in that same trees. The man is close enough to stop any maleficent behavior but far enough that every action can't be heard or seen.

The Uchiha watches the water flow into the stream below between the mountain pass. The drop is steep and unforgiven, though the stream moves leisurely the further away it is from the rapids. Years ago, he stood in this very spot, next to his closest ally. A promise was made. A vow was given. Shisui jumped. Itachi closed his eyes and listened for the sound of the body making impact.

Helpless but understanding. Grieved but determined. Itachi had every intention of keeping his promise to Shisui.

I have done that and more.

He stares impassively below, waiting and wondering at which point he will no longer be standing alone.

The more rational part of him rages against the insanity of his actions. It doesn't make sense but Itachi simply cannot shake his bond to the dead. After all, he was once in such a state. Kakashi may have pondered the days and months and years left to him, but the Uchiha wrestles with a more supernatural dilemma. His connection to the netherworld hasn't been quite severed and every once in awhile he finds himself drawn to this place.

Some will say his actions are positively asinine. Itachi would agree with them to a point. Even now he attempts to placate his reason and ease the unsettled nature of his emotion. But there are very few who understand the restlessness of a revived resolved soul.

Itachi blinks at the shift in the wind. A picture of calm, he holds his uncertainty close to his chest. Nearing the end of a five year long probationary period, for the second time he's been presented with a new life.

For the second time he is unsure how to proceed.

What is life to one who has lived and received judgement? My life left my hands with Sasuke. What I have now is the aftermath of village desperate for a solution.

Itachi frowns at the glaring juxtaposition of his life and moral consequences.

I ended my life on my terms, can I now live it the same? Morally I cannot. This...life is not mine to live. I received the judgement for the actions I choose. Everything after that is not for me to decide. No. The ending and the beginning both require the same response. I am indebted to Sakura and Konoha. My duty of gratitude to one will disregard my duty to the other...

"Do I deny the village what it has resurrected me for? Or do I refuse for Sakura's sake?"

Frustration narrows his eyes. Itachi clenches his jaws against swirling emotions.

Who takes precedent? Himself? The Village? Sakura? How is he supposed to choose? Does he have the right to choose?

Shisui. Itachi mentally calls. I am lost, Shisui.

He is in need of reason regardless of if his method has any basis in reality. Escaping reality will aid his current pursuits, as reality has no bearing on what he is trying to do. In fact, it is a hindrance. So he waits in silence, knowing full well what will happen if he is patient.

Time is lost to him. Itachi stares into the expanse until his fingers go numb. His cloak is damp from the mist, seeping through to his layer of clothes underneath. Yet, in that time, nothing happened.

The faintest hint of annoyance creases his brows. Itachi blinks away droplets on his eyelid.

Will you refuse me? He mentally questions.

When he gets no response, his fingers flex, tight and stiff as they weather the cold. He gives himself more time and traces the sunrise. As the sky turns from dark blue to light gray, he gives.

"There is no point," Itachi mutters, closing his eyes in acceptance and bowing his head slightly.

He turns on his heels, back to the falls, walking away. It's not the first time he's been rebuffed. It is not the first time his mind has failed him. The inconvenience of it all is irksome but he will not rebel against it.

Perhaps my lack of clarity is the hindrance. I cannot think!

Itachi walks away for the moment, vowing to try again later in the day. As he turns, the mist tickles at his uncloaked ankles, circling unnaturally so with every step. Itachi ignores the tug. Once he's close enough to the treeline to disappear into the forest, the mist crawls up his back, covers his shoulders and brushes against his cheek.

Immediately he pulls to a halt as the caress is far too gentle to be that of whom he was expecting to meet here.

Soft to the touch. Beckoning and seemingly apologetic, the misty fog hangs over him, smelling faintly of jasmine and oranges.

"Where is Shisui?" Itachi softly questions.

"Who knows with him, probably sleeping." Izumi's voice is as light and airy as the mist circling his back.

Itachi withholds a sigh, refusing to turn around and meet her.

In measured tones is asks, "Why did he send you?"

"You sent for me, Itachi-kun. Because...ummmm," Izumi pauses. The mist dances over him curiously, "You needed a second opinion."

Itachi considers the response. Dishonesty is pointless. Lying to Izumi more so as she can always read him.

"This situation doesn't concern you, Izumi."

"I could help!" The mist exclaims, huffing and binding in indignation.

"Get me Shisui." Itachi challenges.

"Why?" she counters.

Itachi offers half his shoulder and a slight tilt of his head in the direction of the voice.

"This is a matter of Clan affairs. Can you provide insight?"

"Yea," Izumi quips, "My insight is that you're a stick in the mud."

He huffs, unamused, prepared to walk away.

"And," Izumi stresses, softer this time. "It's okay, Itachi. It's okay to change. None of us will fault you for it."

"I have no issue with change," he rebels, "Should I choose to rebuild the clan, my desire has always been to change its previous state of affairs."

Izumi's voice turns inquisitive, challenging almost in how she responds. "Then why come here seeking counsel? You have a plan."

Itachi's fist tighten but his expression holds. "That plan is, was, for another time."

"But this is your time now." Izumi reasons.

She pauses. The mist teases at his cheeks. Itachi's eyes slip shut and he turns away. Izumi pulls back, whispering in his ear.

"...yet, this thought fills you with such sadness. Why, Itachi?"

Itachi denies nothing, laying out his true thoughts in three simple words.

"I am alive."

Izumi nods. "An enviable state for someone like me. I don't see why that is a problem."

Itachi nods once in understanding and explains, quoting himself. "Those who turn their hands against their comrades are sure to die a terrible death. This is my virtue. This was my life. I lived to die. And yet…"

Izumi peacefully hums. "You live!"

The words offer no comfort. Itachi shakes his head. "My decisions should have led to the end I had. I've been given something undeserved and now the two clash."

"A crisis of loyalty." Izumi agrees. "Do you feel guilty or are you afraid?"

Itachi growls low in his chest. "I have done nothing to warrant second chances. But there is expectation...from both of them."

Much to his surprise, Izumi holds him tighter, wrapping him in unnatural warmth. "That's not true! Your sacrifices speak for themselves. You've done everything."

He holds still, allowing himself to feel her feelings of unwavering conviction. Her words may only be true for the moment but Itachi relaxes in the otherworldly nature of her touch just for a second.

Before he can contest or confirm, the mist recedes quickly taking what little sympathy it had with it. Weasel appears through the foliage, stopping several feet away.

"Nara-sama requests your presence." he announces.

Itachi shivers and pulls all of his emotions back into tight coils. Guilt or fear? He doesn't know but that can wait for another day. He strolls pass the Anbu, face a mask and tone void of inflection or any particular feeling.

"The Hokage Tower?"

Weasel denies. "At his residence, Uchiha-san."

An odd choice as Itachi has always assumed Shikamaru detested morning meetings. However, upon arriving at the Nara household, evidence to the contrary exist. Temari greets him at the door, aware of his invitation. She doesn't waste time with pleasantries, escorting him to a sitting area that opens to a screened in porch.

"Do you have a preference for tea?" she asks.

Itachi scans the set-up outside then turns to her. "Oolong will suffice, thank you."

Temari nods.

"Pick a side," she informs, "Shikamaru is just finishing morning stretches with Shikadai. He'll be down in a few minutes."

The conversation is over just as quickly as it starts. There is always an air of no nonsense with the former Suna kunochi. It is something Itachi can appreciate. He nods at her departure then turns his gaze back to the Shogi table set up on the porch.

There's a portable burner set up just behind them on the porch. Although they are technically outside, the burner keeps the space just as warm as inside while allowing for occasion winter breezes to flow through the screen. The cushions opposite the board game are surrounded by soft furs, another layer of warmth. If he had not known of Shikamaru's love for shogi, he would have thought the display a pompous display. Even the board smelled of freshly polished wood, glistening in the minimal morning light.

Itachi settles on the cushion closes to him. The burner is nice considering his clothes are still slightly damp from the falls.

Temari returns a minute later with a serving tray, a kettle and two cups. She sits the tray nearer the entrance, leaves then returns with another burner, smaller this time and places the still hot kettle on top.

"Thanks, Temari." Shikamaru announces his presence and slips by to join Itachi on the porch.

Temari stands after arranging everything. "Where's Shikadai?"

"Waiting in the living room. What's the tea?"

"Oolong," Temari nods her head in Itachi's direction. "Guest's choice."

Shikamaru hums and takes a seat opposite Itachi. "A good choice," he admits.

Temari finishes up and takes her leave.

Shikamaru takes the lead, pouring both of them a cup before handing it off to Itachi, who accepts.

"I didn't think I'd find you up." The Clan head explains.

Itachi inclines his head. "Likewise."

He snorts and then yawns. "Temari's a stickler for having Shikadai do morning stretches before training."

"He trains with his mother?"

Shikamaru takes a sip of tea. "These days, yeah. He's too young to start learning Shadow Paralysis Jutsu. Wind style is easier and can be modified for a toddler. Besides, it's a mother/son bonding thing or something like that I was told."

"Hnn."

They sip tea, letting the activity replace conversation. The hum of the burners fill the space. Itachi sips slow, eyes closed, listening and waiting. It's not like Shikamaru to invite him to his home. They have shared cups of tea together. It is easy to lapse into silence with the younger shinobi. The change of scenery from tea houses and official government meeting spaces is not unwelcomed.

When the first cup of tea is finished, Shikamaru seems more awake. He pours another, refilling Itachi's as well then removes game pieces from a compartment hidden in the side of the board.

"Are you familiar with the rules?" Shikamaru asks, glancing curiously at him.

"I have played several times before."

"Good," Shikamaru states. "It's hard to find people that aren't over 50 willing to play. Harder to find any that present a challenge."

Itachi tilts his head inquisitively. "Are you hoping for one?"

Shikamaru glances at him, one brown quirks in question. "I'm not exactly trying to be bored."

Not willing to disappoint, Itachi accepts. "I have no intentions of being bored either. I assume you will use your wit to attempt a win?"

Shikamaru lets out a breathy grunt and resumes setting up the board. As he does, he gets to the heart of their meeting.

"Besides," he says, "If we're going to talk business, may as well make it easier on both of us."

Itachi sits his cup aside. "I agree."

"Rumors of Sakura's furlough are spreading fast across the village." Shikamaru hedges.

"I never suspected you a gossiper, Nara-san."

The young man glowers and grunts then shakes his head, adding more pieces. "I have an old teammate with the propensity for it. That teammate happens to be your wife's best friend. You wanna try telling Ino to keep her mouth shut?"

When Itachi refuses a response, Shikamaru continues.

"I guess it can't be helped. In her own way, Ino worries. Sakura's been working herself ragged lately. Not only at the hospital but Temari tells me she's been trying to get some reforms going with displaced and orphaned children."

Itachi narrows his gaze curiously. "Reforms?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru drawls and pulls himself up from his slightly hunched position. "She came to Temari about a month ago with a draft proposal for Kakashi. They worked through some kinks together before Temari sent her on her way. I don't know the details but any reform is bound to be messy. Top that with missions and hospital duty and Sakura's on a collision course to burn-out."

"I was unaware that she carried so many duties. Sakura is not so forthcoming when things become stressful. Your concern for your friend is admirable."

It's Shikamaru's turn to shrug and scratch behind his ear. "Yeah, well, you'd know more than any of us the type of stress she's under. I can't imagine how it's affecting you as her partner."

Itachi stares blankly, neither confirming nor denying the allegations that he is in duress because of Sakura. Shikamaru doesn't seem perturbed by his lack of conversation. He carries it himself, getting to the point.

"This is such a drag but I want to do my best to help alleviate some of that stress by explaining our intentions with the Uchiha Compound. I'm hoping this'll help sway your decision our favor."

So this is his intention. Itachi thinks. The barest trace of smirk curves the edge of his lips. He looks to the game. How befitting. A wise choice, Shikamaru.

The other man makes the first move of the game. Itachi braces an elbow on one of his knees, tucking his knuckles under his chin, relaxed and posed for discussion.

"You have my attention, Shikamaru." Itachi answers, turns up his palm and gestures openly, "What is your proposition?"

The young man lets out an airy chuckle, crossing his arms over his chest as he eyes the board. "My father died during the Fourth Shinobi War. So did Ino's father and a number of other comrades. We honor them with graves and stones, monuments to the fallen."

"This does not satisfy you?" Itachi questions, moving his desired piece and ending his turn.

"How often do you think people visit the Memorial Stone?" Shikamaru challenges.

I see. Itachi thinks. "Shinobi frequent the stone. The Hokage is known to venture there several times a month. Those that have fallen in battle are not so easily forgotten."

Shikamaru quickly makes a move then shakes his head. "Fallen shinobi is not the story of just shinobi. It is the story of Konohagakure. The cycle of life and death is one of the many ways things evolve and change. When one is born another leaves."

"Death is evitable." Itachi supplies.

"Yeah and necessary. We learn from dead. The Nara Clan has made its own shrine for our fallen comrades but I feel that this is something that should be shared with the village."

The Uchiha hums, eyes low and focused on the game before him. He gets where Shikamaru is coming from, but his persuasion skills are severely lacking.

These are all things Kakashi has told me.

He half expected the man to come up with something that would force his hand. At least it would make the choice easier. But Shikamaru's point is merely a restatement from a personal perspective and hasn't touched on the real reason for his hesitation.

A celebration of death is one thing. I am not against this. Will the people understand why some had to die? Sacrifice is often misunderstood, Shikamaru. Will they see such a place of sacrifice as sacred as you and Kakashi? I have my doubts….

Itachi adds a piece to the board then goes for tea while Shikamaru concentrates.

A pieces moves.

Itachi responds.

Shikamaru counters.

More tea is sipped.

They go like this for several minutes before Itachi offers a boon.

"Did the Hokage tell you why I am hesitant?" Itachi inquires.

Shikamaru shifts a wooden piece sideways. "Let's just say you haven't passed the popularity contest."

"Partitally," the Uchiha supplies. "The history of the place that you want to use is not one that most would find honorable. Your intentions as well as the Hokage's is admirable. I do not believe the rest of the population will agree with choice, however."

Shikamaru chuckles. "I didn't think so either. Look, I'm not expecting shinobi to be all over the idea. But civilians? Most of them only know you as a hero. I'm making this proposal with them in mind anyway. History is only going to repeat if it isn't told. Plus, the location is perfect."

Itachi cannot withhold a small snort. "It is nearly on the outskirts of the village."

"For now."

Itachi raises a brow. "There are plans to expand the village?"

"The village will do that on it's own. Peace usually equates to babies."

Both men hum in agreement.

"In any case," Shikamaru continues. "The Museum will be at a location that's easily accessible with room to expand. The hope is to get more cultural centers up around the village. That's a conversation for another time. Aside from having a physical place to visit and learn, it will help you as well."

"What makes you think I am in need of help?" Itachi counters.

Shikamaru laughs and scratches the back of his head. "Sakura may be your wife but your standing with a lot of the shinobi haven't changed. The truth is that they don't trust you. No offense, but from your track record, can you blame them? Turning the old Uchiha Compound into something for the village and you offering yourself to care for it, is a sign of loyalty. You may not be in it for the popularity but it would make missions easier should you need to go with a team."

Itachi looks up from the board, into Shikamaru's face. "Loyalty, comradery and commemoration, this is what you propose to me?"

Shikamaru returns his gaze, looking quite serious and resolved.

"It sounds trite," the young man admits. "Half of the stuff I doubt you care about. But if the rumors about you are true if…"

Shikamaru pauses, huffing in obvious frustration as he rubbed his chin. "Naruto says a lot of good things about you. Years ago I would be the first person to call him an idiot. He is still an idiot...but he's good at reading people. He's convinced that your first priority has been protecting the Village. I guess, if taken at face value, your hesitation kind of speaks to that. If you were really after your power and glory as the rumors say, why fight this so hard?"

"That is a fair assessment." Itachi contends.

"Protection doesn't always look like a fight or a great sacrifice. Sometimes it's far simpler than that. So my proposition is to you as a former Konoha shinobi. There's no guarantee that a physical location will make people any more or any less inclined to be the next Madara or Obito. In fact, I'm sure it won't. But it might be enough to encourage people to put a stop to it before it starts."

When he finished his spill, Shikamaru makes a move leaving Itachi with an overwhelming sense of compassion and duty. For the man's appeal beckons to him on the most basic level of being a shinobi. Personally, and perhaps unknowingly playing on his desire for peace and pacifism. Itachi is a firm believer in pre-emptive actions. Something as simple as a museum couldn't on its own stop a war but it could put an end to many a wayward ambitions.

There is no guarantee but there never is in any mission. We act in hopes that the results will be peace.

Itachi's heard similar words before and perhaps that's why his consciousness sounds achingly like Shisui.

Protect this village. Honor the Uchiha name.

Itachi represses a huff and tilts his head towards the ceiling above. Where were you this morning? He questions his thoughts but there is no response, again.

Honor the Uchiha name. His lips dip into a frown. I did as we agreed. Now I must decide how to do that again only this time you are not here to guide me.

Just as quickly as one voice plays in his head another comes back hauntingly sweet.

Do you feel guilty or are you afraid?

Itachi toys with the feelings, and dismisses them just as quickly. Izumi has always been good at unraveling him.

Even in death you are my undoing.

Pale fingers flex in the sunlight. Itachi watches as rain clouds roll pass, remembering things that happened and things that didn't.

Izumi.

Very few knew of his regard towards her. Even fewer knew of his greater intention, an ambition set aside for the good Konoha. He'd given her everything that he could before ultimately letting her go. Itachi had no need for such things anymore. His fate had been sealed. He'd resigned himself to death at Sasuke's hands. This was his resolve. He was Itachi of the Hidden Leaf. His devotion to the Hidden Leaf. He died for the Hidden Leaf and in doing so hoping to repair the Uchiha name. There was no room for marriage or legacy. His legacy was to be whatever Sasuke made it. But now...

What is my resolve now?

Five years of life and the only thing Itachi has done is what he has been told to do. Because he'd done everything in his previous life. He had no other ambitions afterwards. He had no expectation or thought or imagination or anything contrary to what he'd resolved.

What is my resolve now?

The truth is that he has none. People don't come back from the dead. Most people die with regrets but Itachi perished only wishing for more time to explain things to Sasuke. But Sasuke is dead.

What else is there for me than duty? My dedication has always been to Konoha. The museum is no different. I must do what is in the best interest of the village and those who reside in it.

Shikamaru clears his throat, pulling Itachi from his bout of nostalgia. He brings himself back to this reality, looking at the man before him. His previous destiny set him up as leader of the clan. His father trained him on how these matters should be done.

Itachi extends his right hand, palm sideways before Shikamaru. The other's reaction is natural, extending his arm as well. They grab forearms, a common gesture of agreement between Clan heads.

"I've heard your petition, Shikamaru." he declares. "I will do what is in the best interest of me as a shinobi to the Leaf."

His words seem to be enough. It is not a promise to do exactly as he was asked. But the vow to protect Konoha remains true. There current bond a sign of good faith and trust. Shikamaru seems to understand, nodding as they seperate.

"It's your move." Shikamaru informs.

They spend the rest of the time sipping tea and playing shogi, surrounded by furs and portable burners. The day wanes into afternoon and afternoon to early evening, Temari scolds the both of them for not even stopping for food. She offers Itachi to stay for dinner and he accepts, knowing Sakura would not begrudge him. That is, assuming she's decided to return home. As it stands, his wife and partner has yet to address him about the issue. So he accepts the offer and spends his evening with spicy food, tea and the amusement of watching Temari and Shikamaru navigate life. They send him off with a care package from Temari and a request to play shogi again from Shikamaru.

By morning, Itachi awakes to rainfall and pellets of hailstones. Rolling from bed, he goes to the bedroom window. It's still dark and quite early in the morning. About this time he would get ready for training but training in a hailstorm would be foolish. Venturing outside in general would be bothersome but the glaring realization that he is lacking food manifest in the distinct rumble in his stomach.

"I didn't go to the market…" Itachi mutters to himself, pulling away from the window pane.

Having spent almost all day with Shikamaru and Temari, the only thing to eat is the dinner from last night.

He snorts on this way to the bathroom. Hardly suitable for breakfast.

Itachi contemplates egg drop soup will going about his morning routine. The rain lets up a little but the whistle of wind promises more severe weather. Itachi prepares the house, adjusting the indoor heating to suit what is sure to be a cozy day of tea and reading.

At the very least he has a plethora of tea to choose from. Food, however, is severely lacking. While he is not exactly excited at the thought of going out in this weather, Itachi dresses warm. Long pants, fitted at the ankles with thick socks and shoes, he matches it with an equally long sleeved dark blue shirt donning the Uchiha crest. Itachi grabs his thickest cloak, lined with wool specifically for harsh winter weather.

He checks the cupboards, noting what is there and what is not. Finally, going to the refrigerator to account for things he can but quickly. A clear vile catches his eye. He emits a disapproving hum, grabbing and holding it up towards the kitchen light.

In her absence, Sakura so kindly left him with several doses of her experimental drug. Clearly not enough to last her staged protest of not coming home. Very little of the liquid is left, probably enough for one shot. And he needs to take two before bedtime.

I overestimated.

He sighs, straightening and sitting the jar on the nearest counter.

"It seems I will be out much longer than I'd hoped," he mutters to himself as he searches for a sterile needles.

Itachi administers the drug with practiced ease and grabs his belongs. Umbrella in hand, he heads towards the hospital. It's unlikely that Sakura will be there. If he has to guess, she is probably at the Yamanaka Flower shop. The rain would prevent any landscaping from happening. Since her furlough includes both, the former is currently her only option. While Itachi is understanding of her annoyance at their possible future mission, they still have a mission now. As part of that, his health needs to be monitored. She may not be around to do it but she is not the only medical profession familiar with his condition. So he saves a confrontation with his wife for another time and crosses the hospital threshold in search of Honoka.

"Honoka-san?" the receptionist questions, holding a clipboard close to her chest.

Itachi nods once, unbuttoning his cloak in the process. The woman pulls the clipboard tighter and narrows her eyes.

"I need to speak with her if she is available."

She looks off a moment. Itachi follows her gaze to a passing shinobi headed towards the elevator. "Do you have an appointment?" she demands.

"No." he answers. "I have never needed one before."

"Honoka-san is a very busy resident. She may not be available."

"I can wait."

She makes a face at him, glancing about once again before looking at her clipboard. Itachi takes note of how she fidgets. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Shikamaru said that civilians hail him as a hero. Clearly this woman, a new hospital worker based on her behavior, has heard rumors about him. It's people like her that makes him wonder if Kakashi and Shikamaru have lost touch with reality.

He holds his frustrations, giving her the benefit of the doubt to collect herself. Anyone else would have let him through without a second thought. Since she obviously doesn't know the protocol, Itachi offers assistance.

"Honoka is the assistant to my current acting physician who is unavailable. I need to speak with her for medical reasons."

"Without an appointment?" the woman challenges, flipping pages and scanning for names. The process takes more time than he thinks is necessary but finally she makes eye contact with him.
"Honoka-san is," the woman trails off again, looking down before back to him. "Currently assisting another doctor with a patient in caridolog-hey! Wait! You can't just go there!"

Itachi pauses his strides long enough to look over his shoulder at her. "I am well within my rights to see my acting physician."

"Not when she is with another patient!"

He huffs, feeling the ebbs of frustrating. Not wanting to explain himself but doing so to pacify her, Itachi prepares himself to leave.

"I will wait in cardiology."

"If you keep going, I'll be forced to get security, Uchiha-san."

"Do as you please."

Whether she does or doesn't is of no consequence to him. The Anbu that is his ever present escort did not intervene in the conversation. Itachi dismisses the threat as just that and boards the nearest elevator for Cardiology.

Most staff at the hospital are used to seeing his face. They don't bother him as he moves about, to which Itachi is grateful. His earlier encounter is enough for one day. Thankfully Cardiology is mostly quiet. The halls are relatively empty, save one patient getting in some morning exercise with a night nurse. Itachi walks towards the reception area, passing the two. The older man pays him no mind while the nurse smiled kindly and continues her duty. Itachi nods at the both of them before taking a seat in one of the many empty chairs in the waiting area.

Outside the rain starts up again, banging against the windows and adding life to the otherwise silent room. He closes his eyes to sound, anchoring himself in the moment to slip off into a meditative state.

It lasts for but a moment when his name is called with a hint of curiosity. The person, a male by the sounds of it, approaches cautiously.

"Uchiha-san?" he calls again.

Itachi hums, eyes still closed.

"Are you...waiting for someone? Sakura-sama is not here today…"

"I am waiting for Honoka-san."

"Oh." The man says, pausing a moment before speaking up again. "She's making rounds with patients, I think It shouldn't take too long. Do you want me to let her know you're here?"

"That would help, thank you."

The man hurries off, leaving Itachi to reflect on his own thoughts. It's been a few weeks at least since he and Honoka last spoke. The young woman was unfortunately put between himself and Sakura after his wife confinded herself to her lab. She was unsurprisingly happy to help. The relationship the three of them share is unique. Honoka was Sakura's right hand during his recovery. She plays an important role in his continued health care. For the past five years, she assisted him whenever Sakura was absent. Him coming to her today wouldn't be out of the norm. If anyone knew anything about Sakura's plans for him, it was Honoka.

Itachi losses time amidst the rainfall. He is unsure how long he waits but opens his eyes at the sound of double doors opening and the distinct sigh he's coming to recognize.

"Itachi-san!" Honoka calls, smiling and beckoning him towards her. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Come on back."

He pulls himself to a stand, closing the distance easily, pausing to let her through the doors before him.

"Are you well, Honoka-san?" he asks as they walk.

She chuckles and stretches arms high over head. "As well as I can ever be. Things are busy around here but I'm doing okay. How are you?"

Dark eyes slid her way. Itachi meets her upturned gaze with a nod. "I am well, Honoka-san."

She smiles knowingly. A hint of childish mischief dances in pale blue eyes. "Sakura-san still not speak to you?"

"No," he answers, resigned.

Honoka shakes her head and crosses her arms. "Ah, that's no good. You two need to get it together." she declares with conviction.

"Hn."

"I'm serious," Honoka states, "Here,"

Honoka stops before a door and opens it for him. The conversation pauses as they go inside. Itachi removes his cloak, draping it over a nearby chair, while Honoka sits in the bigger chair reserved for doctors. Preferring to stand, he leans against the door, arms folded knowing that the young woman was not finished her ranting. It only takes a second for her to start up her convictions once more. Itachi can't help his amusement, letting her go on chastesting him.

"I know you said it was nothing but it's obviously something." Honoka muses, rubbing her chin and wrinkled her lightly freckled nose.

Itachi shrugs one shoulder and admits. "I don't pretend to know everything about Sakura. I can't say what I did or did not do."

"Did you ask?"

"I was not given the chance," Itachi admits, "She left and refused conversation. Do you have advice, Honoka-san?"

"Me?" Honoka questions, blinking then blushing, "I'm probably not the best person to ask about...relationships. I work way too much to have anything steady…"

Itachi hums in humor and looks off at the posters on the way. "You take after your mentor in many ways."

"Itachi-san...are you teasing me?"

He contemplates the question a moment before muttering his answer.

"...Perhaps."

"Ugh! Jerk." Honoka declares but the grin on her face shows the lightheartedness of the insult. "Well, if you really want to make up with Sakura-san, just apologize and mean it. Be sincere and honest. Women like that."

He offers her a nod and pushes off the wall. "I will keep that in mind. Perhaps you can assist me in one more thing?"

Blue eyes alight with curiosity. "Yea?"

Itachi reaches inside his cloak and pulls out the empty vile, passing it along to her for inspection.

"Sakura has been working on a drug to help cure my illness. I am currently out and came in the hope of acquiring more."

The brunette hums, turning the bottle as she reads the label. "If this is something Sakura-san made, I wouldn't have direct access to it. It would be her lab but Lady Tsunade has the key to it. Why didn't you just ask Sakura-san to give you more?"

Itachi offers her a flat look, hoping she will catch on. Not surprisingly, she is quick on the uptaking, rolling her eyes at herself.

"Right. Furlough. She doesn't have more at home?"

"That is the last."

Honoka nods. "I'm not...sure what's in this so I can't make it myself. I would offer to get Lady Tsunade but she is in a surgery that's going to take at least another five hours. Can it wait until tomorrow?"

Itachi shakes his head. "I need to take another dose tonight."

"Okay," the young medic trails off, tilting the bottle in several directions, watching the liquid.

Itachi watches her, unsure of what it is that Honoka sees or is looking for. Her method of examining is very similar to Sakura, not surprising considering how long she's been an understudy.

Honoka uncaps it, taking a whiff then narrowing her eyes in concentration. "It's...plant based I think and viscous. I can't get anything else out of it than that."

She groans, and holds the vile close to her eyes "I didn't even know Sakura-san was working on a cure. Did she tell you about the patient we have or had?"

"The young boy? Has his condition worsened?"

"No," Honoka shakes her head, "Lady Tsunade says he is stable enough to go home but needs to be monitored constantly. If this cure works, it could potentially save his life and yours."

She pauses. Itachi watches the slow spread of admiration and awe, the kind of look one gives their teacher or mentor.

"Sakura-san is really amazing, huh," Honoka whispers, "Sometimes I wish I could use chakra like her to do cool things like this…"

Itachi blinks at her words, unsure of where this line of thinking came from. "You are an adequate medic in your own right, Honoka-san. Sakura choose you to assist her in my recover. You have cared for many patients since then."

She smiles shyly at him, glancing in his direction then looking away. "I know. I know. I mean just imagine all of the things I could do if I was a shinobi too. If I had chakra too. It sounds silly maybe but, well, maybe it is silly..."

She trails off in thought leaving Itachi to reason. His gaze slides across her face and over her seated position. Upon first impression, Honoka could be called plain. She doesn't have the slenderly muscular frame of most kunoichi he knows. She didn't fall into the category that Genma so readily called 'curvaceous'. In fact, by comparison she is only slightly less round and plump than Minami. Itachi wonders if this attitude surrounding her physical appearance may have seeped into other areas. An unfortunate conclusion but not impossible. It is the only explanation that comes to mind as he is sure her medical skills speak for itself.

It is unfortunate that you cannot see as much.

As Honoak's face losses it's admiration, telling of unpleasant thoughts, Itachi reaches over and places a hand on her shoulder, hoping to still them.

"Hm?" Honoka blinks upward, looking at him curiously.

"The glory of a matter is often concealed, reserved for only those willing to seek it."

Honoka purses her lips. "The...glory?"

He nods. "If you can see a thing for what it is, Honoka, you can better understand how to use it."

Honoka's lightly freckled nose wrinkles in confusion. "Itachi-san, I don't understand."

"Medicine is more than just chakra and not all patients are shinobi. The art of healing is much deeper than both of these."

"Oh," she whispers, looking away and out at the room. "Itachi-san, are you trying to say I'm needed?"

"Yes."

"Because I don't have chakra?"

"Because medicine is more than just chakra."

"Right...the glory of it and all of that." Honoka huffs then squirms, "I guess you're right. I'm just being silly. Let's figure out how to help you, ok?"

He pulls back, giving her room to stand and stretch, pleased that the light returned to her eyes.

Much better.

"What do you propose, Honoka-san?"

She takes her time with answering, tapping a figure to her lip for several moments.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, turning to him with a bright smile of recognition. "I forgot. Sakura-san keeps a spare key to lab around here somewhere. I don't know where it is though. If she can tell you then I can get the key and get your medicine."

A deep rumble reverbs in his chest. After weeks of noncommunication, it would seem a confrontation with Sakura will be had after all.

"I see…"

Chapter Text

Line 5: A Greater Cause

"I want no world

(for beautiful you are my world, my true)"

I Carry Your Heart

Line 6, Stanza 2

-By E.E. Cummings

“Here, take this.” Ino says, handing Sakura a bundle of ribbon samples.

Carefully gathering the delicate fabric, Sakura folds the loose ends for greater manageability, then surveys the plethora of fabric piles before her. 

“This is going to…?”

Ino twirls her pen in her hands then checks something off a paper. “The Mizukage. Next week, I think?”

With a nod, she lays them down on the far end of their assortment of fabrics then grabs the itenary Ino made for her days ago. She scans down the list of places and deliveries, looking for the one directed towards the Mist Village. 

“Yeah, fabric and flower samples, “ she informs, looking up to Ino who frowns at her own itinerary.

“That’s three out of town meetings next week.”

“And a meeting with Kumo at the end of this week.”

The blonde blucks, glancing down and again at Sakura. Panic takes her for a few seconds before she looks back at the list and sighs. “No their florist is coming here. I mean, it’s still gonna be a pain but at least I’m not going to be gone for a week just to discuss arrangements.”

Sakura goes for a sweet bun, strategically placed away from the many fine silks and linens currently draped over Ino’s living room table. For safe measure, she pushes back a bit towards the sofa. Green eyes flicker over the rainbow display of a collection, all of which were going to be presented to a different florist from a different hidden village. In honesty, most of them look the same. If not for different patterns, who could tell the difference?

Sakura would be the first to admit that when the furlough was presented, she doubted she’d have much to do but carry some stuff or break up dirt. Working at a flower shop seemed far too slowed down for the on the go medic. However, these last few days opened her eyes to all of the things her best friend does. While Sakura knew Ino’s arrangement skills kept her in high demand, the extent to which such a skill was necessary never really revealed itself until now. 

Taking a glancing survey of the orders for next week alone, the pinkette takes a tentative bite of her sweet bun in humble admiration.

I never knew there were so many types of silks. Add modal or viscose to the mix and I’d be completely lost without Ino.

The large shipment of fabrics didn’t come cheap. Sakura realized that when she was asked to pick it up from the Yamanaka Shop and bring it home. Add that cost to labor Ino’s been putting in and these people must be paying big bucks.

Who knew so much went into making things look pretty.

Ino exhales slowly and grabs her cup of tea. Sakura shifts her attention to her friend as the woman settles more comfortably on her backside than her knees.

“Okay so,” Ino pauses to blow away steam before taking a sip. “This is how the rest of this week and next week will go since I won’t be here. I’ll work on the Kojima order..tomorrow? Yes, tomorrow, it’s the biggest one we have and I’m almost finished.”

Sakura stuffs the rest of her food in her mouth and takes out her own agenda binder to write down instructions. “I’m guessing I’m working the front again then?”

Ino nods sagely and watches the selling. “Sounds good. I’ll have the other girls handle everything else so you just ring up customers and look pretty.”

The pinkette smirks and writes that on her to do list. “Don’t forget I’m counting your money too. I’m not just a cute ornament in your shop.”

“You say it like that wasn’t a compliment.” Ino quips. 

“Brains are just as much a compliment as beauty, you know.”

The blonde waves a dismissive hand and sips more tea. “Trust me I already know that. Beauty doesn’t always just come.” she gestures at all of the material before them. “Someone has to be smart enough to make it happen.”

Sakura rolls her eyes but smiles good-naturedly. Going to the subject she taps her pen against the paper. “So those Peace Garden meetings?’

“One this week,” Ino reflexes. “A ton next week. Can you fold these ribbons and put them in labeled boxes for me?”

“Sure.”

“I have to put the finishing touches on these flower portfolios before I leave. Combine that with the Kojima order and I won’t see the sun for days.”

“Be barely see the sun anyway…”

Ino sighs wistfully and slouches a bit. “Very true…”

Sakura ignores her friend a moment to regard her schedule. Betweening manning the flower shop and assisting Ino with getting things ready, she can hardly say she is bored.

Busy but not the same kind of busy.

There is still plenty of free time for her to do other duties. The thought almost made her frown. Weeks of avoiding and now a mandatory slow down means hiding is harder. 

I’ll have to see him eventually.

The medic shakes her head, removing thoughts and subsequent knots in her stomach. 

I need to focus on now. Tomorrow is another day.

Forcing a smile, she pulls the ledger down towards her lap and grabs her cup of cool water. “No landscaping then?”

Ino shakes her head. “Nothing major will start until we get to work on our Peace Garden. The Hokage said they’ve already carved out a space, which reminds me I need to go see it. But he said they were still getting the land approved by whoever owns it. Once that’s done and we get the flora and fauna in from the other villages, then the blowing things up starts.”

“Basically nothing until you come back from these meetings.”

“Basically. Save all that explosive chakra control for when we--”

At rustling sound near door pulls Ino’s sentence to halt. Both ladies turn their attention in that direction, silence stretching before Ino starts speaking.

And moving.

“That was fast.” 

Sakura blinked, turning her attention back across the large table. “I thought Sai’s mission was for two weeks?” 

Ino takes her hair from its bun and brushes at flyaways. Shaking it free, she finger combs it to detangle knots that may have formed. If Sakura hadn’t been just sitting here with her a few seconds ago, would have thought the light dusty pink in her cheeks was rouge.

“So did I. Guess he finished early.” The blonde’s voice shifts from business like to pitched, a change that makes Sakura’s brows raise. 

With a quick fluff, and final cautionary comb through, she promptly stands to the sounds of keys at the door and rushes towards the entrance. All of it translates to a noticeable childlike excitement that makes Sakura smiles behind a cup of water as her friend scurries off to meet her husband. It’s cute. After years of marriage and a young child, Ino still tries to look her best for Sai. The thought warms her core and Sakura smiles genuinely for their happiness. 

She goes for a sweet bun again, waiting patiently for the both of them to make an appearance. She doesn’t rush them for obvious reasons. In the few days she’s been camping out with her best friend, the unmistakable pauses and far off looks told of a longing Sakura’s only experienced in small immature doses with one person. All of them are older now and she imagines Ino’s found many more reasons to relish Sai’s company compared to her youthful form of love.

Bittersweet memories come to mind. Sakura sips slow, allowing herself to remineces and even have hopes of her own. Nowadays, the closest she gets to this feeling is seeing Naruto after a long mission away.

It’s not even close to the same. But one day maybe...

Her thoughts come to a pauses as muffled conversation seeps into her conscious. Someone said her name. Sakura looks up just before both parties appear in the archway, Ino in a casual side embrace and the slightest tint of red on her lips tell of much greater intimacies shared than a simple welcome home hug.

She really loves him.

Sakura offers her former teammate a greeting wave. He returns a brief nod before taking in the scene of papers, food and drink scattered about their living room. In a look she can only describe as ‘classically Sai’, his quizzical expression flickers between her and his wife before settling on Ino.

“I thought Sakura was on a furlough?” He questions.

All of the admiration she’s built up for the couple comes crumbling down at the mention of her realty. Not that she isn’t painfully aware of it but the fact that Sai somehow is also aware makes green eyes widen and narrow in disbelief. Sakura manages to look utterly mortified while Ino just laughs behind a hand. 

“You’ve been gone for nearly two weeks!” the pinkette exclaims. “ How the hell did you know that?” 

Sai seemingly ignores her look of dread and ponders the ceiling. 

“I heard rumors.” 

“Rumors?” Ino asks, an unnerving glint in her eyes. “How long have you been back?”

“Twenty minutes.”

“Ugh.” Sakura throws herself backwards, slouching against the bottom of the sofa behind her, “Is nothing sacred around here?”

"If it helps, there is debate as to why the furlough was ordered."

" Really ?" Ino inquires, brow raised. 

Sakura scowls and glares, letting her head lean back and rest against the sofa cushion. "Don't you start that again, Ino. We are supposed to be working on stuff for the flower shop right now, right. Sai?”

Much to Sakura’s dismay, her supposed best friend dismisses her current concerns with a flick of her wrist. Ino leans beseechingly into Sai’s embrace, earning a scowl from Sakura. The look goes unanswered but she proceeds undeterred. 

"Sakura’s been unhelpfully tight lipped about what's really going on.”

“For good reason!” Sakura proclaims.

Sai pulls back from Ino a few centimeters. “I thought the rumors would have been you…?”

The medic stiffs a giggle as her friend glares at her husband. For one that used to be emotionally stunted, Sai seems to have pick up on her discontentment and pats her hand affectionately. 

“Am I wrong?” he asks.

Sakura nearly chokes on her sweet bun. Apparently he hasn’t learned everything.

“Yes! I wouldn’t do that to Sakura, my best friend.” Ino declares.

“But she’s been here a few days. I thought maybe you’d know…”

Pulling a wiry looking Sai into the living room towards the low table, Ino forces him to sit.  “No. No. That’s different...personal girl stuff. This is public knowledge. So! Let’s talk about those rumors.”

She moves things out of the way to make room, giving Sakura a playful nudge to sit up. She does and gestures at the papers and planners around them to attempt to reel Ino back in.

"Now’s not the time, Ino Pig.” Sakura says through gritted teeth.

"Now’s the perfect time don’t you think?" Ino casually replies and cozies up to Sai.

Sakura gives her a flat look. “No.”

“This is much more fun, Forehead.”

Of course.

"We are gossiping?" Sai innocently inquires.

"Yes!" Ino exclaims

Sakura groans. Oh but he catches that!

“ We , meaning Ino and I are working on the schedule for the shop.”

Ino hums and leans her legs against her husband. Sai adjusts, slipping an arm around her so she fits more comfortable against him. “But your personal life is so interesting. Everybody wants to know about the famous medic and her scandalous affair with her patient. Now the talk of the town is why you were forced to leave work. We’re dying to know.”

Sakura bulks. “They are not!”

“They are.” Sai affirms. 

Ino casually flips her hair. “My guess is that Itachi has something to do with it. Otherwise you wouldn’t be camped out at my house.”

Sakura rolls her eyes. “Why I came here and why I’m on a furlough are not mutually exclusive. You know my reasons for being here.”

“Yes, yes, because you and Itachi had an argument, again . Sakura, I’m no love expert but the number of times you’ve been to my house because your husband stresses you out is a bit concerning. You gotta admit, the timing is suspect.”

“Shouldn’t you be investing your time into Sai and Inojin and not spying on my marriage? Better yet, can we get back to what we were doing literally five minutes ago?”

Sai sagely agrees. "Sakura has a point."

"Thank you, Sai."

Sakura crosses her arms in mild victory. A short lived one as the blonde grins and flicks her hair, giving her a look that promises something juicy will follow. 

I should have known . The pinkette inwardly laments and braces herself for whatever curve Ino is about to throw. 

“I’m not spying on your relationship, just your lover.” Ino insists. “ He’s an avid grocery shopper.”

“That’s part of one of the rumors.” Sai informs, affirming both women and taking no sides.

Sakura offers both of them a dry looking. She knows her question will feed the Ino flame but couldn’t help it from stumbling out of her mouth.

“How and why is this relevant?”

Ino perks up, squeezing Sai’s arm.. “Could it be that things have escalated? Did he kick you out of the house?”

“No!”

“He cheated on you didn’t he? Then you drown yourself in work to forget the heartbreak?”

Sakura rolls her eyes, thinking of how routine her ‘husband’ is. “Ino you already know why I’m here.”

Ino taps her chin, “Is it the fruit lady?”

Eh. The pinkette blinks in surprise, “The...fruit lady?”

“Yeah…you've been juggling that full time wife and full time medic thing for four years now.” Ino trails off. “With exception to buying the food, which your husband does a lot of.”

“I'm pretty sure what you're doing is stalking…”

"Sounds like stalking," Sai offhandedly offers.

“Noticing,” Ino corrects, “Itachi seems to be a creature of habit. Always the same days and times…for four years. With the same woman…”

Sakura can’t hold back her annoyed sigh. She’s well aware of the ‘woman’ Ino is talking about. Minami is such a nice gentle soul. Yes, Itachi does attract attention from the females but she highly doubts their relationship extends beyond that of friendship.

Probably the only friend he has aside from me, Honoka and Naruto and that’s saying something. 

“Minami and Itachi have a...profession relationship. Customer and producer, that’s it.”

“Hmm,” Ino hums dismissively, regarding her nails.

“Hm.” Sai repeats.

Sakura watches with growing trepidation as the two trade a private conversation of hums and looks. 

“I’m serious!” Sakura insists.

Ino flicks at dirt. Sai grabs a sweet bun and starts eating, leaving Sakura to glare at being ignored. It occurs to her that, on some weird level, this is Ino’s way of showing concern. As unconventional as it may be, her best friend has always been victim to whatever juicy story came hot off the Konoha rumor press. While Ino can sometimes be the starter of rumors, she is just as quick to end them once all the facts are gathered. To this, Sakura is glad to have her in her corner.

I just wish you weren’t so persistent about it. It’s bad enough I told you what I did…

Kakashi never said she couldn’t seek counsel elsewhere. In a fit of desperation, Sakura turned to the one person who knows more about her and relationships than anyone. Ino gladly welcomed her into her home, tears and all. While her friend didn’t pry then, Sakura couldn’t exactly keep her distress to herself. What Ino knows is only half the truth, something that still leaves a sour taste in her mouth. 

But Ino had been more of a help than she’d originally hoped. Apparently her friend debated the idea of kids with Sai as well. Though their situation was reversed. It was Sai who was unsure while Ino wanted as many as possible. 

I never knew she wanted to be a mother so badly. Looking at them, how she loves him, I can see it. But Itachi and I...this is different on so many levels. We’re not even married for real! It’s more of a duty to the state than an act of love between man and wife. But I can hardly say that! Oh yeah, by the way Ino, remember that conversation we had about kids? Yeah. Kakashi-sensi was the one who ordered us to reproduce. 

Sakura’s brows furrow as she regards the table. She fiddles with her cup, tethering between giving them just a little bit more. After their conversation, she’d come to something.

Hardly a plan but it’s worth a try. 

Having Sai here, giving a man’s perspective may offer just a bit more.

I can use all of the help I can get. Maybe I can’t tell her everything. Just enough to get them off of my back and me some peace of mind with my resolve.

Sakura shivers at the thought, the mission still leaving a haughty dose of anger in the recesses of her mind..

“Maybe we should…” Sai ventures and is quickly quelled by Ino.

“Shhh! She’s on the verge of a scandalous admission. Look at the lines in her forehead. That only happens when she’s thinking.”

“I can hear you, you know,” Sakura says through gritted teeth.

“So tell us! What’s happening?” Ino encourages. “In all seriousness, Sakura, we worry…”

Yeah I’m worried too.

The words hit her in the heart. Sakura squeezes her cup and sighs. 

“Fine,” Sakura relents then glares seriously, “But what’s said here doesn’t leave this house, got it?”

“Yes.” The married couple say in unison.

“I better not hear a rumor….”

“Not a word, we swear!” Ino presses.

Alright, Sakura, now to say it without saying it…

Suppressing the drumming of her heart, Sakura sighs and rubs her forehead to get rid of the wrinkles that most definitely do not exist.

“You were almost right. I did start working a lot more because of a situation, more a conversation, that I...didn’t like. Itachi and I have been discussing...kids.”

She pauses, gauging their reaction. But the two hang on her every word, even if it was only a few. That thought makes her fidget, a ball of tightly coiled nerves.

Maybe I shouldn’t go on.

She looks away, biting her lip and regarding the table. 

I know I can seek counsel but why does this feel like an act of betrayal to the Leaf.  If this ever got out...

A hand touches hers. Green eyes jerk up, meeting Ino’s soften gaze.

“It’s alright, Sakura.” she assures. “We’re here for you. Really.”

Her friend gives her a gentle squeeze, fortifying reassure. 

Sakura manages a wiry smile. Glancing away and then to Sai, who nods sagely. 

With a healthy does of trepidation, she adds.  “There was a conversation about us having kids with...someone else. The truth is there are expectations on us. To rebuild the Uchiha Clan. And to a point I can understand why. Sasuke wanted to do the same thing...But the conversation I had with...the other person really pushed me to the limit. That pressure. I just needed to get away from them and Itachi.”

Much to her surprise, it is Sai who speaks first. “Does Uchiha-san want children?”

Sakura gathers herself up to her elbows .

“See that’s the thing, I don’t know! We’d never talked about kids before . He never mentioned it and probably wouldn’t have mentioned it if this... person hadn’t said anything.”

“Who is ‘this person’?” Ino asks.

“Erm,” Sakura deflated and flushes slightly, “I’d rather not say. But the point is, I felt he should have defended me and he didn’t and I can’t even stand to look at him right now.”

“So wait,” Ino says, “There was never any discussion about rebuilding the Clan or babies or anything until a couple weeks ago?”

The medical ninja shakes her head. Truthfully, the only conversation surrounding the future they’ve had is when the mission will end. There is nothing else. It’s always been about the mission.

Itachi never seemed interested in...anything really that wasn’t connected with the mission. How the hell would I know if kids is something he actually wants?

Sakura bites the inside of her cheek. “Itachi and I never really got around to that.”

There was no reason too...until now. 

Her best friend bits her lip, making Sakura sit up a bit more because Ino never gets this serious with gossip. “Sakura, do you want kids?”

Not with him!

She feels herself blush. Thinking of babies means other ‘things’ that she has yet to do. Yes, maybe she’d kissed Itachi a few times but that was different. That was for control. There was no love or even lust in those kisses. It was her doing stupid things because she felt she could, because it was one thing she could get the upper hand in.

But having babies meant having sex and sex can’t happen without some kind of desire for the person.

Sakura grimences at the thought. 

Desire and Itachi doesn’t even fit in the same sentence. 

“I,” she pauses, struggling for words. “I don’t know. Kids are a huge responsibility. It’s kinda hard to fit them into my life right now....”

“May I-” Sai starts but comes up short with a knock at the door. “Hold on a moment…”

He excuses himself, leaving Sakura and Ino alone once again. Sakura looks blinks absently, looking at the half empty cup in her hands, thinking through the conversation. Namely, the question Sai posed to her earlier. 

I never even considered the possibility that Itachi might actually want to restart everything…

She wasn’t lying when she said they’d never discussed anything of the sort.

It’s always been the mission and healing and Sasuke.

Slim fingers grip the cup tighter as guilt seeps in. She wonders for a moment what could have been going on in Itachi’s mind during the meeting. 

Here I am hiding from him, upset that he didn’t stick up for me with Kakashi but maybe he didn’t want to. Maybe, just maybe, he’s wanted this all along? Sasuke always talked about rebuilding the clan, it’s not that far fetched that Itachi does as well. But with me? And like this? I doubt it.

Words from years ago resurface. The resolve Sasuke used to have to that goal used to fill Sakura with a giddy happiness. Maybe she could be the one to help him. She’s older now, wiser and more understanding of why it was so important to him. Instead of childish glee, the only thing there is...pity.

The makings of tears sting her eyes.

 I can imagine he must be lonely having no family...

For all of the reasons she hated Itachi when they started this mission, she’s found a few better reasons to at least show sympathy.

The soothing sensation of Ino’s hand, draws Sakura’s attention to it. She realizes, belatedly, that the blonde had been making gentle circles on her wrist. Sakura raises her head meeting Ino’s soft smile. 

“It’s gonna be okay, Sakura.” she whispers.

The pinkette attempts the same optimism. “Sorry I didn’t tell you all this the other day. I was so out of it I barely wanted to talk.”

Ino opens her mouth then closes it. Blue eyes flicker away. Ino’s entire face changes, she pulls back, taking her hand with her.

Sakura blinks in confusion, turning her head to get a glimpse. “Ino what...is...it…”

The words die on her lips, replaced by a sudden lump in her throat.

Sai smiles kindly, one hand gesturing to Itachi, who stands slightly behind him. The other hand reaches forward, towards Ino.

“Let’s go check on Inojin,” he says, smiling more and even adding a head tilt for emphasis.

Whatever it’s meant to communicate, Ino gets it. Standing immediately, she gives Sakura one more squeeze, her shoulder this time before hurrying to take Sai’s hand.

“Itachi-san” Ino says politely but Sakura doesn’t miss the subtle reservation in her tone and she doubts Itachi would either.

He doesn’t show as much, not that Itachi shows much of anything at all. Nodding in her direction. “Ino-san.”

Sakura looks away, stealing her features knowing what is to come. It’s been almost three weeks since she last spoke to him. While she didn’t expect him to physically come get her, Sakura is well aware that they would to talk eventually. With her current disposition, the words playing her mind don’t exactly sing her praises.

Guess he finally got fed up...nothing I can’t handle. 

Her resolve doesn’t stop the speed of her pulse or her nails from scrapping the clay cup. She doesn’t look up when her friends leave. For a moment she thinks to sit and take it, whatever Itachi has to throw. But her inner self gets the better of her. Just as Itachi gets close enough, Sakura drops her hands to the table and pushes to a stand. Without meeting his gaze, she stalks past him with instructions.

“Let’s talk outside.” she says.

If he’s gonna chew me out I’m damn well gonna get a chance to say what I wanna say. Not that I don’t trust Ino but...it’s just safer.

She has every expectation for him to follow, leaving the door open in her wake. Arms crossed, she posts up against the pillar near the stairs. A few seconds later, Itachi makes an appearance, closing the door behind him. 

The cold of the afternoon gives her chills. She rubs her thin barely clad arms to pull some heat closer to her body. And perhaps for some added courage. Sakura gives her partner time to close the distance before saying the first thing that comes to mind. 

“I wasn’t expecting you to come get me.”

“I did not come to get you.” Itachi interrupts evenly, seeming more interested in the slight downpour than in her. “You can remain if you it pleases you to do so.”

Sakura opens her mouth then closing it, not expecting such a quick, blunt response. Her thoughts stall a moment but she recovers a moment later.

“So what are you doing here?”

“I require your assistance.” He informs.

Immediately her mind goes back to the meeting. Sakura frowns. “If this is about what we talked about with Kakashi-se--”

He interrupts her again, eyes glancing her way as he quietly states. “I have nothing to say about that.”

She nearly reels at his comment. Whatever goodness she’d built up for him a moment ago disappears in the moment he reminded her of why she’d come to Ino’s in the first place.

Sakura’s finger flex with older anger at her ‘partner’. Working hard to keep her composure, she tucks her balled fist behind folded arms.

“Then what do you want?” Her tone, however, gives away her displeasure.

Itachi tilts his head towards the sky, stoic and silent. Sakura waits, wondering if he would own up to anything or acknowledge more than the rain.

He says nothing.

Why was I even worried? He’s the same as always.

She snorts, turning on her heels and heads towards the door. “I’m not going to stand here talking to myself.”

“I’m sorry, Sakura.”

What?

She stops short, looking over her shoulder and surprised to see Itachi watching her retreat.

“Why?” she challenges.

Itachi takes a step forward, “For whatever lead you here.”

“For what lead--Itachi, you can’t apologize for something when you don’t even know what you’re apologizing for.”

“I’m apologizing for whatever lead you here.” he repeats. 

His words only serve to make her more frustrated. Sakura rolls her eyes.

“I heard you the first time,” Sakura says, “That doesn’t change the fact that you don’t even know why I’m here in the first place.”

“Enlighten me.” Itachi answers without missing a beat. 

“I shouldn’t have to!” Sakura raises her voice “It’s blaringly obvious and if you can’t see what the hell is wrong than you’re more dense and obtuse than your brother, and that’s saying something.”

Itachi manages at least a crease in his brow, which for Sakura is more effort than she’s seen all day.

“The mission made you angry.” Itachi hedges.

Sakura throws her hands up. “Congratulations, genius , you spotted the elephant in the room. The only question left unanswered is why the hell I’m the only one? Call me crazy but I half expected you to sympathize, a tall order, I know. But what did you do? You knocked me out!”

His brows narrow, as does his eyes. “You threatened to take down the entire Hokage Tower.”

“And I should have for what Kakashi asked us to do. That mission is BS and you know it.”

Itachi tsk at her, causing her to bristle but he speaks before she can challenge his attitude. “You are angry that did not wish to see others harmed over a mission that had nothing to do with them?”

“No.” Sakura retorts. “I was upset then just like I’m upset now because you never have anything to say. The world could be coming to and end and you’d still be a silent impenetrable mask. Has it somehow escaped your awareness that Kakashi wants us to make babies? That the Consuel is effectively manipulating our lives? And you have absolutely nothing to say about that? Have you gone mad?”

“I am well aware of my situation.” Itachi admits, owing up to something but showing nothing at all.

“Then act like it!” Sakura pleds. 

Itachi raises a challenging brow at her. The look in his eyes suddenly put her more on edge and she instinctive takes a half step backwards.

“What do you want, Sakura?” Itachi challenges, “That I respond as volatile as you?”

“ Volatile! ” she nearly screeches. Against herself, Sakura turns and marches up to him, chin up and defiant. “Is that what we’re calling expressing appropriate human emotions now?”

He blinks once and Sakura could have sworn he frowned, looking down his nose at her. 

“The Hokage is well aware of my displeasure. I made my discontent known without blowing a hole in the Hokage’s office while you were indisposed.”

It takes the force of a thousand suns to still the sudden reflex itching to hit him right in his smug face. Instead, Sakura glares, letting him see the full brunt of her indignation and aggravation at him. Their reunion is a far cry from the loving scene witnessed between Ino and Sai. All of this just reminds her of what village wants her to give for its sake. Or give up for that matter. 

Sakura grabs her hips, and meets his dark eyes with glowering green ones. “Fine, tell me about this ‘displeasure’ that I obviously missed no thanks to you .”

The Uchiha holds her gaze for only a second before looking behind her at the door. Instinctively Sakura turns, remembering where they are and whose house they are currently arguing in front of. 

“Perhaps now is not the time for conversation.” His words come soft, almost inaudible. 

A deflection? Sakura wonders and swings her gaze back to him. 

Itachi never deflections. He is more inclined to refuse an answer than verbally distract her. And physically.

Oh?

An outstretched hand creates much needed distance between them. Itachi stands, fist closed and waiting. Unsure of what else to do, she holds out her hand to receive whatever he is trying to give. The small vile serves as a proper distract from seconds ago. Her indignation cools enough to process just what this is.

Sakura pulls her hand close. Seconds later, she glances at Itachi, who looks off towards the road. If she thought him capable of ranges of emotion, she would have said he was looking longingly at it.

Suddenly his earlier response makes more sense. 

Feeling both foolish and relief, Sakura holds up the empty container and watches him between its clear walls.

“You finished it?” Sakura questions.

He nods. “I ran out last night. Honoka was unable to find the spare key to get more.”

The shift in conversation from mission to medicine is enough to make her feel less awkward. 

“Honoka? You’ve talked to Honoka? Did she tell you how Kai is doing? Is he stable?”

Black eyes shift her way. Itachi inclines his head in the barest of nods. “Kai is fine. Tsunade-sama sent him home under strict instruction to be monitored.”

Her relief doubles, knowing her patient is doing well. 

This would be easier if I could check him myself. I know he’s in capable hands with Shisou though…

Sakura shifts, bring it down and slipping it into her pocket, mind wandering to other things until Itachi brings her back to the moment. 

He turns slightly towards the stairs. “Honoka says you have a spare key to the lab.”

Is that why he came?

The queasy feeling starts anew, this time as her medical oath replays in her mind. She may not be able to stand him at the moment but he is still very much her patient. 

I should have known he was out of medicine even before he did. I dropped the ball, again.

Sighing, she folds in on herself, crossing her arms for comfort. “Yeah I do. It’s in the top left drawer of my office desk. Wait!”

Itachi halts his descent down the stairs, back out into the rain. Sakura feels herself frowning, not sure why she even stopped him. Green eyes regard the floor, uncertain. Her jaw clenches at the way her mind fills in the blanks with information that isn’t even there. 

Apparently embarrassed but more confused, she teeters between apologizing for not getting him medicine sooner and demanding a straighter answer to her earlier question.

Even if I was upset, this is no way to treat a comrade.

“Sakura?”

“Let me check you at least,” she nearly whispers.

Itachi offers her his shoulder in a half hearted turn. “The outline of your furlough states..”

“I know what it says!” she cuts in, frustration at herself more than him. “Just shut up and let me check you.”

Sakura crosses the small expanse between them and stands half on the stairs as he is. Her hands glow green and she starts her inspection with or without his consent.

Itachi simply stands. Sakura doesn’t know where he’s looking at as her eyes stay glued to her hands, mouth firm and focused. This is easier than conversation. Medicine she knows. His body she knows. His sickness she...kinda knows but this mystery is much easier to deal with than the mind of the person it belongs to. She stops from fingers from trembling and steals her nerves and doubts. 

Medic first.

No. I shouldn’t feel bad. This mission is ridiculous and I stand by refusing it. Itachi and Kakashi can figure out the future of the Uchiha Clan themselves and leave me out of it. I’m not going to be a baby factory so there’s nothing I can do for them.

Fingers catch against his damp cloak. Sakura’s eyes widen slightly as it occurs to her the similarities between a future mission and her current one.

Maybe that’s it! I can’t and won’t make babies but that doesn’t mean I have to sit back and let some other poor girl be the victim. Who’s to say I can’t help Konoha and save myself  and someone else too? If I can show Itachi that sacrifice doesn’t mean killing those you love, then I damn sure can show Kakashi that preservation doesn’t have to come like this. There has to be a better way to help protect the Village...

“Are you finished, Sakura?” Itachi voice cuts through her thoughts. She looks up at him, confused for a moment, then down at her hands that she belatedly realized clenched the fabric of his garment just as she made up her mind.

Sakura pulls back, done with her inspection and unsurprised that nothing was wrong. She takes a step back, fixing her eyes and lifting her chin as if to defy her own conscious. 

“Tell Honoka that the medicine is under the desk in the mini fridge.” Sakura instructions.

Itachi nods once. He lingers a few seconds before turning to take his leave. Belatedly and more for herself she supposes, Sakura shouts over the rain.

“And I’ll be home tonight!”

Itachi only pauses his steps. Sakura holds her resolve as she watches him go. Seconds later, she clenches her fist.

This time I’m proving it to myself. I can do this! 

When she goes back inside, Ino stands patiently on the last step. “How’d it go?” she asked.

Sakura stalks determined towards the table. “Let’s get back to the schedule for the week.”

Because saying ‘I feel outwitted’ would have made it true.

I will find a way.

Determination spurs her forward. If Ino has questions, she keeps them to herself. Which is just the same for Sakura, who throws her all into organizing the schedule while planning things in her mind around it.

If I time everything just right, I can make this work. I just need time and thankfully or stupidly, Kakashi gave me just enough to pull something together. I just need a little help from a certain someone.

The beginnings of a plan brews. A small smirk of victory graces her face. Once the planning is done she announces her departure, much to Ino’s shock. True to her word, Sakura did return home that night but made a small detour to ensure a message was passed on.

Itachi doesn’t stir, and it's just as well because Sakura has no intention of having another conversation. To make sure he doesn’t try to start something, she chooses to sleep on the sofa.

Not until I get what I need.

Sleep comes slow. Most of the night is spent thinking and rethinking reasons and scenarios. Things she won’t know until a few days from now.

I just have to be patient.

A couple of days later, her patience rewards her kindly. 

Nearly alone in the cool of the morning, Sakura gazes languidly through the glass door of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Every once in awhile, a man or woman or group walks passes the door. Green eyes lazily follow until they disappear beyond the range of her peripheral. Sakura lets them go, fixing her attention to the front door once more. 

The other girl won’t be in for another hour, which is about the same time customers start filing in to place orders. Thus forcing Sakura to man the shop alone, staring listlessly out of the glass door. Idle time leaves her mind to wander. Because she is not one to sit still, the absence of physical work only makes her mind switch to mental work. When too much time is taken, her mind reminds her of things most unpleasant. 

She feels a cringe. 

Bits her lip.

Glares at nothing and curses Kakashi to the ends of the earth.

A familiar figure comes into view.

Oh thank God . 

Perking up as a hip pushes open the door. Sakura rushes from around the corner and helps Honoka by opening the door more so she can enter. 

“Oh! It smells like spring in here!” Honoka coos and takes a long deep inhale. “So much better than sterile hospital rooms.”

Sakura offers a kind smile, helping Honoka out of the large backpack. “I think it you don’t get out of the hospital much these days?”

The young medical reaches up high, cracking her back as she stretches. “Not as much as I would like. I think I got everything you asked for.”

Distractedly, Sakura takes to digging through. Removing some of the tomes from the top, she scans titles quickly before moving on to the books layered at the bottom.

This looks like everything. Yes!

Satisfied, she looks up, watching as Honoka meanders the rows of vases near the walls and scans the displays closer to the ceilings. She lets her get her fill choosing to repack the bag in that time. Her fingers smooths over books and tomes that she hasn’t touched in days. Kakashi said that she was barred from her lab but never said anything about bringing the lab to her. There’s something almost comforting in the weight of medical text that sets the kuniochi’s heart aflutter with possibilities. 

Something is bound to be in here that can help. Six months to decide on this mission means six months to come up with a solution.

The challenge makes her gri n. You can bet your ass I’m going to find a way, kakashi-sensei!

“Did I miss anything?” the young woman asks.

The pinkette offers a genuine smile. “Nope, this is everything. Thank you, Honoka. Did you manage to get in and out without any hassle?”

“For the most part, yeah.” Honoka assures. “An Anbu was posted at the door but I just told him I was getting some medical books to review.”

“Are you sure you weren’t followed?”

Sakura looks at the door, checking from stragglers.

“Positive.” Honoka reassures. “Once I explained what I needed, he was glad to let me in and even helped me pack the stuff. I don’t think anyone was suspicious.”

“That’s good. Did you tell lady Tsunade what I said?”

The young woman nods sagely. “I left a couple of the medicine in the fridge for her to get and gave her your update on Itachi’s progress. She said she’ll try it and see what happens. And she hinted at tweaking your dosage if necessary.”

Green eyes roll playfully. “Of course, “ Sakura deadpans.“Thanks again for this, Honoka. I don’t think you know how much you saved me.”

“That’s all in a medic’s work right? Medicine is more than just chakra and not all patients are shinobi. The art of healing is much deeper than both of these.”

The pinkett opens her mouth then closes. The air of the words sounding achingly familiar but not something the carefree young medic would spit out on her own.

“Right…” she hedges, trying to place the phrasing.

“I should probably get going,” Honoka states, looking around herself, “Can’t have them getting too suspicious. But can I maybe buy one of these premade arrangements for my tiny little office.

Sakura laughs and nods. “Take your pick while I brings these to the back.”

Honoka goes off again to the storage fridge of premade arrangements . Sakura carries the bag to the backroom where Ino does the final touches of the flowers. Seconds later, she emerges with one of the books stored under her arm for casual reading.

“Ready?” Sakura asks.

Honoka weights to arrangements before settling on one filled with ume flowers from the furthest end of Fire Country. “I like the smell of these.” she declares.

“A good choice,” Sakura agrees, ringing it up and exchanging currency with her medical assistant and friend. “It’s much warmer the closer you get to Suna. These flowers are sprouting up a lot there. The fields smell amazing!”

“Yeah they remind me of spring. Oh! That reminds me. “ Honoka exclaims and reaches inside of her coat pocket. “I got a little extra gift for you. Don’t open it until leave.”

The burnette slides it across the table with a cheeky wink then snags her vase and waves goodbye. “Take care Sakura-san.”

Waving back, she stiffs a chuckle and grabs the folded piece of paper. At first the numbers written on it confuses her. She reads and rereads before the meaning becomes clear. It’s a schedule. Green eyes flicker to the clock, which matches the time Honoka came here.

This is her schedule. She’s telling me the times she’s free...and I can get stuff.

The news makes her grin, Sakura stuffs the itinerary into the first few pages of the book she’s brought with her and takes to reading it.

Leave it Honoka to be so considerate.

Idily Sakura flips through the pages, waiting for the next customer to show up. A few minutes later, the chimes jingle once again. She looks up to see Ino drags herself inside with a sigh, brushing the hair from her face. 

“How’d the meeting go?” Sakura asks.

“I swear these Peace Gardens are going to keep me busy for the next couple months.” Ino laments. “Two meetings down and several more to go. Plus the help I’m offering Interrogation with setting up some of my dad’s old methods. I swear, Forehead, your help couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Sakura pulls her eyes away to watch her friend. “I’ll take that as an it went well?”

Ino leans against the opposite side of the counter and lays her head down. “Yeah. Yeah. Kumogakure is totally onboard with the idea. The problem is trying to find things that actually grow on mountains and look good while simultaneously finding flora that could withstand Konoha’s summers.”

“Was a consensus made?”

Ino snorts and huffs hair from her face. “Barely. But we’re going to have to meet again, me in Kumo this time.”

“Sounds exciting,” Sakura distractedly adds while combing through pages.

Ino flats her hand on the book and pulls herself up to get right in her face. “What’s this?”

Sakura pulls back and grunts. “It’s a book!”

“Looks like work to me.” Ino practically sings,

“It’s a flower book.” Sakura stresses. 

Ino takes a moment to glance down. The pinkette turns it for her to get a better view. “Herbs for medicinal uses are not flowers.”

The medic waves a dismissive hand. “Semantics.” 

“You just couldn’t stay away.” Ino slides the book back across the counter. “Guess I should put you to work if you’re bored enough to read.”

Sakura calmly closes her book, buying time for when she can start her investigation fully. “What’s on the agenda today, boss.”

Just then chime of the front door rings again. Ino grins and juts her chin in that direction.

“You are ringing up customers and taking orders. I’m going to finish the final touches on this Peace Garden samples.”

The pinkette playfully rolls her eyes, and slides the book under the counter and out of sight. “And the girls?”

Ino reaches for an apron, tying it around her waist before heading towards the stairs that lead to the basement. “Out on deliveries. They should be back in time to arrange any orders requested today.”

“Hello?” the customer calls. Sakura nods to Ino and turns a bright smile to her customers. 

Investigation can wait for another time.

Across town, under the afternoon sun, Itachi stares placidly at the decaying ruins of what was his former home. The large, imposing entrance remains structurally intact with a huge fading uchiwa fan splayed right above the large mahogany gate. Nature’s reclaimed a lot of the land around it, with tall wild grass inching up the wall. Tree branches lean into and even over the stone entrance. There’s some scattered graffiti here and there but, overall, it looks exactly how he left it.

It’s been more than a decade since he’s even come close to the Grounds, let alone ventured inside. Though he will not admit it outwardly, Itachi is quite glad to not be doing so alone.

Shikamaru rests his back and right foot casually against the wall near the gate. Arms folded, head down, he looks just as at ease as Itachi should be in this place. Judging by hair alone, the Nara looks almost natural in the environment. Itachi takes some comfort in this fact, though there is very little to be had.

Don’t be so nervous.

His conscious sounds very much like Izumi. Itachi hums to himself and watches a hawk’s trajectory across the sky. He is not nervous. But there are memories here for him that are both good and bad. He spared Konoha from being torn apart from the inside and lost his family by his own hands in the process. The place is more bittersweet than tragic, through tragedy is very much there.

The hawk disappears against the horizon so the Uchiha scans the skies. Seconds later he finds the pole that was his perch before it all ended. He’d watched as those he loved go throughout their day. He contemplated the best moment to strike. And when he did attack, he’d jumped from that post, onto the very wall that stands before him.

His heart skips a beat. Itachi closes his eyes against a breeze.

I cannot go back. Only forward.

Over the course of the next few months, this Compound will no longer be shrouded in sadness and mystery. It will be what it really was. A place of new beginnings, of new life, of a greater and better start for the village it stands in.

I will make this place a symbol of hope.

“It’s been nearly an hour .” 

Or, this place will be all those things...as soon as Kakashi gets there.

Shikamaru gripes with a lazy groan. “You’d think he’d at least have sent a clone by now.”

Itachi lets his gaze settled on the young man standing across from him,”You have been apprenticing under him for months. Is his lateness a new revelation to you?”

The Nara scratches at his chin and offers a weary sigh. “That’s not an excuse. He’s the Hokage.” A long yawn follows. “If I can get up and make it on time, so can he. Once Naruto becomes Hokage, I’m going to make sure he does one or the other.”

The older man withholds his chuckle. There have been plenty of times that Itachi wondered why Shikamaru chose to remain in an assistant role instead of aspiring to be Hokage for himself.

Itachi turns his head towards the road. “Are you attempting to rectify a current or future issue before Naruto has?”

“Both,” Shikamaru offers.

Itachi nods. “I believe you might be surprised to know that Lord Kakashi has improved a lot from when he was my Taichou.”

The barely audible gasp nearly makes the Uchiha preen. “The Hokage was your captain?”

“In Anbu.”

“And this is an improvement ?”

He nods once. “Not only was he late but also single-minded.”

“Single-minded how?”

Itachi recalls the time he and Kakashi shared a tree. Without disclosing much at all, Itachi sought advice and Kakashi reminded him of what he fought for. 

Turning his eyes towards the shifting wind in the trees, Itachi summarizes the event in the best way possible. “He taught me what it meant to keep a promise to a friend.”

A sneeze breaks through their conversation. In a glorious rush of kicked up dust and smoke, Kakashi appears before them dressed down in traditional jouin garb. 

“I thought I heard my name there for a moment.” The Hokage jokes.

Of course.

A grin plays on Itachi’s lips. He turns his back to the man and stalks towards the entrance. “You’re late, Hokage-sama.”

Kakashi waves a dismissive hand. “Official Hokage business. You know how these things go, right Shikamaru?”

The Nara rolls his eyes, pushing off the wall to meet Itachi at the door. “A little scheduling and backward planning might alleviate some that ‘problem’. At least we’re all here. Now we can get down to business.”

“Do you have the plans?” Kakashi asks.

Shikamaru reaches into a sachal and unfolds several pieces of paper.

“Good.” Kakashi’s eye crinkles in a smile. “Shall we begin the tour, Itachi?”

“Hnn.”

The first step through the gate is like stepping back into time. Chipping paint, decrepit buildings, overgrown grass and a distinct sense of desertion hangs over the place like a cloud. The entire Compound exudes fantastical imagery conjured by the intertwining of manmade things and nature’s own handiwork. Itachi takes the lead in navigating the abandoned as he familiarizes himself with the cracked and worn dirty path. They only get several feet inside before his mind fills in blanks, replacing what he sees with what he knows. Imagines of childhood and happiness and heartbreak and grief flash together in quick succession. The row of abandoned shops, covered in dust and falling part were once a vibrant part of his childhood, brightly colored and brimming with life.

I remember this…

His feet wander as does his thoughts, traveling innately towards a building that used to be sweet shop. He can almost taste the creamy bean paste stuffed bread he’d buy on the way home. The phantom smell of yeast and cinnamon cloud his mind. Fingers brush the glass, removing only a thin layer of dust and grime.

Kaname-ojisan. Tamoyo-obasan.

The old man was boxing up the last of unsold goods when Itachi struck. She’d already made it home to their cats and met her end in their bedroom.

Eriko was here. Five more around the corner.

Mentally retracing his warpath through the sector, Itachi can see it all and everyone. How he’d killed them, where they lay when he left their bodies. 

Jin and his family two shops down.

At one point he’d tried to fix them into a dignified position but it was far too much and there were far too many. 

Sute, Kagome, Hoji...and four more fell here.

Itachi hadn’t realized that he’d started walking again until a hand catches him by the shoulders. He blinks, seeing for the first time in minutes as a firm but brief squeezes brings him back to the present.

“Maybe we should go to the designated spot first,” An eye crinkle and a telling smile. “After that, I think a good stroll to get a better feel of the place would be good. Don’t you agree?”

Itachi glances over his shoulder at his former captain then flickers his eyes to Shikamru, who stands a ways off looking in the opposite direction. Once again, the Uchiha is appreciative of the company.

He gives a non committal acknowledgement, grateful to have been pulled back. He walks out of Kakashi’s hold and towards Shikamaru. With a brief nod for assurance, the young man starts down their original route again. Itachi follows, leaving memories and ghost behind as they travel a little ways to an open area where a makeshift pavilion has been set up.

Shikamaru lays out the blueprints, holding them down with weights on the table between them. “The contractor in charge of this project won’t be free until next week. Today we’re just taking a survey of the grounds and seeing what buildings should or shouldn’t be demolished, based on what you want Itachi-san.”

“Me?” Itachi raises a curious brow at the revelation.

“This was your home,” Kakashi supplies. “There may be somewhere you deem off limits or you want to preserve as is for sentimental reasons.”

“I appreciate the consideration, Hokage-sama, Nara-san. But my home is wherever my wife is now. This place has not been my home for awhile.”

“You don’t say…” Kakashi muses then smiles behind his mask.  “Then I guess you two wouldn’t mind staying close?”

“I will consider it,” Itachi response.

“Well now. Since Itachi’s made us all look like fools with that sudden show or romanticism, shall we get down to business?”

Shikamaru rubs his neck at the base and points in the direction or where they’d just come. “The wall is going to be the most costly part of this whole thing. We don’t want people to feel trapped inside so the plan is to open up most of it with arches. They’ll be restaurants and shops, here, here and here.”

“Who will man theses businesses?” Itachi inquires.

“Different vendors,” Kakashi says. “This part won’t really be your responsibility. They will be independently owned but it’s an option for you to charge them land fees. Afterall, the Village is only asking for the land and houses public exhibitions sit on. Everything else is yours.”

“That is to say, what becomes of these buildings is also my decision?”

The Hokage tilts his head curiously. “Ideally...yes. You have the option to reject our suggestions and remodel the area however you choose.”

“Think of them more as recommendations. “ Shikamaru supplies, then points the blueprints and follows the line north and then east. “We can’t build up everything now, but the objective is to renovates those old shops we just passed and have them lead the people to the museum. Several other buildings will be restored for the number of clans represented. The rest will be demolished.”

Itachi watches the map with expert eyes, knowing almost all of those who lived in that area. He shakes his head of memories no longer needed for this time and focuses. Mentally reviewing information, Itachi scans the map objectively before pointing to a specific spot.

“What is the plans for here?”

“The Clan Head’s home?” Kakashi chimes in. “That will be the spot of the museum itself. There will be addition buildings added to the surrounding area. The point is to maintain the feel of what life was like through time. Your former home will house most of the artifacts.”

“And how are other clans dealing with this?” Itachi questions. “Will they willingly donate what could amount to sacred history?”

Kakashi regards the sky. “We’ve gotten some donations. Others are the village’s to give. Honestly...we haven’t asked them yet”

Itachi raises a brow. “Do you think that’s something that should be done sooner rather than later?”

“To be fair, we were waiting for you to give us the green light. It wouldn’t matter if we had no place to put the stuff. Right?”

Shikamaru clears his throat and continues. “Shall we take a walk towards the lake? The plan is to have a Peace Garden put in that area but from my understanding, there may be buildings there?”

A garden?

“Peace Garden?” the Uchiha asks, turning his gaze to Kakashi curiously.

“An idea pioneered by the Kazekage. It will be a garden with flowers, trees and ornaments from different villages planted together to commemorate the Fourth Shinobi War, or the time when we all came together against a common enemy.”

A mischievous glint dances in the older man’s eyes. “Ino Yamanaka is heading that protect and I believe Sakura is working on the landscaping with her for it. So if timed correctly...the last week or so of her furlough means you two would be work together.”

Kakashi waged his brows at him and Itachi ignored it, standing and following Shikamaru towards one of his childhood pastimes.

The walk to the lake takes them a few minutes. When they get to its shores, the cool breeze makes the area much colder than the land they previously came from. Itachi holds memories with his father and brother here close to his chest and tunes into Shikamaru’s explanation of how the Peace Gardens might be structured.  The more details he gets, the more something stands out to him as an unnecessary expense.

“Shikamaru-san, is there any reason why we are demolishing the rest of the homes?” he asks.

Shikamaru pauses, then looks to Kakashi for assistance. The Hokage struggles a moment with an answer, gazing intently at the lake before offering an exaggerated sigh, dropping his shoulders dramatically.

“I guess we don’t really have a reason. Any thoughts, Itachi?”

“Why not open all of it?” Itachi ventures. “These homes are perfectly built and mostly preserved. There is no reason why they can’t be lived in.”

“Hold on,” Shikamaru interjects, stepping around to close the circle. “You want to have people live in homes where others have died?”

Itachi withholds a grimace to present a greater point. “Many have died from the Fourth Shinobi War and yet we are still here. You said it yourself, Shikamaru. The village will expand. People will need places to live. These homes are available and suitable.”

Shikamaru opens his mouth then closes it, looking off to digest the information while Kakashi perks up considerable.

“I think it’s a great idea.” the Hokage announces.

“You would!” Shikamaru accuses.

Kakashi throws his arm across the young man’s shoulders and amicably declares. “Think like a village planner, Shikamaru! This place could be a district of its own.”

The Nara tries pulling away but only manages to get his face a few inches away. “I gathered that…”

“It would also ensure visitors to the Museum and surrounding businesses.” Itachi chimes in. “A residential area, close to the cultural area will attract the kind of people who will want to live near such a place.”

“And weirdos who might get a kick out of staying in a possibly ‘haunted house’. No offense, Itachi.”

“The more the merrier!” Kakashi says.

Itachi smothers a grin at the two. “I understand your point, Shikamaru. But as the Hokage is right.”

After a few tugs, Shikamaru finally navigates out of Kakashi’s neck hold. “That’ll mean the wall will have to come down complete for room to expand.”

Kakashi nods. “The village planners will figure out the logistics. I personally think having an Uchiha District will only highlight what it’s supposed to be.”

Sighing, the Nara folds the adjust in his hands. “I’ll bring it up. Right now I have to meet up with Naruto in a few minutes. Should I leave the plans with you, Hokage-sama?”

“Give them to Itachi, “Kakashi informs. “He knows the place better than anyone. Since he’s come up with this brilliant idea, I think he should take more of a leader in the organization.”

“Fair enough.”

Shikamaru carefully rolls the blueprints and hands them off. With a halfhearted wave, he leaves the two in a few jumps across rooftops.

“Any thoughts so far?” Kakashi questions.

Itachi looks out over the expanse of blue waters. “I think this is an extensive project but worth the cost.”

“I’m glad you’ve come around to this.” Kakashi adds. “I trust that your other mission will also have favorable results?”

“You say it as if the decision is mine alone to make.” Itachi challenges.

“Well,” the other drawls, “I trust that the two of you will come up with the best possible solution, whatever that looks like.”

Itachi remains quiet, staring ahead while taking in information.

Kakashi stretches arms above his head and takes a step back. “I’ll leave you to think it over. Don’t spend too long in this place than you have to.”

Itachi looks over at him after the warning. “Hnn.”

When Kakashi leaves, Itachi settles on the grass. One legs bends at the knee, an arm carefully draped over it. In his mind’s eye he can see his younger self practicing his fireball jutsu. He sees himself an Izumi sharing dango on the deck. He seems him, Sasuke and his mother having a hastily put together picnic.

Closing his eyes, he rolls all of those pleasant memories into one. Soon, very soon, more people will have such memories and he will gladly give it to them.

Will I also be able to give memories like my father gave me?

Kakashi’s question comes to mind. He and Sakura have only had one conversation about the mission since it was given. In that time, Sakura’s opinion hadn’t changed from that day in the Hokage Tower.

I would not force her. We must reach a conclusion together.

Tilting his chin towards the sky, Itachi goes through scenarios. What would he do if Sakura still refused? Was his feelings the same as hers? The makings of a frown tugged at his lips.

I am not so wholeheartedly opposed to the idea as her. Should I be?

Sakura accused him of not responding appropriately. At the time, his indignation was more so for her than himself. Taking a wide view, he did not truly consider himself in that moment. The fact that his partner insisted he should reforces what Izumi whispered to him days ago. Had he does something to make this choice himself? 

I would not say that I am being selfish. It was the Elders who inquired. I only have on reason to disagree and that reason is Sakura.

It is a big enough reason considering she was chosen to carry out the mission with him. Kakashi had mentioned time and Itachi understood the specifics of his thinking. His reasoning precluded Itachi’s ability to choose. If he was to be the progenitor of a Clan that could protect the village in the future, then all possible resources must be considered.

Be it Sakura or another, restoring the Clan is something I would be willing to do for the Village’s sake. I would love them regardless. I would give them all the things I had and more.

Itachi stays in him thoughts a moment longer before letting it all go. As he’d said before, the decision is not his alone. Sakura has a choice as well.

Pulling himself up, he takes his leave, closing and locking the gate before heading home. 

It’s late into the night when Itachi hears the low strain of the front door opening followed by the soft click of it closing. 

Sakura is home.

His hand stops. The brush catches midway through the descent down his hair. Itachi holds perfectly still as he listens for movement. The events early today brought one half of his new life into some perspective. Would tonight also grant him kindness?

If she will not avoid me. 

A chuckle seeps through dark in its overtones, laced with disbelief and the helplessness that fate brings. There is no getting Sakura to do anything. Either she will or she won’t. As of the last few weeks, her answer to the mission Kakashi proposed was a resounding no. So the outcome of this mission rests solely on him.

In some weird sense, he’s back where he left his former life. Back at the crosses of Village and Clan. Tradition and duty. What needs to be done for the good of the Konoha or what needs to be done for Sakura’s sake .

Dark eyes close at thoughts that’s pressured him in the days following their meeting with Kakashi. Itachi resumes his hair brushing as he ruminates. The duality of task gives him focus, for he is on the brink of making a different choice now. A choice he knows will yield unfavor consequences in the form of Sakura’s wrath and uncooperation. But he will weather it in favor of answers. Her answers will give him more information and that information will give some clue as to how he should proceed in this whole mess.

Two weeks, in his opinion, is long enough to wait. 

Debating momentarily if it would be better to meet her downstairs or wait until she comes up. As it stands, Sakura hasn’t even made it to the stairs, leading Itachi to believe she is either stalling or has decided to sleep on the sofa again.

The Uchiha leans towards the latter for a moment or two before his wife proves him wrong.

Steady footsteps approach, aggravating the wooden stairs causing them to creak slightly. Dark eyes slide open to watch the bedroom door impassively but not unmoved. Sakura's ascent promises an encounter though the outcome is up for debate.

Her steps slow, coming seconds apart before stopping completely. There's an audible pause. 

The squeak of the bathroom door catches his ear. 

A muffled noise follows.

Itachi hums, looking away from the door back towards the mirror. It would seem his partner is aware that he is not asleep.

What will you do now, Sakura?

The bathroom door closes. Walking cease. The house goes silent once more.

Itachi grunts in disapproval. 

His disappointment shows in a prominent frown.

The night is already off to a terrible start and they have yet to have a conversation. If her current actions are any indication, not only will it be a terrible one but also extremely long. 

Itachi resumes his bedtime routine, facing the mirror standing catty corner in the room. He runs a brush through his freshly washed hair several more times, detangling any knots that may have formed in the bath. When he is sure his hair is tangle-free and dry enough where it won’t drip, Itachi goes to sit on his side of the bed. 

Placing his feet flat on the floor, hands rest on his knees. Itachi straightens, closes his eyes and settles into his seat. It’s not his normal practice to mediate this close to bedtime. But there is no harm in counting breaths while he waits for his hair to dry. No harm in making Sakura believe she can waste time until he is sleeping.

Itachi inhales, familiarizes himself with the noises of his bedroom. Waits for a long as she allows until the sound of the bathroom door makes his ears twitch. Seconds after, the bedroom door opens as well. 

Thump ! Thud!

Sakura’s bags toss to the ground. She says nothing as she moves about the room. Itachi keeps his eyes closed, listening to the way the dresser drawers slide open. The barely restrained tension in how she closes them. The forcefulness in her steps as she exits the room once more only to return a minute later, in what he assumes is a change of clothes. Surprising, as Itachi though she would have showered but her rush to get ready for bed only signals one thing:

Don’t talk to me. 

He’s picked up the signs, read her signals. Sakura starts to fiddle with her hair, pulling her long pink locks upward from the sound of it. If he has to guess, her face is probably fixed into a concentrated stare, one intently trying to avoid him.

I will do this the hard way, if you make me. He thinks.

It would not be the first time he’s forced a confrontation. In the years since this mission, Itachi has forced plenty. So he is prepared for her retaliation but Sakura also seems to think things will change and that he will give in.

That never happens

“Sakura.” 

Itachi’s voice breaks the audible silence, slicing the tension, cutting through the mental roadblocks she’s tried to set with warning signals. 

Because Itachi needs answers now and he’s given her space to do whatever she felt needed to be done to come to terms with this mission.

His wife says nothing. Does nothing from what he can tell. Itachi knows she can hear him. He also knows that she knows that he can do much better with silence than she can.

“Sakura,” he calls again, this time turning his head to watch her hurriedly ball up her hair at the top of her head. 

Sakura pulls open a small drawer, retrieving a hair tie and attempts to secure the mess in one place. 

The hair tie pops with a loud smack against her wrist.

She goes for another, rummage through the drawer once again. 

Itachi stands, withholding an eye roll at the unnecessary force with which she flings and flicks things around in the drawer. He starts his approach. Sakura’s shoulders tense but she doesn’t turn around. 

It’s going to pop as well. He thinks once she finds another.

Sure enough, the moment Sakura tries to pull it around her pile of hair, the rubber accessory gives under her strength. 

“Damn it!” Sakura exclaimed, letting her hair drop to its natural state just passed her shoulders. 

Itachi watches as she sidesteps him, going for a taller container next to the dresser with more hair products. His eyes watch the pink mess, noting that it was probably still dirty. A stark difference to his currently cleaned a freshly brushed locks.

He’d heard rumors from civilians and shinobi alike that, prior to becoming a chunin, Sakura had a strict hair care regimen and lush, long flowy locks that sweep almost to her lower back. Apparently this was all done to impress Sasuke.

Itachi resists another grin at the way she handles her hair with such reckless abandon. What other sign would fate highlight to laugh at him? 

She has no desire to impress me.

Not that he is asking her or wanting it. The fact is, everything Sakura is and is not reminds him of his brother in ways he thought he’d conquered. Itachi has no shadow of doubt that Sakura would not twist her hair as she is doing now or and yank it up like that if Sasuke were around to see it. 

But he is not. Now is not the time to reminisce. 

Itachi moves into her peripheral, on the side nearest to the door in case he needs to block an escape. Prepared for the worse, he states his objectives for being awake.

“We need to talk, Sakura.”

Sakura furrows her brows, frowning as she finds a red band of cloth to wrap around her hair. She says nothing, still, the only indication that she can hear him is the even more pronounced frown. Itachi is nothing if not persistent and he slides hands into his pocket, non threatening and continues.

Voice even, he says what he is after. “I want to know your thoughts on the mission Kakashi presented to us.”

Immediately Sakura turns to, glaring fiercely as she finishes her hair tie. Itachi is sure she will not answer, but Sakura has always been full of surprises.

Sarcastically she counters, “You want to talk now? This late at night, you want to talk?”

“Shikamaru, Kakashi and I went to the Uchiha Compound today.” he supplies. “This was the first time I’ve been back since returning to the village. It has me thinking of many things.”

His words seem to crack her armor. Sakura looks away from him a moment then sighs. Turning to him fully on to him, she leans against the vanity and crosses her arms. “Thinking about things like what?”

Itachi takes the invitation for dialogue. “Tell me your thoughts on the mission.”

“You know how I feel, Itachi. The only person withholding information here is you .”

Here words weren’t false. Itachi did not disclose his inner turmoil to her. “There were many things to consider, Sakura. As I’ve said, there are positives on both sides.”

The pinkette regards the ground steadily. Itachi gives her time to think. Seconds later, she bites her lip and looks at a neighboring wall. “What side have you chosen then?”

He half shrugs. “I am not opposed to the idea of restoring the Clan.”

An airy chuckle escapes her. Sakura pushes off the table and walks towards the door where he loiters near. 

“Then restore the Clan, Itachi.” she tells him. “But do it on your own terms. You don’t need a mission to have a life.”

Itachi keeps his gaze ahead, looking at the parallel wall in the room even though Sakura stands right next to him facing the opposite direction. 

“This is your choice?”

“My choice is no. But we are partners right?” her head tilts his way and he nods. “Then  that’s cause enough for me to find a way that we can both be happy with.”

Her answer is more unexpected than he anticipated, leaving him with a small hope for cooperation. Because, up until this point, Sakura has only said no. But it seems the time away has given her a different perspective.

“Your choice it to help...in your own way.” he assumes.

Sakura inhales deeply and when she speaks her voice is determined. “I haven’t found a solution yet, Itachi, but I will! And when I do, I’ll give hope to everyone . The village. Me. And you...if that’s what you want.”

For the moment, Itachi allows himself to believe her.

“I do.” Itachi admits.

She turns her face to him and he lets his eyes rest on her. They hold that way for several seconds before she looks off down the hallway.

“Did you need anything else?” she asks.

“No, Sakura. I have everything that I need now.”

Sakura gives a curt nod. Itachi lets her go, knowing that one can’t make Sakura do or not do something. But if she has determined herself to get it done…

Then there is hope.

Chapter Text

Line 6: Truce

"And it's you whatever a moon has always meant"

I Carry Your Heart

Line 7, Stanza 2

-EE Cummings

In the days following their discussion, Sakura's sofa becomes her office space. An occurrence she is sure Kakashi did not expect to happen. With a blanket thrown over her legs and a pillow cushioning her back, the jounin turns the pages of a medical text nestled in her lap. A plethora of books and tomes scatter on different ends of the sofa, all marked with notes and bookmarks and dog ears for her to reference later.

There's a routine developing in her late afternoon and evenings. An occurrence she is sure Kakashi wanted but she did not expect to happen.

It isn't wholly unwelcomed either.

She trades annoyance for determination to find a solution. With that comes a level of cooperation from both her and Itachi. Discontent gives way to dedication.

There's no way I'm going to screw this up. I have to get it right.

Proving it to herself is one thing but Sakura would be lying if she denied the influence others have on her. The Elders Council, Kakashi, and Itachi, and eventually all of the Uchiha Clan would be her witnesses to lengths she'd gone to protect her village in her way. From that perspective, Sakura can sympathize with Itachi's burden from years ago. He was tasked with protecting the Village from the Clan. She is tasked with preserving the Clan for the Village.

Both came with hard choices from a group of people who only saw one way.

I will outdo them all. She resolves.

For that, she needs Itachi's help. He has been nothing but cooperative, from her changes in his medical routine to probing questions. His support is a welcomed addition to her confidence and their little evening routine only helps more. They work with and around each other, Sakura taking to the couch for her research while Itachi made sure dinner is edible.

When food is spent, she makes tea for the both of them to drink. Itachi will at least concede to let her do that much in the kitchen so he can have a shower first. Afterward, they both bury their faces in their respective work. Itachi takes his perch on a cushion and low table in the far corner of the living room, near the shoji doors that lead to his garden. Musing over blueprints and plans documents about the Uchiha Compound.

Tonight, however; he's switched to his other new hobby: shogi. The board game was sitting on her living room table one day when she came home. At first, she thought it was a relic from Itachi's old home but later found out it was gifted to him from Shikamaru. Needless to say, the medical jounin was very much confused. When had Itachi and Shikamaru formed a friendship? How long had it been going on and when did it get to the point of gift-giving?

Sakura never asked those questions and accepted it as a mission well done. Shinobi were willing to befriend Itachi. That is a plus in her book.

She taps a pen against her lips, rereading an excerpt from a botanist's peer review with expert eyes. It's her latest venture in the steps to answers Kakashi's daring challenge. However, the task of figuring out a solution only comes with more problems.

There are only so many ways a person can reproduce without her physically constructing a child as she did with Itachi. That wasn't the problem.

She turns several pages, skipping the unnecessary bits.

The list is exhaustive but extensive. If the start and stop of it were baby-making, I would have been finished days ago. Itachi's health is the bigger issue here.

A tired groan escapes, as the article yields no favorable results. The medic slides the text further down her lap and cracks her neck.

With Itachi still chronically ill and with no real cure, there's no guarantee that he will be healthy enough or around long enough to raise children. There is also the problem of their marriage. If Itachi finds another woman now, he would effectively be cheating on her and that would probably undo a lot of the hard work both of them put in for the last four years.

That's not something I'm willing to do. She ponders the ceiling and yawns. We'll have to make progress in another way.

The top choice on her list of solutions is some form of artificial insemination, provided they have a willing donor. She could spend that tale several ways to get those to cooperate. There is always the off chance of Itachi remarrying as Sakura has already fabricated how and why they are separating. More precisely, why Itachi left her.

Better a disgruntled husband than a scorned hero. I can play the bad guy, I don't care. Using kids as the straw that broke the camel's back will only add to the validity. Ino is already my insurance and Itachi's witness. 

Sakura chews her bottom lip in deep thought, visiting and revisiting her carefully conjured plan. But there were snags everywhere, snags she's sure Kakashi and the Elders considered.

Illness aside, Itachi hasn't expressed interest in anyone. As many looks and side glances and blushes that he gets, no woman I've come across openly expresses interest in him. And if I know Uchiha like I do, Itachi probably has a blind spot when it comes to women.

She huffs in frustration.

Then again, who's going to tell me to my face that they have a crush on my husband? It could very well be that there are options but I just can't use them without Itachi raising red flags. That's not all bad. It gives me time to make sure he is in one piece when I pass the torch...But would he even be interested?

If Itachi is anything like his brother and has almost no interest in the female species even if there are willing participates, her only option is something artificial.

I can't exactly ask if he has a thing for a particular woman. Well, I could…

Sakura cringes at the thought. That'd just be weird. It's like asking Ino or TenTen if they have a crush. This is Itachi. He's so...Itachi.

The medic rubs her hands down her face and looks up at the wooden ceiling of their humble home. Sakura tries to clear her mind of solutions and plants and medicines and babies just for a moment. When she does, an audible murmur makes her head lull to the side.

Huh?

Perhaps she hadn't noticed because she was so focused on her own work but the low rumble becomes the loudest thing in the room.

She sits up straight and more than a little curious as she watches Itachi negotiate...with himself.

What's he looking at or waiting for I guess?

One hand precariously hovers over a shogi piece, while the other hand holds his chin as it rests there. Itachi's full gaze and attention are on the board game, eyes low and concentrated. But most surprising of all is the way he just talks. Sakura can't quite make out his words but she hears the deepness of his tenor and sees the subtle movement of his lips. The Uchiha reaches for the piece, hesitates then goes for a different one, moving it instead.

Sakura's never understood the rules of shogi nor has she given it proper consideration to try. But watching Itachi play is enough to both peak her interest and simultaneously lose it.

He makes it seem almost interesting.

After his move is made, Itachi sits back, looking notably smug about whatever he's done. Sakura has no idea what though and curiosity gets the best of her for the moment.

"What did you do?" she asks.

Itachi waves in her direction. "Come here if you wish to see."

Curiosity makes her stand, moving books and blankets aside to cross the room. She hovers over him and the board, eye following where his fingers point. Itachi explains his moves and hesitation and why they took some outward thinking through. Sakura listens, sort of. Among other new things she's experienced, being taught by Itachi is different than being talked to.

He knows a lot, clearly. She thinks.

His knowledge isn't the thing that holds her attention; it's his voice that draws her in. It's the same deep rumble from earlier. Confident. Sure. Patient.

In another life, he would have made a good sensei. Sakura muses. It almost makes me what to try to learn. Almost.

When his explanation is done, Itachi turns his gaze to her. "Do you understand now?"

She doesn't.

"You outmaneuvered Shikamaru?" Sakura guesses.

He watches her eyes far longer than she thinks is necessary before offering a quiet."Hnn."

"Congratulations." She says, taking a step backward

"Thank you." Itachi quietly replies then returns to his game.

The pinkette takes the chance to fully back away, walking around the living area to stretch her legs. She circles the table, going over to the mantle on the back wall where many pictures line the wooden beams. If for nothing else than a mental break, Sakura peruses the lot of them. Starting with the picture of her and Itachi's wedding. Accompanied by Kakashi and Naruto, both aware that this photo is only for a mission, Naruto and Kakashi are the only ones smiling. Itachi looks usually serious, smiles less, and blank. Green eyes scanned over herself, noting the way her hands tightly grips the parcel used to shade herself and her new husband. Sakura didn't smile in this picture, not even with her eyes. When asked, she blamed it on being tired and nervous. The latter excuse is probably what most people bought as the tight stiffness in her posture is evident.

Sakura looks over her shoulder at Itachi and then back to the picture.

We've come a long way.

She takes comfort in her own growth, doubling her resolve to find a solution this time just as she has done before.

Moving on to the next, Sakura chuckles to herself at a picture of her and Ino as children. It was the first snow of the winter season, and both girls were covered in heavy winter coats but smiling brilliantly as they stood in the snow.

I remember this.

Contentment blooms in her chest, Sakura hums in the fondness of memories and childhood and growth. Even the picture of her with her parents makes her smile. But her smile turns wistful at her most prized picture: Team 7. She can't quite hold back her grin when looking at it. The joys of nostalgia mixed with a familiar tightness fill her chest, not as tight as it once was but still there and still with feeling. She reaches for the picture frame, pulling it off the shelf and looking over all four of them with fondness only strong bonds can create. Slender fingers brush over the glass.

You guys were so ridiculous…always fighting. Never a dull day because of it that's for sure.

Sakura gives the picture one last once over before replacing it.

I'll have to visit you soon, Sasuke.

Sakura takes a step back, intent on returning to her previous work but backs right into a broad chest.

"Christ!" she hisses and jumps, nearly scrambling into the mantle before composing herself.

"It's just me, Sakura." Itachi smoothly states.

She pins him with a half heart glare before creating some much-needed space between them.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

She gestures at nothing in particular, "Move without me evening sensing it. It's like your chakra signature poofs! Disappears."

Black eyes narrowed a fraction before settling into a neutral expression as he states the obvious.

"I am a shinobi."

Her mouth opens, then closes because what else is she supposed to say to the truth.

That's not what I meant. Sakura thinks but rolls her eyes at herself and him. Somehow she expects him to give a similar non-answer. "Well be a little louder sometimes. You scared me."

"I make no promises," Itachi starts and before she retorts with a smart answer, he manages to shut her up with a simple remark.

"My brother was always in competition. Even with himself," The Uchiha says smoothly. Sakura follows his line of sight to the picture she'd just been holding.

She grunts out a chuckle and wraps her arms around herself. "Yeah, I guess. He and Naruto almost always fought about something."

"Where were you?"

"Me?" Sakura looks at him questioning, "I was the voice of reason. Or I tried to be. Both of them were so stubborn and pigheaded. Sometimes all I could do was cry just to get them to listen…"

Something she hated growing up. Shinobi wasn't supposed to be so easily overcome with emotions, but she couldn't quite shake the habit.

Even now, tears seem to be her best line of defense in stressful situations.

Itachi's rumbling response pulls her from her mind before her thoughts can take a more self-deprecating turn. His frown only furrowed her brows. She watches as he seems to sort through his own array of emotions, which usually looks like a blank stare. After a few seconds, he offers her his thoughts as if aware of her unspoken questions.

"Sasuke was very single-minded, something that made him both formidable and fallible. It is a trait that all Uchiha possess."

Sakura asks, "Being single-minded?"

A head nod.

She raises a brow, "Even you?"

Dark eyes slant her way and then back to the picture. "Even I."

The question really was a non-question. Sakura's said as much to Itachi's face that he could have made better choices. Perhaps she enjoys hearing him say he's not above mistakes. Perhaps it was for conversation's sake. For whatever reason, the pinkette presses the issue for more information.

"Aside from Sasuke," she starts carefully, pausing to find words before endeavoring once more, "Did you make any other single-minded decisions?"

"Not many," Itachi says evenly. When she gives him a flat look, he rearranges his response. "There were some."

"Like what?"

Itachi takes his time with answering, looking ahead for several seconds before giving her his full attention. Sakura stands a bit straighter as the weight of his gaze makes her feel the need to. Then his entire demeanor changes, insomuch as Itachi's facial expression range will let him. He looks away towards the sofa, almost shyly. Dare she say it's nearly cute the way he hesitates? When he speaks, his voice is so low she has to really pay attention to hear it.

"This is not the first time I have discussed children…"

Green eyes slowly widen at the revelation. A breathy gasps that replace words. Seconds ago she didn't think he'd had any interest in women at all. Now he says he's talked about having kids before.

"With who?" She asks, just as quiet as him. As if this great mystery needn't get out.

Itachi manages eye contact once more, if only briefly. "My father. It was expected of all Clan heads to have children."

Seriously.

His answer deflates her. She sighs this time over the utter lack of drama. Although his expression ensured some serious juicy details.

"Oh," she says, feeling a bit foolish for thinking that Itachi had a love interest at all. "Did you want children then?"

Itachi nods. "I was not opposed to the idea."

"I guess that's why you're not opposed to it now," she concludes, "Why is that a single-minded decision?"

He shrugs lightly. "It was predicated on something that had yet to happen and facilitated by a duty solely my own. I made a mistake in making a promise I couldn't keep for reasons I hadn't foreseen."

"The Massacre, right?"

Itachi hesitates. Sakura tilts her head at this new look flickering across his face before disappearing beneath the mask.

"Yes…" he solemnly replies, turning away from her and the pictures, towards the table.

O...kay. Sakura thinks, clearly hitting a nerve with her answer. Still a sore spot, I guess. Ooops.

The conversation just keeps getting more anticlimactic and bordering on depressives. She turns towards her books in an attempt to clean her mess and the air. "That makes sense. Hopefully, we can give you a better chance this time."

"Have you gotten far?" Itachi inquires and picks up the tea set left on the coffee table.

Sakura snorts and drops on the sofa in a flounce of dramatics. "As far as trying to keep you alive long enough to be a father."

"You need to find a cure first." Itachi surmises.

"It seems that way." Sakura rubs her temples. "I also need to see if it's genetic. Otherwise, I will be the Uchiha family physician my whole life."

This time, Sakura can read the playful glint in his eyes. "Is that such a bad occupation, Sakura?"

"I'd rather find the answer now," she retorts, gathering her books. "Not right right now. I'm going to shower now and try to get some sleep." she pauses, considering their conversation earlier and his much better mood. "Thanks for sharing...about you and your dad. Maybe when it's your turn to be a dad, you can teach your kids to not be so narrow-minded."

"Single-minded." Itachi corrects.

Sakura waves a dismissive hand and stacks books on the table. "Same thing."

Itachi snorts. "One implies prejudice, the other resolve. Uchiha are capable of change. We are also highly dedicated to the task."

Sakura huffs playfully, "That much is obvious."

Their entire mission, Itachi took their marriage seriously both inside their home and out in public. Highly dedicated is an understatement if she ever heard one. But it comes with drawbacks, she thinks. If dedication to a task is an Uchiha's strength, then unfulfilled obligations must feel terrible.

Or make them highly competitive. I bet he hates to lose just like Sasuke.

She finds herself smiling at the thought of Sasuke and Itachi going head to head.

Who would out will the other? Probably Itachi. Come to think of it, I've never actually seen Itachi spar before or sparred with him.

An idea forms, one she'd considered before but dismissed because of her prejudice. It wouldn't be all bad to test the limits of her physical prowess with someone whom she deemed her biggest threat.

"Shall I run a bath for you, Sakura?" Itachi's voice jerks her head up.

"No, I got it, thanks."

The medic hurries upstairs, dismissing her earlier thoughts with the turn of the faucet. Now isn't the time for such things anyway.

All cleaned and in fresh nightclothes. Sakura meets Itachi in their bedroom with a newfound curiosity about their earlier conversation.

She finds him tending to his hair, brushing it with practiced ease.

"Itachi?"

"Hm?" comes the absent reply.

Sakura takes to fluffing her pillow and establishing the physical barrier always present in their bed. "Is that why you work so hard to fulfill missions because of single-mindedness?"

The Uchiha pauses momentarily before starting up again. "That could be a possibility. I have no intention of failing in my duties."

Competitive for sure.

"Fair enough. I'm assuming this mission is no different? You want to succeed?"

Something about that thought makes her blush but Sakura ignores it in favor of sliding into her side of the bed. She is ready to put her tinted cheeks behind her when Itachi's confident reply makes her blush all over again.

"I will fulfill all of those duties."

Well.

Restless, unsettled, and tense.

The conversation with Sakura the night before conjured images of Izumi that left Itachi fraught with discontent.

She preyed on his mind all night. Her wistful voice, laced with playful enticements, left him wanting for something more with this life. Though he tried to shake them, his feelings were not so easy to overcome.

Irksome.

Itachi frowns.

These things never bothered him this much before. When he was among the land of the living, surrounded by Akatsuki members, his past haunted him but Itachi managed. Dying made coping much harder. To have everything and give it willingly is one thing. To have it again only for you to be taken away…

A ghost will not best me.

Sakura's question brought Izumi's imagine to mind. In the dead of night, he scented orange and jasmine.

Itachi woke to a ghostly smile kneeling by his bedside. She never visited him at home. His shock was evident but Izumi calmed him immediately. A touch to his cheek. A gentle reminder that it was okay. Against his better judgment, Itachi longed for her to stay, to help him with this. She did. Dream after dream after dream to the point of teasing.

I should not have asked for anything at all.

Because Izumi gave him what he wanted and what she wanted and what they wanted. Those promises were made years ago when he was barely thirteen years old. But the implications meant more than words to any Uchiha worth their weight in salt, especially the head of the clan.

He knew that.

She knew that.

I had every intention to make my word good. Will you haunt me forever for not doing so?

There's no verbal reply, just a wandering of how life would be for him. How life could be for him if he dared to take up what he'd started.

This is different. Itachi mentally declares. It is not for me to choose. My life is in Sakura's hands.

The faintest chuckle brushes at the edges of his mental awareness. Itachi's frown turns into a full-on glare.

Are you laughing at me, Shisui?

The obvious answer is yes. Shisui made a small game of making fun of him when he fumbled with what his friend called 'practical living'. Itachi's proclivities never extended beyond the boundaries of decorum. The words he spoke to Izumi were within the realm of proper courtship. Itachi had wanted that at the time. But he is not in the same situation as before though the mission will produce the same result.

Don't pretend like you don't want to play the game. Shisui taunts. There but not there, barely a hum in the back of his mind. Being in their old Clan Meeting space doesn't make the voices any better.

"Uchiha-sama?" The city planner chuckles nervously, "You don't like the idea?"

The Clan head blinks away wholly unnecessary thoughts to refocus on the here and now.

"Please proceed," Itachi instructs, focusing all of his attention on the blueprints and not the faint footsteps against the back of the room.

The old man sighs and sits back, hands on his knees. "In short, Uchiha-sama, this district project will not only bring a new residence but also jobs to those in need of work. After finishing my initial walk-through, I think some homes may need minor repairs. Overall, it is a matter of moving things out and cleaning things up. Except for this bit nearest the gate."

Itachi's eyes follow the finger-pointing at a few homes.

"If we tear down the gate, these homes will block the path that makes the space more accessible and visibly pleasing." his finger moves across the grid pattern that marks new streets. "We need this road to open up to the rest of the village since the back of the residence has the lake and forest."

Itachi sees the issue. The homes act as a second wall, shutting off the place from the outside world. If they remove them, then the front-facing homes will flow more naturally into whatever is next to the Uchiha District.

"It is acceptable," he declares.

"Are you sure? We can rearrange this so these homes can stay," the man offers. "It would be a massive renovation but still doable."

Itachi shakes his head. "There is no need. This plan will provide more open space."

The village planner brightens in delight. "Yes!" he declares, "My thoughts exactly. Now the matter of clean up and companies needs to be addressed."

The two go over particulars for a bit longer and Itachi tries hard to focus, especially when Shikamaru returns. The village planner may not have the sharpest wit but Shikamaru will definitely notice his divided attention.

He makes it so there is nothing to discover.

"I've already started assembling several shinobi genin squads for the job," Shikamaru assures. "You won't have to do this by yourself, Itachi-san."

"Genin?" the older man exclaims with disapproval. "There are many civilians who could be hired as well. We are talking about clearing this entire complex. We will need moving trucks, construction workers, and the lot. Why give the work to children?"

Itachi interjects, turning to Shikamaru to further clarify. "Genin will get the job done quicker but having civilian companies employed will generate economic revenue."

"Exactly." The Village planner says, "For lack of better words, we are still in dire financial straits and reconstruction from the War. What better way to kick start the economy than giving the working class some work."

Shikamaru crosses his arms in concentration. "Economics is not exactly my strong suit. But who will pay for all of these workers? It's much cheaper for the Hokage to hire several Genin teams than to employ a company of twenty men who work twice as slow."

"I will employ the independent contractors," Itachi offers. "Two companies should be enough to get what we need done."

"I know of two project managers that will be good for this." the older man offers. "We can divide the district into three sections for clean up. After the homes are thoroughly cleaned out, the project managers will take over construction, renovations, and repairs."

"This will need to be approved by the Hokage," Shikamaru supplies. "The village is matching any cost Itachi-san occurs on renovations."

Itachi hums in approval and adds a final note. "I would still like to oversee all efforts. Sensitive information may be present in any home."

"Naturally," the village planner says. "Like I told Nara-sama, anything of value will go to special storage for you to determine its next destination. As we've already discussed. Everything here is yours until it is sold."

"I will need to request an audience with the Hokage." Itachi turns his attention to Shikamaru. "I need permission only he can give."

The sigh that follows almost makes him smirk. "Regarding?"

"My chakra," Itachi says. "I would like to add things to memory."

"With your Sharingan." the lines creasing on the man's forehead tell a bigger headache. "You know the outlines of your...situation."

"I believe this is a notable exception. I have no intention of putting the Uchiha Clan in a compromising position again."

Danzo's name is understood without being said. Shikamaru groans and rubs the base of his neck.

"I'll see what I can do. Not making any promises that he'll approve it before this task is underway."

"We do have a tight schedule," the planner chimes in.

"We will start with places of little significance." Itachi declares. "It will give the Hokage time to make his choice on my request."

More details are ironed out before a solid plan is set. The Uchiha/Cultural district will boast of homes, shops, eateries, galleries, and a grand museum. Itachi's own home will be moved to the outer parts of all the hustle and bustle, hidden by the forest but close enough to work where he will not have to walk far.

The meeting concludes with the villager planner promising to speak to contractors. As the man leaves, Shikamaru pulls Itachi to the side.

"Are you free for lunch?" the younger man asks, far too seriously than Itachi thinks is necessary. "Temari wants to know if you can come over to try her new dish. Kankuro brought some spices from home...she wants your opinion."

His answering subtle grin is genuine. "You aren't impressed."

"I told you not to entertain her." Shikamaru's sharp eyes rang out a warning look. "She won't stop until you've nitpicked everything and perfected her recipe."

"I am not averse to her cooking."

"She'll send you home with leftovers." the Nara reveals.

Itachi nods in understanding. "I will brave the task."

"Keh." Shikamaru looks away. "I'll tell her to prepare the table then. Will Sakura join?"

"If she is not working," Itachi supplies. "I believe she will be at the Yamanaka Flower Shop still."

"Yeah. Right. Let her know she's welcomed anyways. Can you lock up here?"

Itachi retrieves the newly made keys from inside his cloak. It is enough to convince Shikamaru to leave him alone to clean. As soon as the clan head steps out, Itachi closes his eyes to phantom footfalls. Unsurprising considering where he is. The fact that he doesn't hear more is both a surprise and a relief.

One ghost is enough.

A deep inhale clears his head, Itachi kneels on a cushion to gather documents, carefully rolling blueprints and organizing contracts. Even with the doors closed and burners running, a chill overtakes the room. He shivers against himself, brows draw together in concentration.

"Aren't you too old to play hide and seek?" Shisui taunts.

"Who is hiding?" Itachi challenges, picking up teacups.

Floorboards squeak and the walls groan in the apparition's wake. "Ignoring then, pick one."

"You are not supposed to be here," Itachi states plainly.

From the corner of his eye, hands arms, and legs come into view, moving to sit in a seat perpendicular to him. "Not our usual meeting spot but I'll take it. Did you forget that I was in these meetings too? Get out of your head for a moment."

Itachi snorts, settling down for another inevitable meeting.

"If I did that, you would disappear."

"Also true."

"Say what you came to say," Itachi declares.

An unnatural breeze brushes past as Shisui shifts position.

"I'm only here because you need me here. Although I don't know why. I thought you had a resolve."

"I do," Itachi stresses. "I have not wavered. I will restore the Clan."

"And make a better one, right?" his friend asks.

"Hnn."

"Sounds like a Clan Head's choice." Shisui hedges.

"Hnn."

He stiffs a chuckle. "Is Izumi giving you grief again?"

Itachi's fist clench against his thighs. "She enjoys doing so."

"Only because you let her," Shisui quips, "She pushes your buttons because she knows them."

Itachi thins his lips, remembering the way she teased him the night before. "She reminded me of my vow."

Shisui laughs outright. "She is really hammering it home." the ghost pauses, turning contemplative. "Or reminding you of something you've forgotten."

Itachi rolls his eyes in disbelief. "What good is there in reminding me of a vow I could not keep?"

"Ask her yourself," Shisui states, "If I had to guess, it's not about the vow itself. She wants to see you succeed in this mission."

Itachi shakes his head. "It makes no sense. There is no place for such vows here. The solution is for Sakura to make and she is not willing to be put in such a position. Nor do I want to put her in such a position."

A huff shifts papers on the table. "So the girl doesn't want to. Why don't you make the choice then?"

Itachi's incredulous look could not be hidden. "I will not force Sakura into anything. I am not willing to put her or myself in that state."

"No one is talking about forcing Sakura."

"Then speak plainly."

The ghost makes a sweeping gesture at the room. "Learn from experience. Use your teachings."

Itachi blinks once, "...my teachings?"

"You're head of this Clan, aren't you?

"Yes."

"Then you have plenty of resources. Improvise."

Just as quickly as he came he leaves. Itachi sits with the words left to him, just as confused as he was before. If what Shisui says is true and Izumi wants him to succeed in his task, she has an odd way of showing it.

Perhaps I shouldn't be consulting the dead about matters of the living.

Itachi thinks but keeps the words in the back of his mind. What good would a dead vow do him now? Even if there was a use for it, it was for Sakura to say how this mission would unfold. Further still, such a vow would be wasted because the nature of it lends itself to certain mutual desires. While Itachi will do what is necessary for the village, his desires only extended in that direction once.

Shaking his head, Itachi takes the materials and dishes with him, putting out the heating before locking the door to the meeting room behind him. He leaves the Compound, putting ghosts behind him in favor of catering to his garden before the snow starts.

It's been such a long time since Sakura's needed to get food from a stall. Even while working in the hospital, Itachi normally had lunch prepared for her and dinner too if need be.

This is nice. She thinks as she waits in line.

A couple of years ago, she would have been swarmed with people thanking her profusely for her work in the war effort. Unlike Naruto, her celebrity status has since died down. She only gets waves and greeting smiles now. On occasion, a patient may pass by but these days she is just a citizen of Konoha like everyone else.

"Uchiha-san!" Sakura turns on cue, having grown accustomed to her current last name being used by those who aren't the wiser.

"See, I told you that was her." a woman hurriedly crosses the road, her friends trailing after.

Sakura smiles softly, recognizing the woman instant.

"Shion-san. How are you?"

Shion bows enthusiastically, making Sakura blush. "I wanted to thank you again for what you did for my little sister. She went for a check-up yesterday and the doctors say her health has improved a lot!"

"Sayuri-san is doing better? That's good to know." Sakura waves kindly to the group of women hanging back. "Are you guys getting lunch here?"

"No, we're going somewhere else. Are you getting lunch?" Shion inquires, looking between the stall and the medic.

Knowing what's next, Sakura laughs lightly and waves a dismissive hand. "I'm just getting some steamed vegetables for a friend. No big deal."

Shion takes a determined step closer. "Please allow me, as a show of gratitude."

"No. No. It's fine really. Knowing your sister is doing fine is enough thanks."

Shion raises a blonde brow, something Sakura distinctly remembers now. Shion was impossibly stubborn, even when it came to her little sister in the hospital for a cold.

"Sayuri was looking for you actually," she states, "They said you weren't working that day."

The medical jounin moves up in line, keeping a cordial manner about the entire encounter. "Yes, I've been on a short vacation to help out with other tasks around the Village. Doctors need breaks too for our health."

"That makes sense." Shion looks over to her friends waiting before turning back to Sakura. "Well, I hope you enjoy your break. It was nice seeing you again, Uchiha-san."

With another brief bow, Sakura waves Shion and her friends off just as it's her turn to order. It takes mere minutes before the medic is off to the Konoha Cemetery for a much-needed visit.

"Sorry this took so long," her voice softens as she kneels on cold snow-covered dirt. "Things have been crazy and I haven't had much time to get replacements. Forgive me?"

There is no response.

There never is and she hardly expects any at this point.

Delicate hands brush gently at loose snow on the gravestone. She clears space for new talismans to replace the old, torn, and wet ones. Snow in Konoha is hardly rare but sporadic enough that it always has an element of surprise when it comes. Sakura for one enjoys the look of a village covered from head to in brilliant white. It's beautiful and vibrant and new.

But it won't last, not this late in winter.

"I got some steamed vegetables this time," she takes the old tray of food offerings and tucks it away in her bag. "I didn't get a chance to ask Itachi to cook anything so fast food it is. Besides, these should keep you warm. If not, I got a little sake too, if you've taken to that."

The flowers get replaced with new arranged ones, thanks to the girls. She replaces incense as well, claps her hands together for a quick prayer then lets her hands drop to her knees.

Green eyes take a cursory scan of her work and with a satisfied sigh, Sakura allows herself a smile at the grave of her second closest friend.

"I can't stay long today, Sasuke," Sakura admits and pulls herself upwards. She walks to the bench close to the beech tree, wipes at the snow there before taking a seat.

"I'm going to meet Naruto and Kakashi for ramen." she rolls her eyes playfully. "Naruto doesn't know I know he's bringing Kakashi. But I know and before you say anything, yes I'm still mad."

Her smile falters a little. "Kinda mad. Not as much as I was before. Would you be upset if I genetically engineered a niece or nephew for you in my lab?"

She giggles at herself, shaking away the silly thought and looking up. "I still don't know exactly what I'm going to do about this mission. I'm leaning toward in vitro. It's the best option, don't you think?"

Sakura looks back at the grave, waiting. Not for an answer from him really.

Clarity would be nice.

Nothing she's thought seems to be the right answer. There's a caveat everywhere she turns.

"Even with in-vitro, we'd have to find a willing donor." Sakura snorts. "Not that that would be a problem. I'm sure some women would line up for that job. Which only begs the question of why Kakashi didn't think of it…"

He probably has. That's the stopping point she keeps coming too. Everything seems so obvious and for whatever reason, The Elders and the Hokage didn't take the obvious options.

She rubs her chin curiously and ponders more common sense. "I guess I am also the obvious option. The setup is perfect, even if this is absolutely asinine. Still, why didn't Kakashi just take his sperm and be done with it?"

The answering wind gives her a chill. Sakura slouches long enough to realize this isn't helping.

"Anyways, Sasuke. Eat up and stay warm. I'll keep you updated on how 'rebuilding the clan is going'. Feel free to visit me in a vision if you have bright ideas."

She jokes and secretly hopes. Dreams of Sasuke come less and less. While she knows this is a good thing…

It wouldn't be so terrible to see you once more.

The thought comes and goes, a fleeing memory among many. Sakura shoulders her bag and leaves the dead where they lie. She takes to the trees, hopping from branch to branch until the inner part of the village comes into the view. Then she takes to the rooftops. Of course, traveling by ground is an option but this is faster. It takes mere minutes before she drops down to earth again, right in front of Ichiraku Ramen.

"Sakura!" Naruto's wide expression fogs the windowpane that his face is pressed against. Even though she can't actually hear the exclamation, she can read his lips just fine.

The pinkette pulls her bag straps over her head with one hand and opens the doors to their new building with the other. Seconds later, her best friend barrels forward, capturing her in a hug that lifts her from the ground.

"You came!"

Sakura laughs and pats his shoulder to be put down. "Why wouldn't I? Any reason I may want to stay home? Perhaps a tall grey-headed reason?"

She can think of a few. One, in particular, loiters near their table. Naruto lowers her to her feet and clears his throat.

"Well," he laughs sheepishly. "I thought we could have ramen together, you know, like old times."

Green eyes flicker to the table. Kakashi casually waves and she rolls her eyes back to Naruto.

"You should have told me he was coming."

Naruto's shoulder slump and he turns on those big blue puppy dog eyes. "But I knew you were mad at him even if you won't say why. I figured you'd say no."

"So you tricked me?"

"No!" Naruto whines. "More like...omitted information."

Sakura grabs a hip with her free hand, giving him a hard time for old times sake. "Purposely!"

"You didn't ask me who would be here so technically…"

Her mouth opens then closes and her faux annoyance loses steam. "I see those diplomatic relations lessons are kicking in. Come on."

Naruto doesn't resist when she pulls his arms, leading him to their former sensei.

"Sakura," Kakashi greets pleasantly.

"Kakashi," she retorts, not quite angry or mad or anything.

Doesn't mean I can't give him a hard time.

Sakura relishes in the small pout poking through his mask. Kakashi should feel bad for what he did. If she can't find a solution, he damn well will be sorry when she refuses the mission. The pinkette slides into the booth across from the boys, ignoring how the Hokage lingers a few seconds before taking his seat as well.

"This new building is nice," Sakura comments.

Not to be left out, Naruto perks up. "Is this your first time in the new building?"

"No, I came to the grand opening. I watched you devour the first ten bowls of ramen served here, remember?'

The blond wrinkles his brows before recognition light ups his features once more. "Oh yeah! But you haven't eaten here yet right?"

"No." Sakura concedes, grabbing a menu, "Itachi normally cooks for us so I don't need to eat out."

"How nice of him," Kakashi comments offhandedly, taking a menu of his own.

Sakura looks up, noting the deliberate way he looks away from her. Before she can say something equally snarky, Naruto jumps in.

"Well, it's gotten pretty popular since that grand opening and they've added new things to the menu."

Popular indeed. Thanks to Naruto, the owners of Ichiraku had no choice but to get a bigger place or risk having lines of customers loop around their previous building twice over. Apparently having a loyal customer who also practically single-handedly stopped a war is good for business.

"I kinda favor the small crowded intimacy of the old place." Kakashi reminisce.

"Yeah," Naruto agrees. "We made some good memories in that place. Doesn't this kinda feel like old times too? Us just getting ramen after a long mission?"

"Almost." Kakashi concedes. "Except you're the only one coming back from a long mission. I'm worn out from doing real work and Sakura…" he pauses, turning amused dark eyes on her, "Where did you come from?"

Knowing the answer he wants, she gives him the exact opposite of that. "I went to visit Sasuke before coming here. I forgot to change out the flowers from before."

Kakashi's brows crinkle and Sakura withholds her laughter.

"Oh. Was it my turn to do that?" Naruto asks.

She shakes her head, leaning into her fist while glancing at the new Ichiraku menu. "No, it was me. I've been so preoccupied lately I forgot."

"You should have plenty of time now." Kakashi's slay comment comes with barely any inflection. He looks at his menu casually as if nothing happened.

Playing that game huh? Alright fine.

Sakura narrows her eyes at him and clenches her teeth. "I wonder why that is, Hokage-sama."

He blinks and flips a page. "Maybe because you overwork yourself and don't know when to take a break." Kakashi pauses and looks up at the ceiling. "Or it could be because you have terrible coping skills and require intervention before running yourself into the ground...or the hospital."

"I'd like to politely point out that my missions are given to me by you. Maybe you should lay off!"

A grey brow perks up, Kakashi rubs his chin with a thoughtful hum. "You might be right, Sakura. I suppose I can't expect you to handle heavy loads. Perhaps if Naruto and Sasuke were around to he-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Sakura threatens.

Unsurprisingly, the Hokage grins behind his mask. "I'll take that as a guarantee of fewer complaints, then. Now, what's this about flowers and gravesites?"

"Sakura and I try to keep up with Sasuke's grave." Naruto cuts in.

"Isn't that nice…"

"The girls at the shop made him two fresh ones today," Sakura says. "I forgot the name of the flowers but they were supposedly some of the first to bloom in spring."

"I take it working at the shop is going well?" Kakashi questions.

This time when they make eye contact, Kakashi's masked expression tells more than any simple question could. While she very well could keep up the pressure on her former sensei, he only looks so blank when he is withholding. His question is straightforward enough that she doesn't need to wonder what he's thinking. He just asked 'are you ok' in his way.

Sliding her menu across the table, she sits back in her chair.

"It's not terrible," Sakura admits with the tiniest hit of a smirk. "Working with your best friend is literally a piece of cake. I'm basically on vacation."

It takes a second but Kakashi nods eventually, recognizing her offer of peace for what it is.

"That's good to hear."

Naruto's face lights up. "Does this mean you guys aren't avoiding each other now?"

"It means Kakashi is an idiot. You'd be hard-pressed to stay mad at an idiot for a long time."

Naruto stiff a giggle as the Hokage's shoulders droop.

"It's Hokage-sama," the Copy Ninja mutter, which only makes the other two burst into full-on laughter.

"So Naruto special then?" she asks.

Apparently, it is the house special.

When the waiter comes, they place orders for ramen and drinks respectively. They share memories over food and just like Naruto said, Sakura basks in the sense of nostalgia. For old times sake, she and Naruto try to sneak a peek at what's under their former sensei's mask. But a crowd of Naruto's fans begging for an autograph foils their plans.

I missed them. She thinks, watching as Kakashi lectures Naruto about the woes of fame.

She can't quite hold back her soft smile when the blond wildly defends his need to 'appease his fans'. And the sparkle in her eyes is genuine when Kakashi kindly reminds him of his childish antics growing up.

The boys go back and forth for a little while. Growing louder and louder (most likely unbeknownst to Kakashi). She sucks it all up, letting this be what it is. Feeling something other than duty and the mission if only for the moment. The freeness makes her feel light and Sakura outright laughs when Naruto accuses Kakashi of being just as pervy as the late Master Jiraiya "Did you forget that he was your sensei for a time?" Kakashi accuses.

Naruto bulks, emphatically waving his hands in his defense. "Yeah, but I didn't go with him on any of his peep show trips. You're the one who couldn't keep your nose out of those Ichi books, still can't!"

That's all it takes for Kakashi to start singing Jiraiya's praises. "I would think that since you're married now you'd understand the true artistry of those books is. They are worth every read and reread, sheer masterpieces of literature. But if you're going to reduce them to mere peep show exposes, then I doubt you even needed to travel with Master Jiraya to perfect that skill. I think your Sexy no Jutsu says more than enough."

"Those books are porn!"

Naruto shouts the words so loud, the entire restaurant hushes in silence, looking at their table curiously. For the moment silence engulfs them before Sakura's tinkering laugher kicks up and develops into a full-on fit.

"Sakura?" Naruto calls, laced with concern. "You ok? Why are you crying?"

The pinkette waves one hand while holding her stomach with the other. To control her laughter, she bites her lower lip and tries her best to speak.

"I'm fine Naruto it's just...We haven't done this in so long. It's nice."

The hush that follows tells of adventures and friendship and comradely. Of loss and fonder memories of those no longer with them. More than that, of hope and the present and the future for all of them.

Naruto sighs.

Kakashi hums thoughtfully.

Sakura wipes at joyous tears and looks out at their ever-changing village.

"It's all so different now," she says, hushed and solemn.

"Change is inevitable," Kakashi wisely offers. "And welcomed or it should be. There was a time when Naruto couldn't control chakra and now he is training to be Hokage. And you Sakura,"

Green eyes swing his way. It still marvels her sometimes that, despite their misgivings, Kakashi still holds a teacher role in her life. With one tone he can get her attention and keep it.

"There was a time when you were trying to find yourself," he continues. "You've found more inside of you than even I could teach you."

Warmth blossoms in her chest. Her earlier anger with him a whisper in the past. She smiles and nods.

"Let's not forget someone is gonna be a dad for a second time," she comments. "How is Hinata doing?"

The conversation takes a more pleasant turn. They spend the afternoon in stories from the past and present, with no real want for anything other than what it is now. It's a moment Sakura doesn't get often and she holds the day close to her chest as they say their goodbyes. She takes a long way home, cherishing the ability to even do that, stopping every so often to talk to cheerful villagers.

It's past evening and already dark when she makes it to her front door. Unsurprisingly when she finally gets inside, Itachi is home with blueprints and papers neatly arranged on their living room table. The sight of him working isn't what makes her pause in the genkan. Nor is it the thing that makes her sneeze.

Hard.

And sneeze again. And a third time for good luck she suspects.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" Itachi asks.

After rubbing her nose, she makes a beeline for the kitchen. Shrugging out of her winter coat, she tosses it on the back of the couch and goes on the hunt.

"Sakura?"

She ignores the calls and accompanying footsteps to confront the offending spices that attacked her sense. There on the stove, the medium-sized grey pot seems the most likely culprit. With a shinobi's determination, the pinkette lifts the lid to find an orangish gravy over what looks like chicken.

Then she sneezes again.

"What is this?" Sakura asks, trying hard not to sneeze for the fifth time. Replacing the lid she walks towards Itachi and gestures to the pot. "Did you buy new spices?"

"I did not," Itachi confesses. "Temari made this for us to share…" he trails off, dark eyes roaming her face for a moment. "Are you allergic?"

She shakes her head and rubs her nose a few more times to get the itching burn out. "No. I just don't like spicy food."

"Ah."

"Since when did you and Temari become food buddies?"

"She likes for me to taste her recipes and give my opinion," Itachi says, stepping around her into the kitchen.

"You're a food critic now?"

"Only for Temari."

Sakura watches as he removes the pot from the stove, then fishes for an s storage container. Itachi makes quick work of putting the food away, probably for himself. Sakura moves on, going back to the living room to prepare for her final check-in of the day with him. Ever since Honoka smuggled her some updates on Kai, she's changed tactics with Itachi's regimen to test a theory.

Retrieving a notebook from the end table, Sakura quickly reads over the notes from the morning. Itachi returns and, without even being asked to, removes several pillows from the sofa, lining them up on the floor. Then he stretches out on the sofa, arms at his side.

"How was today?" Sakura asks, moving to kneel on the cushion.

"My wrists are stiff," Sakura grabs the closest arm to her while he recounts the day, "I could not finish caring for the garden because of it. My knees feel quite stiff as well but not debilitating. The congestion from this morning is still there, perhaps worse from being in the elements. I felt better after tea with Shikamaru but there is a familiar but not painful tightness in my chest."

Sakura can feel the slight swelling in his joints even without using chakra. His wrist feels a tad bit puffer than normal, not the rigid veiny muscle of a man that often works with his hands. For good measure, she uses chakra anyway noting where the swell seemed worse in places.

Nothing bad but could be uncomfortable if left untreated. To think, these kinds of results after only two days of a lower dosage...

Wordlessly she grabs her pen and notepad, writing down her findings. On the plus side, her medicine works well as an anti-inflammatory. But, as she suspected, it did nothing to cure Itachi of anything. As soon as the medicine is taken away, he flares up in odd places. There is no set pattern of flare-ups that she can find.

"Did you train?"

"Not today."

She checks that off the list of suspects.

It comes and goes at random. What could have triggered this one though?

Sakura bites the top of her pen contemplatively staring at the back porch door.

Playing shogi with Shikamaru and gardening is hardly strenuous. If it's not vigorous work then what? Maybe the spicy food? It's not that weird. Certain foods cause inflammation...

Her eyes shift from the door to him and Sakura stiffens unconsciously as Itachi stares at her intently. She fights the urge to fidget and blurts the first thing that comes to mind to, hopefully, get him to stop.

"Did you cough up any blood today?"

Itachi blinks once, the barest of dips in his brow. "Not that I can recall."

Ignoring the deep rumble of his voice, Sakura quickly takes to doing a body scan to keep her gaze elsewhere. The conversation trails off, leaving Sakura to mentally fill in the silence. She occupies herself with healing joints and decreasing mild vesicles around Itachi's lungs.

Moving on to his other arm, Sakura opts to zone out to work, putting nerves and hard stares aside to get it right. Just when she manages to recapture her wits, Itachi speaks up.

"Have you eaten?" he asks softly.

Sakura blinks at the seeming randomness of his statement and tries to recall where their conversation left off. "Yeah. I, Naruto, and Kakashi had ramen but that was hours ago. We talked most of the time really," she finally asked.

"The Hokage?" his curiosity makes her lookup.

Feeling on steadier footing, Sakura grins. "Yeah, and before you ask, I didn't put a hole in Ichiraku Ramen. I did give him a hard time though."

Itachi nods gently. "Good."

She gives his arm a playful pat before pulling up to her feet. "You should be able to breathe easier now. I'm going to shower and maybe go grabbing something for dinner that won't kill me."

Sakura leaves Itachi to rearrange the sofa cushions and heads upstairs to the bathroom. Clothes are tossed in the dirty hamper and she hops in the shower to clean away the day. She basks in the feeling of hot water, washing the cold from earlier down the drain with strawberry-scented soap.

After she's clean, Sakura wraps a towel around herself and goes to the room to change. She takes her time drying her hair, brushing and styling it as a way to clear the activities of the day.

When she's done she ventures downstairs, dressed to once again venture outside for a little while only to find Itachi also dressed for the occasion, already in the process of putting on his shoes She pauses in the entry, noting all his papers folded and stacked on the corner of the table.

Is he…?

Curiously she ventures closer, closing the distance between them. "Are you coming too?"

"Yes." Itachi simply says, easing to a stand.

Sakura stands there a moment contemplating replies before picking the most obvious one. "Why?"

Itachi leans down, grabbing her shoes to hand to her. "I need a break. A walk will suffice. Do you oppose?"

She takes her shoes anyway, refusing an answer to what could potentially be a trick question. After she laced up, Itachi opens the door, for her to go first. Sakura grabs her coat then takes the lead while he locked the door.

It's not as if they didn't spend time outside together but it'd been so long, Sakura felt a bit odd having Itachi walking next to her. If he hadn't been there she probably would've taken to the roofs but, for some reason, decides to keep pace with him.

Itachi prefers walks. She enjoyed her long walk home so what's another walk? She glances up at him and then on the residential road ahead. The gentle meanders of their route disappear on the horizon of the progressively darkening sky. Sakura glances at familiar homes and trees, relaxing into their slow easy strides. After several minutes of quiet, she finally ventures to speak.

"Itachi?"

"Mm-hmm?" comes a lazy reply.

Sakura looks up curiously. Itachi's eyes are heavy-lidded, nearly closed in what she assumes is contemplation.

Did I interrupt him? She wonders. Sakura rethinks her question before Itachi prompts her to go on.

"Did you need something, Sakura?"

"I was just wondering how the museum was going?"

"Shikamaru and I met with the village planner today. We have created the layout for what will be a new residential district. Now is the matter of contracting worker."

"Oh," she says softly, "At least it's starting." She pulls her arms taut behind her, stretching.

"How did your conversation with the Hokage go?" Itachi counters.

Sakura laughs lightly "I gave him a hard time but we're on good terms. I told him before we left that I was working towards something. He just gave me one of his weird eye crinkles. That reminds me, did Kakashi give you any reasons as to why they chose me or didn't choose, you know, literally any other way?"

His answering blink would translate as nothing to anyone but her. Sakura's skill in reading Uchiha may not be perfect but she's smart enough to know that look means he knows something.

I can't believe he's been withholding information!

She takes a couple of quick steps to get in front before fixing stern green eyes on him.

"Spill it," she demands.

Itachi huffs, rolling his eyes at her statement. "There is nothing to spill ."

"You blinked." she accused.

He half shrugs. "A common action."

"But a basic means of communicating from you." Sakura counters. "You look guilty."

Itachi outright snorts this time. "I do not."

She growls at him. He reaches over to take her hand underneath his cloak in response.

"People are watching, Sakura," Itachi answers her raised brow.

She turns around and, indeed, they've made it closer to the city center and some people are glancing at them.

"Is this necessary though?" she whispers. "They can't even see our hands."

Itachi nods once. "It's the implication."

Sakura rolls her eyes but doesn't remove her hand from his grasp. "Don't change the subject. Tell me what you know."

"I know what you know," he states. "There is the problem of my illness and resurrection that makes certain options impractical."

" That's his reason?" Sakura scuffs. "You've lived this long. I doubt your body will fall apart."

Itachi nods once. "But there is no cure."

"Yet." she declares.

"Yet," he repeats.

Sakura opens her mouth, before closing, pausing as a couple passes them by. She waves politely, pulling closer to Itachi as she continues in whispers.

"All the more reason to just get sperm and implant them in as many eggs as possible."

Suddenly, Itachi yanks the both of them to a halt in the middle of the road.

"Huh?" Sakura looks up to a distinctly narrowed gaze. Oops. "Erm, maybe not?"

Voice low, he looks almost pointedly at her. "Just as you had no intention of "popping out Uchiha babies", I have no intention of indiscriminately impregnating random eggs. I am also not a baby-making factory."

"Ok, bad wording." She concedes but thinks better of it and pokes him in the chest with her free hand. "Wait a minute, where was this attitude when Kakashi said the same thing?"

"The Hokage's offer was not indiscriminate," Itachi explains. "It was highly specific."

"And you're okay with that?" Sakura questions.

He starts walking again, pausing for far longer than Sakura would have liked before speaking.

"I prefer the idea of one female."

She nods at that without thinking too much about what it could mean. "Since you have an idea of what you don't want, do you have any other ideas on what you do?"

"Something that will not liken me to cattle." Itachi hedges.

Sakura's step slow at his words. Then she blushes as it registers. Itachi gracefully pulls her along down the street and towards a vendor the smells distinctly of fried food.

"Would you like to eat here?"

It takes a second to figure out what he asks. "Um sure."

She takes time to glance at the menu fastened to the stall's beams with staples. She orders several chicken skewers as well as soup. Itachi orders a small tea for himself and pays for both meals. They take one of the covered heated tables for two so she can eat while her food is still warm.

They didn't eat out often. Itachi was more included to cook than to buy take-out. But for their mission's sake, being seen in public was occasionally necessary. Sakura settles in for her meal while Itachi watched the sea of people, a cup of tea in hand. Some stop for a chat, others simply glance their way. More still completely ignore them. It's those people that she's grateful for. Years ago, Itachi brought a slew of attention. Now the village is used to seeing him around. Now few people think twice about seeing the oldest Uchiha among the living. Not everybody knows his history, not everybody knows about the Massacre.

It's my job to keep it that way. She reminds herself.

Halfway through their meal, Sakura comes up with another question, closer to something he said days ago. When she gets his attention, she takes the moment to ask.

"If everything that happened didn't happen, would you have wanted to be the Clan head?"

A black brow raises and he answers her question with one of his own. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, because you're being thrust into the role now. I thought you were anti Clan?" she offers.

Itachi shakes his head in the negative and slides his empty cup away. "Only if the actions put the village in harm's way. I believe in the values of our traditions. I understand that some may not be applicable because of where we are. There was no reason the Clan could not live peaceable here."

Sakura ponders the words, going over them in her head. "If you thought that way...why didn't you attempt to negotiate instead of...you know?"

He flicks his wrist with a heavy sigh. "The Council would not hear my advice. They were determined to do it their way. They left me little choice."

"And your father?" Sakura asks.

"My father was...more reasonable." Itachi states. "He wanted more time but did not shut them down outright. His indecisiveness put me in a precarious position."

"Danzo wasn't arguing that your dad may change the Council's mind?" she guesses.

He nods.

She snorts. "So it really was all his idea…"

"I am not innocent in my actions," Itachi admits. Eyes averted.

She pokes at the scraps of fried chicken on her plate. "Yeah, I know that. Still...you were thirteen. If Danzo had given your dad more time...maybe things could've been different?"

When no reply comes, she looks up at him looking out into the streets again. Itachi says nothing and Sakura lets the conversation die where it is. Like she and Naruto and Kakashi agreed this morning, the past was nice but there's no use speculating now.

Besides, if all goes well then Itachi can make the Clan however he wants.

She pulls herself to a stand, holding her hand out for him to take.

"Ready?" Sakura asks.

Itachi gives her a look and this time she can see him smirking. "I thought this was unnecessary."

She feigns indifference, turning her eyes away from him and ignoring the change from his somber expression that she fostered with her questions moments ago.

"It's the implication," Sakura says.

Perhaps she isn't completely heartless and took advantage to flip the script for once. Itachi was always trying to comfort her when she had her moments; the least she could do is return the favor.

Seconds later, he takes her hand and, in silence, they walk home together.

Chapter Text

Line 7: A Means of Escape

"And whatever a sun will always sing is you"

I Carry Your Heart

Line 7, Stanza 3

-EE Cummings

What little free time Sakura has, suddenly evaporates when Ino returns. While she would love to further investigate the little bits Honoka sneaks her here and there, priority is the priority. The Flower Shop takes precedence over research. Since the other villages approve of her friend's suggestions for flower arrangements, their focus is on Konoha. Meeting after meeting with other villages keeps Sakura busy enough to not notice her furlough ending in a couple of days. The Peace Gardens take shape on paper while more work needs to be done at the location. What she knows paints a picture of a beautiful and tranquil place that resembles its namesake.

It is while she's musing over sketches of this haven, does a genin comes into the Flower Shop looking for her.

"Me?" Sakura questions, pulling away from the counter confused.

He nods once. "Lord Hokage said he wants you specifically."

Kakashi? 

Sakura loosens the apron around her waist, "Okay. Let me just tell the other workers I have to leave for...a bit."

The young man gives her a jerky nod with a face too serious for its youthful roundness. Why Kakashi would want to see her now of all times is highly suspect. Sakura keeps her guards up the entire trip and doubles them when she sees Itachi looming near the windowsill, arms folded; eyes closed.

Exasperation makes her sigh. The last time these two were waiting in an office for her, Kakashi dropped a bombshell.

I swear if he says something even remotely as outrageous, I'm taking out a wall without a second thought.

"Sakura!" The Hokage's cheerful manner helps nothing.

"Do I even want to know?" she asks wearily, staying next to the door just in case she needs to make a swift exit.

Kakashi pushes off the desk he's been leaning on and slumps. "A simple hello would have sufficed."

"I think my suspicions are justified..." Sakura states, easing closer. "You have a bad track record of calling me away from work for other work."

"It's not terrible," her former sensei quickly defends, "But it does require clearance from Itachi's guardian and medic."

Clearance?

Green eyes switch focus, noting the trace of irritation, pinched brows, and pronounced frown. He's doing his best statue impression, which puts her a little more at ease.

I'm not the only one Kakashi is torturing today.

The meeting seems less threatening, but Itachi's stiff demeanor indicates her life possibly becoming harder.

"What is it?" she asks.

The Hokage juts his chin in Itachi's direction before explaining. "Itachi wants his Sharingan back a year early."

Itachi shoots him a pointed look. "Do you always have to work with ambiguities? Give her the full explanation."

"Alright," Kakashi drawls. "Itachi asked for his chakra restrictions to be lifted so he can access his Sharingan a year early."

Itachi's answering glare is enough to make Sakura chuckle and raise her brows. "May I ask why?"

Her partner pushes off the window, cutting across Kakashi's attempt at an answer. "The Uchiha Compound holds sensitive information that I want to commit to memory. It would be much easier to catalog with my Sharingan."

"That's it? Seems like a fair deal…" Sakura hesitates, looking to Kakashi. "So what's the problem?"

"He's still on probation," Kakashi says easily.

"Lord Hokage will not make an exception without your approval." Itachi finishes.

Sakura blinks slowly, processing, before wrinkling her nose in confusion. "Wait. Haven't you already started the clean-up process?"

"My thoughts exactly, Sakura." Kakashi chimes in.

Itachi manages a straight face while looking at her. "We've started in buildings of no consequence. Buildings such as our Meeting Hall and my old home contain things that should not be seen by outsiders. Lord Hokage is well-aware of this."

Kakashi rolls his eyes to the ceiling. "There's no threat."

"You cannot guarantee that." Itachi's tone clearly conveys his annoyance. "You commissioned genin to assist in the cleaning efforts. A risk exists, no matter how minor. It is my duty to ensure the Uchiha Clan is safe."

"Alright, alright," she says, looking between the two men. Kakashi is positively preening, whilst Itachi's stoic expression says he's not enjoying their exchange so much. I wonder if they talked about other things.

Putting her curiosity aside, Sakura mentally switches into medic mode. Drawing nearer, she turns to Itachi. "How much chakra are we talking about?"

The Hokage's eyes crinkle. "That is the question, isn't it?"

"Enough to maintain the lowest level Sharingan off and on for at least six hours," her partner supplies.

"Six hours?" Sakura questions. "What about when the workday is over? Do I get to seal you up again?"

He nods. "If you wish it, I will oblige."

"Are you going to do that every day, Sakura?" Kakashi questions. "For an entire year?"

Itachi snorts and Kakashi turns a cool gaze on him. "It is a valid question; you have to admit."

"Sakura is more than capable of upholding all stipulations."

As the two go back and forth, Sakura watches the exchange with a mixture of confusion and awkwardness. She's known Kakashi almost all of her life and has gotten used to him toying with people in his own way. Underneath his light exterior is usually some real concern meant to be deciphered by the listener. She understands him...to a point at least.

Maybe that's why it's hard for her to remember that Itachi's known him longer. For most of her life, Itachi was only what Sasuke made him out to be. Rarely did it dawn on her that he lived before the Massacre. Or that Kakashi was a key part of it.

This is weird. She thinks with a slight cringe. Not really but they are bickering like old enemies who were once even older friends. Which is true but still. It's weird.

Her partner's pinched brow reminds her of Sasuke. She is sure that he is one step away from calling her former sensei annoying. Kakashi just smiles with his eyes in a way that is far too innocent to truly be innocent.

"Ahem." Sakura clears her throat, crossing her arms and commanding attention. "What is happening right now?"

Itachi speaks first, turning his face away and gesturing dismissively at Kakashi. "He is making something where there is nothing."

"I'd like to say I'm doing my due diligence." Kakashi retorts.

"Didn't you say it was my choice?" Sakura interjects. "As for you, Itachi, I'm glad you're comfortable enough to stand up for what you want now. I could make the argument that if you took this attitude when he told us about that mission, we probably wouldn't have it."

Itachi huffs.

The Copy Ninja jumps on the chance. "Is that your way of saying you accept?" His tone softens to exaggerated gratitude. "Sakura, I never thought you'd concede so quickly."

"Don't even," Sakura counters. "This is not the meeting for that. Stay focused. I don't mind loosening some of Itachi's chakra restrictions if it's to keep his family secrets safe."

"Only some?" Grey brows raise. "How many?"

Sakura bites her lip. "We'll do one at a time until his Sharingan is activated. Before any of that though, we're going to have to do surgery on his eyes to undo some of the blocks I put in years ago. Who knows, that may be the only thing needed."

Itachi closes the distance between them and settles dark eyes on her. "How long will that take?

His gaze is so intense she almost hesitates. "Erm...the surgery will be an hour at the most. Recovery may take a day or two. Your eyes will be sensitive afterward. No direct sunlight or bright lights for the first few days."

"That is acceptable," her partner says, then slants his gaze towards Kakashi. "Unless you still have objections?"

Kakashi sighs. "I guess I've been outmatched."

Sakura's mouth gapes slightly as she watches him sulk towards the desk. "You said it was my choice!"

"True. I also thought you would take my side. I guess your bonds have grown...stronger over the course of your furlough."

It's her turn to glare but Itachi injects before she can go off on him. "Are we finished here, Hokage-sama?"

The Copy Ninja waves his hand. "Yes. Sure. Your medic approved it. I will make arrangements from my end."

"Hold on a minute!" Sakura tries to get her bearings but feels wholly out of place. "Does that mean my furlough ends early?"

"Ahhh." Kakashi laces his fingers and rests his chin on them. "That could be a problem."

"Are you purposefully being difficult?" Itachi demands with narrowed eyes.

"I suppose I could make a temporary amendment," Kakashi says elusively "Or Tsunade could do it."

The pinkette speaks up. "Or, you could end my vacation early. Come on. I could do this for Itachi at home, no problem. There's no need to get Tsunade-sama involved. And if you think that I'll do more, just send Honoka. She is his primary care physician anyway."

Itachi's brow raises as he regards her. "Could you do that tonight?"

"If Kakashi says yes…"

Both turn to the Hokage, waiting. Kakashi blinks, staring back as if he doesn't understand what just transpired. Seconds go by before he finally leans back in his chair.

"Alright."

"Alright?" Sakura asks, on edge at the thought of being able to go back to work.

Kakashi nods. "I'll let you perform the surgery if you can give me an update on your consideration for the mission."

Her mouth gapes. "That's bribery!"

"It's a condition." Kakashi corrects lightly.

Sakura snarls but Itachi's answering huff makes her glance his way. "We are working through solutions," he says. "Tell him of your latest discovery, Sakura."

Grey eyes affixed to her with curiosity and Sakura, suddenly thrust to the forefront, tries to summon eloquent words. "We can't even get close to considering children while Itachi is still chronically ill. If I could access my lab, I could find a cure for him quickly, and then we can get around to talking about procreating."

"My illness has been the biggest obstacle when the conversation is brought up," Itachi adds and she nods.

She follows his lead as if they aren't just pulling this out of their behinds. Kind of. It is true. His sickness really did need to be taken care of first. But her coming to that conclusion was through research she most definitely was not supposed to be doing.

Gray brows raise in shock. "You talk about it?" Kakashi asks skeptically.

"Regularly," her partner says smoothly as if it were a commonplace thing.

I don't know why he's taking my side, but I won't stop him.

She moves a few inches closer to Itachi to solidify their united front. "Sometimes over dinner. Sometimes when Itachi plays shogi. You did basically dare us to come up with a solution and this is the first step to that. Satisfied?"

"Very, actually." Kakashi smiles. "Fair is fair, I guess. Sakura, the restrictions on your medical usage with regards to Itachi has been lifted. As for you, Itachi, once the surgery is finished, I think two chakra seals should do the trick. I look forward to what you two come up with."

With that, he dismisses them both. Itachi lets her lead while he holds the door.

Once they were both outside of the office and the Hokage Tower, Sakura turns to him. "What was that about?"

He huffs and frowns. "The Hokage is fond of games."

"Very true. You're not impressed?"

His eyes slide to her and then away. "Not when it comes to serious matters."

Sakura makes a face, feeling annoyance bristle, recalling a time when she had had a serious matter and he hadn't been nearly as proactive. "This is a serious matter? This?"

Itachi keeps his gaze steady and narrowed. Several seconds go by before he offers her a low response. "Serious for me."

It would have been so easy to poke holes in his theory and tease. But Itachi's suddenly grave expression only evokes concern. He's been working at the Uchiha Compound for nearly two weeks. Every day he seems a bit quieter. Whatever happened with Kakashi only increased his detached attitude. A cursory look at him reveals things she missed.

He looks so tense. She muses, scanning his form. It is hard to see beneath his cloak and with only the upper part of his face visible, images of the past were difficult to dismiss. But it's the permanent crinkle on his brow that makes Sakura look away in contemplation.

I thought he was nailing the stone-man statue earlier; he's a brick wall now. While Sakura can't boast of knowing all of the little nuances that make up Uchiha Itachi, she is a good reader of facial expressions.

Definitely has a lot on his mind. If he won't share, I won't ask.

They walk in silence until their individual tasks force them apart. Sakura goes back to the shop to finish assisting. She stays for the next few hours until Ino sends her home.

It's just as well that she beats Itachi there, setting up for the surgery and having a messenger send for Honoka to make a house call. When her former resident arrives, they make the necessary provisions to make her home conducive for the task. It's nowhere near a hospital but she's worked in worse conditions than her living room.

When Itachi does arrive, later than his usual time, Honoka greets him at the door with a wide smile.

"Hey, Itachi-san!" she says. Sakura keeps her distance, watching their exchange by the futon they've set up for him.

Her partner slips out of his shoes and cloak, greeting their houseguest with a soft smile that hides the tension from earlier. They exchange pleasantries and Honoka follows him to the kitchen where he places, what she assumes is groceries, on the counter.

She stands to greet them as they return, still near the futon on the floor.

Itachi makes eye contact and holds it, walking to her and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Sakura," he mutters a greeting.

She doesn't move away, knowing their actions from here on out are mainly for Honoka's sake. She scans his face when he pulls back, not buying his eerie calm.

"It's a bit late," Sakura hedges. "Were you at the Compound the entire time?"

A curt nod. "Things took longer than expected. I went to Minami's afterward to pick up my food order. I suppose it is too late for cooking?"

She waves a dismissive hand, taking a step back so he could get the full view of their setup. "Don't worry about it. This is more important."

Itachi eyes the futon and medical equipment set up on a silver tray. "Should I shower first?"

"That would help. Your eyes will be swollen afterward, and your vision might be impaired."

"Hmm. I will be back." He turns and leaves the two in the living.

Sakura watches him go with furrowed brows. Something is definitely up. I wonder if…

Itachi rarely speaks about his family apart from Sasuke. Even then, she is sure she frequents his grave much more than Itachi does. Perhaps being in the place of such tragedy caused by his hands is taking a toll on him.

She bites her cheek and shakes away thoughts. If he is keeping it to himself, there must be a reason. So, she let it go, taking a breath and turning towards the kitchen to sterilize her hands. Honoka follows and makes herself comfortable against the doorframe, gazing into the living room.

With her hands under hot water, Sakura turns to her comrade. "Thanks again for coming. This is really important to him and I know he appreciates it."

Honoka's answering smile is enough to make Sakura forget her concern over her partner. "You don't have to thank me, Sakura-san. I don't mind helping out."

"I know but still, thank you."

The brunette nods and stretches her arms above her head. "Besides, if this will help us in any way understand what's going on with Itachi-san and Kai-kun, I'm all over it."

I wish I could be as positive as you, Sakura says mentally. "True. Is he still in the hospital?"

Honoka nods and crosses her arms. "Tsunade-sama wants to keep him one more night. She says the medicine you made keeps him stable, but his last flare-up made her cautious. That poor kid. He's fighting so hard. We're all fighting, honestly, but he's shouldering through every new symptom."

Sakura hums, raising her hands and using her elbows to turn off the water. Honoka pushes off the doorframe to get the sterilized towels, opening the package and getting Sakura to pull the towel from the clear wrapping herself.

"My furlough is ending soon and I can get back in the lab," the medic says. "With the stuff you gave me, I already have ideas on what I want to modify with the injections."

"You found something?" Honoka asks.

"I have a theory. I need to look at the sample I gave you the other day, then take a new sample from Itachi sometime this week. I'll get samples of Kai's blood as well and see if my suspicions are correct." She sighs, moving to sit in front of the futon while Honoka takes a seat at the head of it. "Honestly if this doesn't work, I'm at a complete loss."

Leaning forward, Honoka asks, "What are you thinking?"

"Immune system?" Sakura says with a trace of skepticism at her own hypothesis. "You know how the body reacts to a certain stimulus and that's what causes allergies?"

'Yeah…"

"I'm thinking it's something similar because there is nothing else left."

"Then, what's the stimulus?"

The pinkette looks towards the stairs at the sound of movement. "I don't know. Itachi is a hard study. He does the same things and there isn't always rhyme or reason to his flare-ups. If I can find a variation in white blood cell count, maybe that'll lead me somewhere."

"Sounds like an autoimmune issue," Honoka ponders and Sakura nods.

"Yeah. That's the direction I'm leaning towards."

Seconds after she speaks, Itachi comes into view, dressed in his traditional dark shorts and high-collared shirt, complete with a small clan symbol embossed on the left shoulder.

"You can lay here," Sakura instructs. Honoka makes room, shifting so that he can lay down. "Honoka, do you want to explain the tools while I get the anesthetic ready?"

"Anesthetic?" Itachi questions as he eases down.

"Yeah," Honoka interjects. "See those?" She points.

Dark eyes follow her fingers to the tray closes to Sakura's legs. "Yes," Itachi says.

"Those are ophthalmic forceps. They are going to help us keep your eyes open like this." Honoka holds her gloved hands close to her eyes, widening them but not touching them. "Normally these are hooked to the examination table or another head support that keeps them clamped down. Since we're at your house, I'm going to serve as the head support and keep them open while Sakura-san works."

"I understand," he confirms. "And the anesthesia?"

"To knock you out," the young woman says. "Eye surgery is very delicate and since we're messing with your chakra points here, we can't have you accidentally moving or trying to blink. One false move and you'll be blind. So, to make sure your head stays still, you'll need to move it here." Honoka points down and Itachi has to get up on his elbows to see where she is directing him to move.

"Her lap," Sakura supplies. "It's easier for her to hold the clamps and keep you from shifting around while you're under."

"Hnn." Itachi obeys, shifting back some so that his head nestles in Honoka's lap.

Sakura hands the needle to Honoka who injects the anesthesia into a prominent artery in his neck.

"Don't close your eyes." Sakura quickly says, stopping him before he can complete the act. "Just keep them on the ceiling until you lose consciousness. It's easier to stop eyes from closing than to pry them open."

Itachi nods, doing as she asks. Sakura hands Honoka several tools to unpack to keep the young woman busy. Sakura really is asking a lot and having her 'husband's head in another woman's lap can't be comfortable. But Honoka is a trooper, glancing down ever so often to check on Itachi while remaining completely professional.

In a matter of minutes, Itachi's eyelids droop, his muscles relaxing. The brunette keeps his head secure. A long cushion supports his neck while a round pillow keeps the part of his head that rests on Honoka's leg stable.

Quickly Sakura takes hold of his eyelids, pushing them as wide as they could go while Honoka adjusts the forceps around four different points, two at the top and two at the bottom of each eye. The contraption joins together into two handles that Honoka pulls up near his hairline and holds with one hand while the other hand holds his jaw.

"Are you comfortable?" Sakura asks her.

Honoka nods and wiggles a bit so her back rests against the wall. "Yes. Ready."

Green shimmers between them as medical chakra emits from Sakura's hands. The procedure demands the utmost concentration as Sakura molds and shapes her chakra into fine points. Anything dealing with the eyes is a delicate matter. There were so many nerves and sensors to navigate through and the slightest deviation could leave her partner permanently blind.

Although she can't technically see what's going on inside his eyes, she can feel every twitch and shudder. It is a matter of weaving her chakra through and around the bits, she doesn't need until she found the tangled bonds around his chakra points.

"Drops," she calls, holding still while Honoka eases her hands from Itachi's jaw to reach for the medical drops on the silver tray. With great care, she administers the liquid in each eye before going back to keeping Itachi's head steady.

Sakura resumes her work, meticulously undoing the folds she made years ago. Every once in a while she calls for eye drops to ensure no bacteria lingers inside while they are working and to keep his eyes moist.

Undoing the chakra restrictions in his eyes takes one hour. Sakura removes one seal inside his eye and the other at the base of his neck. The entire procedure takes about two hours. By the time they are done, the redness around Itachi's eyes indicates probable swelling. Honoka makes quick work of bandaging the area then uses a cold compress in the shape of an eye mask to place over his face.

With great care, Honoka helps her get her sleeping partner on her back to carry him upstairs to their bedroom.

Two hours of chakra use is hardly a strain, but Sakura takes no chances with herself or her assistant. Time is no factor when using chakra correctly and as precisely as she has to. As soon as Itachi is under covers, she finds a blanket and pillow for Honoka to use and helps the young woman settle on their extra futon for the night

Their work is only half done and as the night drags on into the morning, Sakura stays awake, idly reading medical texts while Itachi doses in a medically induced sleep. Periodically she checks his bandages, chilling the compress only to retrieve it again a few hours later.

It's nearly sunrise when she finally allows sleep to claim her but Itachi survives his surgery and that is all that matters.

She doesn't feel when he wakes. Itachi focuses on the darkness and a heaviness in his lids that didn't come from sleeping.

It is late.

It feels late and warm and crowded. Not only physically but also something else – something intangible. He shifts, trying to locate this new thing. Or is it old? It feels very familiar.

And it tingles.

Hm?

He's felt this energy in intimate ways, skirting along his skin and deep within himself. Itachi moves stiff limbs, reaching up to touch his face and incites a groggy sigh from his bed partner.

Sakura.

The sheets pull, moving off him and towards the sound of sleepy mumbles. The tingles stir as she awakens, spiking and settling in the dark.

"Mm-Itachi?"

Sakura's voice is laced with sleep and far closer than he remembers. Sheets rustle and he realizes all at once that the tingles he feels are her. Or more precisely, her chakra. He recognizes it because it has always been there, just outside of his reach.

I can sense it again.

Yet..something is off.

Itachi's training has taught him many things, sensing chakra included. Everyone's chakra signature is unique to them, almost like a person's body odor. There is no mistaking it. He knows that and knows his partner's chakra signature from years spent nearby. But Sakura feels close-too close.

What is this?

The concentration of it still sizzling near his eyes. Then flares seconds before he hears her voice.

"Don't touch that." she chastens and he feels her hand enclosing around his, forcing his arms to his side.

There's a stirring deep within himself when their hands come in contact, a spark that follows through his veins.

What is this?

Sensing someone's chakra is one thing but there are nuances here that he doesn't remember occurring before. Her signature is definitely her. There is no mistaking who's chakra is turning his world on its head. The problem is that it changes and for perhaps the first time since meeting her, he can tell.

Is she aware?

"Sakura…" he hesitates, frowning a bit as words abandon him. What can he say? There is no real way to describe it. Chakra signatures shouldn't change. But hers is like a living breathing force, moving around him.

"Yeah?" she calls.

There it is again. He notes, mystified at this new development.

Seconds go by before he realizes that he has not said a word.

"I cannot see," Itachi finally utters, waiting to see what happens.

The bed dips and he turns his head in the direction of her movements. The tingles dance then settle into a warming feeling, almost comforting. "I told you that would be the case. No direct light, remember? You'll be wearing this eye mask all day and part of tomorrow."

She heaves a sigh. "What time is it?"

Itachi follows her movements with covered eyes and traces her steps from the bed, padding across the room. With his sight current indisposed, he sharpens his focus. There has to be a pattern to this, a reason for these little nuances. It doesn't take long for his patience to reward him.

When she sighs her chakra hums. Then flutters between cycles of rises and falls, cold to warmth, settling into what he can only describe as contentment.

I can feel her. He marvels, shifting when she does, following her every action as if he could see. I can sense her.

And not just her chakra signature. But her.

It doesn't need to be said because he already knows the answer but Itachi voices his question, anyway, seeking confirmation.

"The seals?" he asks, digging his palms into the bed to sit up.

"Huh?"

"The seals? Did you remove them?"

"Only two," Sakura says. "Just like Kakashi said." Then she leaves the room.

His chakra is no longer a murmured hum in his soul. He feels it now. Itachi hadn't realized how its absence left him wanting until now. I have been without it for so long. To feel it coursing through my body feels like a revival.

Itachi considers his limbs, moving and flexing fingers. It is odd in a way. He'd grown used to the thin trace awarded him due to his probation. While he is nowhere near his normal amount, even this much is enough. Itachi recognizes the pool of chakra swelling behind them, the Sharignang humming just below the surface. He is anxious to try but is reminded of the last time he woke after Sakura's surgeries and attempted to test the limits of his strengths.

Flexing his fingers, he recalls hand signs. Four years of nothing yet his muscles remember the actions. Itachi doesn't complete them, knowing that setting their room on fire is probably not the wisest thing to do.

However, a rush of possibilities makes him swing his legs off the bed. Whatever this new connection to his partner is, he wants to test it.

Perhaps my unique situation awards me a unique perspective.

There is only one way to find out. Instincts guide him and he follows the pull down the stairs to where Sakura's chakra pulses the deepest.

"Sakura?" he calls and sure enough her voice reaches him from what he presumes is the living room.

The tingles turn slightly sizzling, if he could have, Itachi would have narrowed his eyes.

"Did you walk down the stairs blindfolded?" she questions but he cuts across it with a statement of his own.

"Spar with me."

"Excuse me?"

"Spar with me," Itachi repeats. "I wish to test my memory."

The change comes hard and fast. Itachi realizes with slight awe that he knows the feeling of her irritation and disapproval, the twists and bends of her chakra could only be described as such, ringing out a warning to him.

"I doubt your skills have changed just because you haven't used them in a while."

Is it her feelings I feel?

That's the only thing that comes to mind. Her flat tone tells of the same thing her chakra warns. She is not happy with his question at all.

I could never feel Sasuke or my mother this way. Why her? How is her chakra so volatile?

Regardless of his doubts, the evidence presents itself in the way her chakra..pulls on him.

She is waiting for me...

The Uchiha nods slowly and slightly distracted, following the trail to wherever it goes. "Even so, I wish to spar."

Sakura moves around the room and he turns with every step she takes. "Don't get rash because you have more chakra now. It's not nearly enough for a full-on battle and nowhere near your full reserves."

A flare. A sizzle.

"I am in control of myself," Itachi assures.

Fluctuation. Hesitation.

"Someone sounds cocky."

Itachi's claims are without boast. He has always been sure of his abilities. Sakura has only seen his fighting skills a handful of times and even without his chakra, she knew he was more than capable.

Perhaps reassure will persuade her.

"I can see you," he states.

The bends in her chakra sharpen do dangerous edges. "You better not have your Sharingan active under there."

He shakes his head in the negative. "I have no desire to undo what you have worked tirelessly to fix. I only wish to test the limits of my ninjutsu skills. But I can sense you and... Honoka's lingering presence…" He walks, brushing his fingers along the back of the sofa. "Here."

Sakura stays quiet for a long time. Itachi waits for her to give him an answer. But her hesitation makes him offer an alternative. "If not with you, then Naruto. I am familiar with both of your chakra signatures. It will be less strenuous than if I have to feel someone else out."

And I can see if this new development only applies to you.

Suddenly the variances in her chakra disappear as if sucked through a vacuum. Her chakra is there but a much more boring version of itself, tame and restrained. Itachi wants to get the other version back, the one that keeps him guessing. But Sakura is all tight coils and if he had to guess, her body language expresses the same.

She does not want me so close, it would seem.

Sakura steps closer. He feels her hands against his temples. "Have you always been able to sense chakra so clearly?"

Itachi's eyes close automatically when the eye mask comes off. "No. It is a learned skill that took many years. I am not a sensory type."

"Hmm," she hums, distracted. Sakura slowly unwinds the bandages from his face. Itachi keeps his eyes shut against every instinct screaming to see.

"They are very swollen. But everything else looks good. Hold still, please."

He obliges and the tingles from earlier start again, prickling and cracking behind his eyes.

"Your chakra tingles," Itachi states, trying something new this time.

Sakura's actions falter as does her guard and he can feel her confusion. "What?"

Ah.

He searches for words. "At times it is sharp, pointed, and precise. It sizzles."

"That's...comforting," she grumbles, chakra dancing once again.

"Lively." he corrects. "The tingles are warm and prickling but, in time, soothes to something...pleasant. Like a balm."

His partner stops completely and Itachi marvels at the sensations that follow. He's always known Sakura to be emotionally complex – more so than most. When she revived him, there were several clues but no time for analysis. Years and years of sharing a home and he's grown accustomed to the unseen force. Now that his chakra is active again, Itachi can truly feel her emotion through the chakra in his eyes, on her hands, and all around him.

I wonder if she is even aware that her feelings translate this way.

While he can't say exactly what she feels, whatever it is goes through several cycles ranging from cold to warm, from sharp to gentle, and everything in between. Finally, Sakura pulls back; her chakra still a raging display.

"It makes sense. I am a medic. I guess medical chakra would feel like a balm." Sakura pulls the mask back over his eyes and takes several steps away from him. "But I'm vetoing your request only because your eyes are still swollen. If you start fighting, that'll only increase the blood flow and inflammation, slowing the healing. Maybe a less active task? We could go for a walk?"

"Hnn," Itachi concedes. He'd only wanted to train to see if what he thought was true. And now that he has a basis, there is no need.

"Then you can walk around and sense whatever you like," she placates. "Ha, I guess that puts me on food duty for the next few days."

"If you wish."

"I don't," Sakura stresses. "But I'm hungry. So, Tamago Gohan?"

Itachi nods and lets Sakura do as she pleases, leaving to get himself ready. Careful of his eyes, the Uchiha cleans himself before changing. Then ventures downstairs and outside the backdoor to his garden.

The day is surprisingly warm despite winter just coming to an end. He feels the sun on his skin whilst the cold air around him still carries a bite. He smells the crispness of that junction between seasons. A stillness settles and Itachi relishes the calm. It is a nice turn of events compared to his past few days, plagued with memories and phantoms and whispers and scents. He has always known that going back to the Uchiha Compound would incite some of these but never so heavily.

Today is calmer. He muses and stares blindly ahead until he hears the panel slides open.

"Eating outside or inside?" Sakura asks.

Itachi turns away, stalking towards the door as an answer and following the scent of food.

Tamago Gohan is a hard breakfast to mess up. There is only rice and raw eggs. Thus, most of her cooking time involved putting rice in a rice cooker. The rest was setting the table.

Itachi thanks her, knowing that even rice is a feat for her. When breakfast is done, he half expects her to dress and leave. But Sakura surprises him and stays.

The day passes with no consequence. Itachi opts to stay home, meditating and feeling the world around him while listening to Sakura flutter about their home doing menial tasks. Her chakra as telling as it is cryptic. Her irritation he's categorized. Confusion feels confused. But Sakura is full of so many nuances that it would take days-no months for him to correctly decipher them all.

The next day, Sakura removes his bindings and they stroll through the village. His vision is blurred but he can make out blobs of objects.

"What's that?" Sakura asks him.

He turns his head, refusing to squint to focus. "A tree."

"And that?"

Itachi quietly snorts. "Another tree."

Sakura's light laugh is always surprising. Rarely did she laugh with him. Her chakra becomes just as light and it...shimmers. "Okay, what's this?"

The Uchiha follows the length of her arm towards a squarish blob. The vivid colors and smells give it away.

"We are nearing the bazaar," he states.

"Awww. I thought it would be harder," she whines.

"There is food here, Sakura." Itachi indicates.

"Oh. Right. You can smell it."

"Itachi-san! Sakura-san!" Minami's voice carries over the crowd. "I rarely see you two together at the market." He makes out her silhouette against the backdrop of stalls lined with different foodstuffs.

"I'm his seeing-eye human for the day," Sakura says.

"I can see just fine," he retorts.

"You're half-blind!" she shoots back. "At least until tomorrow. So, we're getting snacks then off to the teahouse."

"A normal day then?" Minami laughs. "Come on. I have some fresh herbs as well. Maybe you'd like to try?"

Sakura goes ahead, talking to Minami about rosemary and parsley. He's made the shopping list and trusts Sakura with getting everything on it. Minami will direct her to the produce. He lets the women take the lead, choosing instead to test his theory. There are shinobi around, that much is clear. Unfamiliar chakra signatures lurk in shadows and on the roofs.

Would it be different if I know them?

The Uchiha stretches his awareness but not far enough to raise alarm. He doesn't want to be seen by just anyone. More often than not, Itachi keeps his chakra under tight guard, pulled close to make his presence as non-existent as possible. But this time he wants to get someone's attention. Someone that isn't Sakura but close enough that they respond. It only takes a few minutes before he finds something.

Temari is moving around, close. He narrows his focus, looking through the crowd for blonde hair. Her chakra is as unruly as the wind she tames, wild and blazing but not alive. It is just the way Temari's chakra reads. She isn't trying to hide.

Will she sense me now?

Itachi tries, closing his eyes to focus. Chakra is nothing but energy and energy can be harnessed or given. Turning towards his target, he wades through the clatter, hopefully tugging at the energy she gives off. A second passes and then another and another.

Temari's chakra heightens to defensive and he knows he's captured her attention. His friend is facing his way now.

Itachi opens his eyes to Sakura's alertness. "Itachi are you okay?"

"Hnn," he answers, distractedly.

He can't quite see Temari but feels her coming, stalking, as any kunoichi would. It's only then that he notices the other signature with her, smaller and equally as untamed.

Shikadai.

Her predatory nature makes sense and he recognizes it, reconciling it with a memory from his past.

Mother.

He frowns, sorely disappointed. Her chakra is no more extraordinary than any other kunoichi.

Blonde hair comes into view, slow and cautious. Itachi stands and waits. Temari slides between people before coming face to face with him. "Itachi-san?" her voice betrays her uncertainty.

"Hi, Temari!" Sakura greets.

Temari's smile is a fuzzy picture but Itachi can just make out the change in facial expression. "Hello, Sakura. How are you?"

"Fine thanks. Oh! Hello, Shikadai!" the young boy comes from around his mother's leg. Sakura drops to his height and Itachi takes the opportunity to test his theory

"Your skills are sharp," he grants.

Temari's chakra remains the same but he picks up her questioning tone. "Did you…?"

"Hnn."

The Suna kunoichi snorts and haughtily crosses her arms. "Were you trying to get yourself hurt?"

"I was testing," Itachi answers honestly, tilting his head. "Did you recognize me?"

"Not immediately, no," she admits. "Your chakra is usually pretty subdued. You were practically waving a 'look at me' flag a moment ago."

Itachi allows himself a small victory smirk. At the very least his chakra is enough to get the attention of those within a few feet of him. "I cannot see you."

"Huh?" the blonde asks. Then hums an affirmative and grins. "Lord Hokage approved your request?"

Itachi tuts and looks in Sakura's general direction. "Shikamaru told you?"

"I'm his wife." Temari quips. "He doesn't have a choice but to tell me stuff."

"What stuff?" Sakura asks as she stands.

Temari nods in his direction. "Your husband over here had a death wish a moment ago."

"You would strike an ally?" Itachi raises a brow.

"There's no time for questions when my son is with me."

"Is that why your chakra was flaring like crazy?" his partner accuses. "Itachi, I told you, you need to take it easy!"

He huffs. "I am fine."

"Yeah, well, when you pass out on the side of the road, I'm not picking you up."

Temari laughs, shaking her head at them both. "Would you two like to come by for dinner? Shikamaru is taking Naruto on an ambassador's trip tonight and I wouldn't mind the company."

"Sakura is averse to spice," Itachi supplies.

Temari snorts. "I have a plethora of recipes in my arsenal. Plus, now that your eyes aren't working, your nose will be twice as sensitive. I want to try something new."

And so, their evening became spoken for. Itachi has no objections and Sakura delights in doing something other than what she always does. As with the day before, he is grateful for the time away. No ghost come to him last night or when he woke. Even as they eat and talk at the Nara residence, Itachi remains very much in reality. A luxury he cannot say he's had recently.

By the time they make it home again, Sakura's cheeks are tinted pink from sake.

Once they are both in bed, he waits silently until Sakura is completely still, and her breathing slows to a constant sigh, before turning over to watch. She is sound asleep in seconds, a much quieter version of herself from hours go. But their time with Temari gave him a glimpse of what her happiness feels like.

She enjoyed herself for once.

Itachi sits up a bit to adjust the sheets haphazardly situated over her shoulders. Sakura mumbles and curls up into the new warmth. Stress-free and peaceful with a healthy flush that tells of the night's endeavors, her image is much different than during the day. He doesn't know what to call that yet. Her chakra just...tingles. Whatever that feeling is, she wears it all the time but it slipped over dinner. Itachi realizes what he has already known. But to feel her happiness versus whatever she carries every day is altogether different.

Yet she endures for Konoha's sake. For my sake.

"Thank you, Sakura," he whispers, adding another notch to the debt he owes her with every passing year. He watches her sleep with slightly straining eyes for another heartbeat before turning back over.

Itachi isn't surprised when he wakes before her. He blinks at the ceiling several times before things come into focus.

I can see.

The haze in his eyes is mostly gone, only feeling a bit tight. Sakura told him two days and she was correct. Though she told him the healing would take about a week. Feeling refreshed and ready, Itachi rolls from bed.

Quietly he goes to find what will surely be needed. After splashing his face with icy water, Itachi makes sure two white pills sit next to Sakura's nightstand as well as a glass of water to wash it down. Then he goes downstairs to test the range of his recovering eyes.

This morning is much better, warmer, and more favorable for digging through the dirt. Sliding the door open to the pre-dawn air, Itachi momentarily marvels at the canvas sky. An array of colors merge and weave across nature's ceiling. A deep inhale again confirms the changing of seasons. And a downward glance solidifies his claims.

"Hello there," he mumbles serenely, stepping out fully onto the porch before crouching down near its edge. Delicate light purple buds teeter to one side in the otherwise barren flower beds. Carefully he reaches over and brushes his thumb across feather-light petals.

When Itachi purchased the seeds months ago, Ino told him they were good luck charms and reminders that things were destined to change. He smirked at her for reasons all his own and bought a lot of the resilient little plants. Now, at the junction between winter and spring, the crocus flowers defiantly flutter to life despite the cold.

You keep promises as well? Mother would have been impressed; Father intrigued. I am both.

The crocus flower is small but perfect for his current intentions.

The action comes naturally. Itachi feels the stirring than the shift as the world comes into sharper focus. There's no pain only a pull that he blinks away in the time it takes his eyes to adjust to this new, sharper, more vivid world. Itachi takes his time with analyzing the buds, his new eyes more than capable of visual appreciation. He marvels at the structure until a sound from the living area pulls him away from his musings. Itachi straightens as Sakura's disheveled form peeks out of the door.

"Good morning," he greets.

Her nose wrinkles and she shakes her head. "It's too cold for the door to be open." Sakura laments and rubs her eyes. "What are you doing out here?"

"Checking the garden." Itachi looks out at nature and then turns to show her what he's done. "How is your head?"

She blinks slowly, rolls her eyes, and crosses her arms. "You just couldn't wait a few more days, could you?"

"The moment felt right," he confesses then repeats. "How is your head?

"Medical powers, remember?" A light blush colors her cheeks and she steps a little closer to the door. "Are there flowers growing already? Spring isn't even here yet."

"These flowers grow at the in-between," Itachi explains. "Yamanaka-san said they are symbols of unspoken promises and change. I am inclined to believe her."

"You know she says a lot of things to sell her products, right?" his wife remarks dryly.

"Hnn."

Sakura takes a step backward, probably retreating from the cold. "Are you going out today?"

Itachi lingers silently a moment, listening to what she isn't saying. Oddly enough, her chakra doesn't change. "I wish to test my Sharingan more."

"Why am I not surprised?" Sakura gripes but ends her protests there.

A black brow slowly raises. "You have no intent to stop me?"

"Could I?"

Itachi considers her tone. "I will stay if you ask me."

"No. No." Sakura waves a dismissive hand. "Just keep your Sharingan use to a minimal, please. Only half an hour or so at a time. Plus, I need to meet with Ino today, so I guess I'll be doing real work now."

A thought occurs to him and Itachi wonders if Sakura has been informed of their overlapping duties and tests the waters just in case. "I will be meeting with Yamanaka-san soon as well."

"Why?"

Ah. She is unaware.

Itachi tuts aloud, walking around the flower beds in mild disappointment. Is there a reason for all the secrecy? He can't fathom anything that would warrant keeping her in the dark. The feeling of games being played can't be overlooked.

Is Kakashi trying to incite anger or facilitate a friendship?

Whichever it is, he has no intention of playing the game. Let Kakashi take the brunt of that disagreement.

"The village wants to create a Peace Garden in the new Uchiha District. Have you heard of it?"

Something like recognition lights up her eyes. Sakura shifts her weight and replies. "Yeah. Ino and I have been working on presentations for the other villages. That's where she's been this entire time. I knew we were gonna get one, but I thought the spot hadn't been decided."

"It is a matter up for discussion," he informs. "To my understanding, Kakashi is determined to have it in my old home."

"Are you against it?" she asks him.

Itachi crouches towards the dirt. "Not at all."

His partner goes silent. He leaves the conversation for her to decide upon, while he tends the tender leaves of winter plants.

"I'm gonna get ready now. Mind if I close the door?"

Itachi shakes his head. "Do as you please."

The door slides closed after that, leaving the Uchiha to mend his flowerbeds in peace for a short time before he sets on preparing breakfast soup for them. He makes a mental note to see Minami after working whilst setting the table. He places their bowls on either side, along with rice and tea.

Itachi doesn't wait for Sakura before starting. He needs to leave before she does and finishes his food just as she comes down, fully dressed and ready for the day.

Sakura does a quick scan of his person and eyes. She checks for inflammation and flare-ups, which were severely reduced from the day before and she instructs him to skip the morning dose.

"You're like a clean slate right now," she says, writing his current condition down in her journal. "If anything goes on today, I'll have more clues as to what's going on with you."

Itachi does not argue that, walking to the genkan to put on his shoes. "Do you have a preference for dinner?" he asks while securing his cloak.

"Surprise me," Sakura says. "Just hold the spice please."

He smirks at her request, remembering her aversion to Temari's cuisine. With her request noted, he leaves her for the rest of her day.

The journey to his old home brings long-forgotten memories. Itachi takes to the rooftop, pooling chakra into his feet, jumping from one spot to another. He takes a long way, enjoying the early morning hours with his newly restored chakra. Quiet and undisturbed, Konoha opens for him. He takes a small detour towards the Hokage Momenumt and pushes the extend of his chakra to increase speed. The morning bird's song vanishes as the wind rushes past his ears. The smell of morning air coating his face. Itachi closes his eyes and lets his senses guide him over treetops and businesses. By shinobi standards, he's moving quite slow. But after five years of living life as a civilian, this feels like flying.

Senses high, he dodges obstacles with ease. The muscles in his body coil and uncoil with every leap and step, supporting the weight of his movements. Itachi comes to a stop on a roof just shy of the Monument. Despite being winded, he stands and activates his doujustu to see the world around him clearer.

Amazing.

Itachi watches until the sun starts to crest the sky. He's the first to the Compound. Understandable since he and Kakashi are the only two currently with keys to the gate. The village planner informed him that they'd already set up the dumpsters at the newly designated spots. He walks into massive metal containers near the entrance of the gate. As it closes behind him, a familiar presence invades Itachi's solitude. He stills, turning towards where Weasel's chakra suddenly appears. 

Kakashi must be being cautious.

He holds no qualms with the Hokage's choice. Itachi will even venture to see he has some respect for him. Even this morning, his escort waits until Itachi is inside the Uchiha Compound to make his presence known. Weasel loiters near a tree close to the gate, staring ahead while the mask obscures his main object of scrutiny. He could have chased Itachi through the Village but chose to give him space.

Itachi acknowledges his arrival with a nod and a silent thank you for understanding.

Seconds later, a similar gesture is returned, indicating Weasel is watching him. The man disappears after that brief exchange, perhaps to a higher vantage point where he could keep a steady gaze on everything happening.

Itachi continues towards the small shops near the gate. Of all the buildings, he deems these of little consequence with regards to sensitive information. At his initial inspection, the only thing he observed was rusting equipment and spider webs. Besides that, the place is in surprisingly good condition. Itachi suspects some mold or other things growing, especially in one of the bakeries, however, he was informed that Sasuke lived here alone even after the Massacre. It very well could have been him who started the cleaning efforts. There isn't a trace of food in any of the places they look.

I commend you, little brother. If not for your efforts, things would be quite different now.

One of the buildings that they've already gutted houses extra equipment and outwear for workers. Itachi goes through the stash, procuring gloves, a mask, and safety goggles. He takes his time with getting the temporary electricity working, turning on industrial lights, and hanging torches, either on the hooks that were put in or on the tall metal stands. The clean-up crew arrives as he rolls up his sleeves and secures his medical mask to prevent dust from getting in his sinuses.

That is not a conversation he wants to have with Sakura later.

One Shikamaru and the village planner arrive, the groups divide into three. Shikamaru takes the civilians to businesses while Itachi directs the genin to a residence. Now that he has his Sharingan, Itachi can see more and do more and move faster.

"We have four homes on the agenda," he hands over detailed information for each building, "Anything on this list stays. Everything else will be either donated or destroyed later."

The young man scans the list of items, adjusting his goggles in the process. "What happens when we finish?"

Itachi nods towards the gate, "We help at the shops over there. I imagine with our set of skills, we will be completed before them."

His Sharingan activates, and the chunin before him takes a small step back. Itachi pretends not to notice, opening the door to their first order of business. He pauses, looking over at the man who has yet to move and the awed faces of those unfamiliar with his familial inheritance.

"Are you coming?" he questions, waiting to see if he will raise any concern.

He doesn't. Clearing his throat he turns to his squad to give instructions. Itachi leaves him to it, tugging at his gloved has to get started without them.

Delegating, separating, and discarding various items, the day runs like a well-oiled machine. Anything that can't be salvaged is tossed in the dumpster. Things that are okay, are boxed and shifted in a corner to be moved for storage later. A small part of him wonders at the men's cooperation with him. The genin team offers the utmost respect. Their chunin guardians flow his every order. Itachi is beyond pleased with how responsive they were, regardless of their potential personal opinions. Outwardly, their behavior is nothing but respectful, joking occasionally, and having casual conversations.

He eases into their routine and gets his hands dirty right along with him. Occasionally he switches off his dojutsu for practical purposes. Sakura gave him a time limit and he intends to keep it. As expected, the genin teams finish first. Eager to impress, they clear the homes just before lunch and clean everything just a few hours after. They turn their attention to the shops where construction workers take apart unusable furniture.

Covered in dirt and grim, Itachi hauls parts of a rotting countertop towards the dumpster when one of the genins stops him at the entrance, waving a book in his hand.

"Uchiha-san!" he calls. "I found this inside one of the drawers. We thought it looked personal, so…" He trails off, extending the book to him.

Itachi nods towards the dumpster. "Walk with me a moment."

They go outside together, allowing Itachi to relieve himself of his burden.

"Thank you," he says, tugging down his mask to take the book.

The man offers a mock salute before jogging back inside. Itachi wipes sweat from his brow and clears his throat before stalking towards a temporary streetlight.

The book is quite thin – not the normal look of a journal he's seen. Itachi slides his hand out of a glove then unwinds the tattered cord keeping everything together. With great care, he opens to the first page, scanning over the owner's name before delving into its contents. There's a list of quantities and measurements at the top of each page and a number next to each along with names that indicate recipes. His initial thoughts seem correct as most of what he comes across are baking tips, recipes, and anecdotes of alternative ingredients. Itachi peruses the pages for his own curiosity. A bundt cake piques his interest. He scans over the instructions and folds the corner of the page to return to it later.

I wonder if Temari is partial to sweets. Perhaps I can initiate a recipe exchange.

An approving hum rumbles in his chest. Itachi vows to look at the book in depth later. With one final turn of a page, starting to close the book to return to work, he startles when a small note at the bottom of one recipe catches his eye.

Inquire with Fugaku-sama if lavender near the edge of the lake falls within Provision Protections territory or if they belong to a local farmer. Necessary to enhance bread flavors.

For a moment he stares at the rushed handwriting of a baker who had no clue how meaningful his words would come to be. Itachi rereads the line but pauses on the section that makes his fingers loosen. Dark eyes widen. The rush in blood pressure is so sudden that it would have overwhelmed him if he hadn't used the wall next to the dumpster as a lean post. His lips part, chest tightening to an almost difficult degree. Itachi keeps his face from berating his inner turmoil. Quickly looking around himself for witnesses, he closes the book then closes his eyes to calm himself down. 

But his mind just keeping rehearsing the words, reminding him that he'd forgotten.

He'd forgotten all of these.

In the weeks since their mission assignment, he never considered looking into something so obvious. Before this moment, there was never a need to use them, or because he hadn't finished learning them that they didn't present themselves as an immediate solution. Itachi never planned to learn them either. His fate was sealed the moment he took up a sword against his father. 

But that was then. This is now. He should know better.

He knew better.

If my father were... Itachi almost chokes at the thought. He tries to stop it but can't.

Memories flood like water. Of sessions and training and bonding and instruction. Of father and son. Of time spent pouring over scrolls under the lamplight in tatami rooms near the back garden.

Itachi frowns, fist gripping the leather book.

How could I have forgotten something so paramount?

Things that his mind keeps from him until this sudden jolt, crash through him. The fact that he'd left them dormant at all is concerning still. These were precious moments only he and his father shared. They summon grief so deep, Itachi doesn't dare move for a long moment, tuning out sight and sound to the beat of his own heart.

Taking the life of his parents had been the hardest task by far. But his father permitted him while also fighting for his life. And as the final blow was given, he'd expressed his pride at the path Itachi chose.

Father never despised my choice. He welcomed it. He prepared me to make such decisions.

Knowing that did very little for a child orphaned by his own hands. The pain of parricide is one not shared by many who hold no resentment towards those who gave them life. Itachi holds that pain close to his heart, buried and unspoken of. If he allowed himself to feel, to process, to fully understand, he might just break.

So he forces his pulse to slow down and use technics not employed since his time in the Akatsuki. He forces memories to recede to their safe place unto he can stand on his own.

Itachi opens his eyes again, bringing the book up to read once more.

Could they have remained? He wonders, eyes shifting from the pages towards his former home. I remember where.

The book slams closed. Determination spurs him to stalk towards the building. It takes all his strength not to run. Weasel is still watching, and he is not on the ground alone. His pace is no less hasty, wanting to get there and check as soon as possible.

Itachi gets to the largest home in seconds. Adjacent to the building is another smaller home a few feet away. He gives little thought to his surroundings, narrowing his focus on his father's meeting rooms. Itachi detours towards the smaller structure. Feet thrum against the veranda as he retraces childhood memories to the far corner of the house. Two tall wooden double doors loom before him. Itachi narrows his eyes and gathers his courage, opening it before stepping inside. On instinct, he moves towards the abstract statue in the far corner. Its unassuming nature is meant to be just that. Itachi rubs his finger over the old bronze before stopping near the arm.

Would the jutsu still be intact though father is dead?

His Sharingan blazes to life. Red and black eyes fervently scan for the symbols only certain Uchiha members were trained to see. Spotting the opening, he quickly weaves the signs, grabs the statue's arm, and pulls. It easily gives, revealing a hidden cellar below.

Itachi pushes the limits, forcing more chakra into his eyes to achieve the first stages of his Mangekou. The strain is obvious, and he sways. But he only needs it active long enough to see the second layer of seals on the door, weave the signs then pull the latch.

With a hefty tug, he manages to get the door to lift, opening to a set of stairs down below. 

Sharp pain in his eyes indicates he's near his chakra limits. He stifles a groan, grabbing the wall with one hand and his throbbing eye with the other. He uses the wall for purchase and feels alongside to descend the stairs. Memory takes him down the dim dusk light hall. Not much light reaches into the depths of the cellar but it's enough to make out several small cupboards carved into the wall. Stuffed inside are several scrolls, carefully folded and covered in dust at their edges.

"The Clan Provision Protections," Itachi whispers.

A hushed reverence falls over him and he stares with one eye at them with mixed emotions. The last time he saw this place was more than a decade ago. The last time they'd need to be used as an equal amount of time ago.

He eases back until he sits on the last step.

I will not lose control; he demands it of himself. But there is no denying the way he feels. Itachi can't quite get the image of his father and mother kneeling before him out of his mind. The last shallow breath his mother took. The pool of his father's blood gathering at his feet.

Itachi grits his teeth and clenches his fits.

I will not lose control.

There is more at stake than forgotten memories. Because the Clan Provisions were more than just pieces of paper. They hold a power that could provide insight into his and Sakura's current dilemma. That is more important than his reminiscing.

His head starts to hurt for more reasons than his overused Sharingan. Itachi forces himself to stand. He stumbles slightly towards the cupboards and takes every scroll insight. Carefully tucking them under his arms, he makes a mental note to tell Kakashi to add special protections to this place before ascending the stairs.

Itachi explains nothing when he steps into the night and Weasel stands near the door.

"They all left, Uchiha-san," The Anbu tells him, gesturing towards the gate. "They were looking for you."

How long had he loitered down there?

Itachi glances in the direction Weasel gestures than at the man himself.

"I needed to retrieve something," he offers, turning and walking towards the gate. He tries to keep his pace and breathing steady but the pull of chakra exhaustion drags his feet.

Weasel trails him like a silent shadow, no longer hiding in the trees. The man says nothing, much to the Uchiha's gratitude. They approach the first building together. Weasel stands guard while Itachi gathers his things.

Belatedly it occurs to him that dinner will have to be takeout again. It is far too late for Minami and her uncle to still be out.

Itachi places all seven scrolls in the satchel and secures the satchel under his cloak. Once everything is locked and secure, he and Weasel head towards his home in an unhurried manner.

Despite his physical state, a sense of anticipation keeps Itachi moving. What he expects, he isn't sure. He doesn't allow himself to think too much. Thinking right now would be very dangerous.

It isn't until he reaches his front door that his pulse jumps. Once inside, Itachi doesn't bother with his cloak, searching for the only person to who he wanted to speak. Sakura's noisy movements in the kitchen draw his feet near. He corners her by the sink.

"What?" Sakura asks, shaking soapy water from her hands.

Voice low, too rattled to feign composure, Itachi fights for words and settles on the only ones that matter. "I found something."

Sakura's green eyes scan his face rather than stare at the things he clutches to his chest.

"Alright," she says slowly, not pushing him away, much to Itachi's gratitude. "What is it?"

"Something my father taught me years ago."

She nods after a moment, opens her mouth then closes it. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No," Itachi says far harsher than he intends. He needs a moment to pull himself back together.

Taking a calculated step back, he undoes the clasps on his cloak. "Here." He drops the satchel on the kitchen table, turns, and walks out of the room to find a place of familiarity, of comfort.

Hardly in control.

He's been teetering off-balance lately, unable to focus on keeping his composure in the face of his revelations.

This District Project is already weighing on me and we have only begun. How many more ghosts will I have to encounter before this settles?

Itachi wanders towards the back door. Sliding it open, he takes his perch near the entrance of their screened porch. Still, in his cloak, he leans against the doorpost, gazes fixed on the stars, one leg bent while his arm drapes across it.

Seconds go by before he hears Sakura's slow approach, feels her caution. He doesn't acknowledge her but also doesn't dismiss her when she kneels across from him, sitting the scrolls down onto the floor.

"Which should I address first: your brooding or this stuff you gave me?"

He huffs softly, flicking his wrist. "Do as you please."

"You know... your brother used to call me annoying when I would notice that he was in a mood."

"I am not my brother," Itachi responds quietly.

Sakura hums. "Both of you get tight-lipped when something's bothering you. So, I'd say the apple doesn't fall far…"

Itachi says nothing, gives nothing, and does nothing. Sakura sighs, shifting in her spot. Dark eyes flicker in her direction, watching as she stands. A part of him wants her to stay but he can't bring himself to ask. Prepared to deal with his restlessness alone, Itachi braces for her to leave.

But Sakura has always surprised him. She grabs several cushions and brings them over to where he sits, settling down once more with a pillow under her and resting against the wall.

Sakura picks up the scroll closest to her, unfolding it across her lap. He swallows, looking away towards the sky once more. A cloud drifts past, a wispy grey shadow against a sea of stars.

"This is...a lot of stuff." Sakura is still processing. "Hm? It's talking about the Sharingan. Itachi, what exactly is this?"

"Uchiha clan provision protections," Itachi drawls.

"Uchiha clan provision protections?" Sakura whistles, "Sounds fancy."

"Hnn."

"Why are you giving them to me?"

Itachi wrestles with his thoughts, clenching the hand on the ground in sheer defiance of his emotional disposition. He inhales before letting his gaze slide to her. "They may help."

Sakura groans, sitting the scroll down and scooting closer. Her chakra draws his full gaze. Her glare holds his attention. When she crosses her arms, he raises a brow. "Let's start over. With a little more of an explanation, if you please. What are they?"

He holds his tongue a moment, trying to articulate their importance in the same way his father told him. "Clan provisions were special protections given to all prominent and reputable clans when the village was founded. They allow clans to hold certain traditions outside of the governmental system of the village."

"And secrets?" She guesses, pointing to a hand-painted image of their famous dojutsu.

He nods. "In many respects, yes. Others are simpler. The First Hokage was aware of the reservations that clans held with joining under one government. He reassured them by giving them a small level of autonomy. For some, there are provisions on certain jutsu. For others, provisions for a way of life."

"What about for Uchiha?"

Itachi stares blankly, turning inward. The conversation with Sakura allows him to touch fragile memories without breaking them. He sees his father standing over him, showing him the hand signs to enter one of the Uchiha hideouts.

"There are many," he murmurs. "My father taught me some of them. The rest I am unsure about."

"Your dad, huh?" Sakura softens her voice. "If that's the case, why do you think I need them?"

"These provisions lay outside of the Hokage's power. There may be something there you can leverage in your favor for the mission."

Sakura forces her breath through clenched teeth, claiming his attention. Her eyes. They were guarded and reserved. "These aren't mine," she insists.

With a lazy gesture of his hand, Itachi drew her attention to the scrolls between them. "By all accounts, you are an Uchiha as well. This is within your right. If you invoke any of these, by way of marriage, Kakashi cannot refuse you."

"What about you?" Sakura challenges.

He snorts. "I have not refused you anything."

"Not that!" Sakura rolls her eyes. "Aren't you going to study these too? I'm only a temporary Uchiha. You're going to be the head of a clan one day. You need to study this just as much as I do!"

There is no denying his need to know all of them. Years ago he was eager for the chance if only to make the changes he so desired. It's not that those desires aren't present now, somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind. Itachi just isn't ready to venture down that path right now.

Not yet.

Because his father is there and his mother is there. His gut clenches. Itachi ducks his head, letting charcoal hair obscure his face.

"Itachi?"

With those simple words, he feels his composure slip for a second. Her concern is evident and he is tempted to fall into it.

"Hnn?"

She rests a hand on his arm. Sympathy or pity soothes her tone. He can't tell which exactly. "This isn't easy for you is it?"

"It is not." There is no point in denying the obvious.

Sakura gives his arm a gentle pat. "Maybe go see your parents tomorrow?"

"No," Itachi says.

"Sasuke?"

He does not respond, and she sighs. "Okay, fine. What do you want to do now?"

Itachi only takes seconds to deliberate, embracing the feelings he'd raced home for. The tingles where her hand rests take on that warming quality-like a balm.

Not quite the soothing touch of his mother or the quiet reassurance of his father. But Sakura is here in her own right and he takes comfort in her wanting to comfort him.

"This." He tells her.

Her skepticism reverberates in her repetition of his answer. "This?"

"Hnn."

"Just sitting here?"

Itachi pulls his head up, wanting to catch her eye. He doesn't have to go far. Sakura is right there with furrowed brows and concern written so plainly across her face.

"Just this."

Sakura nods, scooting further towards her array of pillows. "Can I read these while we sit?"

Itachi nods, regarding the moon. Silence engulfs them for a few moments before he makes a request.

"Aloud, if you don't mind."

"Huh?" Sakura asks. "Aloud what?"

"Read aloud."

"Oh. Okay sure."

As she reads, he feels anxiety slip and melts into nothingness as he thinks of his father, his mother, his past, and the future.

When Itachi said that Uchiha had several clan provisions, he hadn't been kidding. Sakura has only gotten through two-thirds of the first one before Itachi's mood settled enough to declare sleep.

There are five of these scrolls. How am I supposed to get through all of these?

Unfurling the rest of the scroll, she shifts her weight to another foot. So far, she's come across some interesting things, nonsensical things, and practical things. Madara certainly had a long list of traditions he wanted to maintain. The age of some of these shines through. Things like housing shapes and clan colors. Other things like having the Uchiha hideouts and keeping the Sharingan's full power within the clan, transcends time. Three scrolls in and doubt at their usefulness starts bubbling.

"Are you still reading those?" Ino calls as she pulls open a door, Inojin marching in right behind her.

Sakura looks up and smiles a greeting at them. "I'm looking for something."

"Something you lost?" Inojin asks marching up to the counter and vanishing under its height.

The pinkette laughs and turns as he scurries around to see her again.

"No," she coos. "Something Itachi-san forgot about. I'm just getting up to speed."

"I can't believe he never told you about the Provisions." Ino chimes in, locking up the shop and turning off the open sign.

"He said he forgot. He never had a reason to use them." Sakura grimaces, recalling her partners' distress at his lapse in memory a few nights ago.

I should hurry back soon, to make sure he's doing better. A tug on her pants draws her attention to the little boy reaching to be picked up. Sakura obliges, scooping Inojin up in her arms.

"I mean, I can understand that," Ino concedes skeptically. "But even I knew our family's provisions before I was a teenager."

"Uchiha has a lot," Sakura stresses.

Ino raises a brow. "How many?"

"Five scrolls full."

The blonde whistles. "Why am I not surprised? The Uchiha were technically the first clans to join. I guess the First Hokage was feeling generous?"

"Did you forget that he and Madara were friends?" Sakura cocks a brow. "A lot of it is highly specific fine print. I think he wanted to make a point to Lord Hashirama and the Hokage allowed it."

"Specifications like what?" Ino asks.

Sakura thinks of something common and less serious consequence. This really isn't her history to tell. "No other clan can wear their colors."

Ino gasps in awe, leaning over the other side of the counter. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"I believe Madara called the color Uchiha blue."

Their laugh rings out in the close quarters of the flower shop. Inojin tugs at her silken pink hair, confused by what was so funny. It only makes Sakura laugh more.

"How is that even legal?" Ino asks between giggles. "I mean, a lot of my clan wears purple but he didn't name the damn color after us! Hell, even our actual provisions aren't so specific. We got our jutsu and a patch of land at the edge of the Nara forest."

"That's it?"

Ino moves towards the glass cupboard holding the last of their day-old arrangements. "Yeah, that's it. Shikamaru's family faired a bit better. They got the entire Nara forest to themselves. But the way my father explained it, we were a smaller clan then. Still are, actually. We just managed what we got because we were close allies of the Nara clan."

Sakura follows her friend to the back, scroll, and Inojin in tow. "What happened to Ino-Shika-Cho? Shouldn't the Akimichi clan be in there somewhere?"

Ino clips off the stems from flowers looking less than stellar. Inojin wiggles to be set down. Sakura places him on the long wooden table that sits in the middle of the room. The two-year-old automatically starts to pull apart the petals of old flowers that will soon be turned into potpourri.

"Choji and his clan came late but they were considered noble so still faired pretty well," Ino supplies. "I think clan provisions got smaller and smaller when the village started to take shape. The Second Hokage made a general provision for all clans and anything outside of that applied to specific jutsu. So, the Akimichi Clan has a hold on its soldier pill recipes. And Kiba and his clan keep their dog training skills a top-secret. Unless you are an Uchiha, Hyuga, Nara, Yamanaka, Uzumaki, Sarutobi, or Akimichi, clan provisions are restricted to jutsu only."

Sakura picks up a discarded carnation and delicately pulls at every petal. "That explains why I never even heard of them. And the Hokage can't go above them?"

Her best friend hums, gathering the stems and tossing them in a nearby bin. "Basically. Whatever is in the provision works outside of the village. So, like, if all of Konoha burns down and the Nara forest remains, the Village has to ask Shikamaru for permission to use it. It is clan property, not Village property."

"That puts the village at a serious disadvantage…" the pinkette muses. "Wasn't uniting clans the point of Konoha?"

"Everybody has their secrets, Sakura," Ino winks. "Itachi won't tell me how the Sharingan works anymore that I would tell him how to step inside your mind. But if the village is in need, we'll ensure its safety regardless of our secrets."

Ino walks away, gathering the equipment and flower extract necessary to dehydrate the petals she and Inojin so delicately separated. Sakura watches her friend's child tackle the last of them, her mind wandering to Itachi again. Today is her last day here and her excitement would be more apparent if not for the somber mood of her partner. Itachi seems so determined, almost hopeful, that she would find something that she loathes the thought of letting him down. Yet he refuses to look into it himself. The connection to his father seems to really throw him off-kilter. She needs to find something if only for that reason.

With all of the minute details, there is bound to be something about baby-making in there. Whether to stop me from having to or give Itachi a way around it.

She loses herself in thought as the three of them finish up last-minute things before closing the shop.

Sakura beats Itachi home this time. A short day of deliveries for her. All of their orders were filled and the only ones they had were new orders coming in.

She makes tea then gets comfortable on the sofa with the Clan Provisions around her. After separating them into piles of what she read and what she had left, Sakura grabs the kettle and a cup, bringing them to the table. She then gets herself a slice of cake leftover from their visit with Temari.

"Alright, Madara," Sakura demands, unrolling a new scroll to its full length and holding each end in place with a paperweight. "You thought of literally everything, surely there must be something in here I can use."

Green eyes scan the title and instantly her heart leaps, for this volume was markedly different from what she'd read before. Firstly, the title references clan dynamics, starting with the Clan head's roles and duties.

Cake and cup. Clause and subtext. Sakura takes her time combing through every little detail, hoping that it will yield something.

The first few clauses are pretty basic. It lists what the clan head is supposed to do and his role with the Uchiha Clan and Konoha. The remnants of the Warring States period are clear. She snorts at the turns of phrases, hums at things that she is sure Itachi would agree with, and nods in understanding when it talks of putting the Clan's safe first.

It's no wonder Itachi's dad was between a rock and a hard place. The Provisions allow the village to overrule certain things but also charged the Clan Head to protect the Uchiha at all cost. He must have been so torn...

Sakura pours herself another cup and settles in for another long read as she comes across the part about family. It seems odd for a moment but makes sense as it goes into succession. It seems Itachi and Sasuke come from a long line of Clan Heads and may be descendants of Madara himself. The duty of the one tasked to protect the secrets of the Uchiha are numerous. The rules surrounding the way their family should conduct themselves are equally so. Sakura braves Madara's mind, hoping for anything that will set them on the right path.

Minutes in and the front door opens to Itachi coming home. Sakura acknowledges him with a simple hummed greeting while keeping her eyes glued to the page. Because it seems the subject of children is not just something Kakashi and the elders care about. Lineage is important and Madara's decree on how one should protect it nearly makes the warm cup of tea slip through her fingers.

"Oh my God," she gasps.

Itachi crosses the room in an instant, without removing his cloak or shoes, kneeling next to her to see what she saw.

"I think I found our answer," she whispers, inhales then says it again with much more feeling. "I think I found it, Itachi!"

Her partner leans over the table, over the scrolls splayed out before them. "Where? Show me."

Setting her cup down, Sakura pushes to her knees and points. "Here. Read this."

He follows her finger to a subclause just under 'Clan Head Descendents'.

"The Head of Clan is to choose a wife of equal skill from within the Clan to…"

"Not that," Sakura fusses, skipping ahead to the part that matters. "Here."

Itachi heaves a sigh, leaning forward to get a better look. He reads where her finger directs.

"Should the Head of Clan perish in battle before bearing children, the Head of Clan's brother or next male kin to the third generation shall go in unto the Head of Clan's wife, marry her and raise a male seed in his stead. If the Head of Clan remains alive and his wife is unwilling or unable to bear a male heir, the Head of Clan shall take for himself a second wife to preserve and strengthen the Uchiha Clan."

Itachi straightens, expression unreadable, but Sakura cannot contain her excitement. "Do you know what this means?" She exclaims.

Itachi makes a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. She grabs his shoulder and gives him a shake, squeezing it in under delight doing it.

"If we take the mission and I am unable to give you a child, you can marry someone else." Sakura declares.

"Hnn."

"That means we don't have to wait until this year ends!"

"Hnn."

"We can find you a wife now."

She waits for him to be equally as excited but his expression remains stoic and reserved. It's enough to make slightly kill her thrill.

The Uchiha stands in one fluid motion, taking several steps back before turning towards the door. Sakura is on her feet just as quickly.

"Itachi? Where are you going?" she questions.

Without a backward glance, Itachi's low voice halts Sakura in their living room.

"To see my mother."

Chapter Text

Line 8: Traditional Ways

" Here is the deepest secret nobody knows.. "

I Carry Your Heart

Line 8, Stanza 3

-EE Cummings

Sakura isn't even aware she's drifted to sleep until a thump rouses her. She flinches awake to sunlight pouring in her bedroom window.

"Itachi?" she asks in a daze, searching the bed. Her hand keeps going over the expanse of sheets, and it only takes a second for her the register that she is alone. "Itachi?"

It takes a moment more for her heart rate to settle. Rubbing her hands down her face, the pinkette shifts the covers to confirm what she already knows.

"Did he just sneak out or never made it home..." Swallowing against the lump in her throat, she forces herself to get up. Sakura grabs her robe and wraps it around herself before descending the stairs.

Her breakfast lay waiting without its chef, hinting that he had come home and perhaps left just as quickly.

The crux of her lips dip, and she uses the doorpost for purchase. "I didn't even realize he came home."

Her senses are pretty good. The fact that Itachi managed to come back, make breakfast, and leave concerns her. She chews her bottom lip and tucks one fist under her chin while the other crosses her chest.

He must have hidden his chakra or something. There's no way I slept that hard. Especially not after last night…

Pushing off the door, the medic goes to the living area.

I shouldn't have let him leave. I should have followed…

The living room light is still on as she crosses the room towards the front door. Sakura hesitates, hand hovering near the doorknob before shaking her head and grabbing it. A cold breeze greets her. There is no one. It doesn't help her restlessness at all. Sighing, she eases back into the house, closes the door then leans against it.

"I should give him a little more time. Just in case…" she mutters.

The medic rubs her arms, venturing into the living room. The Clan Provision scrolls still lay open where they'd left them.

"Does he not want to get married? I just…" the young woman rubs a hand through her hair.

Itachi's behavior as of late has been off, and Sakura has hunches as to why but the only confirmation came in him telling her that this wasn't easy. Still,  this  could be several things.

"Was it because the provisions reminded him of his dad?" Sakura slides from the sofa to the floor, leaning over the table. "Did he remember some bad memories or something?"

The fading ink of the tomes before her echoes her partner's decaying disposition. "Maybe that's why he needed to leave."

She bites her thumbnail, rereading what she thought was the perfect plan. Itachi told her once that he didn't want to be passed around from woman to woman. He said he wanted one woman. She'd considered his concerns and set to work with both of them in mind. Hours poured over books and scrolls. Finally, these Provisions give him exactly what he wants.

That much should have at least made him a bit happier. I get the feeling it's done the exact opposite. Not that I would know….

The kunoichi gathers the scroll, giving up on trying to figure out what's going on in his head. She carefully gets them back into their rolled compact positions and arranges them in numerical order. Sakura glances about the living room for an appropriate place to put such a serious set of documents. Beneath the mantle, there's a set of drawers reserved for some of her medical text. Sakura decides to place the tomes in the center drawer and spends the better half of 45 minutes rearranging her books to make space.

She leaves breakfast where it is to go upstairs. Today is supposed to be a happy day for her. It's her first day back at the hospital in weeks. She forces Itachi out of her mind in favor of getting ready for the day.

Showering first, the kunoichi lets the water wash away her concern about her partner's behavior.

He'll come to me if he wants . She thinks.  As long as he isn't doing anything stupid, it's fine.

Her line of thinking keeps her going through a change of clothes and finishing the food Itachi made her. Sakura holds that resolve until she makes it a few blocks outside, and the old Uchiha Compound can be seen. Her gut twists and she hesitates in her steps.

"Ugh," Sakura groans, looking down the street towards her normal route and then to the left where the Compound lay just outside of that. "One check. If he's not there, I'm going to work."

The detour only takes a few minutes as she takes to the rooftops. It's too early in the day for many to notice her. It's far too early to go through all of the range of emotions for a person who just may not want to be found. But Sakura keeps going, if only for the fact that it is her duty to watch him, and writing a report saying she hasn't seen him all day will not go over well.

Landing on the Compound's high walls, Sakura peers down into the expanse of what was once the Uchiha section. Large dumpsters and containers and other construction things litter the streets. Men flutter in and out of buildings, carrying things to a fro. She tries to spot the one man she needs to see but is immediately interrupted by the presence of another.

"Uchiha-sama." The Anbu standing next to her inclines his head respectfully. "Are you looking for Uchiha-sama?"

Green eyes turn their gaze towards the Weasel mask. "Please call me Sakura, no sama."

"Yes, Sakura-san." he adjusts. "Are you looking for Uchiha-sama?"

"Have you seen him?" she asks.

The Anbu points to the center of the Compound, at the largest building. "He has been there since before we arrived."

Sakura follows his line of sight towards what must be the main house or what would have been his former home.

So that's where he's been.

She tongues her cheek, chasting herself for being so impatient. There was a time when she would disappear to see Sasuke. If Itachi is feeling the throngs of old grievances, perhaps he needs reassurance from the place where grief was made.

Been there, done that.

A sigh escapes. She  has  been there. She  has  done that. She  knows  what needs to be done now.

She closes her eyes for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she opens them, then tilts her head towards the masked man.

"Weasel, right?" she asks and he inclines his head. "I know Itachi is supposed to be helping in the cleaning...but if he doesn't come out for a while just let him be. I'm putting you in charge of anything that looks of value. If something goes missing from here, I'm coming to you first. Understood?"

Weasel takes several seconds before giving a gentle nod. "Understood. However, please be advised, Sakura-san, that my first duty is to the Hokage. I will do as I am commissioned to."

Sakura furrows her brows, turning fully to him with a hand on her hip. "Your job is to watch Itachi while I'm at work or away. It stands to reason that I should tell you what to look out for."

"A level of truth, I guess. Even so, if he does not reemerge in a timely manner, I will have no choice but to investigate."

"Define  timely ." she challenges.

Weasel turns his face towards the Compound and then at her. "Before the second wave of workers come in."

"When is that?"

"Noon," Weasel says freely.

Of all Anbu, we get the one stickler for the rules.

Sakura turns away, looking at the main house before glancing at the sky. "What happens if he isn't finished by noon?"

"Then I will assume he does not wish to come out."

The unspoken threat makes the young medic scowl. "And what does  that  mean?"

Wesal pauses, turning his face slightly towards the village and then back to her. "What part makes you more worried: that he might need to be detained or the way I will have to detain him?"

Sakura opens her mouth and then closes it, biting the inside of her cheek instead.

Neither of those things particularly worried her at the moment. Itachi is who he is. She is more aware of that than most. Itachi could be a threat if he wanted to. If Weasel goes in, chakra ablaze, she is sure her partner could evade attacks at least. Even with what little chakra he has.

He wouldn't though. Probably. Hopefully. Besides, this isn't that behavior. This isn't rebellion. It's something else.

She's been in this place. A hard place that doesn't exactly need disruptions. Some things are better worked out alone.

Guilt maybe? With being here, I guess he can't hide from them anymore...

Her brows furrow and she crosses her arms over her chest.

It took years to get over the guilt about not helping Sasuke enough .  It took me that much time to realize those were his own choices, not mine. Even if Itachi claimed to not regret his choices, and that he resolved to do what needed to be done, that probably didn't make it hurt any less. Just like with me...

"Sakura-san?" Weasel gentle calls, pulling her from her rumination.

She blinks, thinning her lips at the odd revelation. There was a time when she, too, would have thought he was up to no good.

Here I am, a few years later, defending him to Anbu.

The young medic shakes her head, looking at Weasel. "Itachi is going through a lot right now. This whole process at this place needs some time to settle with him. I want him to go through it without someone standing over his shoulder."

"I will only do my job, Sakura-san." Weasel comments.

"I'm sure the Hokage will cut you a break if you gave Itachi more space?"

"Then let the Hokage says so." the man quips, pauses, then adds. "Uchiha-sama and I have an understanding, unlike other members of my unit that feel different. I have not nor will I intrude upon Uchiha-sama's need for...personal space. However, I will do what I am assigned. I believe Uchiha-sama will enjoy such a small reprieve, should I need to remind him of his probation. I'm just doing my job, Sakura-san, keeping both Uchiha-sama and Konoha safe."

Sakura hesitates at the confession and declaration, for Weasel's words ring more compassionate than threatening. Turning to face Weasel fully, she gives him her full attention. Standing nearly head and shoulders taller than her, and perhaps a bit taller than Itachi as well, Weasel looks deceptively docile. His posture is casual, arms crossed lightly over his chest and a small tilt to his hip that shows an air of relaxation. If his messy hair were gray, Sakura could have mistaken his carefree demeanor for her former sensei, if not a tad bit slimmer.

More than his physical features, it's the obvious awareness he has over his charge that makes her smile a little. They've cycled through several Anbu on duty, some just going through the motions, others making their distaste known. Sakura didn't give much consideration to either. After all, she fluctuated between all of those feelings for a time.

Yet there is a sincerity to this man's words that makes her feel as if Itachi is in good hands during what could be a very sensitive time.

She nods once, looking away and then back again."If...if by chance you have to do something because he doesn't come out, will you at least send word for me?"

Weasel tilts his head slightly. "Like a summons?"

"Whatever you see fit."

"That should not be a problem, Sakura-san."

She nods once more, gazing back at the Clan Head home before. Satisfied, Sakura leaves the conversation there, jumping from the wall to walk the rest of the way to work. There is no way she can tell Weasel to not do his job. But if Itachi truly needs time to reconcile with the dead, she is sure the Anbu will allow him that much.

I'm not willing to break the rules for him though.  She confesses, turning down a side street.  Itachi's never been one to grieve long, I don't think. Well, I actually don't know. He'd spent most of his time helping me grieve. I don't think I've ever seen him even shed a tear for any of them…

There was a time when part of her didn't think him capable of tears. Now that she feels more whole, perhaps he can.

Sakura grimaces. "I can't picture Itachi crying at all."

She shakes her head, leaving her partner and his mood behind.

Weeks away from the hospital, and she's nearly forgotten the smell of sterilization. Sakura takes a huge inhale in the Waiting Area and smiles to herself at the warm, fuzzy feeling building in her stomach.

I'm back!

"Sakura-sama!" the receptionist waves from behind the desk. "Welcome back. We've missed you here."

Her smile brightens as she ventures closer. "It's good to be back, Chioyo-san. Did I miss anything interesting?"

Chiyo tilts her head forward, wagging her brows in a way that ensured some juicy news. "Several shinobi injuries. One was poisoned a few days, came in here arms flailing and seeing things."

Sakura gasps, leaning over the counter to get closer. "What kind of poison? Did you find out?"

Chiyo shakes her head. "Tsunade-sama took over that one, and her records haven't been made into my database yet. You missed a delivery too. Twins!"

" No! "

"Yup. Identical. Cute little things. That kid was here a few days ago too."

"Kai?"

The receptionist nods once. "Just a routine check-up. Tsunade-sama's been keeping a good eye on him for the time being. Poor thing came in one day covered in raised spots."

Sakura leans her hand on her chin. "Yeah, I heard." she huffs, "When's his next appointment?"

Chiyo shakes a finger at her, pushes her chair back, and looks at a scheduling calendar.

"About a week and a half from today."

Sakura sighs her disappointment and pushes off the counter as the hospital doors open. "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, Chioyo-san."

She starts to walk off when Chioyo stands and leans over the desk to call to her. "One more thing, Honoka-san says she needs you in your office for something or another."

Honoka?

She nods, heading in that direction. "I'll get to it."

Sakura takes the long way to her office, popping in on different floors just to make rounds and let others see her face. By the time she gets on the floor where most offices lay, the eerie quiet slow her steps. Suspicion builds at this 'something', Honoka needs. Walking to the door of her office heightens said suspicions as an overwhelming smell of clean tickle her nose and the telltale whispers behind the door give her all of the evidence she needs.

Still, her heart leaps when she opens it to a chorus of 'Welcome Back' ringing out.

"What's all this?" Sakura laughs, arms open for the delicious sweets being shoved her way.

Honoka emerges from the crowd holding two cups of wafting hot tea. "It's your first day back! We thought we'd have a little celebration."

A little celebration indeed. Maybe four or five doctors join in the celebration, surrounded by treats in a particularly immaculate office.

"Someone asked for confetti but that would ruin the work our new residence put in with cleaning your office," Honoka informs and nods towards the back. "No more empty chip bags or old tea cups."

A light blush colors her face. Sakura lets out an embarrassed huff. "Thanks, I think. Thank you, all of you."

"Don't think us. Thank Tsunade-sama for letting us." Honoka beams.

Shishou.  Sakura thinks. "Is she here?"

From the crowd, conveniently hidden behind her chair, Tsunade raises from her seat at the desk. "You thought I'd miss your Welcome Back party and a chance for sake?"

Green eyes widen and swing to Honoka. "You bought sake?"

"She did!" Honoka points and then gestures to the bottle amongst the desserts. "I wasn't going to say no to Tsunade-sama."

Sakura only shakes her head, eating treats and sipping tea with her fellow medical professionals. The party is light at best and only last a few minutes before people need to get back to work. They finish the sake, at least. Sakura evenly distributes it amongst the staff to keep her Shishou sober the rest of the day.

Tsunade makes an offhand comment from her vantage near the small side window, looking at the back view of Konoha. As things die down, Honoka takes to cleaning up what little bits are left before leaving.

"I'll go prep your work and be back...later." the young woman informs before closing the door behind her.

Now alone, Sakura partly sits on her desk, waiting for what she knows is coming.

Her former mentor offers a haughty and knowing smirk. "So. How does it feel to be back?"

Sakura exhales a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Amazing. I never thought I'd miss the smell of this place but as soon as I walked in a felt it."

"The girls really went all out with the welcome back party." she nods towards the number of wrapped things on the desk.

"I wouldn't exactly call it a party." Sakura corrects, walking to meet her mentor near the window. "It was more a loud greeting with treats."

"We couldn't exactly have all of the medical staff singing your praises while patients lay waiting."

"True.." Sakura agrees and looks out into the winter morning.

Seconds slip by before Tsunade crosses her arms, facing away towards the office. "Anything else you want to add?"

Sakura tilts her head to get a better view. "About?"

"You weren't sent on a furlough for nothing." Tsunade chimes. "That time was meant to be used wisely."

"You strictly forbade me from working." Sakura deadpans.

Tsunade snorts. "And I guess Honoka was ferrying books back and forth for her own sake?"

The pinkette gasped, turning her head fully in disbelief. "You knew?"

"Of course, I knew!" The blonde rolls her eyes. "The minute those items left your office, I knew you were up to no good. I even told Kakashi you would find a workaround. But we expected you to."

The news isn't entirely surprising. There were several times when Sakura asked Honoka if she was followed. The fact that no one raised alarm bells at the sheer amount of information the young woman was funneling to her was an alarm in itself.

It couldn't be helped, I guess.

"You two schemed to force me to focus my efforts." Sakura determines, crossing her arms just the same.

"Basically." Tsunade freely admits before turning to her with a serious look. "Were our efforts in vain?"

Sakura considers the events of the night before and the nights leading up to that night. Solution-wise, she feels she hit a gold mine. But without Itachi's agreement, it would remain an untouched treasure.

Disappointment shows up on her face and she looks away. "I found...something. Something that I think could work. I just have to convince Itachi to go along with it."

Before her former teacher can ask, a series of knocks draw both of their attention to the door.

"Forgive me Sakura-sama, Tsunade-sama but we need Tsunade-sama in neurology."

The blonde sighs before pushing off the window seal. "We'll finish this later. Go make your rounds. I'm sure Honoka is waiting for you at the start of it."

Sakura nods, retrieving her doctor's coat from the rake before leaving out behind her Shishou. Honoka meets her with a handful of clipboards. In every room they stop in, the check-ups take a little longer than usual. People were excited to have her back and Sakura shares their thrill. They converse about little and big things, her catching up on the things she's missed and them feeling reassured that she hadn't fallen off the planet.

Honoka sticks with her until she is called away for her patients, leaving Sakura to fulfill the rest of her obligation on her own. It's a simple task and the morning passes without consequence. It isn't until she's back at her desk with tempura and backed up paperwork did it occur to her that she received no word from Weasel.

Maybe he did come out of hiding.  Sakura reasons, having no bases to believe the Anbu would lie to her.

She refocuses on the task at hand, signing documents and familiarizing herself with older case files. She falls back into the natural rhythm of her medical life. The only thing missing is the patient she desperately wanted to see. As it stands, Kai was discharged days ago but would be back for a follow-up in the days ahead. Without the boy physically there, Sakura scratches an itch that's been plaguing her for days. Finally finished with things in her office, she ventures to the lab where indeed the smell of clean hospital and chemicals and cures makes her shiver with joy.

Honoka left notes on things that were done while she was away. Sakura glosses over them before setting up her workstation for blood samples. Fluttering about the room looking for the right materials, she can't quite contain her excitement and finally being back here and perhaps one step closer to figuring out a miracle cure.

With things in place, she pulls her chair close to her workstation and sterilizes her hands before putting on gloves. The chilled samples of Kai and Itachi's blood are placed in holders for easy reach. Sakura changes the tops of each for those that could be punctured with a needle. She does Kai's first, extracting a small amount of blood, spreading it on a clean dish then sprinkling a blood stain on it before viewing it under a microscope.

"Let's see what's going on inside here…"

The blood changes colors and several white blood cells stand apart from the red ones. She takes the measures, counting and recounting before jotting down the information and repeats the experiment several more times.

Kai's white blood cell count is compared to the normal levels. She expects as much since a majority of his issue is inflammation. Inflammation is an indication of an immune response. But she is more interested to see how the immune system is responding, not whether is. After doing a complete blood cell count, she makes another table in her notes and switches equipment for a more in-depth study. Knowing Kai has a high white blood cell is one thing but knowing what kinds of white blood cells are swimming around in his blood will give her greater clarity.

She doesn't know how long she spends smearing blood, staining, and counting. But the process is repeated over and over and over again until she is satisfied with the data for all four types of white blood cells as well as antibodies. With Kai out of the way, Sakura spends the rest of her evening doing the same thing with Itachi's blood.

The test takes up almost all of her evening and night. The results, she will have by late morning tomorrow.

"I'll leave it here for now." She says then yawns, pushing away from the desk for a stretch. "I'm surprised Shishou didn't come to get me. Maybe I can catch her tomorrow morning before things get too busy."

The medic packs up her things, leaving most of the supplies where they lay and the samples in an incubator so the results would be more conclusive.

Ascending the stairs towards the main hospital, Sakura smiles a greeting at night nurses happy to see her. She goes to her office and takes the rest of the desserts from her 'party' earlier, stacks them up to carry to the breakroom.

"Better here than at home where Itachi would eat all of it in a single day." she jokes to herself then pauses in the room as a sudden nervousness gives her butterflies.

"...if he's even homes" she whispers, then shakes her head. She places the snacks in the fridge, preserving a few goodies for herself before taking her leave.

Opting to walk, Sakura forcibly meanders the roads. Taking little side trips, peeking through shop windows, and pausing at interesting restaurant signs. She has little desire to buy from any of these places now. But the longer she takes, the higher the chance her partner will be home.

As businesses and stalls disappear, and commercial buildings turn more residential, Sakura clenches her package of snacks tighter.

Why am I nervous?  She questions and ducks her chin deeper into her coat.  What does it matter if he's home or not?

She hasn't seen Itachi for almost a full day, and not of her own volition either.  He's  the one who left this time.

That would be all fine and good if I didn't have to write a report on him every single day. What am I supposed to tell Kakashi if I haven't seen him?

Her home gets closer with every step of her heels on the sidewalk. Pushing down the anxiety in her chest, her chakra searches for two familiar signatures as the single-family home comes into view.

"He's not here," she says to herself, glancing at the roof of her house for Weasel to make an appearance. But the Anbu doesn't show and the darkness emitting from inside means the place is just as she left it.

Upon opening the door, her theory is confirmed.

Almost.

The lingering scent of cooked food lets her know he had come by at some point in the day. A quick check of the fridge shows that he had indeed taken the recommended dosage of medicine before disappearing into the night once again.

Sakura can only huff, stuffing the desserts around newly stocked groceries before fixing her dinner.

"If he's with Weasel then he should be fine," she reassures herself.

Moving the vegetables around her plate, Sakura stares across the kitchen table. "I guess I'll just tell Kakashi he's been working? That's technically true...He's being watched so basically the probation isn't being violated. I'm sure Kakashi will understand that he needs some time alone…"

She hesitates, glancing over her shoulder towards the living room before going back to her food.

One day shouldn't hurt...He's always understood my need for space. 

The food goes down slowly. Sakura cleans her dishes and checks the street through the window over the sink. After putting everything away, she ventures upstairs for a much-needed bath. Soaking up in water up to her chin, Sakura closes her eyes and thinks of samples and cures. The information she found tonight leans credence to her hypothesis. There were more white blood cells than red. That alone isn't enough and she thinks of ways to isolate those samples until her bathwater runs cold.

Exiting the tub, she dries herself and dawns only a bathroom to venture back downstairs.

"No reason I can't get a bit more reading in." Going towards the chest of drawers filled with medical text, she gathers ones of interest and brings them to her bedroom. She finishes her night routine, changing into something comfortable and warm before crawling into bed with books. Splaying them on her partner's side of the bed, she cozies up to the biggest book under warm bedside lighting. With every turn of the page, her eyes grow heavier. Sakura resists until she can't anymore.

She jerks awake to a noticeable emptiness. The lingering scent of breakfast makes her glare. She goes to the hospital without stopping by the Compound this time. Her first thought is to find Tsunade but it seems her Shishou has been called away by the Hokage for something.

"Great," Sakura grumbles. "So much for that advice."

Sakura makes her rounds, helps with an unscheduled surgery then confines herself to her lab for more testing. She makes a fresh batch of medicine for both Itachi and Kai. Notes down the findings of her research from the day before then adds a couple of tests to the list for the following day.

A quick check with other doctors reveals that Tsunade is still tied up with Kakashi so Sakura leaves significantly earlier than the day before, hoping to beat her wayward partner home.

She doesn't linger near shops this time. Determined steps get her to her front door in less than twenty minutes.

"Are you kidding me?" The pinkette glares at the roof of her house as the only chakra signature around is her own.

She opens the door and once again, dinner is there but Itachi is not.

"One night excusable. Two questionable. But three is pushing it, Itachi!" She yells to the wind and slams the door. Then opens it again just in case.

"Where are you?" she gripes between clenched teeth, trying to find his chakra signature.

But she can't and hasn't been able to for the last three days. People only hide such a thing when they don't want to be found. If Itachi is where he claims, there would be no reason to hide from her.

So why? Why don't you want me to know?

Her chest tightens. Sakura swallows, willing herself not to worry or think the worse.  He's not making this easy. But what do I tell Kakashi now? How many days do you need to visit your mother? 

She grimaces at how heartless her thoughts sound. "It would be a really stupid idea to screw up four years of trust on a whim like this…"

Sakura reassures herself, closing the door and going to the kitchen. "Don't think the worse, Sakura. He's just visiting his mother, Sakura. Anbu is with him. There is no way Weasel would collude with Itachi knowing Kakashi would know…"

Even to her, the argument is weak. One conversation with the man doesn't mean he is trustworthy.  Do I have a choice?

"Ugh!" she slams the bowl down on the counter, sending hairline cracks through the porcelain. "Oh no…!" seconds later, it shatters in her hands, sending shards all over the floor.

"Damn it!"

Stepping away from the sink, she grabs the broom and cleans the mess. Opting out of eating what Itachi cooked, she finishes off the desserts from her party and forces herself to into being okay with writing a half-ass report to Kakashi about Itachi's day. She rolls the missive and seals it before summoning one of her slugs to pass on the message.

Sakura pushes for sleep. Ignores breakfast in the morning and goes to work as if nothing is bothering her.

By the fifth day of this same cycle, the kunoichi has had enough of explaining away his behavior. She is not inclined to get Weasel in trouble but she most certainly doesn't plan to go down with whatever ship Itachi is sailing in.

"If anyone asks for me, tell them I went to lunch," Sakura tells Honoka.

"Any place in particular?" The brunette asks.

Sakura pauses at her office door, thinking over the question. "Somewhere absolutely ambiguous so it takes the person while."

She grins and Honoka shrugs just the same. "You got it, boss!"

Leaving Honoka in charge of her patients, for the time being, the kunoichi ventures first to the Uchiha Compound. It's late afternoon, almost evening, but Itachi should be there.

There's no way he's finished his work before mine . Mouth fixed in a determined frown, she scales Konoha's buildings and crosses the town in record time. Perched atop the Compound walls, she expects Weasel to make a thunderous appearance like before. However, a closer look reveals very little activity.

Sakura drops gracefully to the ground and walks through the construction zone towards the dumpsters in the center of the old residence. From what she can see, the work seems to be moving fast if they are already this far into the interior.

"It only begs the question, where is everyone?" Sakura grumbles. She turns a corner and then pauses before a propped-open door to a home.

"Hello?" she calls, cautiously peering inside. Immediately her senses heighten as whatever jutsu surrounds this place flickers in and out of focus. In mere seconds everything settles and the prick of chakra dissipates into nothing. For safe measure, she weaves signs to repel genjutsu before stepping inside. Nothing stops her as she explores what once was a living area but is now laid bare with only a few original items remaining.

There's no indicator to say whose house this used to be. Any personal artifacts have been removed already. Yet she pauses a moment in the center of the room, glancing about her as the reality of this place settles around her. Someone used to live here. Maybe a single person, a couple, or even a family.

"They lived and died in this place…" she whispers, swallowing the heaviness of her thoughts.

A chill makes her rub her arms. Sakura walks around a corner, entering the kitchen. Whatever works is happening here, seems to have stopped here. Gloves and hardhats lay on the table. Walking closer, there's a note on the counter denoting where things are to be placed. Fingers graze the unused wood. Sakura does a walk about the place before going back into the living room. Something about being in an old Uchiha residence gives her an eerily feeling.

"Heck, if I had to work in a place let this all day, I'd need a break too," she mutters to herself.

If she feels slightly uncomfortable, there's no telling what her partner feels daily.

Going back into the late winter air, Sakura wanders a bit more, even going so far as the main house. But a heavy padlock on the outside reassures her no one could be inside.

"If Itachi were here, Weasel would have found me by now. Or I would have sensed them."

Fingers graze the dark wood of the front door before laying her palm flat against it. She's pretty sure Itachi and Sasuke's parents died in this house. While neither of the Uchiha boys was forthcoming with the events of that night, it isn't hard to imagine the trauma that must have gone on here. Or the horror Sasuke faced. Or the tragedy Itachi sparked.

Green eyes lower with the setting sun. Sakura lingers a moment, looking at the lock, wondering what that night must have been like.

I wouldn't be able to set foot in this place, let alone spend extended amounts of time here.

Taking a deep breath, she mentally checks the Compound off her list and steps off the family porch.

Her destination is obvious. The trip to Konoha's Shinobi Cemetery is a short one. Although she isn't going there to visit the dead, she pauses to clean her hands at the purification fountain and say a brief prayer before ringing the bell. Sakura shakes her hands dry and inhales chunks of fresh air to empty her mind of respect as she crosses under the tori gate. Careful to stay on the stone path lit with glowing pale yellow lanterns, Sakura weaves between rows of black limestone markings. A village within a village, the land is divided both by family, status, and wealth. She crosses a small wooden bridge that separates part of the open field by a small slow-moving creek, then continues towards a large oak tree nestled in the left corner of the Konoha Cemetery. Inscribed on the tree is a very large and very noticeable Uchiha clan symbol. Next to it, is a shorter marble obelisk etched with half-truths.

Sakura pauses and rereads the tragic events that led to hundreds of Uchihas being buried all at once. The description is painfully vague, only mentioning that the clan was slain in one night for unclear reasons. She brushes her fingers over the cold marble before walking past it towards a grove of beech trees swaying gently in the wind. From experience, she knows there is a jutsu here that prevents most from being able to enter this portion of the graveyard.

As the matriarch of the Uchiha family, Sakura is one of the very few privileged with access to this place. For good reason considering the valuable information laid to rest here. She weaves the necessary hand signs to undo the protective seal and then steps inside. Sakura feels the prick in her chakra but knows it's the complex jutsu verifying her chakra signature. After a few seconds, the imaginary forest opens to a neighborhood of headstones.

As far as the eye can see, hundreds of them, big and small lay evenly spaced between soft blades of grass. Sakura bows both her respect and thanks to all who lay here, but she's not looking for any of these. For at the center of them all, surrounded by a small wrought iron fence lay two equally sized tombs, side by side. Elegantly decorated in the same white marble as the obelisk, these two graves, overlooking all of the rest, speak volumes about the two laid to rest here.

Sakura ventures close, following the marked path towards them. She already knows even before getting around to the front of them but she makes the journey anyway.

Itachi is not here. But he has been here. The flowers surrounding the graves look freshly planted. Even the ones around Sasuke's heap of stone look new.

"He changed the offerings as well," she says, glancing between the two tombs and the unmarked stone under a beech tree directly to the left of where his parents lay. The evidence of what she assumes is very much here. Itachi has been visiting the graves. Her reports to Kakashi haven't been a complete lie but at some point, she will run out of creative ways of saying she hasn't seen him all day.

"So not at work and not here. Where else could he be?" Sakura looks back to the marble tombs decorated with uchiwa fans and the names of the fallen. She places a hand on Mikoto Uchiha's grave, settling her green eyes over the name. "Maybe you can give me some help with your son? He's acting strange and I gotta say, I'm not sure what to make it off it. He came to see  you  so...maybe you know something I don't?"

The kunoichi pauses for an answer, even scanning the sky for ravens. Nothing happens. Sakura sighs and shoves her hands in her coat pocket.

"He won't talk to me," Sakura confesses. "Who could blame him? But a bit of something would keep us both from being reprimanded. And he's not trying to be found. That's what makes this worse..."

Sakura trails off, settling her eyes back on the gravestones. "I guess you don't know either right?"

With growing trepidation, she turns towards a source of comfort. Making her way to where Sasuke lays, Sakura takes refuge under the tree looming over the unmarked grave. Itachi changed these flowers as well, even adding a small bowl of tomatoes.

"Figures Itachi would know your favorite food," Sakura grunts playfully, a waft of airy breath following her words.

The words settle around her and she blinks as an idea brews.

"Favorite foods...wait a minute," her brows come together as she looks at the entrance. "The tea shop! Itachi is almost always there!" Green eyes lit with possibility and she looks back to Sasuke. "Thanks, Sasuke."

She takes off running towards the genjutsu before doubling back and giving Mikoto's grave a brief squeeze. "You too!"

Heading out of the cemetery, Sakura goes to the teahouse her partner is known to frequent. A small hole in the wall place that doesn't look like it's changed from the time of the war, she lifts the bamboo flap to get inside. Finding a place to sit is easy in the moderately empty eatery, save a few customers and one familiar face.

But not the face she is looking for.

Great . She grumbles to herself and takes a few steps to get out of the doorway . No reason to waste a trip. Or keep building up my lying career.

Sakura stays for tea and takoyaki, thinking over her next move.

"I could go home," she muses, turning her head in that direction. "Or...and since I'm desperate here, check with Shikamaru to see if he's been spending all of his time there playing shogi..."

It's a long shot for sure. Shikamaru would have found her by now if Itachi were spending the night there.

Or at least Ino would have pulled her aside to inquire why her husband has been spending the next at her second best friend's house.

"I'm out of options though…"

"More tea, Uchiha-san?" the waitress asks.

"Hm?" the pinkette looks up and offers a soft smile. "No, thank you. I'm actually about to go."

The young woman blinks glancing at her plate and then her face. "You've hardly finished your food."

Sakura laughs nervously. "I know. I guess I wasn't as hungry as I thought. Is there any way I can get these to go please?"

"Certainly!" the waitress takes the small plate and Sakura drums her fingers on her teacup until both takeout and check come.

She pays and leaves a generous tip despite much insistence that it is unnecessary. Sakura steps onto the street, walking in no particular direction for a few minutes before deciding to check with Shikamaru and Temari first.

"If I'm going home, I'm staying home." she resolves to herself, thinking of the number of times she's left early these last few days just to look for Itachi.

Cradling her carry-out, she eases into the small crowd of people walking around. "He is my number one priority. Hospital or not, Itachi is my mission and I am still a shinobi. It would be nice if the subject of my mission wasn't playing the absolute worst game of hide and seek." she pouts.

Getting to the Nara house is relatively easy. When Temari comes to the door, all smiles and cordial manners, Sakura feels her stomach turn.

She has no idea why I'm here .

Her laugh is nervous. Sakura casually waves her hands in front of her face while Temari gestures toward the living.

"No, no, it's fine." she insists. "I only came by to ask if Itachi stopped by recently?"

"Itachi?" Temari's brow puckers a bit as she taps her chin. "Not since the last time we had dinner. Now that you mention it, he hasn't been around for his regular tea time with Shikamaru. Is he okay?"

"Erm, in a sense, yes. He's been under some stress with this whole construction project."  Or at least that's what I think.  "I thought maybe he stopped by here for some relief but maybe he's just out training or something. I'll check the grounds to see if I spot him."

Much to her gratitude, Temari doesn't inquire further. "Alright. I hope he gets it together. Shikamaru always talks about being stressed out working with Kakashi. Maybe it's the same."

"Probably. Anyways, sorry to just drop by and leave again."

Temari raises a hand in protest. "No apology needed. There's been plenty of times I had to hunt Shikamaru down in the Nara forest. Trust me, I get it."

With another brief promise to come back for more dinner and sake, the pinkette heads back to the hospital to do her final paperwork and walkthroughs. It takes all of a half hour and with strict instructions to Honoka to call her if any serious emergency arises, Sakura goes to the last place she can think of that Itachi could be: at home.

Her expectations are dangerously low. He hasn't been there for days now so him just magically showing up is unlikely. But she holds out a sliver of something, faith maybe, that he will put her mind at ease. As she nears the property that sliver dissolves into dread.

Sakura opens the door, the house quiet and vacant.

"I knew it," she mumbles, easing the door closed and glaring in the dark. "I knew it!"

Her fist hits the door. Sakura turns quickly at the sound of splintering wood. "Great! Now I'm going to have to get a new freaking door!"

She stomps through the house, throwing the takeout onto the nearest countertop. Sakura rubs her hands through her hair, then grabs the base of her neck trying to calm down.

"Itachi could literally be plotting the end of the world right now and I would have no freaking clue!"

She takes to pacing, trying to think of any other place he could be. "The training grounds, maybe? That's the only other place I can think of. Naruto would have spoken to me if Itachi were there. He doesn't talk to anyone else. So maybe he and Weasel are beating the crap out of each other to exhaustion."

A familiar tightness grips her chest.

God, not this . Squeezing her eyes shut, she rubs the edges of her temple. "Not going to freak out. I  am not  going to freak out."

The metallic taste in her mouth doesn't subside. Even as she takes slow inhales, her heartbeat steadily rises. She can't remember the last time she experienced a panic attack. The fact that one comes as a result of this situation is troubling enough on its own.

Shaking her hands, Sakura goes upstairs to run a bath and stave off a headache as well. Either that or lose her mind to Itachi's non-sense. She strips and gets in without waiting for the tub to fill. Sinking low, Sakura splashes water on her face and tries to think through the onslaught of pressure building at the base of her neck.

"I don't have a choice. I have to tell Kakashi or else I put myself at an even bigger risk." She sinks further into the water, sticking one foot directly under the faucet to feel the rushing water over her toes. "I highly doubt he's at the training grounds but I'll check anyway. After that, that's it. I'll have to take whatever consequences come from what happens over the next few days. Itachi will have to deal with his fallout. Weasel too."

Using her toes, she turns the knob until the water stops and dunks herself under, and emerges just as quickly. The warmth of the water eases some of the tension. Sakura leans her neck against the back of the tub and closes her eyes.

Itachi did this to him.  She reasons.  Even if he's going through something, I can't say that if I don't know that for sure. I don't want to be insensitive but what else can I do?

Sakura lets the water do the work, drawing up more pleasant memories until her body completely unwinds. She stays long enough to breathe normally, then washes slowly until the aching in her shoulders goes away. Upon exiting, Sakura grabs her bathrobe and secures it tightly around her then towel dries her freshly washed hair. She leaves the bathroom still cleaning water from her left ear when an uneasiness pulls her back straight.

Someone's here.

Fingers grip the towel tighter, still rubbing behind her ear to present an airy calm.

No person in their right mind would attempt to break into her house unless they had a death wish. But the unmistakable feeling of not being alone is very much there and she follows it towards her bedroom door.

A heartbeat goes by and she hesitates, wondering if it is just wishful thinking.

He couldn't have snuck in without me noticing something . Despite her thoughts, a deeper part of her hopes that's the case. But an even deeper part of her doubts that the situation would have changed.

If not him, then who else?  A glance over her shoulder relieves nothing. Sakura swallows, pulse escalating. She grabs the door and pauses for a heartbeat before easing it open.

It's half ajar before everything stops.

Her arm goes limp as her fingers uncurl around the metal before dropping lifeless to her side.

Thoughts sputter and she opens her mouth to say something, anything. Words fail her. Thoughts fail her. She's worked herself up to the consequences, resolved to take whatever her form sensei threw at her for her carelessness.

None of that matters now because Itachi is  here . Sitting quietly like a mouse with elbows resting on his thighs and fingertips touching.

Her breath hitches and the knots in her stomach shift up to her throat. There is so much to say, so much she can say at this moment. All of her emotions fight at once to be let loose.

Anger. Relief.

Hurt. Happiness.

Confusion. Suspicion.

She can't quite regulate or fully comprehend the fact that the thing that's kept her tossing and turning in the night is right there and in one piece. Not mulled by some wild animals in the woods. Not passed out in a pool of his blood. Not plotting the demise of Konoha. But in their bedroom at the edge of it facing away from her.

He came back…

Sakura takes a half step into the room before pausing, checking for suspicious pools of chakra. For all she knew, this could be an elaborate genjutsu cast by him or some stranger that's taken Itachi captive.

Itachi lifts his head slightly and she stills, watching his loose hair shift against his shoulders.

"There is no genjutsu, Sakura." Calm and in control.

It's really him.

Sakura's lip thins and she fights back against the sting in her eyes. Refusing to cry over the relief that takes hold, she lifts her hand to push the hair from her face and covertly wipes the corner of her eyes. She's forgotten about the towel in her left hand until this point. It isn't until the fabric brushes her cheek does she realize she'd been squeezing it the entire time.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she waits to see if he has the gall to show his face. From her vantage, the only thing visible is a side profile of his face covered by a veil of loose hanging black hair. His chakra is equally concealed, raising both her concern and suspicion. She steps closer, literally and physically getting her footing as the reality of the situation settles.

"How do I know it's you and not some trick so I stop looking for you?" Sakura challenges.

The Uchiha sighs, long and heavy, then leans further into his elbows. He threads his fingers in an achingly familiar way.

She fights against the memories, waiting for his reply.

"If I were to cast a genjutsu,  you  would not be suspicious." She bristles at his answer but Itachi keeps going. "Ask what you should be asking, Sakura."

Her fingers flex at his tone, agitation threatening to take hold. "Are you threatening me?"

"No."

"Are you laughing at me?"

"I am  here , Sakura." Itachi stresses.

"And that's supposed to replace the five days you've been missing?" Sakura challenges, "I spent the better half of my day looking for you all over this Village!"

"That was not my intention."

"Then what was? You better have a damn good reason, and I mean a  damn  good reason for being MIA for nearly a week." Sakura says darkly, just barely containing her flood of emotions.

Itachi shrugs one shoulder. "I was seeking a third opinion."

His lack of eye contact infuriates her further. She wants nothing more than to pull his head up, to at least acknowledge her existence. Her fingers twitch, ready but she holds back the very real desire to hit him. She can't tell what he's thinking. His voice is too even to discern if he is being sincere.

"A third opinion on our mission?" Sakura wagers, crossing her arms to hide her balled fist from herself. " Who exactly were you going to for five days? It wasn't your mother. I went there myself."

"I am aware of where you've been, Sakura." Itachi pauses, then turns his face away. "Perhaps another time, I will tell you where I..."

"No!" she yells, "You don't get to sit here and keep secrets like that! Did it also conveniently slip your mind that my first mission is to keep tabs on you? Did you forget that you are still on probation and don't have the liberty to go wherever the hell you want and not tell me where you've been?"

Itachi gives a little, huffing and shaking his head before raising it slightly. "I was with Anbu. Your presence was not needed."

"My presence is always needed, damn it!" she flings her arms out, sweeping around the room. "Weasel isn't the one who has to report to Kakashi every day. I do!"

Itachi inhales, grabbing his knees. But it only makes her snort at his seemingly indifferent attitude to her worry.

"Weasel has his reports," Itachi supplies. "You spoke with him. You are aware of his dedication to his assignment. Why are you-"

Her temper flares and she stomps her foot in anger. "Weasel isn't the one who's been lying to the Hokage to cover your ass for the past five damn days!"

"-Sakura," Itachi tries to interrupt but she talks over him.

"Shut up and let me finish." she scolds, narrowing her eyes at him. "I don't give a damn what he puts in his reports. For all I know he could be covering for you. If not, you couldn't've given me a least a reason to not assume that were the case?"

Itachi's hand reaches up quicker than she can back away, squeezing her wrist and tugging her closer. She tetters off balance, shuffling towards him before digging her heels into the floor.

"Sakura-" Itachi calls tightly.

"Let me go!" she pumps chakra into her wrist, forcing him to quickly move his hand.

He hisses, then heaves. Sakura pauses, watching as his hand goes to his chest.

"...Sa-kura." He wheezes. "I need...your…"

Green eyes slowly widen. Itachi's breathe hitches then gurgles.

Shit!

Everything stills for the milliseconds it takes for him to curl in on himself. Panic grips her as he groans, a violent cough makes his entire body shake and teeter.

"No no no no no no!"

Sakura drops to her knees before he can hit the floor, catching him and pulling him down to where she is. Itachi falls with her, gripping her with his free hand. She uses her strength to prompt him against the bed, then situates herself in a high kneel in front of him.

"I got you. I got you." she soothes, holding him close as both of them shake with his rattling cough.

It passes but another comes right after it. She crouches a bit, grabbing his face and pushing away his hair for a better view.

"You're so clammy..." she mutters face contorting into worry at the dark circles under his eyes. "What the hell have you been doing, Itachi?'

Green ignites between them and she pushes her hands against his chest. Mere seconds into her examination and she finds a plethora of swollen blood vessels, with a hefty pool of fluid wreaking havoc on his lungs.

Itachi slumps forward, struggling for breath. She gives him her shoulder to lean on, sitting back on her heels so his chest covers hers. It's not the best position in the world. If she could have her way, she would have moved him to the bed. But she doubts Itachi can move even if she wants him to. Instead, she embraces him in a hug, cradling his body against hers while pumping medical chakra into his body from the back.

The fluid in his lungs is the biggest problem. Without a bowl to deposit it in, the best she can do is thin it enough to pull it into his bloodstream. His immune system would have to take over from there.

She sets to work thinning the liquid. Itachi hisses and fidgets but she holds him still in her embrace.

"Sorry but there's no time to numb you. I know it's irritating. Bear with it for a little while." she soothes. "Hold on to me if you need to."

He does, circling and squeezing her waist hard. She tries not to wince but knows it's much worse for him with her chakra piecing a vital organ.

Another cough rattles through and she stops until it settles, then goes back to work.

"Can you slide forward?" she whispers into his hair. "If not I'll move you."

He grunts then, using her for purchase, scoots as close as he can get before she has to adjust. It's an awkward position but she straddles one of his legs anyway. His labored breathing is enough to make her forget she's sitting on his thigh. The medic reaches further down his curved back, trying to get to the very bottom of his lungs where a stubborn pool conglomerated.

She loses track of time as she heals him, refusing to relax until she feels her partner breathing a little easier and his lungs clear. From there she deals with the inflamed blood vessels as best she can. With his head on her shoulder, she takes advantage of his position to check his eyes. Brushing aside his hair, she lays her hand on the side of his face, cupping it gently.

Don't you die on me, damn it.

Itachi's eyes slip closed and he exhales slowly against her robe. It's not the easiest thing to check both eyes from one side but she skillfully navigates the delicate intricacies of one eye to get through to the other. She stays perfectly still, watching the way he takes slow, rough breaths. She counts every shutter, listening for any rattles that should not be there. His eyes appear uninjured and she finds relief in that fact alone. Sakura then checks his pulse and blood pressure with a finger on his neck, frowning at how high it is.

He's probably getting a fever. No doubt that's why he's so clammy.

Her hand goes back to his sweat-slicked forehead, pushing further into his hairline to check his temperature.  Definitely feverish.

Her hands drift to his cheeks again. She checks his eyes once more for good measure. The hand on his back lights up for a final inspection of his lungs.

"That looks better, just a bit of pleuritis, which is normal. It will go away on its own." Sakura brushes her thumb over his cheek to keep him awake. "Does it hurt when you breathe?"

She knows the answer already. Pleuritis usually causes sharp pain upon inhaling. But she doesn't want him to doze off.

Itachi doesn't verbally respond, tugging at the folds in her robe instead. She nods in return, getting the message. With his life out of danger, she teeters between annoyance at having all of her hard work nearly undone and gratitude that he came back before things got considerably worse.

"You  are not  going to the Uchiha Compound tomorrow, do you understand?" she tells him.

"Hnn." It's gravely and rough but it's a response.

"You'll probably have a fever by morning. This is what happens when you stay out  all hours of the night  for days on end."

"Hnn."

"And when you're under high  stress. " Sakura accuses, tilting her face away to get a good look at

Itachi says nothing, holding her gently but refusing to let go. Sakura stays put, thinking perhaps he needs to get his bearings. Unsure of what to do with her hands, she places them on his shoulder, prepared to push him off when the time comes.

"You can pretend that nothing is wrong but I can see that's a lie. Your  body  is telling on you even if your mouth won't." she hesitates, swallowing as she tries to formulate words. With a resigned huff, she squeezes his shoulder. "...I know I'm probably the last person qualified to accuse anyone of mismanaging feelings. Take me as an example of what  not to do  when things aren't together. You've been acting off and disappearing in the middle of the night at what could arguably be a pivotal time in our mission speaks volumes."

Itachi shifts and she clumsily hold on to him as he bends the leg she is sitting on. Sakura feels herself blush when his nose brushes against her chin and stills complete as he whispers against her collarbone. "There were several things I needed at the moment."

She rolls her eyes. "Like a third opinion from a stranger, you won't tell me about?"

"It's complicated."

"Well  uncomplicate  it. I'm not covering for you again."

Itachi shivers. Sakura waits for him. "Would that soothe you?"

"I don't need soothing or for you to tell me what you think I want to hear. The truth would be nice though. I don't want to advance my career as a professional liar."

"That is not what I want either."

"Great." she counters sarcastically, "Now that we've gotten that established, what do you want?"

Of all things, Itachi snorts quietly and it does nothing to stop her heart from racing.

"A fourth opinion." he hedges.

Unsure of what else to say, she asks the only thing that comes to mind. "What happened to the third opinion?'

"He is unbelievably insufferable at times and purposely vague."

"Who?"

For the first time that night, Itachi hesitates. Sakura's brow piqued at the sudden feeling of tension in his body. For a second she thinks he's going to cough and braces for the action that never comes.

"Who is it? Where have you  been,  Itachi?" Voice soft, gently encouraging she prompts him to keep going.

He huffs, and she feels his lashes catch against her skin as his eyes close. She isn't sure what to make of his fidgeting. Itachi never seemed so unsure and it makes her worry more than his disappearance does. Seconds go by, then a minute and perhaps more. Sakura bites her lip, waiting. If not for the fact that their house is ungodly quiet, Sakura would have missed the gently whispered name. Her brows raise slowly.

" Who ?" she asks, not because she didn't hear but because the name sounds like no one she knows.

Itachi lets out a disgruntled sigh and says it marginally louder.

"Shisui."

That's what she thinks she hears the first time. Her mind races, trying to put a face to the name but drawing a blink. "Shisui who?"

The hands around her waist grip tighter, as if bracing himself for something. Which makes Sakura brace herself for the answer.

"...Uchiha, Shisui." Itachi finally says and Sakura's eyes widen.

An Uchiha? No way!  "You are the  only  Uchiha in Konoha, Itachi. Unless you're out here talking to ghosts, I think 'Shisui' is playing some kind of trick on you."

"Does it surprise you that the dead find me?" he challenges, "I was once with them."

Her mouth opens then closes again.  Is he serious?  Sakura tries to think of something, anything to make sense of what he just said. Because Itachi is talking about talking to dead people. If that's the case and he's hallucinating that bad, then things must be so much worse than she originally thought.

I'm no psychologist but I'm sure talking to your dead comrades is a sure sign of a mental breakdown. 

Her lips thin and hesitate in answering him. When was the last time she had to cradle someone through a psychotic break? Longer than she can remember.

Shishou trained me for this but...what am I supposed to tell him? What if he does see a ghost because he was technically once a ghost?

She draws on her what she knows and moves her hands to circle his shoulders and ground him at the moment.  Nearly five years and he's only mentioned the dead now. So this has to be something new...and probably freaking him out even if he won't use those word s.

Opening her mouth, she grunts closes it, and tries for something different. "How often is the dead finding you?"

"Every day." he says offhandedly, "Shisui is the only one I speak to regularly. The rest pass in shadows."

"At the Uchiha Compound?"

"Mostly, yes. But Shisui is...elsewhere."

Sakura frowns at his words, subconsciously looking around the room for the phantom. "Is he here?"

Itachi pauses then nods. "Rarely."

"Is he somewhere else?" she gently presses. "Does he...follow you?"

Itachi takes his time with whispering his answer into her robe. "He is at the place where he fell."

She nods slowly, not quite understanding his vagueness. "Is that place where you've been these five days?"

"Hnn." before she can inquire further, he pulls that line of thinking to a halt. "Perhaps another time, I will tell you where."

Sakura surprises herself as a flicker of jealousy makes her frown. Wherever this place is, Itachi did not go there alone. Weasel was with him and probably has been with him every time he visits his dead friend.

He can know but I can't.

It puts Weasel's words about Itachi into perspective. They did share some kind of bond, a bond her partner did not want her to share just yet. Sakura isn't quite sure how to receive that information, but Itachi is lifting his head and pushing her off of him. She moves automatically, not that he is giving her much choice. He practically does the work himself and she has to scramble to get up and catch him from swaying as he stands.

"Slow down," she fusses, grabbing his arm and stopping him from leaving the room.

Dark eyes slide her way before looking towards the door. "I need a bath."

"Then let me do it." Sakura forces him towards the bed. "The last thing I need is to heal broken bones because you fell."

He doesn't argue, sitting back down on his side of the bed. As she moves his legs to get him further back, Itachi mumbles an apology.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me how sorry you are tomorrow when you're stuck in this house with a fever."

"Would it put you at ease to know I have come to a conclusion about your proposed solution?" Itachi asks.

Sakura pulls back just a bit. "What would put me at ease is not having to clear your lungs from gunk. What would put me at ease is knowing you are okay  physically and mentally.  I swore an oath to keep you healthy, Itachi. I'm not about to go back on my word because you refuse to take medical leave when you clearly need one."

She stands, dusting her hands before leaving the room. Turning on the water, she sits at the tub's edge, hand under running water as it warms. As much as she wants to press him about his hallucinations, that is not her field of study.

I'll have to get one of the village's psychs to come to do an eval. Kakashi is going to want to know this as well. They'll have to tweak the timeline on that project a bit. I'm sure Shikamaru can take over for a little while at least.

As the water comes up to temperature she allows it to fill, then goes back into the room to help her wayward partner to his feet. Sakura escorts him to the bathroom and stands outside with strict instructions that he changes while sitting down. When he gives her the okay that he is indeed inside the water, she goes to the room to put on proper clothes and then dons her robe again in case she needs to help him out of the water.

"Are you finished?" she asks with three swift knocks.

The sound of swishing water reaches her ears. Sakura leans against the door, listening for anything suspicious. Moments later, she hears the water drain. She cracks it open, averting her eyes while holding out one article of clothing to him at a time. If he stops reaching then she knows something is wrong. As soon as he is dressed, Itachi opens the door and she follows behind him to the bed.

Wordless he crawls in, getting under the covers without her prompting. Sakura watches him like a hawk before turning off the lights and going downstairs.

She goes through the motions of making tea in the middle of the night, thinking through what just happened. Itachi is home but hardly healthy. He's been trying to hold himself together, going so far as seeking out dead people.

She frowns as she crushes green tea leaves.

"Anger is pointless if I did the same thing a few years ago. I didn't think it was that bad though…"

Her thoughts trail off as the kettle whistles. She adds the crushed leaves to the teapot, pours the hot water over a strainer, and closes the lid. Sakura takes her tea upstairs, sitting things down on her nightstand before going back downstairs to grab a book for reading and a scroll to write her report for the day. Moving quietly about the house, she turns off the lights and puts things away before going into her bedroom and closing the door.

Even breathing greets her and she moves to Itachi's side of the bed to check him.

"Fast asleep, huh," she whispers then places a hand on his forehead. Sure enough, he's running a fever. Sparse red blotches on his face further confirm what she knows. Pressing an ear to his chest, she listens and smiles. "That's a good thing at least."

Sakura rearranges the sheets to fit more snug around him then sets her things to venture through the house once more.

Going back downstairs, she gets cold compresses from the freezer, wraps them in a towel then lays them on his forehead. Sakura takes her time with getting into her side of the bed, forfeiting their divider for easy reach in case he needs her.

Using her dim table light, Sakura goes about making her report for Kakashi. She does her best to be as thorough as possible without incriminating either of them.

Sakura meant it when she said she wouldn't cover for him anymore but she also didn't want to add more stress than Itachi was already under. She includes her medical advice to take time off and request a psych evaluation in the coming days. She adds his odd behavior to the list and delicately explains that he sees the faces of the dead at his former home.

Writing it out leaves her feeling drained. She sits back against the headboard, curling her legs under her as she stares out into dim light. Tea in hand, Sakura sips tentatively, thinking over the things Itachi said and what they could mean.

He says ghosts visit every day. Is it every day since his resurrection or every day since starting this project? It has to be something new. I've never seen him so out of sorts until these last few weeks.

Green eyes wander to her wayward partner, taking in the weariness of his features. Itachi is older than her by a few years and at this moment it shows. The dark circles under his eyes and elongated tear ducts tell of stories and happenings and things she doesn't even know.

I wonder what the ghost says to him. Are they nice or vengeful? Shisui seems nice, must be if Itachi is going to talk to him. 

Sakura frowns, sitting her empty tea cup aside to remove the cold compress and wipe at the condensation building on his skin.

Shisui must be to him what Sasuke was for me.  Her heart clenches in an odd cocktail of sympathy and empathy.

If that's the case, I can't be angry at him for leaving. But I'm not… Sakura admits to herself and pulls away from him to go back downstairs.

Switching the now thawed compress for a frozen one, she takes her time with going back upstairs, pausing at Itachi's side.

"I'm not angry at you because you left, just so you know." She whispers to his sleeping form as she works. "I just wanted to know that you were okay…"

And I was right in being worried because clearly, you weren't.

With a heavy sigh so goes back to bed, grabbing her book for something to do to stay awake. As the night waxes on, she changes the towel and the compress and checks his temperature and his lungs. When the worst of it seems to pass, she settles down next to him, watching him sleep until she falls asleep herself.

When Sakura insists he stay home, Itachi does not argue. There is no reason or room to. He intends to ride through his fever alone. But Sakura's chakra settles over their home like a barrier. Every once in a while, as he drifts in and out of sleep, he can feel her moving about. Never too far away should he need anything. Even in a haze, he is very much aware of her presence. And the presence of others that come by.

Despite his lethargy, he picks up on Kakashi's entrance to their home. Eyes fluttering, Itachi turns towards the door. It's distinctly dark, letting him know the late hour of the Hokage's visit.

The light from the hall slips through the small crack in the door, casting shifting shadows onto the floor. A whispered conversation keeps his eyes open only enough to gather bits and pieces. Sakura's chakra matches the tone of her voice: hushed and tight. He doesn't know what it means, but judging by the way she regulates her voice, he reasons it can't be great.

Kakashi is just as pensive, but he can make out the jest of everything. Sakura delicately relays their conversation from the night before. She doesn't mention Shisui by name and he's grateful for that. But she stresses the need for an evaluation, something he does not want.

Kakashi doesn't seem at all surprised, readily agreeing and adding something else that he couldn't make out.

Itachi sighs, turning away and closing his eyes. His wants don't matter at this moment, it would seem. They decide without setting a time or getting his opinion on the matter. A small huff escapes him. The conversation in the hall pauses a moment. He turns away as the door slowly creaks open.

"Is everything okay, Sakura?" Kakashi inquires.

"Yeah," Sakura answers though her chakra tells a different story.  She is concerned . "I thought I heard something but I must have imagined it."

The door closes seconds later. Itachi lets his fever lull him back to sleep. When he wakes again, the sun shines through the window and his energy is higher. He pulls himself up, legs dragging over the edge of the bed. Itachi waits a few seconds to get his bearings then eases to a stand. Sakura's chakra lingers but isn't close by.

She is not here.

A surprise considering her behavior the day before. He sighs, getting himself together for the day. His forced medical leave means he has the day off. Sakura makes sure that his time at home has minimal responsibilities. There's a note on the fridge with instructions for her premade breakfast and a tonic Temari made to help combat the effects of his fever. Lunch is premade as well, only requiring him to warm it up in a skillet.

He eats the rice and soup with the tonic alone in the kitchen, then moves to their living room. Sakura also ensures he is plenty occupied. His shogi setup is all ready to go, a silent clue as to what she expects him to do while she's away. Itachi walks around the set, opting to recline in the back doorway with a view of their garden and small pond outside. Opening the sliding doors lets more natural light in. The day is particularly sunny with a cool enough draft that he can comfortably mingle the temperatures outside with the heat from indoors. Itachi settles down on the sill on the inner door, closer to the heat, and stretches one leg along the length of it while the other bends and holds his resting arm. His mind wanders while gazing lazily at the sunny horizon, thinking and rethinking options and opportunities. He'd tasked Sakura with finding the solution to their problem, trusted that she would not disappoint. She'd proved him right but Itachi was not prepared for her offer nor his reaction to it.

Fingers curl then uncurl as he fights against his disgust at how rash he was that night. Itachi had every intention of going to his mother, and did go to see her but was met with silence instead.

Dark eyes slowly close. Itachi listens to the water as the wind gently stirs it. His resolve keeps him from falling to pieces but there's a pang of guilt that lingers. Guilt for leaving as he did and guilt for taking away. The guilt he's wrestled with all week. Guilt runs deeper than his current mission and into a much deeper part of his life.

Okasan.

Would she come to him this time like Izumi or Shisui? Would she pass by in shadows like he sees while at the Uchiha Compound? Did she understand why he's been looking for her these last few days? He has already decided on what he will do. But the choice is deeply personal, something he had long since let go of. Something only they share and to do so without her feels wrong.

Okasan .

Itachi's jaw flexes and he feels himself giving over to emotions again. All of them. Just like the day before and the other days past.

It's been such a long time since he's truly felt these feelings of longing, of missing. There are very few things that call back to the days before the Massacre. Itachi knew going into this project that some things would be remembered. He'd felt himself fissure at the thought of leading a clan again like his father always wanted. But there is something about being presented with the opportunity his mother wanted for him that brings it all down.

He could not hold it back or reason it away in his mind. He couldn't talk himself into being okay. So he let it happen and went in search of the only woman in the world who fully understood him.

But she would not come.

Shisui tried to reassure him but Itachi knew better.

It was his mother's way to make him think and encourage him to look beyond the reality of the situation. There was always more and that more was often the key to everything.

For five days Itachi waited and reasoned. For five days he felt hurt and longing. For five days Shisui was there, telling him the answer that he already knew. But Itachi didn't want Shisui's reassurance. He wanted his mother's approval and permission.

"Forgive me...Okasan," he whispers hoarsely to the wind.

Years of fortifying himself with his philosophies and still the thought of his parents are enough to bring tears. Itachi doesn't move on from it, letting it be, coming apart silently in the sill of his backdoor way. Tears flow without abandon, down his face and into the high collar of his shirt. He doesn't move. Not until it all comes out, not until there is nothing left.

When he is sure his tears won't flow, Itachi exhales.

"Forgive me," he says once more.

There's nothing more he can say, nothing else that makes sense. No other words probably convey what he feels towards both his parents, towards the things that they will miss. The things they've trained him for, raised him, instilled in him.

Swallowing against his throat, Itachi opens his eyes, seeing the reality of the situation for what it is.

He will have to go on without them.

"I wish you could be here for when it is finished, Okasan," Itachi utters to the wind and turns towards the living room. "But before I can have an ending, I must make a proper beginning."

That means explaining things to Sakura. Her trepidation about his disappearance demands a response. He knows better and intends to correct the wrong he'd done. Even if his reasons were moderately justified. Sakura does not know that. As his partner, she needs to be aware. As a member of his Clan for whatever reason, he owes her an explanation.

I will need her help regardless. I cannot do this without her.

The question of how she will assist remains unanswered. Itachi has several ideas. But since he intends to handle the situation the way his mother would have wanted him to, his options are limited.

Sakura knows nothing. Which means she will have to be taught everything.

He closes his eyes again, calling on memories from years ago. While his father waited until he was twelve to start his Clan Head training, his mother spotted his increased attention to Izumi years prior. In wisdom that only a mother has, she pulled him aside and demanded to know his intentions towards the young girl. Itachi did not hesitate in his answer. At eleven years old, his mother introduced him to the lore of courtship. In their remaining years together, she would teach him all he needed to know. Though then, there was a childish innocence to the games and codes and messages and actions. Itachi is no longer a child. A lot of that tradition makes more sense and for him to do it right, he will need Sakura's help and understanding.

But first I must apologize .

Something brushes against his hand, pulling the Uchiha's eyes open. A small bird makes its perch on the hand rest on his knee. Itachi levels lowered eyes at the creature fidgeting about before hopping down onto the veranda. Curiously he moves the hand resting on the warm wood, turning his palm up to see what the bird will do. It hops around and then makes its way into his hand.

I see.

"And who are you?" Itachi asks.

The bird says nothing, pecking gently at his skin before flying to the edge of the veranda, then dropping off. In following its descent he catches a glimpse of color. His gaze lands on his unattended garden where tiny crocus flowers peek through the hard dirt. Very few flowers can withstand the cold but crocus flowers will grow even through snow. Up until this moment, Itachi forgot they were there. He sits up, staring intently, listening to what is being said.

A promise of new beginnings.

Permission to start again.

Hope. Reassurance. Comfort.

It is the same thing Shisui told him days prior. It is the same thing Izumi insisted on months prior. For him to  live .

' It's okay, Itachi. It's okay to change. None of us will fault you for it.'

His chest tightened a new.

' Do you feel guilty or are you afraid?' 

' Your sacrifices speak for themselves. You've done everything.'

He can almost hear his mother's hum and smirk in the way the flowers gently dance. The kind of smirk both she and Sasuke used when being smug. He remembers his thoughts and realizes why she had not come to him those days before.

I cannot have an ending without a proper beginning.

Itachi can't hold the brief chuckle that escapes. It's all he can do as his mother teases him with her presence through the very thing she taught him. A quiet chastisement of his rash actions, she waited until he went back before permitting him to go forward.

Settling back against the sill, Itachi nods once, getting the message.

Thank you, Okasan.

He loses himself in thought about where to start, letting memories carry him through scenarios and possibilities. He stays there for a while until a soft knock at the door draws his attention toward it.

Itachi stares in that general direction, contemplating whether or not he wants the company. But another gentle knock convinces him to be cordial at least. In one graceful motion, he stands, then crosses the room to greet his house guest.

Honoka offers him a kind smile and blue eyes that attempt to hide concern. But Itachi doesn't miss the quick once-over she does before greeting him.

"Good morning, Itachi-san."

He inclines his head. "Honoka-san. May I help you?"

Lacing her fingers together, the young woman looks away and then back to him. "Sakura-san told me you weren't feeling well. I'm on call today and figured I'd come by to see if you were doing okay. I would have brought soup but she said you had plenty to eat."

Itachi slowly raises a brow. "You left work to come to work?"

Honoka wrinkles her nose at him. "No. Sakura-san didn't send me here. I came on my own."

"To check in with me?"

"That's what I said. Can I come in?"

Itachi steps aside, letting the young woman through. Honoka removes her shoes before venturing into the living room. The Uchiha hangs back a bit, watching the young woman make a slow circuit before coming to a stop at the shogi set.

"Did I interrupt a game?" she asks.

"I had not started yet," Itachi says from across the room. "Do you play?"

Honoka's airy chuckle follows an equally guilty smile as she rocks on her heels. "Gramps used to play all the time. He tried to teach me once but I got so bored with how he dragged on. It didn't seem very interesting."

"Hnn." Itachi concedes, pushing off the entranceway and walking closer into the living room where Honoka is.

The brunette turns completely to him, again with eyes laced with concern. "How's your fever?" she asks.

"Gone," Itachi supplies, settling down on the cushion where his shogi game sits. "I feel better than the day before."

"Sakura-san said you slept almost all day yesterday."

"It helped."

"Have you eaten anything?"

"Sakura made me breakfast."

"Oh." Honoka pauses, looking over her shoulder towards the kitchen.

Itachi follows her line of sight, before smirking and turning his attention to the shogi game. "Sakura also made lunch. Come sit with me, Honoka."

She hesitates a moment and Itachi lets her while he sets up the game. Moments pass before she slowly approaches and settles down on the cushion across from him. Itachi glances up at her and then back to the board.

"Erm," Honoka starts.

"Hn?"

Honoka fidgets before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Itachi-san, I told you I'm not very good at this game."

"I am aware," Itachi responds, "You don't have to play. Just watch."

"Oh," Honoka nods and uncurls her legs to pull her knees closer to her chest. "I can do that. Are you going to teach me?"

"Would you prefer that?" he asks.

Honoka shrugs then laughs. "You can try. Are you sure you want to teach someone like me when you're still feeling under the weather?"

He blinks at her then offers a slight grin at her insistence. Honoka means well and he knows that. To some extent, she fusses over her patients in the same way Sakura does. Though he will say the young woman is more forthcoming with her concerns and fears. Or perhaps Honoka is simply easy to read. Either way, her consideration for his well-being is quite nice even if unnecessary.

"I'm fine, Honoka," Itachi assures and continues the task of placing pieces down to prove to her that he is indeed in better health.

The brunette gets more comfortable in her seat, leaning against the wall and looking out into the garden as he once was.

"It's such a pretty day," Honoka hums, "I can't wait until spring comes."

"Do you prefer it to other seasons?" Itachi inquires.

Honoka pauses, chin in hand. "It's a good mix of everything, I guess. Not too cold. Not too hot. It's summer and winter mixed in one but with brighter colors than autumn. Do you have a preferred season?"

The question pulls Itachi away from the shogi game. Like his guest, he looks outside, getting the barest glimpse of winter flowers.

"Spring," he offers, "It was my okasan's favorite as well."

Honoka catches his gaze, offering him a soft but tight smile. "I think it's...nice that you and your mom share something in common."

For conversation's sake, he goes with her turn on the topic, starting his shogi game. "She would often say it carries a certain innocence. Not quite the rambunctious and careless joy of summer or the smoldering, deep passions of autumn."

"That's...poetic," Honoka ventures. "I'm guessing you agree right?"

The Uchiha offers a shoulder shrug, thinking of his garden and the flowers that grow and creatures that flutter to life.

"With spring comes rebirth, new, inquisitive and curious things." he starts, "It is too docile to prove threatening and too colorful to be ignored. Subtle. It hides precious things until the time for ripening is near. I suppose you can say spring is in no hurry. For this reason, it is perhaps my favorite season."

To his surprise, Honoka laughs. "Maybe your love for spring isn't the only thing you get from your mom. Both of you like to be poetic."

Itachi takes her words and thinks over them before inclining his head in agreement.

"Hnn."

"I guess if you're spouting poetry and weird sayings, you're back to normal," she remarks then moves closer to the board, tapping at a pawn. "So. What does this piece do?"

Pleased with his efforts of putting her at ease, Itachi begins with explain the game.

Chapter Text

Line 9: Crocus Flower

"Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud.."

I Carry Your Heart

Line 8, Stanza 4

-EE Cummings

In the days following Itachi's mysterious return, Sakura's work goes almost non-stop. The business of her day-to-day activities never really bothers her. There is always something or someone that needs her. 

The hospital needs its topic medic. 

Itachi needs his partner. 

Kai needs solutions. 

Naruto needs a listening ear. 

She gives it all because she likes it. Because there is a sense of fulfillment in finding solutions or being the solution.

People go to her because they know she can find the answers. They ask because she says yes. But even Sakura hits a wall sometimes. There are some things that even her brain can not take apart and piece back together. Some mysteries are beyond her. And that would be okay if that mystery were not something she needed or someone rather.

He hasn't said a word about any of it…

A wistful sigh escapes and she chides herself for even thinking Itachi would be so forthcoming.  He's the king of secret-keeping and poker faces. Still…

They'd come far, in her opinion. He gave her a glimpse of his thoughts only for her to be pushed out again. Much like she would do him but when the roles are reversed and she's on the receiving end of uncertainty, Sakura can't help but feel impatient.

I just need a yes or a no. A will we or won't we?

Idle fingers tap her wooden desk as she settles her softened gaze out of her office window. Another sigh, this time for herself. Her moral compass won't let her let Itachi bare all of the weight this time. Not with what she recently discovered, what he let her bear witness to. She'd done her best with sheltering him as much as is within her power from things she couldn't see (or understand for that matter). That's what any good teammate would do when their partner is in straits.

Not dire by any means I guess but I can't exactly be effective when my partner is too busy running away from phantoms.  Her fingers curl against the wood, lips dipping down at the turn of her thoughts.  For all intents and purposes, I need him. Mentally and physically healthy to stand on his own so he doesn't need me…

And Kakashi doesn't have more of an excuse to pressure her into being a mother. The conversation with the Hokage only left her in further limbo. Kakashi was straight to the point in what he wanted from her. Now that Itachi had another problem, her sensei seemed more insistent that she stay by him. Her rebuttal was that her presence did nothing to actually stop Itachi from seeing ghosts. But ever the smart one, Kakashi countered with the fact he came back and opened up to her about things he simply could not with someone not in the know. A mentally unstable Uchiha may just be worse than a physically unhealthy one. Very few people did indeed have experience handling such delicate matters.

A shiver goes through her as imagines of the war flash in quick succession.

I've dealt with enough mentally unstable Uchiha to last a lifetime.

"Sakura-sama?" Sakura blinks, forgetting for a moment that she is not alone. "Could you clarify this part for me again?"

Haijin slides the plan of care back to Sakura, who takes it to glance over where the confusion lingers.

"Oh. Yes, of course." She clarifies and pushes thoughts of her other patient aside, "The pills should help treat the irregularity we found in Kai's immune system with the blood test. "

"He still needs to take the injection right?" Haijin asks, holding the bottle of small tan pills.

Sakura nods, pushing the paper with test results closer to her. "Yes. These two medicines serve different purposes. The injections keep his blood vessels from swelling and address the immediate problem of inflammation. The pills will address what I think is one of the underlying problems. His immune system is not functioning the way it should. Together these two should significantly reduce the number of flare-ups that Kai has. It's not a cure but it's close enough."

The sense of relief from Haijin fills Sakura with satisfaction. Although she is only a bit closer to finding the problem and it took her five years to isolate this much, it's something.

If my patients are satisfied then that's a step in the right direction.

Haijin pockets the pills and reaches for her son. "That means fewer trips to the doctor right?" she asks, placing a comforting arm around Kai, who sits absent-mindedly looking out of her office window.

Green eyes travel off towards the boy. Kai doesn't exactly seem disinterested in the conversation. His slightly puckered brow shows some consideration for her words.

He must be tired of all of this.

Her heart aches for him.  A life in and out of the hospital can't be a life at all.  Kai's seen more of these walls than any other twelve-year-old that she knows. Other children his age are out enjoying life while he's stuck giving blood and taking tests. If she has to guess, there's some trace of apathy holding his expressions in check. Even as Haijin gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze, Kai's eyes flicker downward after a few seconds before turning back to her.

Sakura purses her lips then laces her fingers together and leans them on the desk.

"Kai," her gentle call manages to draw his attention her way. "Do you understand what's going on right now?"

The boy looks to his mother, who offers him an encouraging nod. He turns back to her and pushes up a bit in his chair. "I have more medicine to take."

Sakura's smile is kind, understanding his point of view and trying to shift his perspective. "That's part of it, yeah. But you'll also have fewer visits to this place now. One pill a day and two injections a week should keep you healthy for a little while."

"You have a really cool test afterward too." his mother hedges and Sakura nods for her to continue. "You get to do some shinobi-like training to make sure your medicines are working how they should."

This seems to get the boy's attention. A shy smile pulls his lips up as he asks, "With real shinobi?"

That's more like it.

"If I can find some, sure." she offers. "Otherwise you'd be stuck with me."

"You're not so bad," he says.

"I'll like to think so too." She laughs a bit and explains further. "The test won't be for a little while, maybe a month away. We need to push you a little bit and I think some shinobi training will do just that."

A flicker of light sparks in his eyes. Kai holds his excitement close to his chest but Sakura can see through his hesitant exterior. His eyes dance again, this time between her and the desk. His shoulders tense slightly and she waits for him to work up to whatever he is trying to do.

"What about…" Kai clears his throat. "What about the guy who has the same thing as I do? Can I train with him?"

Oh!

Sakura beams and smiles. "I'm sure if I asked him he'd agree."

"Only if he's not too busy." Kai quickly adds.

She laughs at what couldn't be further from the truth. At least not for today. "Shinobi usually are busy. He  is  on a mission right now. But...I'll put in a good word for you and see what he says."

The boy nods sagely and Sakura has to hold back her chuckle at his forced composure.

Hopefully, this can give him some hope again so he doesn't have to be so reserved.

As the conversation wraps up, Sakura schedules a follow-up appointment for a month from then and assures her patient she will talk to Itachi about training. When they leave, Sakura takes the long way back to her office, thinking over the implications of her new discovery. If the pill works like she thinks it will, then this could open more possibilities for her other mission.

She bites back on getting too excited too soon but a smile slips through despite her best efforts. Her steps quicken down the hall towards the elevator. She imagines while she waits, wondering what her life would look like after just one year.

Freedom.

The word rings down to her fingertips. She flexes them, wiggling each digit as if to ground herself in reality.

There's still the matter of the Clan Provisions. He hasn't officially agreed to follow through.

That thought sobers her enough to rock on her heels and furrows her brows.

We'd have to talk about it. But the second most immediate danger is less of a danger. Who knew some simple modifications on a standard immunosuppressive would be the jumping-off point?

The elevator chimes. She steps out of the way of other doctors exiting before getting in there herself. Alone once more, Sakura lets her thoughts carry her, crossing her arms as she stares absently.

I did it. I actually did it. Or part of it. Once we find a suitable lady friend for him, everything will fall into place. And me? Well...

By the time Sakura makes it to her office on the top floor of the hospital, she's dreamed up many scenarios, all of which involve her and Itachi going down different paths. Though the relief she thought she'd feel years ago isn't there. She admittedly hates him less now. He is not...terrible.

I could do without sharing a bathroom for a while.

The elevator doors open once again, allowing Sakura to go back to her office and finish Kai's paperwork. A few minutes into the task, someone knocks briefly and then opens the door before she can properly say to do so. She hardly looks up, choosing to read instead of acknowledging the person sashaying towards her.

Ino drops down in the chair Kai's mother formerly occupied, placing her elbows on the desk and leaning forward into her personal space.

Without missing a beat or a page, Sakura gives her friend a passing glance before going back to work.

"Are you gonna at least ask why I'm here?" Ino pouts.

She stands instead, Kai's file in hand. Sakura struts right past her best friend to the file cabinet where she keeps important documents.

"For you? No." Sakura quips and suppresses a chuckle while sorting through the alphabetical folders.

Ino grunts and mumbles something before walking over and closing the file door herself. "What are you doing tonight?" Ino asks.

"Hey!" Sakura accuses, tugging at the door being held in place by perfectly painted pink nails. "Move."

Ino's sly grin and wagging brows make Sakura frown. "Not unless you talk to Itachi for me."

The medic glares lightly at her friend who only grins more. Pink brows furrow and Sakura's suspicion goes on high alert. When Ino's cheeky grin grows, it only raises her concern.  Definitely up to something.

"That depends on what you want me to ask," she wagers. "What do you want with him?"

The blonde waves a dismissive hand. "I don't want anything with him. I want him, the person. He's such an enigma. Persistent. Persuasive, especially if he convinced you to marry him. Habitual from the looks of his daily routine. The Hokage hasn't killed him yet so that makes him useful...useful is good."

Sakura blinks. Then blinks again. "Ino...are you...assessing my husband?"

Ino picks at her nails. "Evaluating, assessing, call it what you want but I want to know more. I want to know if my assumptions are right. If they are, I want to recruit him."

Recruit him? Is she…  Relief washes over her and Sakura relax her tense shoulders.  Of all the ways of dancing around the issue!

 "You want him for Integration? Why didn't you just ask him yourself instead of barging into my office while I'm working?"

"I tried!" Ino pouts again, moving her hand from the draw to cross her arms. "But Shikamaru blocked any and all efforts I tried to make earlier today. He wouldn't even let me sit at the table they were eating at!"

Sakura laughs outright and thanks her lucky stars for Shikamaru's brilliance. "Itachi has a project of sorts right now. He's working on the Uchiha Compound with Shikamaru and Kakashi."

Ino's gaze shoots up and blue eyes sparkle with new mischief "So that's what…" he blonde trails off, leaving Sakura wondering where the conversation ended. "How involved will Itachi be after this whole project?"

"Curating the museum," Sakura supplies, "It wouldn't take too much of his time and Kakashi plans to keep him in reserves for any sort of specialty mission that requires his skills. I imagine that means his schedule will be flexible."

Ino squeals in delight. "So what I'm hearing is: you can drop this little bug in Kakashi's ear? Get him to redirect any specialty missions towards Investigation..."

"No...no, no, no that's  not  what I said…!"

Ino's smile wides and she practically sings, "You implied it!"

"How? I told you Kakashi has him reserved for certain missions and you automatically assume he's available for yours? I can't tell the Hokage what missions to give!" Sakura insists.

The blonde takes to pacing, muttering plans without evening listening. "Oh it'll be fine," Ino assures, "I mean if Kakashi is being a jerk just convince your husband."

Sakura's steps come to a jerking halt. Without thinking she blurts out very skeptical and confused "How am I supposed to do that?"

Ino turns to her and as soon as Sakura sees the puzzled look, she knows she's messed up.

"How else do you convince your husband to do anything?"

Shit! Think of something to say, Sakura!

She backpedals, chuckling nervously and gesturing at nothing. "Itachi is...not that easy to convince. I can't just, erm…"

"Pin him to the bed?" Ino offers.

Sakura flushes. "Ino!"

"What?" The blonde stresses, "It always works for Sai. I just take his hands and do this,"

Ino gets two handfuls of her breasts and squeezes them together, "If he still says no, I put his hands  inside  my shirt and keep going until he says yes or passes out. Whichever comes first. Why are you covering your eyes!"

"I  don't want  to see or hear this!"

"On come on, like you've never rubbed your...well, hmm…"

Sakura jerks her hands down to glare. "Don't you say it, Pig!"

Ino chews her bottom lip. "I guess you really can't do that. They are sorta lacking in volume. We can think of other ways."

"Get out of my office!" Sakura growls, going back to the file cabinet to place Kai's file in it."

"Come on, Sakura." Ino whines, "You owe me for all the times I helped you out. I'm practically the third person in this relationship and you know it!"

Three knocks at the door. Sakura ignores the statement, turning her attention to her visitor. "Come in!" Sakura yells.

"We're busy!" Ino says in unison.

Sakura glares. Ino grins. There's a beat before both scrambles towards the door. Sakura goes for the handle while Ino holds it shut with her shoulder.

"Move, Pig! This could be important!" Sakura warns.

"Aw, but we were just getting to the good part!" Ino complains, "I'll move if you promise to sedu-"

The pinkette quickly lets go of the handle, smacking a hand over Ino's mouth before she can finish her statement. Ino struggles to remove it and they descend into a hand-slapping match. The door eases open and both ladies stumble backward together as it finishes its progression.

Honoka pokes her head in, smiling, then opens it fully and gestures behind her. "Look who I found!"

The two jounin stop long enough to see Itachi duck his head inside, cloaked in black up to the bridge of his nose.

"Itachi!" they both exclaim then glare at each other.

"Yup! He was waiting downstairs so I just escorted him up. I hope that was okay, Sakura-san. You two seem..eh...busy?"

Ino reacts first, pushing Sakura away then smiling and flipping her hair. "We were just talking about you!"

"No, we weren't," Sakura stresses through gritted teeth, face still flushed red, "Ino was just leaving."

Honoka chuckles and hides it behind her hands as they descend into another shoving match. She glances at Itachi, who closes the door behind him and effectively stops the childish fighting with a simple greeting.

"Ino-san," voice even but not muffled through the fabric of his cloak. "May I borrow Sakura if you two are done."

"Of course, you can!" Ino smiles and pushes Sakura behind her to walk closer to him. "Borrow her for as long as necessary Actually, me and Sakura were just talking about this thing she has planned for you tonight tha-"

"Get. Out!" Sakura's voice carries over everything.

She grabs Ino by the shoulder and rushes her towards the door. "Don't listen to her, Itachi! I'll be ready to go in a moment."

Ino lets out a breathy laugh but allows herself to be ushered towards the door. "That may possibly give my son a new playmate."

"Shut up, Ino!"

Itachi politely helps by opening the door. Sakura gives the final shove just as Ino yells over the closing door. "Make sure to wear something nice and convincing, Sakura!"

She slams it in her face.

Silence veils the room.

Sakura keeps her face towards the door, leaning on it for support as her heartbeat slows and the blush that's spread down her neck cools to something less embarrassing. She chances a glance at Itachi and chuckles nervously at the curiosity in his eyes.

Honoka clears her throat and side steps towards the door. "Well, I think I'll just...follow Ino-sama out and leave you two...alone."

"No!" Sakura panics, shaking her head vehemently, "I mean, yes, you can leave but there's really nothing happening. Ino was just joking."

"It's okay, Sakura-san." Honoka assures with a light blush on her cheeks, easing out the door "I have things to do anyways."

"You can stay, really. I mean we do have to go but you don't have to leave just because Ino was being a…" Honoka nods and waves goodbye, "...a jerk…."

The explanation gets lost. Peeking over her shoulder, Sakura chuckles nervously and lets go of the handle.

I really hope he didn't hear the bulk of that conversation . Cheeks sprinkled with a light blush, she tries to hide her face from him as she quickly moves around him towards her desk. She grabs papers without looking at them, trying to appear busy.

"You're kind of early," Sakura points out, "I thought you were having lunch with Shikamaru?"

"We finished." He answers, then asks. "Are you ready?"

"Huh?" her head jerks up and she laughs again, tucking hair behind her ear. "Oh. In a few minutes."

He nods once, slowly...teasingly. "How is Ino-san?"

"The same as always." Sakura quickly redirects the conversation, zeroing in on the takeaway container in his hand. "Is that lunch for me? What did you bring this time?"

"It's dango," he tells her.

"Oh."

Silence falls, and Sakura peeks up at Itachi. He watches her unwavering and she can't help but fidget under his gaze, which looks a little too playful. "Would you like the dango, Sakura?"

"No. Only if you brought it for me..." she says before sitting in her chair and gesturing for him to do the same. "It's okay if you didn't. I know how much you like dango"

Itachi takes a seat as well, placing the treats on her desk in the process. "We can share. By the way, Shikamaru invited us to his home tonight. I told him we had prior engagements and rescheduled for later this week.."

On steadier footing and hopefully, with the conversation from earlier forgotten, Sakura nods. "Yeah, that's probably best. I still have some things I want to test. I need to finalize the follow-up with Kai and his mother."

Her partner sits back and bit. "How is he?"

She sighs and then smiles. "Hopeful, I think. The blood test was a big step forward. I can tell his mom is excited too and that's always good."

"You did good, Sakura." Itachi encourages and she smiles, looking away from him.

"Kai also asked me to ask if he could meet you."

"When?"

"Whenever you have time," she states. "I told him about needing to test out some activities with him. He wants to test them with you."

Itachi pauses and Sakura does just the same. She can't imagine he would refuse Kai. It's a simple request. With everything else going on, it seems at least like one thing they can agree on. And, yet, Sakura starts to fidget again, nervous at the way Itachi stares in the distance before giving his answer.

"I am willing to help in any way that I can," he finally says.

She sighs with a smile, "Thank you, Itachi. I know Kai would appreciate it. I do too."

They lapse into silence, giving Sakura some time to continue filing paperwork. Itachi seems content enough to sit and wait for her to finish. A quiet observer in her office. But Sakura gets the feeling his mind is anything but empty. Every stole glance his way gives her the impression that he's not really in the room at all, but somewhere far away. Without conversation, her mind draws its own conclusions, hoping that perhaps Itachi is thinking of something worthwhile.

Her mental musings aren't without merit. Especially since Itachi pulled her aside before leaving for work this morning and instructed her that they were going to the Uchiha Compound today. She didn't know how to take that and initially protested the idea. But Itachi could be extremely stubborn at times and he'd left the conversation with what he'd said, despite her uncertainty.

It's not as if I haven't been there. But this is different…

Ever since he told her about the ghost that haunts him, Sakura's been trying to piece together what goes on in his head. From her perspective, working at his former home was the catalyst.  Yet he goes there and wants to take me there willingly. It can't be bad then? Or maybe it's much worse...

"Sakura," his voice pulls her out of her thoughts and she turns to look at him. "I will meet you downstairs."

"Oh…" she watches him stand, leaving the dango where it sits. "Okay..."

He closes the door behind him and she frowns at his back. Sakura stares at the door a few more seconds longer before going back to straightening her office.

"I really don't have much left to do," Sakura murmurs to herself but adds the last files to the collection of others.

Leaving notes for the tasks ahead, the medic ties off loose ends before signing off on procedures and appointments. It takes her all of twenty minutes to do everything. She leaves her office and heads to meet her partner in the lobby.

Itachi stands far off from the others in the waiting area. Choosing to sit alone, facing the entrance. Not many people sit in the waiting area. Except for a female kunoichi standing guard, few people take much notice of either of them. Walking the short distance to where he is, Itachi stands at her approach. As if on cue, he takes her bag and her hand, then leans in to place a chased kiss on her forehead.

Sakura looks over his shoulder just as the kunoichi quickly averts her gaze, shifting her weight to look elsewhere.

"Are you ready?" Itachi's voice draws her back to him. With a gentle squeeze of her hand, he guides her towards the door.

"Yeah..." Sakura answers, giving their audience of one a final passing glance before following behind Itachi as he leads the way.

Falling in step with their outside routine, she follows along quietly mainly because Itachi is silent. Clearly, in deep thought about whatever they were about to do, Sakura doesn't have it in her to disrupt him. Choosing instead to look at the passing scenery, she notes the people around. The smiles and waves, the glances and disinterest. A mixed bag of every expression comes and goes in a disinterested and wholly dismissive manner, common and without bias. It is as if the two of them walking along the road hand in hand is old news. No longer receiving the flood of fans or fervor of enemies, their walk is as normal as shinobi can get.

I would have dreaded this years ago. Sakura thinks wistfully. I dreaded everything about this mission, to be honest. I suppose I had some ulterior motives as well. But we did well…

Her eyes slide sideways, discreetly at her partner before turning ahead again. It's hard to bask at the moment when Itachi half hides his face or pinches his brows together in that contemplative way.

Let's hope this goes just as smoothly. This is a sensitive thing enough without me asking probing questions. It probably took a lot for him to get to this point.

The conversation of ghosts comes back to mind. As disturbing as that news was, it's his hesitation and reservation then outright avoidance of her probing questions that sets her nerves on edge. She isn't quite sure where they stand. She isn't quite sure what he wants or what he's thinking. She isn't quite sure what to do either.

I have to be patient with him.

Itachi's demeanor warranted a different approach and while she is hesitant about going to the place that causes his current mental state, he insisted in his own way.

Now here they are, halfway across the Village closer to the formerly abandoned Uchiha Compound. The plethora of trees that veil the area hang bare over their path.

She bites her lip, glancing at Itachi once more then back to the road ahead. The entire walk is done without words and she can't help but wonder why he's decided to do this now.

He'll tell me when we get there I guess.

The bustling village atmosphere slowly disappears into a calmer, quieter, rural affair. The Uchiha Compound sits far enough outside of the array of shops that it feels secluded and peaceful. Very few people live near here. Except for the occasional wildlife flying overhead, they are the only things moving around.

Somehow the void of people makes her keenly aware that they are still holding hands. Sakura looks down at where they touch, then up once again to the man that keeps his gaze ahead.

"We are almost there," Itachi finally breaks the silence, mumbling through his cloak.

Sakura pouts a little.  That's not my concern . The words never come out, choosing to sigh and let him be with whatever he is doing. After all, he is right. Minutes later they are standing before the gate that leads inside. Only then does Itachi let go of her hand to fish a key from his pocket. Sakura holds on to the dango, hanging back a bit while he got everything opened and ready for them.

"Let's go, Sakura." Itachi beckons, going through the gate without her.

She hurries to catch up. "Are you going to close the gate?"

He pauses long enough to look over his shoulder before continuing on. "It's fine."

She huffs, rolling her eyes at him and then turning back to close the gate at least. Jogging to catch up again, she finally has it in her to speak up.

"Where are we going to exactly?"

"My home," Itachi says.

Sakura grips the bag in her hand. "What are we going to do there?"

Itachi doesn't miss a beat, keeping a half step in front of her and voice just as even. "I will tell you everything once we're there."

"Everything?" Sakura questions, looking at his profile. "About the ghost?"

Dark eyes meet her green ones. Itachi shakes his head and nods towards the large building coming closer. "You will see."

The conversation dies but her anticipation rises. They walk a little more and she tries to keep her curiosity in check, focusing instead on the feeling of change this place invokes.

All of the equipment and half-gutted homes feel new and exciting. Coupled with the bright sunshine and cool temperatures, it's hard for her to feel sullen even with the tragic history discreetly permeating the atmosphere.

There's sadness here but also hope. Sakura grabs the latter, taking Itachi's words as further confirmation of it. When they reach the front porch of his former home, she's talked herself into going with the moment.

As before, she lets him take the lead, stepping up to the roofed porch first. Itachi unlocks the padlock, removes the chains then pushes open the wooden doors. Quietly she goes inside, leaving the door open for light. Turns out that is unnecessary. The windows are all open and sunlight filters through, shining onto the old furniture.

Her breath catches at the near timeless beauty of the traditional style home.

Nothing seems to have changed here.

Tatami mats lay perfectly aligned in the irori, a coal fire pit with fish motifs hanging above a metal pot. Ornate trimming adorns the walls while thick, sturdy wood columns keep shoji and fusuma doors with intricate designs fastened in place. Her eyes travel upwards, following the line of support before a breathy 'wow' escapes at the crisscrossed gigantic wood beams going all the up to the slanted roof.

This place is beautiful. And surprisingly clean. She marvels at the absence of dust or evidence of what happened here. Cautiously she eases out of her, arranging them in the genkan then steps closer, looking around her teammates' former home. Itachi's former home and his parents' final moments.

I wonder if Sasuke cleaned it all...

Passing through the irori, she goes through a set of fusuma doors towards what she suspects is the common living space. A table sits in the middle of the room, four cushions placed around it. There's shelving along the walls with trinkets and nicknacks, telling a story only Itachi knows. A small shrine sits at the back of the living room, with two hallways on either side of the wall.

Did it happen here? Were they sitting on the sofa? Making food in the kitchen when he struck?

Absently her finger brushes against a tall wooden shelf, taking small steps to get a better picture. A solemn reverence settles in her gut. She looks over to Itachi, who looks away from her, giving her permission to explore.

I bet he comes and cleans this place up too.

Knowing that it's been kept up somehow makes it more tragic, a timeless memorial to a life that no longer exists for any of them.

Sakura goes to the right, sliding open the shoji doors to the veranda that connects this room to the rest of the house. A stone wall with a nearly faded Uchiha symbol stands directly opposite her. For a moment she thinks a stain mars the dingy white top half of the fan. Taking a half step outside, Sakura squints a little then widens her eyes at the realization that it isn't a crack.

That's a kunai marking…

"Come this way, Sakura." Itachi is already walking outside, turning the corner while she lingers a few more seconds on the clear kunai impression before moving on.

She follows behind him, peeking in on a dining room with no plates and the half-opened door to another room.

"This way, Sakura." Itachi's voice carries her through an open double door that leads to a beautiful courtyard.

" Wow ," she says, breathless and in awe that the splendor of the garden.

Miniature trees, shrubs, flowers, and a playful man-made stream decorate the area. Above it all, a small pavilion sits in the middle of the personal sanctuary. Itachi steps off the porch and Sakura takes her time following behind him. They walk at a leisurely, steady pace, giving her time to take in the sites. Care was clearly taken with its construction. Even with the overgrown grass, Sakura can make out the assorted sections of soon-to-be flowers. Clusters of the same flowers stop where the path diverges to meet them. Several such little offroad exist, all leading to a particular patch. The further they walk, the more she sees some flowers grouped together, planted in what looks like an intricate arrangement on the ground. In comparison to their small little garden, this place looks like a miniature paradise.

"This is beautiful." Sakura marvels.

Itachi nods once, eyes ahead. "This belonged to my mother."

"She did all of this herself?"

"No," Itachi answers, stopping before the gazebo. "My father made it for her. Most Uchiha homes have gardens of some kind."

"I'm sure this one outshines them all." she jokes, waiting for him to step up the three wooden stairs before following suit.

The creaky wood gives a little under her foot but once they were under the pavilion, everything feels fine. Itachi gestures for her to take a seat on the only bench there. She does, sitting the dango beside her before turning to see the garden unfold before her from her vantage.

It's almost breathtakingly overwhelming.

"It has to be," comes a distant reply. "I have been given the opportunity to do the same."

Puzzled, Sakura turns to him raising a brow. But Itachi only takes a set next to her, tucking his arms inside his cloak sleeves.

Taking the cue, she settles on watching the sun twinkle off the water dancing across the small rocks. The place is so serene and calm, it must have been a nice escape for his parents after clan affairs and shinobi life.

I can imagine relaxing out here.  

Sakura catches a winter bird, flying overhead and traces its patterns across clear skies, and land on top of a shrub. Sakura leans back against the bench and tilts his head upward to get comfortable. When Itachi suddenly shifts, she does as well, taken off guard by his sudden speaking.

"Sakura," he calls, voice calm and assured. "I need to apologize to you."

 "Apologize for what?"

He pulls his chin up, revealing the rest of his face that hid in his cloak. "I should not have left you that night." Itachi states, "For that, I am sorry."

She tries not to scoff but rolls her eyes and pulls her knees up. "I told you I didn't need an apology. I made a promise to keep you alive and healthy. You doing everything you can to make that happen is enough of an apology for me."

Itachi nods once and turns his gaze to her. "Even so, my behavior was rash and actions unnecessary."

He holds her gaze and Sakura has to fight not to nervously look away. "Is that what you wanted to take me here for?"

"Partly," he admits, "I wanted to show you my mother's garden so my next reason makes more sense."

"Okay...?" Sakura answers, already suspicious of what's to come.

He sits up a bit straighter. "I will accept your offer to take a second wife."

Green eyes widen and Sakura inhales in shock. All this time she was sure that he'd rejected her idea. With the avoidance and secrecy, she was prepared to be told no. Relief washes over her and she ducks her head a moment, clenching the bag of dango.

"Really?" Sakura questions.

"On one condition," Itachi adds. "I will do it the right way. The Uchiha way."

Her head jerks up quickly. "What's the Uchiha way?"

Much to her surprise, he gestures towards the garden before him. "This."

"This?"

"Hnn."

"The Uchiha way is...a garden?"

"Flowers," Itachi corrects. "Everything you see planted here, my father specifically planted for my mother. Traditional Uchiha courtship is told in flowers over time."

Sakura looks out at the garden in awe. "That's a big bouquet…"

Much to her surprise, Itachi lets out a soft, breathy chuckle. "It is much more than just bouquets, Sakura. What you see here is the end of courtship, of continued promises and secrets. Flowers are the language of courtship. Each represents a different vow that must be fulfilled and continue to be fulfilled so long as the two are married."

Making a silent 'o' she looks out again, seeing the garden through a different lens. "So how does traditional Uchiha dating go?"

"Uchiha do not date." Itachi says haughty "Uchiha court. There are nuances and restrictions and boundaries not found in dating. Courtship is a game of endurance and...preening."

An image of a peacock flaring its feathers comes to mind. Sakura resists the urge to laugh, replacing the vibrant blue and purple feathers with roses and chrysanthemums.

"That sounds so romantic," she adds with a hint of sarcasm.

"When done correctly, it can be," he adds. "I want to do it the right way, the way my mother taught me how."

So that's why.  Her heart softens a bit at the far-off look in his eyes.  He wants to do this for his mom.

She smiles to herself a bit, tucking pink hair behind her ear.  It's even more romantic somehow knowing his reasoning behind it, if not a little bit surprising. I thought he hated clan rules but now he wants to adhere to them.

Sakura sits with her thoughts for a moment, trying to reconcile what she knows with what he says. Wasn't that the whole reason for the tension in the first place? "Can I ask something?"

"Anything." Itachi states.

"Is the tradition part the important part to you?"

"Very." He answers.

"Because of your mom?" Sakura questions.

He lifts one shoulder in a half shrug. "Not only just. But tradition for tradition's sake. This is the way it's always been done."

Aha!  Sakura purses her lips and crosses her arms. "I thought you hated clan stuff."

Itachi doesn't give her accusing posture half of the attention she thinks it deserves. "Hate is a strong word for what I feel towards clan tradition. I hate very few things and dislike many things. The Uchiha Clan has redeemable traditions worth carrying on. This is one of them."

Well, that was easy enough . The medic pushes back further in her seat. Silence takes over as they sit and watch the late winter breeze skirt through the garden. After several seconds, Sakura starts the conversation again.

"So...what are some of these nuances you mentioned?"

He shifts his position, turning to her slightly as he explains.

"The premise of courtship is simple." he says, "A suitor chooses an intended and presents her with a courtship bouquet, arranged appealingly. The flowers inside should tell of the suitor's abilities and intentions. Each flower is a personal vow or promise to the intended that must be proven over the course of months. Once every vow is proven, the intended will then make her choice to accept or reject the proposal."

"How many months are we talking?" Sakura questions.

"It depends on the suitor." Itachi answers, "A bigger bouquet is preferred. It is a matter of status."

Sakura's brows draw together trying to picture Sasuke handing out flowers and doing a game of charades for a month trying to prove them.  I can't even picture him picking flowers let alone going to the lengths his dad did. This garden is huge!

She holds back a laugh, trying to imagine Itachi doing the same.  Maybe. Still. It sounds so...archaic and chivalrous and outdated all at the same time. I can't picture any of the women in the Village around his age willing to go through the hassle.  She nods her understanding of his summary though there are still plenty of questions lingering. She starts with the simplest one by far.

"I'm guessing the bigger the bouquet, the more outlandish the vow?"

Itachi shakes his head in the negative. "Not necessarily. Think of it more as the ability to provide. The more flowers, the more you have to offer."

"And the Clan Head's bouquet needs to be the biggest by default," She concludes. He nods. "How many months does courtship normally take?"

"It ranges between three to twelve months." Itachi supplies. "One month, one vow. Twelve months, twelve vows."

She calculates the time of their former mission and their current mission before looking questionably at him. "We don't really have a full year to use. Kakashi wants you to have children as soon as possible."

"I am aware. An ideal time length of courtship is six to nine months. Six should be enough to fulfill my promise."

"To your mother?" Sakura concludes, leaning forward to get a better view of his face. And to see if she is right.

Itachi blinks slowly, letting seconds go by before offering a barely visible nod. "I will need your help to do this."

"Of course," Sakura agrees right away. "Actually I think it's really sweet that you want to do it this way for your mom. It's like honoring her memory."

Another distant nod. She swings her gaze away, sensing his distraction.  There better not be ghosts lurking around.

To be on the safe side, she looks around them seeing only birds and wooden planks. Her partner shakes his head. She looks over to see that he is smirking.

"What?" Sakura accuses.

"Nothing."

Not buying it, she presses further. "Then why are you smirking?"

Itachi counters with a raised brow as if to question her questioning of a simple action. Sakura knows better than to get an answer from him at this point. Huffing she looks away and, not buying his excuse but tries to keep him in the moment just in case it is a ghost.

"What exactly do you need me to do? It seems pretty straightforward. Flowers. Promises and charades. Where do I come in?"

Much annoyance he actually smiles! Well, smile in the way any Uchiha can. No teeth but a pleasant, playful, and equally snarky grin. The far-off look is gone and it's enough to make her not punch him in the shoulder.

"You need to be taught," Itachi declares. "Courtship is a tradition spanning centuries that you know nothing about."

Confused and possibly slighted by his tone, Sakura makes a face and crosses her arms. " It's flowers . How hard can it be?"

"Each flower has a different meaning. Each combination tells a different story. Before you can help me with courtship, you first need to understand the language of it."

She cocks a pink brow questioningly, ready to retort when suddenly Itachi reaches across her lap. Sakura stills and flushes. Her chakra coils, ready to react. He grabs the bag of dango sitting to her left and places it in her lap without touching any other part of her.

"Open it," he says.

Skepticism plays on her face, especially at his closer proximity. Itachi moves back a few inches, waiting for her to do as he asked. Seconds tick by and he replaces his hands in his cloak, still watching and waiting with measured patience.

Even though he did not answer her question, she obliged his request, untying the knot to get to the treats.

Shifting the handles of the bag down, Sakura prepares to pull out the dango but something else tumbles out instead.

Her head jerks to Itachi and then back down at the delicate bloom laying precariously across her thigh.

I don't think anyone's given me flowers before…

Though it's only one, her ears heat up further. Sakura picks it up the steam, holding the flower closer to get a better look. At first glance, she thinks the spiny petals are purple but soon realizes they are a shade of blue all clustered together in ruffled rows around a purple center.

Sakura twirls it between her pointer finger and thumb. Unsure of what to say at the offering, she goes for the safest option.

"Erm..thanks…?"

"I appreciate your gratitude but that is not the correct response."

"Eh?" Sakura's blush spreads at his intense gaze. "I don't...I mean, what am I supposed to say?"

Pulling a hand from his cloak he brushes a finger underneath one of the petals before quietly answering. "You should ask what it is."

"Okay. What is it?"

"A cornflower," Itachi explains. Sakura looks down at his fingers caressing one spiny petal and then another. "Cornflowers have several meanings depending on the context and what they are coupled with."

"Oh," she tries to focus on the fact that this must be a lesson of some sort and not just Itachi giving her flowers. "And in this context? What does it mean by itself?"

"A request."

"For?"

"At the moment, your continued assistance," he says, pulling his hand away. "Such things as this you will need to teach my intended."

Sakura tilts her head at him and returns to the question she'd asked earlier. "Why do I have to teach her?"

"Courtship is done from a distance. It is a game of self-control and restraint."

"That's ridiculous!" Sakura exclaims. "How are you supposed to date someone distantly?"

Itachi gives the flower a gentle pluck before correcting her. "It is not dating. It is a courtship."

Sakura squares her shoulders, tilting her chin up at him. "Fine. How can you court someone from a distance?"

"I will teach you," Itachi says easily. "As okaasan taught me…"

Sakura opens her mouth to rebuttal but closes her lips with a quiet sigh.  I wonder if he's even aware he gets this far-off look every time he mentions her . There's notable silence whenever his mother comes up. At the moment, his eyes stare intently at the cornflower, not really seeing Sakura at all.

Seizing the opportunity to at least give him an outlet, she pulls the flower closer, holding it in her fingertips from both hands.

"Why did your mom teach you all this stuff if it's your dad's garden?" Sakura inquires.

Itachi blinks once. Then again. Then turns his gaze away towards the garden. "Tousan only showed such affections to my mother. On rare occasions, he would treat us to a softer side. Perhaps later he would have gotten around to it but delicate topics such as this were often left to mother."

Sakura looks out again at the flowering garden, trying to reconcile Itachi's description of his father juxtaposed with the garden he fashioned.  I guess his mother would know best when it comes to picking the right flowers with the right meaning.

Pink brows pucker and she twirls the cornflower in her hand. "What does this garden say? I mean, that's the point of it right?"

"It is," Itachi agrees, " I could tell you but the messages will be lost to you without complete context. I guessed as to some of the flowers and bought them from Ino. But others were unavailable this time of year. The meaning is incomplete and won't make much sense without them."

"Wait," Sakura interjects. "You planted these?"

Again, he nods and pulls himself up to a stand. "The garden is a mixture of winter, spring and summer flowers. It took little effort to plant those in season for demonstration purposes."

Sakura stands with him, walking towards the edge of the gazebo steps. "You do know what this garden means?"

"Of course."

"And you're keeping it a secret?"

The Uchiha takes a step down and calls to her. "Once you know everything there is to know about courtship, you can decipher the meaning yourself."

Sakura hurries after him, hyped at the challenge. "Fine. Studying has always been my strong suit. I'll have this in the bag."

They reach the stairs of the back porch before Itachi offers an ominous "Assuming you remember it all."

"What?" she asks, defenses on high alert.

There's no mistaking the laugh in his voice even if she only sees his back. "You forgot the dango, Sakura."

Looking down at her hands, Sakura realizes the only thing she carries is the cornflower once strategically hidden in the bag.

"Oh!" She turns quickly to go get the treats. Unsure of where else to put the cornflower, she tucks it between her hair and ear then jogs back to the porch and around the veranda to meet Itachi at the entrance.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny." She states once she meets him outside on the front porch.

Itachi steps aside to let her go before him. As she passes him, he reaches out and tugs gently at the cornflower.

"Perhaps learning is a strong suit," Itachi murmurs.

Sakura reaches up to touch her ear and the flower, turning to face him while he locks the door. "Did I do something right?"

Itachi finishes locking everything up and then walks with her to the road. "If another Uchiha saw the flower as it is now, they will assume two things. Your suitor has fulfilled a request you asked for. Or you have a request that hasn't been met yet. Several cornflowers mean the former. Cornflowers paired with other flowers mean the latter. Since it is tucked behind your ear, most will think his answer pleases you."

Sakura tries not to gawk. "Hair plays a part in this thing too?"

His gaze slants her way without moving his head. "There are  many nuances  to courtship, Sakura."

Yeah, I heard you the first time.  Sakura thinks. As they walk to leave the place Itachi once called home, another thought occurs to her.

"When are we going to tell Kakashi? Before we start or after this whole thing is over?"

"Whenever is most convenient for you."

"I'll send a missive tonight then."

Their walk continues all the way home, where Sakura sets to work on seal paper and Itachi starts the prep for food. It makes little sense to write their decision on the mission without giving a full report for the day. As her home fills with the smell of hotpot base, she details the day and what she assumes will be their evening.

If anything changes, I can always send another.  She makes sure to add the bit about Kai and his trial medicine though it has little to do with the mission. It does lean some credibility to the six-month gap between the official start of their mission and Itachi ending it.  I can explain the rest when we see each other. Although I guess it would be faster if I didn't have to send these things this way.

Her expression leans towards disgruntled as she adds the final touches to the page. After five years of communicating this way and Sakura has never gotten used to it.  So much writing when I could just go up to the office myself...

But missives are normally given at the front desk and very few people know she is on a mission, let alone know the details.  Caution for caution's sake I guess.

"Sakura?" Itachi calls just as she weaves signs to summon a slug.

"In a minute!" Sakura calls back. A white and blue slug poofs into existence on her living room table. "Katsuyu-sama. How are you this evening?"

"Very well, Sakura-san." Katsuyu answers, gliding across the table where the missive sits. "Another report?"

"Two actually," she states with a little laugh. "Kakashi has a lot he needs to know."

The slug happily obliges, turning to present her back. Sakura weaves several more hand signs before tapping the missives with her fingers. Seconds later it shrinks to Katsuyu's size. She fastens it to the slug's back before sending her off with a friendly salute. She raises from the living room table, going to the small dining area where Itachi has their hotpot late lunch, and early dinner set up. Thinly slice meats and vegetables lay arranged in a rainbow display. Accompanied by rice and...sake?

She walks over to the table and picks up the small bottle, waving it at him. "What's this?"

"A gift from Shikamaru," Itachi says while wiping his freshly cleaned hands. "It is a fruit wine from Suna."

She kneels down on her cushion, placing the bottle back on the table. "You sure get a lot of gifts from the Naras…"

"Some may venture to say that we are friends…" Itachi's expression doesn't falter but she has a sneaking suspicion he is teasing her again.

You couldn't tell me before that he has a snark side. Underneath all of these 'hnns' and 'ahas' is just as much sarcasm as the next man!

Shaking her head, Sakura goes for her bowl and pours the mild soup base. "It's still a bit weird. I grew up with Shikamaru but you spend more time with him these days than I do…"

Itachi pours a small amount of fruit wine for both of them. "My mission dictates close proximity. Shikamaru is tolerable."

"I can see how you two would bond over strategy games." She comments and uses her chopsticks to pile foodstuffs onto her plate.

The conversation from earlier comes to mind and remembers Ino's protest at Shikamaru blocking her request.  I wonder if he would do it?

Looking over the rim of her bowl, she steals glances at her partner filling his plate with meat and vegetables. Sakura considers asking him what Ino asked but remembers the context of the conversation and quickly looks away, cheeks flushed.

Shut up, Ino!

"Is the food too hot?"

"What?" Sakura stutters, blushing more at the sudden attention.

Itachi blinks at her then looks down at the soup base. "Your face is red."

Does he have to be so matter-of-fact sometimes?  She chuckles nervously and shakes her head. "I was just thinking about something. Speaking of, when am I going to start my courtship training?"

"Soon." Itachi offers.

"As in…?"

He dips several slices of meat into his own hotpot. "Tomorrow, perhaps. It depends on if my physician clears me to check on a project I am supposed to be working on."

Sakura cocks her brow at the jab, sitting her bowl of rice down to cross her arms. "Maybe if you give your physician a reason, she might."

"I am not sick."

"Not anymore," she argues before stuffing her face with food.

"Is that not reason enough?"

The medic finishes her bit and waits until Itachi finishes his before broaching a topic she is unsure she has the right to. "What about...the ghost?"

Her partner shrugs one shoulder. "Shisui is Shisui."

Sakura rolls her eyes at him. "You know what I mean."

"My answer is the same."

She shifts and sighs, leaning her elbows on the table. "If you can't guarantee that you won't go crazy the minute I send you back, I'm not sending you."

Itachi's bored expression helps nothing. "I did not 'go crazy' the first time," he says.

She meets his expression with a flare of push back, narrowing her eyes before snarkily asking. "Explain seeing ghosts then?"

"Have you been dead before, Sakura?"

"I, um...well, no I haven't…"

Itachi cuts across her floundering. "Then I cannot explain."

Okay, well that actually makes sense.

"All I'm saying is we're trying to find you a Mrs. Right. We'll have a hard time doing that if you're being haunted."

"Haunted?"

Itachi rebuttals, bordering on being offended by her insinuation. Sakura picks up on his attention and pulls back from the table, letting her hands fall into her lap.

"Maybe not haunted," she corrects, "I think you know what I'm trying to say. I want to make this chance work. I also want you to be okay for your own sake. I know what you're asking, but I also want to be sure I won't have to add additional medical concerns to your list."

"You have concerns."

"I think I've said as much."

"Thank you, Sakura," he states. "Your concern is customary to your role in courtship. But I assure you Shisui is harmless and I am fine."

She cannot immediately refute his seeming fine. They had gone to his home earlier and Itachi seemed more himself than he had in a while. 

Does this mean he isn't hiding something? Prolonging his leave will only prolong the project, which could keep him at the Uchiha Compound for longer. That could be much worse. Or not. As he said, I haven't been dead before. Maybe things are different when you are on the other side...

"I'll think about it," Sakura finally says. "Maybe fewer working hours every day? Shikamaru can do the heavy lifting while you're gone."

"I would prefer to do it myself."

"Not until after you get that evaluation, Uchiha."

Itachi lets out a disgruntled exhale before muttering under his breath. "You are so difficult."

"I'm a medic," Sakura retorts, "with an oath to uphold and no stubborn patient will force me to act otherwise."

"I am your partner." Itachi wages but Sakura smugly eats a piece of the mushroom while eyeing him.

She takes her time swallowing before sipping her wine and wiping her mouth.

"You should be used to it by now then."

"Indeed. But I am constantly surprised by your stubbornness."

Itachi drops the argument and she basks in the idea of winning some unknown prize at the moment.

Their night ends less eventfully than it started. The days that followed were routine for Sakura but a welcomed change for Itachi.

Sakura was kind enough to clear him for a few hours of work a day. Working half the time is not nearly as effective but Shikamaru is more than capable of doing the job. He isn't sure who had choice words with Weasel, Kakashi, or Sakura, but the Anbu makes sure he doesn't go over the allotted five hours of work.

Bothersome.

The Uchiha huffs, lifting his chin to gaze at the evergreen above his head. Back against the beech tree, Itachi allows his thoughts to drift to the plan he'd set into motion for the next few months. By no means is he going about courtship the way his father had or his grandfather before then. He simply can't do it that way for several reasons.

I will get as close as I can and then do the rest my own way.

It feels good to say as much. Itachi has always enjoyed going down his own path, accepting his fate for what it is. He'd grown accustomed to doing what needed to be done for the sake of the greater good, with the least amount of fallout possible. While he takes great pride in laying it all down for the sake of Konoha, Itachi equally relishes the opportunity to do as he pleases. As of late, he has had little opportunity to do so until recently.

His head pulls to the side. Itachi watches his parent's gravestones through a soft narrowed gaze. From his vantage point next to Sasuke, he has a clear view of them.

While his new life can never undo the things he's done or replace those dearest to him, it will allow him to build something new. And to ensure Konoha has a future long after he's gone. The peace from that gives him reassurance. Itachi closes his eyes, inhaling quietly then exhaling just the same.

At this time of day, he fully expects to be alone. Very few people have access to here and even Weasel is kept outside of this section of the cemetery. So the footsteps on the stone path could only be one of three people.

Itachi would know Sakura's chakra instantly.

Naruto would be louder.

Itachi half opens his eyes to a rangy silhouette casting a shadow over his brother's gravestone.

"Hokage-sama." he offers a low greeting and brief head tilt as a welcome.

Kakashi keeps his hands in his pockets, standing on the other side of Sasuke's gravestone. "Hoping for someone else?"

Itachi flicks his wrists dismissively. "Such as?"

The silver-haired ninja turns to face the same direction Itachi is before settling down on the other side of the large boulder. Mirroring the other position, one leg outstretched, the other bent at the knee where an arm careless hangs.

Kakashi answers his question with one of his own. "Do you ever see Sasuke?"

"Only in nightmares."

The Hokage holds silent for several seconds before offering a solemn response. "Every shinobi active before the War knows those dreams."

"A tragedy, truly." The Uchiha mutters. "Only shinobi who have lost something precious to them, either right before their eyes or by their own hands know these dreams. I would have hoped to prevent such things…"

"War is inevitable," Kakashi says seriously.

Itachi huffs, looking away and out at the remnants of his feeble attempt to contain war for just a moment.  It would be my own brother to undo everything I tried to stop.  "Peace is too fleeting."

"Maybe you are too idealistic?" Kakashi wages.

"On the contrary, Hokage-sama," Itachi reasons. "I am only stating a fact. Peace is fleeting. I would like to keep it. As long as there are men there will be dissent. And I cannot take that away or be removed from it."

"And now? Are you expecting dissent?"

Dark brows raise.  What is this?  Itachi tilts his head slightly in the direction of his companion. "Is there a point of contention between us?"

"That depends on your answer to my next question." Kakashi hedges. "I read Sakura's missive and came to see if somehow both of you'd lost your minds."

Ah. So it is the mission.  "You disapprove?"

"On several levels but let's start with the most basic. Who told Sakura about Clan Provisions?"

Itachi flexes his fingers, schooling his features to impassiveness as he answers just the same. "I did."

"Those Provisions are for Clans only."

"Of which she is a member of."

"Temporarily." Kakashi sharply retorts.

"That is the hope."

Itachi feels Kakashi's hard gaze at his side but chooses to keep his own on the many graves before him.

"By practicing polygamy?" the Hokage challenges.

"No," Itachi sharply replies, looking sidelong at his former captain. "Sakura and I will separate after the right woman is found. If that is your grievance you have no need to worry."

Kakashi shakes his head. "One of many. Your solution to this mission puts the village at a disadvantage on a mission we gave. You're shutting us out by going this route."

Itachi narrows his eyes, finger flexing once again at the accusation in the Hokage's tone. "I'm not sure which is more insulting: your lack of faith in me or in Sakura. Did you not commission me for this mission? Did you not ask us to come up with a solution? Now that we have, you doubt our judgment."

Kakashi snorts and smacks his teeth, drawing Itachi's attention to the contradicting expression on his former captain's face. Not as irritated as he thinks he should be, more thoughtful than pensive.  I wonder why.

The answer does not wait long and Itachi feels the shift in tone and in the way Kakashi drags his hands through his hair before looking up at the sky.

"Have you considered for a moment how this would affect Sakura?" Kakashi asks.

Itachi blinks, attempting to pick up what is not being said. He answers the immediate question and prepared for a follow-up. "She will be free."

"And alone."

"It is what she wants," Itachi informs.

"Yes…" Kakashi drawls then waits and after Itachi offers no answer, turns his head to look at him expectedly.

Itachi matches his gaze, holding it for several beats before giving in for simplicity's sake.

"What are you asking from me?"

Kakashi shrugs. "Assess and consider."

"Consider what, exactly?"

"That perhaps Sakura has nightmares too."

Chapter Text

Line 10: Daffodials

" and the sky of the sky of a tree called life.."

'I Carry Your Heart'

Line 9, Stanza 4

-EE Cummings

Midday normally means a short break before going back to work but for Itachi, his work day ends here. Sakura is adamant about him getting an evaluation despite his insistence that the check-up is unnecessary. He still doesn’t understand his connection to the dead. He doubts some shinobi psychiatrists could navigate the intricacies that are his mental landscape, let alone understand and diagnose a formerly dead man. It is a waste of time and words and resources.

But Sakura’s persistence will be his burden. 

As his guardian, her words are final with regard to his movement and he has no choice. He can find ways to get out of seeing a counselor but Weasel is his ever-present Anbu, standing as a silent reminder to leave the premises. If he delays even in the slightest, Weasel reveals him a short distance away drawing ever closer the long Itachi lingers. 

So Shikamaru takes over activities on-site with clear instructions on what to do with the residence they were working on. In exchange, Itachi takes over the paperwork. There is plenty of that to do and after refining particulars with his colleagues, the Uchiha takes the bulk of proposals with him, leaving Shikamaru and the village planner with the rest. Before going home, Itachi stops at Minami’s food stand for groceries. Happy as always, Minami's delight is his reprise and he entertains her for the moment. Her uncle is there as well, sitting on a stool bundled up to his neck despite the slightly warmer temperatures.

The young woman, however, is grateful for the change of seasons, excitedly showing off new fruits and vegetables for him to choose from. 

“They call it a pudding fruit,” she tells him, the aforementioned fruit carefully hidden beneath her palms. “I tried one and it’s very interesting in texture and test. You’ll need a spoon.”

Itachi places his existing items aside and adjusts his satchel of work materials so he can try this new ‘pudding fruit’. The name conjures something sweet and he swallows in silent anticipation to try a potentially healthy dessert. When Minami cuts it open, at first glance, it looks like spoiled brown mush. His nose twitches expecting a rotten smell but the fruit hardly gives off any odor. The seeds, thick spiky-looking things, stand straight up from the soft flesh.

“Minami-san…” Itachi mutters his caution and disappointment, not wanting to offend or dull her excitement.

“Try it before you say anything.” she quickly assures, then offers him a spoon to scoop out his portion. “We’re designing a special dessert for the Spring Festival and your pallet for sweets will really help us.”

He does enjoy sweets. Actual sweet things. This fruit hardly looks edible let alone enticing to his love for sugary desserts. But then Minami’s uncle jumps in, explaining the experiment custard they are trying to make, a juice and cream mixture. 

Itachi doesn’t hesitate because the old man knows his produce even if he can barely open his eyes. He goes right in with a generous glop of pudding fruit and is met with a pleasantly delicate sweetness. It’s not candy-like at all, not the overly sticky sweetness of dango. It’s mild, earthy, and honey-like but also not. He rubs it against the roof of his mouth, trying to place the familiar undertone. Smooth to the touch, not grainy or gritty but thick like a custard. It tastes nothing of custard but more…

“Persimmons?” He asks. “Are they related in any way?”

It’s the uncle who eases off the stool, walking over with his cane to assist. “Close relation. These have more of a squash or pumpkin flavor to them and add some nice thickness to an orange drink. Tastes even better with honey added…”

Itachi needs no more coaxing and buys several of the pudding fruit along with careful instructions on this experimental drink. He brings the overstock of groceries home, unloads his haul then starts a light snack before the main course. Using one of the pudding fruits as instructed, Itachi concocts his own version of Minami’s uncle’s drink. He chills it and redirects his attention to work stuff. 

He and Sakura’s home is too small to boast a home office. Itachi makes do with rearranging items to suit his reading purposes. The shogi game moves to another corner of the room, giving him enough space to put a temporary work table. The table is relatively small in size and faces towards the back garden, giving him more room if he opens the sliding doors. Tea is put on. He arranges cushions for more comfortable seating then neatly places the small stack of paperwork as well as a writing utensil before him.

Pouring tea he grabs the first stack of papers and sits back on his heels, ready to read.

The proposals given to him and Shikamaru from the village planner are all about leasing property. The Uchiha Compound is still in the cleaning and clearing phase, but several businesses inquire about the property and place their bids on the new real estate. From restaurants to furniture shops to pet stores, a wide variety of people seem interested in utilizing the space.

Itachi was admittedly skeptical at first that any business would want to do dealings in a building with such tainted history. People still manage to surprise him. Property is property and business is business. 

That’s all they see. 

That’s all he focuses on.

The land itself follows the same layout as his former home. All of the shops make up the frontmost part of the district in terms of where the gates are. The current workers have only been tasked with clearing the buildings and then demolishing the surrounding wall, leaving the gate as a reminder of what that place once was. A second wave will come later in the year to clean everything. Once that’s done, Itachi will have to make decisions on whether to lease the land or sell it outright. Some forward-thinking businessmen look into both. The mixed bags of inquiries range from leasing to buying to a joint partnership on some projects. Itachi sips tea and scans flowery letters, peppered with subtle hints of their true meaning. Some make him smile while others make him snort at the attempted guise of being clever. But it seems the Hokage hasn’t made it clear to whom they will have to do dealings. Every proposal is addressed to Konoha and thus Kakashi. This preliminary batch seems unaware of the fact that the land is actually his . Any agreements made will need to be negotiated upon and finalized by him, save for the public areas that he’s already agreed to donate to the Village.

Sitting a proposal for a small bank aside, Itachi reaches for more tea but doesn’t drink. Fingers idly tap the porcelain cup as much more pressing thoughts come to mind.

Shikamaru mentioned once that my cooperation in the Uchiha District would be a show of solidarity towards the village. But I fear a far bigger problem is afoot...

The taps come more rhythmically as he starts blankly out at the horizon. Memories from a lifetime ago foretell a future he is leery of encountering. Because the way his friend and partner presented the solidarity resonated with Itachi on a shinobi level. Yet he will not be dealing with shinobi, but people. Regular people. Business people.

He frowns from experience, recalling every business deal he’s ever made. Most of which took place in the Akatsuki and the men he encountered were degenerate swindlers. 

I would hope none here will stoop so low.

But business is business and there’s a formula to getting things done in such a field. As soon as the word gets out that the Itachi Uchiha owns 90% of the new neighborhood, his reputation will skyrocket among that demographic. Followed by favors, dinner requests, marriage proposals, bribes, gifts, and the like. His small fortune will be his fame, even if he has no desire of being rich. Land is money and money is power and power is influence and men long for all of these things.

These letters are a testament to some of the citizen’s desires. None of them seem malicious but no city is without its charlatans. Konoha is no different.

“They will pounce at the chance if they knew I was looking for a second wife.” Itachi’s disgust makes him frown. Things could go a number of different ways, most of which he does not want. A lot of them will undo the work he and Sakura have done. And Itachi is not willing to let her hard work be undone by greed and misunderstanding.

“I will have to curb the onslaught.” Itachi reasons take a sip of tea then goes for pen and paper to write a rough contingency plan for both business and marriage.

The six months he’d given himself should be just enough time to solidify his choice and shut down any other offers that might come. But he will need to make his choice now so as to dissuade anyone with a vested interest in his property or their business. She will be as far removed from the Uchiha Compound as possible but also strong and able to bear and raise children in the shinobi way. If she is a shinobi then someone with no vendetta or malice towards him. She needs to be trustworthy in order to persuade Kakashi but kind enough to understand the tale he and Sakura will spin. Although a small matter, a degree of attractiveness is necessary. She will be his wife after all. Itachi will love her for the mere fact of restoring his family but he would also like to like her.

With that out of the way, he makes a rough draft for business procedures. Itachi spends a good amount of time on it, working into the early evening hours. Though not the final draft by any means, Itachi is pleased with the ideas he’s laid out and realizes that he will need another team to handle the sheer volume of business requests as well as someone to differ inquiries to.

“I will need to meet with Kakashi then,” the Uchiha states, flexing his fingers before gathering the emptied tea cup and kettle to bring to the kitchen.

The sun is already halfway through its descent when he starts dinner. Sakura hasn’t made it home yet, a common occurrence these days. So he makes a simple soup with rice, has dinner alone, and enjoys the pudding fruit dessert while admiring the crocus flowers in their small garden. He spends about an hour there before retiring for the night. Sakura would be home when she could be so there is no need to wait for her. He takes his medicine, showers then gets ready for bed. But his day's work turns into nighttime musing and Itachi lays in bed, eyes to the ceiling in contemplation until the door opens downstairs. The hour feels late and he hears her sighing as the bedroom door creaks open. The thud of a bag hits the floor and Sakura closes the door behind her, going back downstairs.

He reasons that she might be making dinner, and waits for the sounds of kitchenware to move before getting up to go to the bathroom. In silence, he draws a bath for her, then eases back in bed just as quietly as he left it. With her home, their house feels fuller. Itachi sums it up to the ebb and flow of her chakra, not giving off any particular signals just there. The relative calmness reassures him that she is okay. He turns away from the door, returning to his earlier ruminations before giving in to tiredness. Eyes closed, the Uchiha allows his mind to drift, and ignores sounds in favor of rest. Just as he is at the cusp of sleep, warmth presses against his back that startles him awake.

“Just checking,” Sakura whispers.

He hadn’t heard her when she came in but a brief inhale informs him she’s already bathed. Itachi moves his head and shifts his eyes to see pink in the dark. 

“Thanks for the bath by the way,” she states.

“Hnn.”

“And the dessert, What was it?”

“A custard made from pudding fruit,” he explains. “Minami recommended it.”

Sakura’s hand and the warmth of her chakra travel up to his neck then down the length of his arm “Lungs look good. No inflammation either. Meds must be working.” she tries to stifle a yawn that slips through anyway.

He waits until she completes her exam before turning slightly in her direction. “Are you off tomorrow?”

“Technically, yeah. But I’m going to Naruto’s tomorrow to check on Hinata.”

Itachi slides back a few centimeters, and rearranges the sheets to partition the space as much as possible. “What’s happening with Hinata?”

Sakura groans softly as she gets in bed, eyes already half closed and voice filled with sleep. She mumbles through words while getting under covers and turning her back to him. “She’s been having some minor complications with this pregnancy but the Hyuga midwives won’t let her go to the hospital. Something about traditions or whatever.”

Though the change is subtle, her chakra flexes for the briefest second. Itachi, curious, presses the conversation. “Hyuga midwives have delivered many children successfully. I am sure they have their reasons.”

“Their reasons are stupid and outdated. The whole point is to protect the Byakugan but what am I going to do with that ?”

“It’s no insult to you.” Itachi reasons.

Sakura grabs a pillow, pulls it close then buries her face in it. “Yeah well, it’s an insult to my skills and my friend. Stupid Hyuga.”

Itachi smirks at her half sleeping complaining. Any children of his would have also been born with an Uchiha midwife and his wife would have seen only Uchiha doctors. It is traditional for all clans with innate jutsu. And Sakura’s indignation is at the very thing they are using to solve a problem.

“Are all clan traditions stupid?”

She seems to have picked up on his point, looking over her shoulder slightly towards him. “This one yeah. Yours...some of them are but not everything. Clans are still weird in general.”

He chooses not to poke holes in her theory, detouring the conversation slightly. “Would you be able to start your training tomorrow?”

Sakura rubs her eyes and then turns away from him, face once again half-buried in a pillow. “I’ll spar with Naruto after but then I’m done.”

He nods, drawing covers near then turning away as well. “I will come after that then.”

The next morning Sakura offers for him to join them but Itachi refuses. He has things to gather for the training as well as dropping off the documents he drew up yesterday. 

“Another time,” he says and she shrugs, giving him time to come by later in the day.

Itachi lets her go, leaving shortly after with his own work, and heads to the Hokage Tower

“The Hokage is out of the office right now.” The receptionist says, handing him a rather unscrupulous note outlining to whom he should redirect in queries too.

The Uchiha groans inwardly, fighting the need to roll his eyes at the Hokage's lack of leadership-like behavior. As it stands, his line of inquiry is not mentioned on this...list.

“Lady Tsunade is in there at the moment. Do you want to leave these with her?” the receptionist offers, trying to quell his displeasure.

Itachi declines, choosing to leave the documents at the clerk's desk per the note’s instructions. He has little time to go through the motions and explain things to Tsuande. But Kakashi has to come back and he is sure the man will stop off at the desk eventually. 

He leaves for the Uchiha Compound, on to his second item of business. There isn’t much he needs since the majority of their time will be inside today. After convincing both Weasel and a guard that he is picking up something, they let him through on a time limit.

Despite working at his old home every day, there is always pain here no matter how many times he comes. Memories of both good and bad, ghosts and shadows vie for his attention. He closes his eyes, clears the noise, opens them then walks to his former home.

Itachi opens the sliding doors to the living area as he’s done many times before. Except there is no food awaiting his arrival. No clansmen moving along the corridors to his father's office. Sasuke doesn’t run to greet him. It’s just him and dust and snippets in time.

He shakes his head, removes his shoes then heads toward his parent's bedroom. His first time back here brought him to his knees, as not a trace of what transpired remained. It left him wondering whether Sasuke cleaned up the mess or if the Village spared the boy the trauma. 

There exists a part of him that hurts when he comes here. But Itachi pushes it aside to look for a small personal journey. He goes to their closet and with great reverence, opens drawers that haven’t been touched in years. It’s hard to skip over familiar things, jewelry and trinkets, and winter scarves. At one particular scarf he has no choice but to stop, sitting back on his heels as he pulls it out and into his lap.

Okasan.

Its softness is just as he remembers, fingers fan over the tightly woven black fibers. Giving over to memory, Itachi brings it to his face and rubs the material against his cheek. Though faint and tangled with the stale odor of storage, he smells his mom and his heart sinks.

This was her favorite scarf. She wore it almost every day in winter. Itachi distinctly remembers the rare occasion she let him wear it when they went to the fish market. He had a mild cold but insisted on coming. She kneeled down in front of him and bound the scarf around and up to his cheeks. She smiled at him and told him he would be protected against any cold. Itachi was young enough to believe the scarf was strong enough to protect him simply because she said it could.

He brings it to his neck but it is much smaller on him now. Itachi loops it around once and tucks the excess into his shirt then continues his hunt until he finds the book. 

Pocketing it, he stands, having no further reason to be here. After putting everything back in its place, he goes to meet his escort at the front door.

The Anbu makes no remark about the scarf, letting Itachi through to leave. He brings his items home, setting the book on the table and making himself a quick lunch before leaving once more, following the pull of Sakura’s chakra.

It’s strange, he thinks, how in such a short time this little oddity they share is commonplace. An oddity that only he knows about as far as he can tell. Itachi contemplates explaining in further detail exactly what he feels when he says he feels her. He could explain but the last time that happened, she shut him out unconsciously. Her chakra withdrew in moments. He doesn’t want that to happen again, especially since he wants to explore it to its fullest extent.

As of now, he’s narrowed down and categorized feelings into warm and round, sharp and precise then withdrawn. But even that has variations and her mood plays a huge part in it. Positive emotions warm her chakra, smoothing sharp edges to something more tender. Skepticism is either scattered waves of back and forth, up and down, or a harsh wall to indicate hesitation. When she needs to take control, her chakra feels in control like thick tendrils grabbing everything in sight.

By far the most amazing thing is when she feels there is a threat. Like a good medic, Sakura’s chakra almost feels like a shield, hiding you and her from danger. Protecting those she cares about even without really knowing she’s doing it. He’s only felt that twice before. Both times were slightly different because of her motivation.

When Itachi was sick, her shield was comforting, soft, and soothing. If he needed any reassurance of his safety, she’d done that and then some. The second time was on the bench in his mother’s garden. It was only for a few seconds at most but her chakra shot up and swaddled him. She didn’t need to say anything because he felt her trying to ward off bad thoughts. Her chakra screamed defense, posed to ponce on an invisible enemy. Itachi could do nothing but smile at the almost possessive way she attempted to protect him.

Every day is a little bit different and today is no exception. He knows she’s using her chakra by the feeling of it. But that’s all it is: a feeling . It feels warm, it feels hot, and it feels like it takes a certain shape. His mind fills in the rest and it gives her chakra color. Medical chakra by its nature is green but Sakura’s chakra? Sakura’s chakra is a brazen, fiery, dainty, sparkling pink . As complex as the woman who wields it and as shifting as the seasons. 

Sometimes it pulls him.

And he follows colors and sensations and sharp edges. 

The training grounds they are in is a popular one. Open to all, littered with tall trees and clear alike. Winter tetters between fading and getting its last hurrah. The day is warmer than the days before, sunny and pleasant. He takes to the shadows cast by tree trucks on a small hill, listening to a sparring match between old friends, moderated by the Hokage of all people.

“So he is here…” Itachi subconsciously reaches for the scarf, rubbing his hands against it as he scans the terrain.

He’s tested this theory on several occasions and found that Sakura is not the only person he senses on an almost intimate level.

I can sense the Nine-Tails chakra in Naruto. They two have become inseparable.

Uchiha has always been sensitive to the malicious chakra that can make a man’s blood run cold. As a child, the Kyubi was this untamed beast but recent years changed his perception. Naruto tends to do that or so he’s heard. At the moment, that same vibrant chakra dances lightly across the field. No malice or murderous intent: harnessed and almost as sharp as Sakura’s pinpoint precision. 

Naruto is easy to spot because he doesn’t hide. He’s even easier to be noticed because his chakra hangs over the Village like a covering, reminding those that reside within that they are safe. This chakra is unmistakable, unlike so many others. If not for visibly seeing them he would not have guessed that Kakashi or their other audience were present.

Looking ahead, he watches Hinata sitting a good distance away with a happily squealing Boruto plucking at blades of brown grass. Neither of them quite shows up on his radar as Sakura does. By all accounts, he would not be able to distinguish them from any other presence he senses.

It is only Sakura…

Leaning his back against a nearby tree, thoughts come and go in quick succession all pointing towards one goal. He will freely admit that five years ago, he needed such singularity. A sudden rush of new life would overwhelm any man. There was little time to explain. All he knew was to save Konoha and it was enough. Outside of the mission, outside of Sakura, there only exists uncertainties and unknowns. Questions he has yet to navigate or even ask to find out how to proceed. There is no one to ask aside from himself. Everyone outside only gives directives, about where he should go, and how he should live. Five years ago he let them lead because it’s taken him that long to find stable ground and set his own goals.

My desire has always been for the betterment of those who reside here .

Slightly narrowed eyes, observant and clear, follow Boruto’s movements across the grass. The child takes heaps of it into his chubby fingers and then runs back to his mother to show her his prize. Itachi finds himself smiling softly at the scene, a future he helped to secure and protect. 

The Massacre fell short of this goal but he was determined to secure it, even at the risk of losing a most beloved brother. 

He’d mentally prepared for his own personal agony but did not prepare himself for Sakura.

The rain did nothing to drown it out. Even if it could, Itachi would know the sound immediately, the shrill cry of one who realizes too late the consequences of their actions. The resolution to fate but desperate to fight against. The agony of loss and pain with the guilt of knowingly being the cause.

It stopped him in his tracks. Under the shroud of a rainstorm created by his brother’s infamous attack, he clung to Sasuke’s lifeless body, off-balanced and winded by an invisible blow. He clung and cried, and cringed and cursed the circumstances that put him in the same situation twice. Sakura’s distraught was the same as his aunt, his uncle, his cousin, and his neighbor. A pleading, suffocating, suffering sound, begging for mercy, beckoning him to stop. But he couldn’t. The deed was done, and Sasuke was dead. There he was, covered in the blood of someone dear with the screams of another at his back. 

Too familiar.

Too close.

Too much.

He could do nothing to save his family. But Sakura? She was alive and within reach. She gave him life to take a life. For him, that was enough to be in her debt.

One mission became two.

Konoha and kunoichi. 

He contented himself with following through and following up with both.

We did what needed to be done, she and I, for our own personal missions. For the sake of Konoha. For the sake of peace.

Yet Kakashi spoke to him before as if there were more to the story. As if his view of what his partner wishes is wrong.

From his perspective, Sakura has always had one goal.

She craves to be done with this, to be done with me. To be left alone. She deserves hope for the future she desires.

Is that not his motivating conviction? To provide hope for the future of all of Konoha? Otherwise, the Massacre was for nothing. 

A disgruntled sigh escapes and he looks at the sky. The Massacre stopped everything and started it anew. Such large-scale consequences I could not control. But this is different.

Dark eyes narrow beneath the shadows of the tree trunk, looking on as the two teammates square off with each other. Kakashi tags in. A quick exchange of words happens before Naruto runs over to Sakura’s side. The blond points his finger, self-assured and rightly smug while Sakura holds her hips. If he has to guess, a challenge will emerge. Seconds later, the three take to the skies. 

Itachi watches their ascent and, sure enough, Naruto’s shadow clones surround Kakashi, engulfing his form.

“It is a substitution,” he says, honestly surprised that the future Hokage missed the transformation.

Sakura is a bit quicker on the change, dropping to the ground and looking around for where the older shinobi is hiding. Itachi scans around as well, spotting the looming shadow from amidst a tree branch. Apparently, Sakura did as well because moments later she’s scaling it, pooling chakra into her feet to run up the trunks. Fingers cross and two shadow clones pop into existence. Kakashi only has a few heartbeats to make a move before she catches him. The clone runs around the other side while the real Sakura charges him. Kakashi pushes off the branch just as her feet come down on it, shattering it into several pieces. But he doesn’t notice the shadow clone that gets him from behind. It’s too late though and she pulls him down to earth where Naruto waits, ready to attack.

Not alone. Itachi concludes while watching them go round for round. She is most at home around those she cares for. If not loneliness, then what does she want? Friendship? Companionship?

Kakashi told him to assess and consider. Itachi thought he’d done that already. What did he miss?

There is nothing left to consider...

Ensuring the happiness of an entire Village is near impossible. Especially since he is no longer classified as a shinobi. But securing a future for one person, this person is well within his reach.

“It’s too pretty a day to be creepy.”

He tsks at the whisper, eyes sliding shut though it does nothing as the wind brushes past his cheeks. “I am waiting.”

“On what? The gods to speak?” Izumi’s arms are the barest caress across his shoulders, circling around his neck as if reaching through the tree to embrace him. “You could go over there and wait with them. Standing 100 feet away, peeking through the trees covered in a black cloak makes you look like a stalker.”

“I care very little about appearances. You should know this more than anyone.”

Izumi hums and the faint scent of orange tickles his nose. “Are you going to tell her today?”

“Only what needs to be known,” Itachi whispers.

She tugs harshly at his collar, grumbling in his ear. “How come Shisui gets a proper mention and not me? He told me, you know and now he won’t stop talking about it.”

His fingers twitch with a desire to touch arms that aren’t there. The weight on his shoulders isn’t real and reaching up will only see him touching his neck. Sighing, he tries to push off the tree. Surprisingly Izumi lets him, the air stirring around him as she lets go.

“You are not Shisui,” he mutters, eyes averted as memories of times past remind him of what they were.

Izumi takes steps forward and Itachi’s gaze shifts sideways. He watches her solid form come right up to his side but poses to disappear the minute he looks directly at her. Her brown hair catches the wind as if she were human. As if she were alive. He wonders for a moment if she resents him at all for the way he killed her. 

He’d thought giving her all that they wanted was the least he could do. Waking up on the other side of eternity realizing it all was a lie must have been miserable.

But Izumi’s smile is pleasantly soft. She grabs her elbows, leaning to the side so that he just barely feels the brush of her hip. Itachi knows the minute her face turns and leans forward to look at him that she’s forgiven him a long time ago.

“I’m no different than anyone else you care about.” Izumi teases then, with a kind smile, she adds. “I’m not jealous either that you’ll finish your vow with someone else.”

She pauses and her eyebrows lift in the center, dipping in the corners as concern takes hold. “Are you worried about that?”

Itachi exhales slowly and tired. “I never considered you being jealous…”

“But you don’t want to go on without me?”

He hesitates because the truth is he’s struggled to go on without all of them. Though he’s made up his mind about doing what he wants to live. Though he’s decided that he will live. It doesn’t always take away the reality that the rest of his family is dead.

And that he killed them.

And that he should be dead too.

He feels the scarf around his neck and it suddenly becomes more choking than comforting.

“Close your eyes, Itachi.” Izumi orders.

And he does without a second thought because his mind wanders places he would rather not go right now. Her hands are on his face. Cheek and cheek, she pulls down until his forehead feels the coolness of her forehead. Orange and jasmine and her smell fill the space around her. Itachi takes a deep breath for several reasons and Izumi hums her approval while whispering softly to him.

“When are you going to get out of your head?” She chides him with a soft chuckle. “Do you want to know what I think?”

“Tell me.”

“I think as soon as you find someone who loves you just as much as you love this Village and you love your family and you love Sasuke, you won’t need me or Shisui anymore. I won’t be sad when that day comes because I know you’ll be taken care of. All I want is your happiness.”

“I have not been happy for a long time,” Itachi admits.

Izumi chuckles playfully. “I know. Such a grump. You could be if you tried. This is your moment.”

“My happiness will be assured eventually…”

“That’s not what you’re concerned about, is it?”

Itachi shakes his head slightly. “Not at the moment. There are others...”

Izumi pulls back. “Why don’t you just ask her what makes her happy?”

“I thought I did.”

“Well ask again. Or give her options. Sometimes we don’t know what we want until it’s presented to us…”

Just as those words are spoken, Itachi senses his partner’s eyes on him. 

Izumi chuckles. “I guess that’s my cue. Talk to Sakura. She isn’t so far removed that she won’t understand.”

Just like that, phantom senses fade. Itachi looks up at Sakura watching him intently. Her chakra matches her expression, the same as the night he came home feeling sick. Cautious and concerned. 

Naruto’s waving frantically for him to join them in the field while Kakashi waits near Hinata. He obliged, closing the distance and going to Sakura’s side.

Naruto is the first to speak, stepping around the ladies to meet him where he is. “I thought you were gonna stand there all day.”

The Uchiha braces for the embrace, not bothered by Naruto’s sweat from sparring or the familiarity with which the blond treats him.

“I was watching the match,” he says. 

Naruto chuckles cheekily and rubs his neck. “You should have joined us. It could’ve been two on two instead of us tag-teaming against Kakashi.”

“Perhaps another time, Naruto. I did not come particularly prepared to spar. I was simply looking for Sakura.”

Pink brows draw together and Sakura allows her confusion to manifest in several blinks. When it clicks, the shift is almost dizzying. Bright, shimmery, excited .

Ahh.

“Ohh,” Sakura practically sings. “Is it about the thing?”

He nods once. 

“Okay,” turning her attention to the crowd, Sakura looks at Hinata. “I’ll come by another time so we can talk more about those symptoms you’re having.”

Hinata reaches down to scoop Boruto into her arms. “If you want, sure. The midwives may be a bit put out again…”

“Let them be put out,” Sakura states. “You’re basically like a sister to me and I want to be there for you. I get that it’s a clan thing but still. You need a good medic. I’m a good medic. Case closed.”

A blush sprinkles the other woman’s face. “I wouldn’t want to take too much of your time, Sakura. I know that you and Itachi are busy with what’s going on at the Old Uchiha Compound.”

“You’ve heard of it?” Itachi cuts in, genuinely surprised.

“Who hasn’t?” Hinata questions. “My father was talking it over with some advisors days ago. He thinks the idea of a cultural center is interesting.”

Itachi hums his approval. “I haven’t gotten around to speaking with the Clans for their support but would indulge in a meeting if Hisahi-sama is willing.”

“I’ll let him know then.”

“Thank you, Hinata-san.”

She smiles kindly to him before looking over to Naruto. “I’m going to go get him ready for bed. Will you still be working with Kakashi-sama tonight?”

Naruto looks over to where Kakashi should have been but Itachi notices the absence of the Hokage before anyone else realizes he’s left. Naruto’s whine and Sakura’s gripe must have been a familiar scene as it only makes Hinata laugh.

“This disappearing act is getting old really quick,” Sakura complains. 

Itachi steps up, offering comforting words to the visibly sullen blond. “Perhaps a lesson in what to be is in order?”

His shoulders hung, and Naruto only grabs his hair. “Kakashi’s been doing this for years.”

“ Years .” Sakura reiterates. “I don’t know what he was like when he was your Anbu captain but for us, he was either late or missing or both on the same day.”

Itachi thinks back to his Anbu days. Kakashi is far different from what he is now. Calculating and distant but there. He did disappear on them plenty of times but never during critical moments. These days, he would hardly say the reasoning is the same. The Hokage seems to be stuck in old ways but not old motivations.

“I’ll find him,” Naruto declares, rotating his shoulders with a grin that promised success. 

Itachi nods. “When you do, let him know I left documents for him to review with the receptionist.” 

A grin is enough and with a kiss on Hinata’s forehead, Naruto disappears in a poof of smoke. Itachi turns to Sakura.

“Shall we accompany Hinata home first?”

Hinata blinks. “You don’t have to.”

But Sakura jumps in, waving a hand and reaching for a sleeping Boruto. “It’s fine. We can walk with you.”

Hinata hands over the boy with ease and then cradle her slightly swollen belly. “Thank you Sakura and Itachi-san.”

The three of them head out of the training grounds. Itachi lingers behind a few steps while Sakura keeps pace with Hinata. The two women talk for most of the walk. Sakura keeps the conversation going with several topics, causing Hinata to laugh and smile. He watches without focusing, only giving his full attention when Sakura occasionally glances back at him. He settles into slow strides, occasionally touching his chin to his mother’s scarf as they meander through the streets. Passersby go mostly unnoticed but he’s aware of every one of them. A silent shadow behind both women, he lets his mind wander to what will happen after. His mother’s book will help Sakura and hopefully speed up her learning. He considers Izumi’s recommendation though he sees no real point in doing so. What good would it do for Sakura to know that he has indeed been through this process once before? Or intended to start it. 

Itachi stares at her back, wondering why. 

Relatability perhaps. 

As far as Sakura knows, he would eventually get married. She did not know that he’d initiated the conversation with his mother. True enough it would have been his duty to choose an Uchiha bride but Itachi was a step ahead as usual. He’d found someone on his own and wanted to initiate the process before anyone else even considered him for it. Maybe Izumi means to ease Sakura’s consciousness about his choice. Or to show her that he too knows the loss of love and hope for a future. 

Sakura rarely speaks of Sasuke anymore. Not to me…

His brows furrow and he tunes into the conversation about pottery. Perhaps not to me. She has others to talk to . 

For the briefest moments, Itachi imagines Izumi following Sakura, listening to private moments between friends. It stops him in his tracks, eyes widening slightly because where does she go when she leaves? 

“Itachi? Is something wrong?”  Sakura gets his attention. “The house is right here…”

He refocuses, bringing himself back to the present. “I’m fine, Sakura.”

She looks over him, glances at Hinata, and then back to him. “Okay well, we’re almost there.”

“Hnn.”

Sakura waits a moment then turns slowly, walking with Hinata again for a few more feet to their front door. Itachi hangs back while Boruto is transferred between the two. With a promise to visit soon, Sakura meets him at the gate to the Uzumaki home.

“Are you sure you’re fine?” she presses, walking through the gate he holds open for her.

“Yes,” he says but adds just to be sure... “Do you smell orange and jasmine?”

“Orange and jasmine?” Sakura takes a deep breath and then another. “I smell...air. Do you smell orange and jasmine?”

Itachi says nothing.

“Oh wait, is this a test?” she asks. “Are we starting training right now? Does that mean something, orange, and jasmine?”

He shakes his head. “Have you smelled this fragrance before?”

She shrugs, lacing her fingers behind her as they walk towards their home underneath the orange-red skies. Itachi watches her out of the corner of his eye, waiting for her response.

“At the flower shop, maybe? It’s in some perfumes I’ve tried. It’s a little too sweet-smelling for me. But I’ve smelt it before. Is it important? Why’d you ask me that?”

He considers saying nothing but changes his mind and offers parts of the truth. “I’m partial to the scent.”

Sakura looks at him in disbelief. “You like it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Sakura hesitates and then stretches her arms over her head. “That’s...good to know I guess. Maybe you’re smelling it because you’re thinking about flowers. Or it could be phantosmia.”

He raises a brow, prompting her to go on.

“Phantosmia is a phantom smell. Where you smell things that aren’t really there. It’s common in people who recover from a respiratory infection. You were sick not too long ago and your lungs were filled with fluids. Though not an inflection, your body responds like there is an infection with fluid and inflammation.”

“I see.”

“Yeah, so just monitor when that happens and I bet they coincide with your flare-ups. At least it’s a smell you like. Some people smell metal or sulfur. The body is weird and amazing that way.”

Itachi takes the opportunity to change the subject. “Is that why you studied the body?”

His partner laughs. “That’s why I study it now . Back then when I was searching for Lady Tsuande, I just wanted to find something I could do . Instead, I found something I love.”

“You don’t regret it.”

“Never.” Sakura declares, full of passion and resolve. “Medicine never gets old. There’s always something to learn, somewhere to grow. Something to discover. I’m never bored and am always challenged. Case in point.”

She gestures toward him with a smile. “I don’t think I would’ve considered being a medic if not for everything going on. So I guess I really have Naruto and Sasuke to thank for that. They pushed me towards my passion without even knowing it.”

“You chose your own personal legend,” Itachi states.

As expected, she looks confused. “My what ?”

They turn a corner. Itachi lays out a truth he’d read years ago. “A personal legend is a desire deep within ourselves to be more, to live for a purpose greater than ourselves. When we decide to live out our personal legend, everything in the universe comes together to make it happen. You desired to do something and that desire led you to where you are now. Everything along the way only helped you to find your personal legend. But you chose it.”

Sakura looks contemplative at him then looks back out at the road. He isn’t sure what she’s thinking as her expression cools to something neutral. Her chakra gives him nothing either and not for the first time. 

He would not know her simply by checking the sharpness or roundness of her chakra. People are far more complicated.

Itachi dismisses his own thoughts, resolving to let Sakura reveal her musings when she is ready.

And she does with a simple question. “What’s your personal legend?”

An easy question with an easy answer. 

“To free Sasuke,” he says.

Sakura tilts her head at him much in the same way Izumi did earlier. “Maybe six years ago. What’s your personal legend now?”

Very true.

His eyes slant obliquely toward the anticipation on her face. Sakura knows his answer for he has made it known on several occasions.

“To free you.”

“After that…?”

That question is far more challenging. He shrugs a shoulder, offering honesty. “It remains to be found.”

She sighs. “How about we do those last two together and at the same time? Speaking of, can I shower first before we start training? Being clean helps me think.”

He doesn’t question her process, inclining his head to the request. 

When they make it home, Sakura rushes upstairs to the bathroom. Itachi goes about making an orange juice and pudding fruit drink. He chills it while arranging the living room to suit their purposes. Every training has to start from the beginning and this is where he intends to start today.

His mother’s scarf is close by, folded and settled on the floor next to his seat cushion. When Sakura comes bolting down the stairs, hair still slightly wet and a notebook in her hands, he looks over to her while sitting their treats down. Her eyes light up, landing on the journal in the center of the table. 

“I have a textbook?” she asks, moving her cushion closer to lean her elbows on the table.

Itachi smiles at the lightness in the air around her for he can all but taste her enthusiasm. This is as close as he thinks he’s gotten to making her happy. It’s an accomplishment he flies away for no other reason than to say that he had. Sliding her drink and spoon across the table, Itachi takes a seat on the cushion closest to the way where his mother’s scarf lay. Sakura’s already flipping through her book and writing things down. He waits for her to finish, letting his arms rest on his knees, a statuesque picture of patience

“Okay.” she declares, custard and spoon in hand. “I’m ready.”

Itachi nods in response, bringing his own dessert closer. “We’re going to start from the beginning.”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Sakura flags him to stop as she swallows. “Is that what the book is for?”

“Yes and no.”

She pauses, Itachi assumes for him to continue but he waits for the inevitable question that soon follows.

“Are you going to explain it then?” she questions.

He offers her the faintest twitch of his lip as if to say that is what I am trying to do. Sakura shakes her and rolls her eyes.

“Go on…”

Itachi does just that.

“The book belongs...belonged to my mother. She used this to teach me some of the basics about courtship and flowers. You will use it to study but it is incomplete. I will teach you the rest.”

“Can I open it now?”

“Not yet. There is a tale you need to hear first.”

“Oh,” Sakura sits back and then resituates herself on the cushion. Pen in one hand, custard spoon in the other. “Really ready.”

“Very well,” Itachi says, then continues with a tale older than the foundations of Konoha. “Courtship has changed many times. Mine will not look like my father’s nor does my father’s look like my grandfather’s. Regardless of intricacies, all of them start from one legend. The garden of two sisters.”

“...the garden of two...sisters…” Sakura repeats in mumbles, writing it down in her notebook and then looking back up at him. 

“It is the story of flowers, two sisters, and one man,” Itachi says then huffs as she immediately interrupts him again.

“Don’t tell me some guy dated two sisters,” Sakura asks in disgust.

“Listen to the story,” he calmly instructs, and much to his gratitude, she does. “A young Uchiha farmer fell in love with a merchant’s daughter. They would see each other when he sold goods from house to house. When he had no work, they would be seen in the flowering fields together. During this time marriages were approved by fathers and sealed with the payment of a bride price. The farmer could not afford the cost of his intended and worked twice as hard to save money for their marriage. However, the father grew impatient, claiming the farmer did not love his daughter but merely enjoyed her company. The farmer denied the allegation and begged for the chance to marry her at any cost. So the father laid out a plan for him to prove his love.”

Itachi pauses, giving Sakura time to finish writing her notes. She prompts him to keep going so he continues

“The father told him: ‘If you truly love my daughter then let me offer you a test. Should you pass the test, I will let you marry my daughter and it will be your bride price.’ The farmer readily agreed and demanded to know what he must do. The first test challenged how much he knew her personality. She and her sister would plant separate gardens at the edge of the flowering field. Since this is where they frequented, he needed to select flowers from her garden. The second test challenged his physical knowledge of his intended, for her and her sister were twins. Once he had his bouquet, he needed to present it to the right sister. The father warned that since the test was his bride price, whomever he presented to, that is who he will marry.”

“The farmer waited for one month for the small gardens to be planted. When he received instructions, he went to the field. The legend says he picked the flowers in seconds. Overcome with joy at being correct, he ran all the way to his intended’s house. He knew this was the time of day she normally fed the chickens and headed straight towards the chicken coup, bouquet outstretched for her to take it. When she looked up at him, his smile immediately fell, for it was not his intended at all, but her sister.”

He stops because this time he can feel her chakra, sizzling quietly below the surface. A prominent frown decorates her features and Sakura, leaning back on her heels, looks shamelessly dissatisfied.

“You are not pleased,” he wagers.

Sakura leans her elbows on the table. “I thought this was supposed to be a love story?”

Itachi cocks his brow. “I never said as such.”

“Yeah but this is the story of courtship. Courtship is about love ! This guy is about to marry the wrong sister!”

“The story isn’t finished.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sakura complains, rolling her eyes in a huff. “He did all of that work for nothing. Or does he get a second chance?”

Itachi shakes his head. “The father saw him coming afar off and stood in the doorway watching. Once the bouquet was offered, the bride price was paid. They were by all accounts, married at that moment.”

“Where was the sister?”

“On that day she attended her mother to the market so her sister did her chores for her. When she heard what happened, she fell into despair and planted new flowers that spoke of her everlasting love for him. Every day the farmer would leave his home and wife, go to the fields and pick the flowers she planted then leave her a token of his lasting affection. Although they could not physically be together, her flowers and his token spoke of their love. As for his wife, she too planted flowers in the fields, hoping he would see hers and pick hers as well. Her flowers spoke of longing and loss and the unmet desires of a wife. After years of planting the gardens grew until they stood side by side: flowers of love and flowers of longing.”

His partner signs heavily, biting her lip in obvious discontentment. Itachi waits for her to gather her words and takes to eating his dessert while she voices her thoughts.

“Nobody wins here,” Sakura says with a frown.  “The man doesn’t marry the woman he loves. The woman loses her sister and her future husband and the other sister is stuck in a loveless marriage where her husband is indirectly cheating on her. And this is how Uchiha's courtship starts?”

Itachi swallows. “It is the source of the language flowers. Courtship is the story of love and longing, of desire and distance. It is love under control.”

“This story is sad.” Sakura points out.

“Courtship is not.” Itachi counters. 

He tries not to smirk at her pout, finishing his dessert while she muses. His reaction to this story wasn’t quite so...candid. Perhaps because his mother told it better. Maybe because he knew that there was happiness to be found even if there was none in the legend.

Mother simply said this was how courtship started but it is not how it ends. Itachi’s leg brushes against the scarf on the floor. Reassured and determined to proceed, he finishes the pudding fruit custard and picks up where his mother left off. Leaning forward, he slides the book to her across the table.

“Shall we continue?”

Sakura dismisses his question with a sully wave of her hand. “Yeah sure. It can’t get any worse right?”

“Why are you disappointed?” He asks with genuine curiosity about her displeasure.

“Because!” Sakura declares, looking at him and then away. Dropping her chin in her palm, her free hand taps the table and she stares at the living room door. “I don’t know, I feel like everything with you guys starts with tragedy. Guess I was hoping for a good story for once.”

Green eyes find him in hesitation, looking away just as quickly and then back again. Itachi realizes with a start that her chakra feels far, tight, and...withdrawn.

Uncertainty.

He’s felt this in passing but could not put a name to it. Seeing her face confirms his theory though it clears up nothing. What is she uncertain about? Her desire for Uchiha to have a happy beginning and a happy ending? His reaction to her kindness? Both?

Itachi offers her hope. “We are only at the start, Sakura. Courtship should always end in happiness if done correctly. Open the book.”

She obeys, pulling it closer and looking at the very first page. Itachi’s eyes rest on the drawing and his heart smiles. Most didn’t know his mother’s talents. But when blooms were few, she took to illustrating the flowers for him and he was commissioned with filling in the colors. 

“It’s a daffodil.” his partner states. “This drawing is beautiful.”

Itachi chooses to skip over the collaborative efforts for a later time. “They are also a great flower to explain courtship. All flowers fall into two categories. What are they?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Hnn. To see if you are paying attention.”

“Flowers of longing. Flowers of love.”

“Correct,” Itachi confirms. “Within these categories are subcategories. Longing can be of loss or desire. Love can be platonic or romantic. There are also flowers that are both longing and love. There are different flowers with the same meaning as certain flowers only bloom during certain seasons. There are fall courtship flowers and there are spring courtship flowers. Knowing the difference makes the messages clearer. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Very good.” Itachi points to the page, drawing her attention downwards. “Daffodils begin a spring courtship by indicating preference. To give a daffodil means you prefer this person to all others. Daffodils are among the few flowers that are never paired with something else. Because of the sap, they release when cut, a daffodil will inevitably kill any other plant it shares a bouquet with. Hence why this is the flower of preference. There is no other with it.”

“That’s...really sweet actually,” she says, brushing her finger along the old page. “So you use a flower that doesn’t allow other flowers to be around it. By their nature, daffodils prefer to be alone. Do all flowers go into detail like this?”

“No. Some are much simpler or the meanings have changed over time. There are also flowers added that were giving meanings after becoming popular.”

“If you like someone, you give them a daffodil?” Sakura asks.

“Hnn.”

“That means...this is a flower of love?”

“Of longing.” Itachi corrects. “They are meant to make the intended aware of her suitor’s hopes. After marriage, it is not unheard of for husbands to occasionally give daffodils as a reminder but there are other flowers to show preference with regard to love. Daffodils are far more...innocent.”

“Why are the men giving the flowers? Do the women give bouquets too?”

He inclines his head, shifting a bit in his seat. “Traditionally it is the men who give bouquets. Women also give flowers but not in the same way.”

Something like indignation crosses her features and shifts the air. “So if a girl liked a guy she couldn’t just give him a daffodil?”

I see. Itachi thinks, noting the annoyance is under control. He is not surprised by this response at all. Courtship is an old practice that does not always fit in the modern world. 

Old doesn’t mean wrong and new isn’t necessarily better.

“There are roles in courtship,” he says slowly, carefully. “No one role is greater than another but all work together. Women use flowers to make their desires known. If a woman prefers a man, she may wear a daffodil in her hair or sit it on a seal where others could see she has her eye on someone. Men use flowers to provide their ability to fulfill or make their vows. If it is known that she has a choice, it is the man’s job to find out what she likes.”

“So the girl just stands there and waits around for some guy to realize she likes him?”

“Courtship is active from both parties.” Itachi quickly corrects. “If a woman wants to be courted by a man, she will make sure he knows that her desires lay only with him by choosing flowers that send messages only he would know. It is like mother says, women set the pace for courtship and men keep it going during the marriage.”

“Sounds like patriarchy to me but okay. He gives her the daffodil to let her know he likes only her. Correct?”

“Partially.”

“Partially?”

“Have you forgotten that courtship is a game of distance? The courter does not give the flower directly. Instead, he uses a go-between to pass his messages along. A mutual party that both persons trust.”

Understanding dawns, Sakura taps the daffodil in his mother’s notebook. “That’s going to be my role.”

“Yes. Traditionally go-betweens were chosen by the family of the intended. They were used to ensure sincerity on the part of the suitor. If the go-between found the suitor to be unable to uphold his vow, then the go-between would recommend ending the courtship. Recently, this person has been chosen by the two parties involved, usually a friend, that could properly convey the meanings of flowers.”

Sakura twirls the pen in her hands. “I’ll be the one to explain that you’re not just being nice when you send some girl a dozen daffodils.”

He huffs, frowning slightly at the mere thought. “I would never be so desperate as to send twelve daffodils . One will suffice. Two is being generous.”

She pauses and stares at him for several seconds before, much to his surprise, she laughs. A brief, curt chuckle develops into a full-on laugh to the point she covers her mouth and offers an apology in the form of a frantic hand wave.

“I, sorry” Sakura wheezes between breaths. Itachi only blinks, face devoid of any particular expression at her mirth. “You looked so serious and I just...I hadn’t expected you to answer that way. Is that some faux pas or something? I thought you guys were all about bouquets?”

His brow slowly raises at her explanation. Itachi looks down at her with a mixture of amusement and unabashed haughtiness. Did she not expect him to take this seriously? He wouldn’t have suggested it if he was not going to do it right. True there were some things he simply couldn’t do with his...limited help. But this , this is elementary.

Itachi lays out the lack of propriety in her recommendation, pointing out the equivalent of what she suggested. “I will make my preferences known but I will not beg. One flower is enough to show regard just as one statement is enough to state one’s feelings.” 

His statement helps her contain her laughter enough to offer a slight rebuttal. “You’re the only one who knows that. No other woman in the Village will understand why you’re giving them one flower.”

“Incorrect,” He informs. “ You will know.”

Sakura’s mouth opens then closes a bit, his scrupulous reply drawing a  bit more concentration to her features. He wonders if, up until this point, she did not realize that he would follow the rules of courtship so conscientiously. Her eagerness to learn seems to have been contingent on some shortcuts somewhere along the way. 

What will you do now, Sakura?

This is her idea, after all, and he agreed to find a second wife per her recommendation of the Clan Provisions. This is the way he would have done it regardless of the circumstances. His partner appears to have picked up on his desire to thoroughly follow through if her contemplative continence is anything to go by. Sakura’s fingers tap the table and she leans her chin into one of her palms.

When her eyes meet him, Itachi thinks he is ready for whatever she has to say but is slightly caught off guard by her questions. “Can you show me what I’m supposed to do in this situation?”

“What do you mean?” 

“Like an example scenario,” she elaborates. “Say you give me a daffodil to give to someone, what exactly am I supposed to do with it or say to her?”

He hadn’t considered giving a demonstration up until this point. Itachi nods because it makes sense now that he thinks about it. Some things are better taught through action and the more comfortable and familiar Sakura is with the practice, the better it will go for all of them.

I’ll be sure to make stops at the Yamanaka shop for our next teaching sessions.

For now, Itachi beckons her to follow, already standing to venture outside. Sakura does as she’s told, leaving her notebook behind to linger near the door inside the house while he steps off the porch into their backyard. 

These days he’s been far too busy or sick to tend to his garden. A pity really as you would be useful at the moment . Thankfully the flora he planted in early winter seems to be fair well with the occasional rain and warm mornings. Despite the chill in the air, the crocuses are still in bloom. Itachi goes to the flowerbeds closest to the foundation of their house. The pinkish purple little flowers give easily to his touch, though he would have preferred trimming them with his shears. After two quick plucks, he meets Sakura by the door, flowers behind his back.

“I will be you and you will be her,” he informs. “I will show you first then answer any questions afterward. To avoid confusion, I will still use our names.”

She stands a bit straighter, watching him with a calculating look he’s seen on several occasions. It’s the look of one used to dissect things to their smallest degree. It’s cold, concentrated and observant, clinical . Itachi gives her room to commit to memory as much as she likes. When green eyes land on his hidden arm, he holds back his approval of her narrowing eyes.

Very good . 

Even without a notebook, she’s taking notes and he sees glimpses of what her medical studies must have been like. “Good afternoon, Sakura. Do you have a moment?” Itachi starts.

Sakura’s eyes jump to his face as if remembering what they were doing. Back straight, she tucks her hands behind her back and relaxes into a more welcoming stance.

“Hey... you , I’m not busy at all. Did you need something?”

“I have a gift for you from Itachi.” he moves his hand from behind his back and holds up the flower. “Since you agreed to go through with assisting us, he asked me to give you this daffodil.”

The switch between the character and the student is interesting. Sakura keeps her eyes on the flower and he can see the questions behind them. “That’s very nice of him. Do Uchiha normally give just one flower as a gift?”

She doesn’t ask what he thinks she will but a valid question nonetheless. Twirling the steam between his fingers, he takes a half step in her direction. Closing the distance just enough to fill most of her field of vision, Sakura does a good job of hiding her internal reaction but the briefest flare in chakra gives her away. It’s gone as soon as it comes and she’s back to studying his body language. 

For Itachi, her reaction is wholly appropriate to the situation as his movement is meant to incite curiosity and excitement. Courtship is a game of both after all. Flowers are only a part of it and as his go-between, she needs to bring the added element of intrigue.

Remember this moment . He thinks then continues with their scenario.

“Daffodils are used to show preference or put simply, attention and interest. That is to say, something about you has caught his attention and incited his interest.”

She rocks back on the foot that’s slightly behind her, creating a little space between them. “I didn’t realize he...um, there was interest.”

“Hnn. The flower is a testament to his thoughts towards you.”

Sakura quickly clears her throat, then addresses the obvious. “If it’s mine, why haven’t you actually given it to me yet?”

His approval appears as a slight twitch in his lips. Sakura responds with a look of her own. Clever girl . 

Her reactions are in tandum with what one expects in this situation. Though there are no set rules as to how an intended is supposed to respond, there should be a response. Preferably a good. 

She plays her part well.

“I’m doing so on purpose.” Itachi finally tells her. “Courtship is always voluntary even though you agreed to assist. There is no obligation here and you have three ways to appropriately respond to his declaration. First, you can refuse to take it and deny him outright. Second, you can take it and wear it on your person to show your complete acceptance of his advances. Third, you can take it and place it somewhere of importance like the window seal of your home or office for him to find. This says that you are...considerate of his feelings but not wholly impressed.”

She purses her lips at the last one with questions in her gaze. “Is that an insult or a compliment?”

“It’s an invitation of a different kind. Putting it somewhere he sees that is not you, means, as most would say, playing hard to get.”

Her concentration breaks just long enough for a brief titter of shock. Sakura bites her lip to hold it back. When he extends his hand for her to make a choice, she forces a straight face.

“You want me to take it?”

He tilts his head curiously at the inflection in her tone. “The choice is yours.”
“Are we still role-playing?”

“Hnn.”

“Oh.” his partner hesitates but reaches up for the flower, taking it from him without making eye contact. “So what am I supposed to do now?”

“An appropriate question,” Itachi encourages, “What you do with the flower is entirely up to you. You can send him a message with a flower of your own but for now, your actions will be sufficient. 

“What if I hide it somewhere he can never find it?” Sakura challenges with enough hidden mischief that Itachi takes the time to ponder yet another unforeseen scenario. 

His mother never said anything about a situation like that though and he reasons it may have been very rarely done.

Not wholly unimpressed because she took it but not impressed enough to indicate interest. 

An entirely tantalizing situation at best and something he would not turn down if presented. “Then I would say you have his attention, interest, and intrigue. He would see it as a challenge.” 

Sakura takes another step back toward their living room. “Challenge it is then,” she states and emphasizes it by hitting her fists in her palm. “Can’t make it too easy now can we.”

“Indeed…” Itachi says, following her inside and towards the table again. 

“But I got it now,” Sakura goes on, kneeling before her book to write in it. “Present the flower, explain all four options then offer it to her to choose. I think I can do that. And if she decides to give you a flower back…?”

“Read the book.” he tells her, “It tells you more flowers and some that women use to respond or initiate. I think I’ve taught you enough for one day.”

Her eyes wander towards the flower sitting by the notebook on the desk. “Sounds good to me.”

Itachi walks to the other side of the table and then drops the second flower next to its twin. “I should start dinner. Do you have a taste for anything specific?”

A brief shake of the head. “Whatever is fine. I’ll just read over this while you cook.”

Itachi nods and settles for reheating the soup from the day before. He makes new rice as well as stir-fried mixed vegetables to accompany it. 

When dinner is spent and the night is spent, Sakura stands in the doorway of the bedroom using the doorpost for purchase and calls to him across the room.

Itachi looks up from his spot on the bed where he brushes his freshly washed hair. “Yes, Sakura.”

“I was wondering if crocuses had any meaning in Uchiha courtship?”

He stops long enough to offer an answer and then continues brushing where he left off. “Not at the moment.”

“I mean, since you guys took into consideration how daffodils work, it only seems fitting that a flower that basically promises something new and literally starts spring would have some kind of courtship meaning too.”

He sees where she is coming from and offers a solution to their gap in meaningful flowers. “There’s no reason it can’t be added. Perhaps you should give it a proper place.”

“ Me ?”

Itachi moves his hair aside, standing to sit the brush back in its place. “Why not? You can add to a tradition you are already a part of. Leave your mark on what you’ve helped preserve.”

She laughs a little, turning to press her back against the doorway. “I’m sure you guys thought of everything by now.”

“Yet we missed the crocus,” Itachi assures. “You have time. Think of a reason you would want to receive one.”

She hums but offers no reply. They go to bed without any further questions about it. Itachi gives her space to study for the rest of the week. Much like when she was looking for their solution, his mother’s book is never too far from where Sakura is. He leaves room for questions but she asks very little and it gives him more time to focus on his other task of the museum. Naruto made good on his promise to remind Kakashi of his business documents. Itachi expects an immediate response but a summons doesn’t reach him until later the next week via a shinobi awaiting him outside of the tea shop. 

He recognizes the young man as he’s seen him a lot around the Hokage Tower and even around Naruto from time to time.

“What is your name?” Itachi asks out of curiosity as there is a familiarity to his features that he can’t quite place.

The young man snaps to attention, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders. “Konohamaru Sarutobi, Uchiha-san.”

“Sarutobi?” Itachi questions, and raises a brow, noting the slight similarity between this shinobi before him and the Third Hokage.

Konohamaru nods once, with pride Itachi notes. “Yes. I am the Third Hokage’s grandson.”

“Hnn.” Stepping out into the street, the Uchiha turns toward the direction he is meant to go. The Hokage Monument is on the horizon. Looking up, his gaze lands on the Third. His last interaction with the man was not the most pleasant but Itachi has the highest respect nonetheless. 

“You come from a strong and honorable clan.” he finally says, starting in the direction of the Tower.

Konohamaru comes right up next to him, following him down the street. “What makes you say that?”

Itachi looks obliquely at him and then away and ahead. “Because it’s true.”

“You knew the Third Hokage, right?”
“More than most.”

Konohamaru stays quiet for a moment, processing, Itachi assumes. He gives the boy a once over and decides he doesn’t mind having two escorts but is curious as to why. Did the boy not know they were being followed by Weasel?

“Where are you going, Konohamaru?” Itachi asks.

“Huh?” the boy blinks, confused. “I’m bringing you to see Lord Kakashi.”

“ Bringing me?”

“Escorting you.” Konohamaru quickly corrects.

“Hnn. And the Hokage needs all three of us?” Itachi questions, mostly teasing but Konohamaru surprises him with a grin that resembles one blond jinchuriki.

“You mean the Anbu tailing us, right?”

“Aa, you've noticed.”

“When I got to the teahouse he was just sitting on the roof in plain sight. Kind of hard to miss.”

Growing lax, Weasel? Itachi wonders. “I don’t mind your company.”

Konohamaru only laughs. “Good because you’ll have for the next few minutes.”

For a moment Itachi did not know whether to attribute the boldness to Hiruzen or Naruto or both. Konohamaru is too young to know all of the tragedies his grandfather endured or sponsored. Itachi reasons he was just a baby when the Massacre happened. It could explain why the boy seems so at ease walking along the street with him or speaking to him so self-assured. 

Or Naruto could have said something to destigmatize the last Uchiha, the blond is very good at doing so. Those who are closest to Naruto seem more at ease around him. Whereas other shinobi come in one of three categories: curious, indifferent, or leary.

He is none of those things. I am just another shinobi to which he holds enough regard to be mildly respectful.

The change is always refreshing and Itachi settles in the silence, observing those around them for the next few minutes. Konohamaru seems okay with the absence of conversation and walking quietly side by side. 

When they make it to the Tower, the boy leaves him at the stairs, citing another duty to do. Itachi thanks him and goes on his way to meet with Kakashi. He fully expects a short meeting but is surprised to find the Fifth Hokage lounging sideways in the chair across from Kakashi, sake cup in hand.

A sense of deja vu washes over him and equal apprehensions as the last time he came here and sake were involved. Itachi enters the room because he has to but is in no way looking forward to dealing with both of Sakura’s former teachers. Especially not with the way the Godamie eyes him over the rim of her glass. He came to discuss the business of business but he would only be fooling himself if he did not accept the fact that this meeting will go beyond that.

To what end do both of them need me? Irksome.

His skepticism of their intentions forces a slight frown with no regard for their thoughts on his displeasure. The former Hokage offers nothing but a drink while Kakashi contends himself with moving papers.

“Lady Tsunade,” his greeting is neither rude nor welcoming. “I didn’t expect you to be joining me at a business meeting.”

The blonde grins, unbothered, setting her sake cup on the desk next to her. “I wasn’t expecting to join either until I was bombarded by two old, grumpy, senile councilmembers demanding I do something about this whole Clan Provisions mess.”

“Do you intend to?”

Tsunade cock a brow at him, perhaps sensing his willingness to rebuttal whatever objections she may hold regarding his and Sakura’s decision. 

He knows Tsunade to be direct, a brashness his partner embodies at times. And while their interactions are numerous, he’s interactions with the former Hokage were few and limited to the points during his recovery and after the War. Tsunade made it clear that she knew what happened all of those years ago at the Uchiha Compound. That Jiraiya hinted at an informant outside of Konoha and she believed then that it was Itachi. Still, there was reluctance to immediately let him back in the Village. She advocated for him to continue his informant role outside of Konoha, stating that it would be the wisest choice. 

He, of course, harbors no ill will towards her for her opinion and on many levels agreed with her. But there was a certain protectiveness Sakura’s teacher tended to take with regard to her. And not just her but Naruto as well. Kakashi and Tsunade seemed to struggle with letting go like any good parent tended to do. If she would be so forthcoming with her ideas of keeping him out of Konoha, he can only imagine the triad that might come if she has words about what he and his partner decided. Should she agree with the Elders that could cause trouble as he wholeheartedly believed they would take any support they could from someone so influential, especially influential for Sakura?

Would she attempt to dissuade her ? Itachi wonders, feeling suddenly defensive. While he doesn’t know all of the nuances surrounding Sakura and Tsuande’s relationship, he imagines their closeness could be used for power though he doubts the former Hokage is the manipulative type. She could talk Sakura into another way. For some reason, the thought nearly angers him.

Had Kakashi summoned him here to threaten him with Tsunade’s presence? To intimidate him into changing his mind then using Tsunade as a last resort to get to Sakura?
They would not stoop so low. He thinks and wants to believe. For a few tense seconds he watches the blonde with intent until, suddenly, she laughs, curt and to the point. Then honey eyes narrow with disdain and she grabs her sake cup.

“I wouldn’t do anything those two buffons ask me even if I agreed,” she states then sips. “As it stands, I disagree with them wholeheartedly and I applaud Sakura to force them out of it.”

Something like relief washes over him. Itachi dips his head in a brief bow. “Thank you, Lady Tsunade.”

“Of course….they did ask me to request a meeting with all of us in attendance.”

“I respectfully decline,” he answers and she snorts.

“Not surprised.” She turns towards Kakashi. “Well, at least you can say I tried.”

The current Hokage offers a dubious look, resting his chin in his hand. “Don’t sound so please, Lady Tsunade.”

“They should’ve known better than to ask me to do shit.”

Kakashi shrugs lightly. “They have their reasons..”

Tsunade swings her legs off the chair handle leaning over and onto the desk. “Don’t tell me you agree with them?”

Unfazed, Kakashi looks up at the ceiling. “Well,” he drawls, “I am also on the outside as a result of these Provisions being invoked. In that sense, I’m not happy . This is still my mission.”

“It will be accomplished,” Itachi interjects. 

The Hokage’s shoulders sag in both an undignified but resigned way. “Yes, yes, that’s what I keep hearing. Just because I am not happy doesn’t mean I don’t support your ability to choose. I did commission you to find a solution, ne?”

Itachi makes a noncommittal noise but Kaksahi smiles with his eyes. “Anyway,” the older shinobi continues, “Please sit down, Itachi. Tsunade is here for something very important.”

Immediately the Uchiha looks at her and noticed the sudden sharpness of her gaze. It is the same look Sakura had not too long ago. The same cold and critical look. Tsunade is unabashedly studying him and Itachi tetters between curiosity and uncertainty. 

What is she looking for?

Despite his emotions, he does sit down, hiding his reservations behind a stoic expression. 

When Tsuande pulls out a scroll and ink, following medical gloves, Itachi cannot withhold his questions. 

“What is this?” he asks Kakashi.

“Your psych evaluation.” The Hokage supplies. “We couldn’t very well have anyone probing your mind for secrets. Lady Tsunade seemed to be in high demand so we had to wait a bit.”

I see. Turning his gaze to her, Itachi relaxes his guard a bit and mutters. “I was unaware your skills extended to psychology, Lady Tsuande.”

The blonde keeps her attention on the scroll, writing things down. “The brain is just an extension of the body. Most of the time, mental disorders can be associated with damage to or around the brain. I’m not going to ask you to tell me the last time you cried but I can put you under and reconnect some loose neurological pathways.”

“Is that what you believe to be the issue?” he inquires, eyeing the scroll for context.

Tsunade pulls away from the desk and reaches for her gloves. Looking at him briefly she shakes her head. “Nothing can be ruled out. Shinobi life can be hard on the psyche even for a genius. Hold your head down slightly.”

Itachi does as he’s told, tilting his chin down. Tsuande scoots close enough that their knees touch then pulls a small light from her pocket and instructs him to follow. He does as he’s asked, moving his eyes and tracing the path of the light. 

“Hold your arms out like this,” she extends her arms in front of her, palms down. 

Itachi mimics the movement. She drags her fingers down both of his arms. “Sensations feel the same?”

He nods. Placing her hand in his downturned palms, she instructs him to squeeze as hard as he can and he does. Tsunade pulls back, going back to her scroll to write the results he assumes. Coming back to him, she tests his reflexes, at one point making him stand to practice balance

“These are all physical tests,” he points out, settling in for what may prove to be a long meeting. He crosses one leg over the other. Lacing his fingers together, he rests them on his lap and leans back in his chair.

Tsunade chuckles with confidence. “Every neurological test doesn’t need to be invasive. Besides, I was instructed to look for reflexes first before going in deeper.”

“By whom?” he questions, hiding his bewilderment at who Konoha's greatest medic needs to seek advice from.

Tsuande removes her gloves as well as the paper with notes on it, checking things off the list. Then, turning to him, she explains. “If you were any other patient, I would have sent you straight to the counselors. As I said, all factors need to be considered and the most pressing one for you is the jutsu holding you together.”

Itachi blinks slowly as the dots connect. Dots that he is not particularly pleased with. If a jutsu is holding his life together, that means the caster of said jutsu essentially has his life in their hands. He is well aware of the origins of his...rebirth and his jaw tightens. Sakura’s chakra may have pieced him together but Orochimaru pulled his soul from the realm of the dead.

Unacceptable . Itachi thinks, a brief tap of a finger against his knuckle being the only outside sign of his ire. “You believe Orochimaru is behind my...encounters?”

Tsunade gives him a once over and then sighs. “No. He can’t be. The jutsu used was an adaptation of his Reanimation Jutsu but the effort was a joint affair between himself, Sakura and I to avoid such an issue. The Reanimation Jutsu summons both body and spirit, effectively giving the jutsu caster control of the person being resurrected. For you, there were two jutsu used, one that heals damage to the body, even those done by death. It was enough to get your heart beating but Sakura and her team worked to get your body functioning. After it was in good enough form, then Orochimaru called you back from the dead. The rest was on us to keep you alive like any other shinobi with life-threatening injuries.”

He nods once at her explanation though he doesn’t answer the question of why Tsunade is following the Sound ninja directives. “Does he have ideas as to why I am seeing what I am seeing?”

“Yes,” Tsunade supplies mildly and looks down at her notes. “According to him, there is a chance that not all of you were resurrected. A part of you, your consciousness at least, may  effectively still be dead.”

“Still under his jutsu,” Itachi says with distates.

Tsunade seems to pick up on his irritation and grins. “Not liking that thought much? Don’t worry, Uchiha, you are in full control of yourself. The modified Reanimation Jutsu allowed for us to break the contract made with Orochimaru. Normally, you would be able to do this yourself if you knew the signs but Sakura had to do it for you since your body was physically unable. While the contract is effectively broken, Orochimaru believes some parts of you were disconnected even from us and remain free in a reanimated state, maintaining that link with the dead. Of course, he wanted to test this theory himself by having you come to his hideout but I didn’t think you’d fancy having him poking and prodding around in your mind.”

“Thank you for your consideration,” Itachi says. “This method is much preferred.”

“I figured,” Tsuande teases. “We can’t exactly say for sure if that’s the case though. Orochimaru is the best person to analyze this but I’ll be gathering information on his behalf. According to him, being connected to the dead and being haunted by them is very different. I’m going to ask some rather personal questions, so be prepared.”

Itachi stiffens slightly at the notion, not particularly like the idea of having to divulge his thoughts to another.

It can’t be helped . He reasons with himself. Though Tsuande makes it clear Orochimaru has no bearing on his life, the fact that he is involved at all is enough.

“I will cooperate on one request,” Itachi states, drawing a sigh from Kakashi and a raised brow from Tsunade.

“What are your conditions, Uchiha?” she asks him.

“Either allow my answers to be vague or remove personal details from your report to Orochimaru.”

The blonde woman mirrors his posture somewhat, crossing her legs as well, scroll and pen in her lap. She looks over to Kakashi who offers a wayward shrug. “It’s your call,” he tells her.

“I’ll level with you, Uchiha. You’re allowed vague answers this go round. But if I need more details, they’ll be off the record. This is still my case file, after all.”

“I agree to your terms.”

“Good,” Tsunade declares. “Now, when was the last you saw a specter?”

“Yesterday,” Itachi answers mildly.

She writes it down and goes on professionally. “What form do they take?”

He ponders his answer for a moment, recalling all he’s seen in his five years of new life. “Some take human forms, others shadows.” Itachi pauses to consider, then adds one final bit.  “The one from yesterday is always fully human and fully themselves.”

As he predicts, the information intrigues the Godaime enough to offer a follow-up question. “You’ve seen this specter before?”

“Several times,” he says with ease.

Blonde brows dip in concentrate. Tsunade makes a note on the scroll before looking up at him again. “Who is it?”

Knowing this was coming, Itachi tells her without hesitation. “Another Uchiha.”

“I see,” Tsunade mutters, perhaps recognizing his unwillingness to give names.

Honey eyes meet him and he unlaces his fingers, waving a dismissive hand to gently goad her into continuing. “Ask what you wish to ask.”

Tsunade’s lip thins slightly though he means no insult. The woman recrosses her legs and holds his gaze.

“Did you kill this Uchiha?”

“No,” Itachi promptly but softly offers. “Though it was wildly speculated that I had. His was one of self-sacrifice.”

It’s Kakashi who shifts, drawing Itachi’s eyes to their audience. The man rubs his chin, looking up and oblivious but Itachi knows better than to believe he is not paying attention. If he’d connected the dots so quickly, Itachi would not be surprised. 

After all, they were in Anbu together.

“This...Uchiha, you see. Is he always in the same place? He can leave that spot?” Tsunade asks.

He shrugs. “He does as he wishes, appearing and disappearing in several places.”

“You always see him in this case?”

He thought it obvious by now that Shisui appears to him. Raising a brow, Itachi tilts his head. “What do you mean, Lady Tsunade?”

“It’s not just a feeling or some remnants of his presence. Your eyes physically see him.”

He exhales slowly and attempts to cover all bases. “See. Feel. Smell. Hear. All of these. If I look at him directly, he visibly disappears. If I look away, he is there again.”

“They touch you?”

“Some do,” he replies elusively. 

“We’re almost done here, Uchiha,” she attempts to reassure him. “You said you saw him yesterday, what were you doing when you saw him?”

“I was at the place he fell,” Itachi states, knowing that if Kakashi did not make the connection then he most certainly would now. Weasel often reports on his visits to the waterfall and he is sure the Hokage can draw a conclusion with what little details he has.

“Were you looking for him or did he call to you?” Tsunade continues.

“I sought him out.” Itachi declares calmly.

Something he can’t quite place passes over the woman’s face. She taps her pen against the scroll and then meets his eyes. “I’m guessing if I ask you why you won’t tell me.”

Itachi ponders the question and then offers what he feels may be helpful. “I did so because that is what we do.”

The Godaime blinks and then rolls her eyes, adding it to her writing in silence. Itachi watches directly across from her, noting the similarity in her and Sakura’s concentration style. It is often said that people take after their teachers. He certainly is a product of all involved in his upbringing, even Kakashi to a small degree. It’s no real surprise that, when it comes to medicine at least, Sakura and Tsuande’s approach will be similar. Though, if he were honest, he is still not completely clear on the concepts spoken about at this moment. He’s often wondered if his ability to see his old friends was somehow connected to him once being dead. That much he agrees with. The line of questioning seemed odd to him, however. How could such information prove or disprove the reanimated parts of his subconscious remain in such a state? He trusted Tsuande much more than Orochimaru and reasons that she vetted his streamline of questions before coming here to ask them.

To what end will these answers accomplish? Are they an effect or a cause?

“Lady Tsunade,” he calls, not wanting to remain uncertain. “What do you plan to do with this information?”

She rotates her shoulders once, leaning back and slouching a little in her seat. “As of right now, I need a second opinion from a psychologist to confirm a theory. Up until this point, I wasn’t sure if I needed one but I see that will be the case.”

“My answers led you to this conclusion?”

She nods once. “That and Orochimaru’s hypothesis. Consciousness and states of consciousness are layered and complex. If there is some subconscious part of you that remains in its reanimated state, there is a chance a psychological component may be the root cause.”

“You have a hypothesis already?” Kakashi asks.

“Only a term,” she corrects, then looks to Itachi. “It’s not uncommon for children, even shinobi children to develop alternate states of consciousness due to trauma. It’s one of the reasons we advocated so heavily against having shinobi join the academy too young. Repeated trauma or exposure to trauma can lead to dissociation, or separating oneself or consciousness from the situation they are in.”

“You believe I have some form of dissociation?” Itachi reasons.

“We all dissociate,” Tsuande corrects, then pulls herself to a stand gathering her materials. “Repeated dissociation is when it may develop into a problem. At the moment I can’t remember all of the symptoms or types of mental issues associated with dissociation. But if that is the case, the only way we will find the reanimated parts of your subconscious is to find the events you may be dissociating from.”

Itachi says nothing at her conclusion though internally he frowns. He has always been aware of himself and the idea that some part of him may be hidden is unnerving. Though he admits to himself he knows very little about the subject matter, that does not mean he has to like it. By Tsuande’s explanation, children who lack the ability to handle stress dissociate. And if he is expressing some latent form of it, there existed a point where he was unable to handle the stresses of shinobi life.

Remembering traumatic moments from his childhood, all Itachi did was think. He was always aware, too aware of the senselessness of senseless killing. It haunted his dreams at night. Life. Death. War. Peace. He’d ruminated those concepts until they were a part of him. He simply could not separate his consciousness from what the Third Shinobi War so cruelly presented him.

“Do you have any questions, Itachi?” Kakashi’s voice filters through. The Uchiha shakes his head.

“Not at the moment.”
“Very well,” Tsuande declares. “Once I have this case file completed, I’ll give Sakura a list of symptoms to be aware of. You too, Itachi.”

“Hnn.”

After a quick debriefing, Kakashi dismisses Tsuande, leaving the two of them alone. Itachi expects the next item of business to be brought up but instead, the Rokudaime stands up and stretches, knocking the kinks from his shoulders. 

“I could do with some lunch, yeah,” he says pleasantly, crossing his arms in thought. “Maybe some...or what about...hmmm...perhaps I can….”

“The business agreements, Lord Kakashi?” Itachi interrupts, “Have you considered my proposal.”

For a brief second, Itachi wonders if Kakashi forgot this is why he came. The man blinks, scratching his head as if trying to recall what it is. “Ah, right! I’ll have Shikamaru look into forming that committee for you.”

Itachi offers him a bland look. This is not the first time the head of the Nara Clan appears to do most of the Hokage's work. “Thank you, Hokage-sama.”

“Now that that’s done, pizza?”

Itachi inclines his head respectfully. “I’ve already eaten but thank you for offering.”

“Yes, yes,” Kakashi shoos at him with a wave of his hand. “I suppose I will just have to talk Guy into joining me for food.”

“I’m sure he will oblige.” with a curt bow, Itachi turns towards the door. “If you will excuse me,”

He takes his leave though the conversation with Tsuande lingers fresh in his mind. Dissociate could explain how he was able to slaughter the majority of his family in a single night. But Itaachi assumes guilt would be the only ramification of such an act.

Perhaps I am wrong.

Chapter Text

Line 11: Daises and Hydrangeas

" which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide .."

'I Carry Your Heart'

Line 9, Stanza 5

-EE Cummings

Until recently, Sakura hasn't given much thought to who Mikoto Uchiha is outside of being a name and cherished memory of her partner. A little stern, a little aloof, and a lot of mystery. With only Sasuke and Itachi to draw from, Sakura's assumptions fill the gaps. Mikoto comes alive even before she can be formally introduced.

Alright, Uchiha-san, let's see what we have here.

Today, Itachi's mother is her company. Since the spring weather is favorable for outdoor excursions, Sakura settles down on the bench beneath the beech tree. Being near Sasuke is just as homey and familiar as her couch. The deep, heady scent of earth and grass, the whisper of a breeze, soft with sunshine that teases green leaves. The nearness of a dear friend. It's familiar and nice with Mikoto is a few steps away.

Sakura surveys the canopy overhead, glittering with peaks of afternoon light, just in case a crow is hiding.

Feel free to give your input, Sasuke. Maybe you can transform into a crow or something? 

Partially joking, Sakura grins at the idea of Sasuke giving her some divine revelation from the beyond. If he knew anything of courtship, she would be surprised. There's a better chance of Mikoto taking ghost form and hovering over her shoulders.  I wouldn't oppose it, honestly. Give me all you got.  Pen in hand, Sakura braces herself for whatever Mikoto throws at her. If it is anything like the page on daffodils, the writing style will be straightforward.

Flower. Season. Usage.

As expected, Mikoto follows that convention just enough that taking notes is easy. Sakura relaxes into a rhythm of writing, reading, and listening to the lazy drone of shifting leaves. Her thermos of tea keeps her hands and belly warm when a mischievous puff of wind bites too hard.

Occasionally something catches her eye, but Sakura tries to focus on the most pertinent information. In many respects, she is on a time crunch to learn as much as possible about a past she's never known from a woman she will never meet.

Mikoto makes it somewhat manageable for her to gather pertinent bits. The writing formula is clear and follows the same convention. Being a student studying for so long, Sakura knows how to bypass those things. Except when she doesn't because Mikoto's tangents are interesting for the sole fact that they exist at all.

A little arrow here. A cluster of dots there. Circled paragraphs and underlined phrases. There's something very human about the way she writes. Sakura rolls her eyes because what else would she be other than human?

"I was expecting more straight-to-the-point facts. You sort of knocked that out of the window," Sakura tells the headstone to her right. "This feels like I'm reading your diary…."

Biting her cheek, she holds down the page she's currently stuck on, rubbing her thumb over a rough sketch of a fern.

Girls doodle.  She  doodles occasionally. But Mikoto Uchiha? The head of the Uchiha Clan's wife? Itachi's mother?

Green eyes linger on the incoherent dots. Sakura tries to place her...hesitation? Reservation?

"Is this an invasion of privacy?" Sakura twirls her pen. "Imagine if someone wanted to study me based on my journals?"

She gets butterflies and squeezes the pen. "If they read it when I was eleven or twelve. God help the poor soul. The ridiculous things I put in there about your son, Uchiha-san. Sorry, Sasuke. They would have an accurate picture of me even if it was incomplete. I had more going on than just chasing Sasuke, even if it didn't read that way."

Her smile comes slow as she glances across toward the grave marker of her former teammate. It's just a rock. Under there is someone quite dear. Memories that she can relive without being washed in grief.

"Would you've followed any of this courtship stuff?" Sakura asks the wind, then wonders if she wants to know the answer.

Turning her attention back to the book and the doodle of the fern leaf that derailed her studies, she goes back a few pages to read its lore.

Ferns are plants, not flowers. Somehow that goes against what she thinks Uchiha's courtship is based on. But Mikoto clarifies that the plant is usually a standalone offering, promising to provide a home to the intended. The suitor's intent is shelter and safety, a physical place to live, and a metaphorical place to feel at home. The meaning appears to change once they are married. At the very least, it does for Mikoto.

" Most women plant these in their back gardens. Encourage your intended to plant them at the entrance, so we know  before  entering the home that it's cared for." 

Sakura bulks at the text, plain as day and eerily familiar in its underhanded insult. If Ino were not her friend, Sakura would have written off her 'advice' as nothing more than that. But it absolutely is not. Mikoto takes a shot at every woman who fails to keep the home their former suitor created in good working order. And really, Sakura is inclined to agree with her on this point. There's nothing quite like coming home to cleanliness that requires nothing from you other than to enjoy it. It should be a place where stress leaves, not where it lives. If Sakura is interrupting the aside as correctly as she thinks she is, the Uchicha matriarch encourages her son to find someone who will do just that.

Tapping her pen on the paper, Sakura entertains her proclivities for a moment. "I'm guessing you set the prime example if you wrote it here?"

She looks obliquely at the headstone of Itachi's mother. Though Mikoto doesn't say anything, Sakura feels the urge to verify. Not because she thinks the woman will lie but more of a feeling to be proven right. As if to say,  where else would you up them ? Or what were you expecting?

Maybe she contrives it all in her head. Sakura will concede to that. What's the point in learning history if you can't see it. Mikoto's home is just a few miles away. If ferns do, in fact, belong at the entry of one's home, then that's where she should find them.

Decided, she leaves the rest of her things and takes the book with her.

"I just want to take a tiny peek." she tells her, "I'll be right back."

Her presence around there isn't necessarily foreign. Weasel tells her Itachi is in a meeting with the planners, and it's all the same to her because she only needs to do one thing.

"I'll be quick," she tells Anbu with a smile.

Weasel waves her off, taking to the roof again and looking away.

Sakura makes a beeline toward her partner's former home. "I just wanna check that's all. For research."

There's no real importance to it other than to prove a theory. But for some reason, Sakura  wants  to be right. She wants Mikoto to be a little more alive, a lot less stiff, and a bit more human. As she closes in on the property, her impromptu trip rewards her with exactly what she is looking for.

Ferns and other greenery line the veranda around the house and cluster on the side of the steps at the entry. There are so many that one would be hard-pressed not to believe Mikoto cared a great deal about her household.  Flaunting it even . Having been inside the place, Sakura knows that Mikoto isn't merely bragging. Her house is well-kept and feels welcoming (if one overlooks the obvious tragedy).

Satisfied ? The question comes to mind. Sakura wonders if she is questioning herself or the author behind the recommendation. The ferns are beautiful and eye-catching, serving as more than just a message only Uchiha knew. The fact that they have a dual purpose further cements Mikoto's command of courtship. She knows what she's talking about, even down to the aesthetics of it all. It is more than enough to endear her to Itachi's mother and intrigue her to want to know more.

The doors to the Clan Head home are locked, but Sakura walks up the stairs anyway. Placing a hand on the wooden panels, fingers trailing as she follows along the veranda. She walks around the back of the house, stopping just short of the corner. Everywhere she goes, ferns and other greenery that she hasn't learned the meaning of yet greet her. Her heart swells with a sensation she isn't quite sure of yet.

"I think it would've been beautiful to live here," she says to the spring air. Sakura stops to lean over one of the wooden rails, looking out at what appears to be a field not too far away. Studying in the cemetery seemed like the right idea at first, but Sakura gets a much closer connection with being near Mikoto's home. Removing the book from under her tucked arm, Sakura dares to go back to the beginning. She sets aside her desire to learn quickly in favor of learning thoroughly. Yes, she wants to gather as much information as possible to help Itachi. But her curiosity about the woman who raised him becomes of equal priority.

Wedged between each explanation is an underlying cheekiness that's both intriguing and reassuring. As if being escorted through an unknown secret world by a guide so familiar with the terrain that she knows all the hidden pathways.

Sakura leans into the abyss, soaking in the rich culture of an ancient family custom.

" For best results, arrange for pink Camillas to be sent during missions so she knows she is missed. If she is not home once you return, may I advise pairing it with some blue hyacinth? If in dire straits, several hyacinths, multiple times a day. Preferably without asking what you did. We only beg when we have to." 

She's read this page before and knew camellias were used to show longing and missing but completely skipped over the advice of what to pair it with in this situation.

I don't think Itachi would beg, flowers or not.  She muses and then recalls their last major disagreement.

Yes, he came with apologies but with no pink camellias or blue hyacinths to behold. True to what Sakura knows of him, Itachi never begged her to come home. His reasoning for going to Ino's house had nothing to do with her and everything to do with his medicine.

"Not such a momma's boy after all," she says, then addresses the book that looks back at her. "Although I guess he didn't go about it the right way. What would you have done knowing he fudged the rules? Be upset? I can't picture her as the yelling type, maybe just giving him a disappointed look. I get the feeling she would have told him off somehow…."

That line of thinking is quickly shaken off, and Sakura rolls her eyes at herself. She and Itachi are not courting. There's no reason for Mikoto to have any response to their argument. Even if she did, it probably would have nothing to do with blue hyacinth and continuous apologies

"Enough of that," Sakura declares, patting her cheeks for good measure.

"Did you find what you came for"

She startles, nearly losing the book over the rail before catching it just in time. Itachi leans casually on the supports with at least a few feet between them, smothering a smirk with his hands.

Busted!  Sakura grimaces, watching him eye the book in her hands. "How long have you been here?"

Itachi clears his throat and answers. "A few minutes, maybe." 

"Didn't even sense you behind me!"

"I didn't want to disrupt whatever you were doing." There's that hit of playfulness, so fleeting she has a hard time pinning it down in the first place.

"Oh," Sakura nervously looks towards the field, feeling her pulse in her ears.  I haven't done anything wrong! Other than saying he's not a momma's boy, which is a compliment! 

"Sakura?"

Unsure of what else to do other than apologize for possibly being inconsiderate, she attempts to offer an explanation.

"I was studying and happened to read something I wanted to see for myself."

Itachi glances behind her. "Have you found it?"

"Yes." After several seconds and a desperate attempt to quell the sudden awkwardness she feels, Sakura confesses. "Your mom likes ferns."

Glancing at her partner through pink hair, she notices him looking down again, this time at the fern itself.

"You know the meaning of them?" he asks.

"A vow of shelter and home. Apparently meant to be  in the front  of the house."

"Mother was proud," Itachi states.

"At least she knew what she was talking about. It looks better when you can  see  them."

A trace of smirk tugs his lips upwards, and Sakura is positive she's not imagining it. "She would agree with you."

What was that for?

"I'll be finished in a few hours if you have questions," he continues.

Sakura quickly stops him, moving away from the veranda's edge towards him. "No, it's fine. I should probably head back to, erm..."

Itachi turns without waiting for her to find her words. She knows without asking that he plans to walk her out. Tucking the book under her arm, she follows him through the construction site and the several dozen people hard at work. Sakura appreciates the noise as it fills the silence for them. It's hard to talk over others giving orders, dumpsters moving and tossing heavy items in metal bins. The awkwardness fades as people wave at her and nod to Itachi as they pass by. She focuses on the progress made here, making their walk feel short. Sakura thanks her lucky stars when she notices Shikamaru at the gate, talking to an older gentleman. The village planner she assumes. As they approach, she catches the end of their conversation, and the man bows briefly toward Itachi.

"Uchiha-san and...Uchiha-san," he says with a kind smile and then addresses Itachi directly. "If you could have those documents signed before leaving today, my apprentice will be around later to pick them up."

"I may not have time to look through all of them today." Itachi admits, "Could you spare one more day?"

The village planner frowns a little in thought. "I suppose. The sooner we can finalize the blueprints, the better. People are inquiring."