Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, we all know I would make some major changes...like letting Itachi live!

Does it sound childish to say it was not fair?

Sakura had always been grateful for her life. Her parents were happy, loving people, and there were few people that actually hated her. She lived in a civilian neighborhood, still in her parent's home, and Sakura knew she had no right to complain. Too many of her friends had no family, including Naruto, who she loved like a brother. They spent every meal alone, and had no one there to kiss them goodnight. She had that, and probably always would. It felt selfish, that she wished for something else, when she had more than most could boast.

She was not the girl her parents wanted her to be, though, and it was hard to put up a smile, when at times, she wanted no more than to be allowed to cry. She was a kunoichi, a Tokubetsu Jonin in the medical field, and practically a woman. She would be eighteen in a matter of months, and she should have learned how to control her emotions better. Somehow, however, she still stepped into her house to find both of her parents waiting in the living room expectantly.

It was like this almost every night, and she was seriously contemplating moving out and living on her own. She could certainly afford it, with the high pay she had from the hospital as a head medic-nin, and the missions she took with Team Seven. Her parents would have been heartbroken though, and that was the only reason she resisted the thought of getting herself an apartment, even if it would be much more convenient. They, plainly put, did not understand, as juvenile as it sounded.

They never did comprehend how she felt, either. She was not trying to be dramatic, and Sakura most definitely did not want more attention than she already got. She just wished her family could be a little more sympathetic. She was still Sakura, no matter what they thought, and she still liked sweet things, pretty bows, and puppies. That was why she had become a medic-nin, because no matter how much of an edge she had, Sakura still preferred saving lives to taking them.

Civilians saw it as all the same, though. They were biased, and assumed that shinobi got a sort of high from committing murder. Naturally, there was a sort of adrenaline rush that came from fighting, but Sakura could not think of anyone that particularly enjoyed killing, no matter who the victim was. Her parents did not see her as the girl - almost woman! - that she was, and there was no comprehensible way for her to make them think differently of her.

It was not that they said anything to her face, and Sakura was glad they were considerate enough to do that, because she had no idea how she would ever be able to respond to their comments. They still talked together though, judging her for what she was, without any real reason. Sakura knew that they wanted to hate her for becoming a kunoichi, for entering the academy without their permission as a child, but they also blamed themselves, for not stopping her.

They had blank, cool stares as they watched her ascend the staircase. Their hearing was sharp enough to know when she had shut her bedroom door, and it was not until then that they spoke. They probably thought that they were being quiet, and that she could not hear their whispers. They might as well have yelled, though, because with her senses, she made out every word.

"She smelled like blood again," her mother muttered in disgust.

She could just imagine her father nodding his head. "And sake. I think she went drinking again with those teammates of hers."

With a sad sigh, Sakura sat on the edge of her bed, staring down at her open palms. She had just gotten back from the Uchiha compound, having spent the day with her teammates. Team Seven had sparred together that afternoon, after her long shift at the hospital, and Sasuke had invited them back to his house for dinner afterwards. Sakura and Naruto had accepted gladly, the three of them bickering all the way over who had won, and what they should drink. Even though they were underage, because they were high-ranked shinobi, they were exempt from the drinking-law.

It had been a nice evening with the Uchiha head family, between giggling at Sasuke, readily assisting Mikoto with making dinner, and overhearing Fugaku's sarcastic sense of humor as he scolded Itachi for procrastinating with his clan duties again. It was strange, that a family of supposed emotionally constipated Uchiha could be closer knit, and easier to spend time with, than her own.

"What are we going to do with her? She knows we don't like it when she drinks, even if she is legally permitted to." Her mother asked softly. There was a short pause.

"There isn't anything we can do. According to the Hokage, she is considered an adult."

Sakura could hear as her mother started to cry to herself. There was a soft shuffle down bellow as her father moved across the couch to comfort her. It was unbearable to listen to. Part of her wanted to march back downstairs, to tell them she could hear every word they said, that she knew they were always talking about her, and that it hurt, but she was afraid of what they would say back. She was at a dead end.

Her mother's voice was thick with tears when she spoke again. "Sometimes, I...I wish we never had a daughter."

Sakura gulped, wiping her nose as she sniffled. This was not the first time she had heard her mother say such a thing, but it was never easy to know how much she was unwanted. As usual, her father made no answer to her statement.

"When she was born, I never wanted her to become a killer. We should have never indulged her, by allowing her to attend the Academy." She continued mutedly, not needing her husband's encouragement. "She was never supposed to be a kunoichi. It isn't natural, what they do, and it pains me to think she does those things too."

"I know," her father whispered back assuringly.

Sakura cleaned her face, before pulling on the spare pair of boots she kept in her upstairs closet. She could not bear to hear anymore. Without looking back, she stepped from the second-floor window, not intending to return until morning.

She was not quite certain why she had decided to return to the Uchiha household. It was where she wanted to be though. It was more like a home then where she lived, and she only hoped that the household was still awake. She had left Naruto and Sasuke an hour beforehand, and they had steadily drunk themselves into a stupor, but Mikoto and Itachi had still been up. It was nearing on midnight, however, so it was possible that they were already asleep.

Sasuke and Naruto both already knew about the issues she had at home, and neither could understand why she put up with it. Sasuke's family were all shinobi, and did not look down on her for being a kunoichi, while, as much as she did not want to seem insensitive, Naruto did not have a family. He did not know how much she loved hers, and though he had lived a painful life, he, and he admitted to it as well, did not know as well as she or Sasuke what it was like to have parents.

She had been hoping it would be one of her two, beloved teammates that would answer the door when she knocked on it. Instead, it was Sasuke's older - hotter - brother. Uchiha Itachi, the ANBU captain since thirteen, and the one who she had secretly crushed on at fifteen. Yet, she hardly knew him. He was seemingly indifferent to the world, and cared for little besides his younger brother and to a less extreme, his mother and father.

They had never scarcely spoke two words to each other, in the five years of their acquaintance. Now, however, she could not stop herself. She should have asked if Naruto or Sasuke were still up, but based on the fact he was wearing only a pair of sweatpants, and his long, tousled hair was down, even he had been in bed. He, the one member of Sasuke's family she was still practically a stranger to, would have to do.

"Haruno-san," he started with surprise, "what are you doing here at this-

Itachi was shocked into silence when the small kunoichi suddenly lurched forward to bury her face in his bare chest. His senses were assaulted by her scent of white jasmine, peaches and cherry blossoms, which though noticeable a few hours previous, was much stronger with the proximity. Instinctively, he stilled. Itachi had never expected such actions from the teammate of his younger brother, having not pegged her as one of his many fangirls, and felt somehow betrayed. As if she had gone against what little trust he had in her to not sexually harass him. Apparently, he had thought too much of her. At least, that was when he heard her broken sob of anguish.

She had no idea what had come over her. She must have really been an emotional mess, if she was suddenly latching onto the chest of one of her best friend's older brother. Sakura was afraid to look up at him, to see him glaring down at her as she cried her heart out. She was in enough pain as it was, but to see him angry with her would just top the cake. Sakura could not believe her own stupidity. Despite that, she pulled him closer, needing some sort of warmth, something steady to grasp onto.

Much to her surprise, and hidden pleasure, he eased at her touch, slowly reaching to wrap his strong arms around her in a gesture of comfort. So encased in his warmth, she hardly noticed when he led her inside, and shut the front door. They stood there awkwardly for a moment, until Itachi sensed his mother approaching. Not letting go of the weeping girl, he glanced at his mother, who was also dressed for bed.

While she must have been bewildered by the sight of her eldest son embracing the kunoichi teammate of her younger son, Mikoto did not say anything. Though it was somewhat distressing to see the girl she loved like a daughter in such a saddened state, she also knew that Itachi could handle taking care of her. Besides, Fugaku had just been bothering him about finding a proper bride, and if she crossed her fingers...well, Sakura already was like a daughter to her. How different would it be on paper?

So, with a soft smile, she nodded to her son, who seemed quite uncertain of what to do with the upset female. "Have her stay the night, Itachi-chan. I don't think she should go home like that." Mikoto murmured gently, leaving him to his own devices. He felt rather helpless, not have much, if any at all, experience in soothing a crying woman. In fact, he was sure that he had never done such a thing before. He supposed there was always a first for everything.

Not sure if he was being too forward, he rested his cheek on the crown of her head, letting her have her cry. He had not been able to sleep; Itachi was a night owl as it was, and often stayed up later than he ought. He had been in the kitchen when Sakura had so suddenly appeared, eating a midnight-snack of leftover grilled fish and rice. It was no problem for him, staying up with the distressed kunoichi, but somehow, it felt inappropriate for him to be holding her so intimately. If it bothered her, though, he would be the last to know it.

Itachi was not completely unfamiliar with the kunoichi in his arms, but he could not say they were the closest of friends. She came over to the Uchiha compound often, following his brother and blond teammate. He had always thought her to be a rather cheerful, untroubled sort of girl, who showed nothing but smiles all around, and could not imagine her ever being reduced to tears. Surely she was ruled by her emotions, but he had not thought that she would ever have reason to cry as she was then.

Why had she gone there to cry? It did not make sense to him. She had a family, just as lighthearted as she was, that would be open and at ease with her, so why did she decide to return to the Uchiha compound? The stereotypical Uchiha was not the warmest person in the world, and did not take well to tears.

At length, Sakura soon calmed herself, then diminished to a state of embarrassment for her childish behavior. Her cheeks red, both from tears and her blushing, Sakura gazed up at him, not sure what to say or think. Itachi was still holding her, and though it was a great comfort feeling his powerful arms around her, and being able to breathe in his subtle, earthy scent, Sakura had to wonder why he had not initially pushed her away. He looked down at her, appearing just as humiliated as she, and it was only then that he lowered his arms to rest them at his sides.

She tried to leave; it felt strange to stay, when Itachi was the only one awake, and they were so little acquainted, but he would not have it. Sakura found herself being dragged into the house by the elder Uchiha, and then led into the small kitchen. He gently sat her down at the table, before removing what appeared to be leftovers from their dinner, and asking, "You're a sweet-tooth, right?"

Sakura could only nod her head, and watch as he pulled something from the freezer, along with grabbing a pair of spoons. He sat on the opposite side of the table, placing a small carton of mango sorbet between them, and handing her a spoon. He first observed her as she took a delicate bite of the frozen treat, before speaking.

"Would you mind telling me what happened?"

She looked down at her lap, her expression abashed. "I'm not sure that you would understand, Uchiha-san. You don't know what it's like to have civilian parents."

She was right, of course. His family was all shinobi, and while his own growth as a shinobi had been difficult because of the expectations put on his shoulder, he had never considered that it could be hard for someone with a civilian background. Her family knew very little about the shinobi arts, and he supposed from their standing point, what a shinobi was capable of could be seen as a gross distortion of human nature. Belonging to a shinobi clan, the use of chakra was as natural as breathing, and it had always been a part of his life, but growing up away from that, it had to have been complicated for the young kunoichi.

"Try me." He replied softly. Itachi found himself wanting to know what exactly what had bothered her so much. After several years of being a kunoichi, he would have assumed she would have built up a sort of immunity to snide remarks made by ignorant civilians. This was Sakura though, he concluded, so there could be no assuming anything. So far, she had proven how unpredictable she was.

She let out a shaky sigh, not particularly wanting to cry again. She examined him thoughtfully as he took a spoonful of mango sorbet from the carton. This was a much more private situation than she was used to sharing with the Uchiha in question. Most of the time, she only saw him with his younger brother, or perhaps his cousin, Shisui. Sasuke called him the human ice-cube, claiming he was an emotionless bastard with a pole so far up his ass that nothing could help him, and Sakura had always assumed that of him, though not to that extent. He had never looked like the sort to care.

She saw nothing of that though. He was quiet, to be sure, and had a certain dignity in his air, but it was not the stifling sort of pride most Uchiha had. Sakura would not call him emotionless, per se. Not with that intense, concerned look he was giving her.

"My parents never wanted me to enter the Academy, or to become a kunoichi," she whispered. "I have no siblings, and as the only child, I was somewhat spoilt as a child. They had been humoring me by letting me attend the Academy. I don't think they ever supposed I would graduate, or ever reach tokubetsu jonin, but ever since I have, it's been different at home."

"They are afraid of losing you on a mission, then," he inferred. Sakura shook her head, though.

Her responding laugh was surprisingly cold. "They would prefer I got killed on the battlefield; no, it's better than that," Sakura answered him sarcastically. "My parents wish I had never been born. They feel shamed by my becoming a shinobi."

Itachi had been somewhat stunned by how much Sakura shared with him, and how willingly she had given such information usually privy to the closest of friends. Even more surprising - somehow, Sakura had gotten talking about his own childhood, which he had never done with anyone. He was not sure what it was about her, but Sakura had a certain tenderness that welcomed him in and listened to his own grievances, and Itachi was sure that it had been unconsciously done. Her motive in coming to the Uchiha compound had not been to get him speaking about his pathetic upbringing.

All it had taken was mango sorbet to get her started, and then she was so startling free with him, he could not help letting go a little as well. At a certain point, uncomfortably, she had tried leaving again, feeling that the night, and their conversation was concluded. After what his mother had said, however, Itachi knew he should not let her go, and somehow persuaded her that she could stay in the guest room. The sight they were greeted by upon entering the spare room, however, was both hilarious to her and disturbing to him.

It was apparent that they had been drinking some more, even after Sakura had left them, because both his younger brother and Uzumaki Naruto were laying amongst the emptied bottles, wearing nothing but their underwear, and cuddling. That had gotten her laughing out loud, before she began assuring him that her teammates were not homosexual, but were known to do such things when especially drunk. Itachi doubted that, but all the same, he could not allow her to sleep there, with his foolish brother and friend in a mess of spilt sake and chip crumbs.

He had been rather optimistic, leading her instead to Sasuke's bedroom, that was sure to be vacant, and hoping she could sleep there instead. Upon opening the door, he knew that was not a horror he could wish onto his worst enemies, and Sakura simply could not spend the night there. There were mounds of dirty clothes, covered in sweat and blood, and Itachi could scarcely see the floor. Of course, Sakura was proven right, because no homosexual would have the collector's edition of the Icha Icha series. Disgusted, he slid Sasuke's door shut before she could get a clear view of the room.

She grinned up at him, as if to set his mind at rest. Sakura, naturally, suggested it was best she returned home, even though they both knew that was the last place she wanted to be. Itachi, however, was nothing if not stubborn. And that was how he found himself staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom, the pink-haired kunoichi not two feet away from him, wearing his boxers and tee, and in his sheets.

It could have been amazingly awkward, especially with how tantalizing her scent was becoming, but she somehow managed to make him feel at ease, laying next to her. His bed was more than large enough for the two of them, and could comfortably fit four people, so it was not any real inconvenience to him. The sky could have fallen right then, and it would not have surprised him, because with how the evening had gone so far, there was nothing more unusual that could have happened.

"You know, Itachi-

At some point between her crying on his bare chest, their chatting over sorbet, searching in vain for a free bedroom, and then her having to borrow something of his to sleep in, he had graduated from Uchiha-san, to just 'Itachi.' After everything that had happened, Itachi did not have the heart to tell her otherwise, and besides that, he learned to like his name coming from her lips.

"-I really used to think you were just a prick with the personality of a rock, but you can actually be very nice." She said softly, staring up at the ceiling as well.

He huffed, trying not to laugh at her poorly put compliment. "Thank you, Haruno-san. I'm glad I was able to alter your opinion of me so greatly."

There was a short silence. "You can call me Sakura," she yawned, turning onto her side, "I believe we've breached that civility an hour or so ago."

He listened to her as her breath deepened with each intake of air, indicating she had fallen asleep. Just when he was certain she was in a deep enough sleep, he quietly murmured back, "Goodnight, Sakura," before turning onto his side as well, and drifting off.

Uchiha Mikoto was not accustomed to being called on before she finished her early morning routine of unloading her fancy dishwasher, prepping breakfast and getting the wash out on the line. Of course, she was not used to having late-night visitors that her eldest son stays up to console with, either, so she should not have felt so surprised. Yet, at seeing Haruno Momoka at her front door, Mikoto could hardly turn her away.

Trying to not seem annoyed at the sudden, unexpected appearance of Sakura's mother, Mikoto smiled. "Haruno-san, what brings you here so early?" She asked kindly, stepping out of the doorway to let the disgruntled woman in.

Momoka did not bother to hide her discomfort at entering a shinobi home, but Mikoto ignored her obvious wariness, choosing to instead be polite.

"My daughter, unfortunately," the civilian woman answered cooly. "She was not in her bed this morning, even though I saw her last night. I believe she snuck out to return here."

Mikoto somehow succeeded to keep her smile up. "Well, I did see her last night, with my eldest son. The reason for her coming, and whether she snuck out or not, I do not know." She replied, not sure how to warm up to the clearly closed-minded woman. "I think Sakura-chan is still asleep upstairs, so please, sit down and I can get her."

Momoka sat herself down with decided confidence, eyeing the kitchen around her suspiciously. "She was with Sasuke-san's older brother?" She asked quietly, not looking at all pleased by the idea. Mikoto, feeling insulted by her tone, frowned.

Itachi was not exactly used to waking up to an armful of sweet-smelling woman. Yet, the first thing his eyes rested on was a mess of pink, bubblegum hair. He should have woken when she first snuggled closer to him, but despite his being a very light sleeper, he had not stirred at all. Rather, he had wrapped his arms around her smaller form, bringing her even closer.

Being careful to not wake the sleeping kunoichi, though she looked that she would not be easily roused, Itachi detached himself, wondering at himself, and the astonishing situation he then found himself in. For a moment, he sat there, looking down at her sleeping figure, attempting to understand just how he felt then. He could not comprehend it at all, though, and was not given long to ponder, before there was a subtle knock.

Without permission, his mother slid the door open, astounded by the sight to behold. Not offering any explanation to his mother, Itachi stepped from the room, sending the sleeping kunoichi one, last glance, and shutting the door behind himself. Mikoto gaped up at him. "Itachi-chan! What was she doing in your bed?"

The fleeting, excited grin on his mother's face was not beneath his notice, even if it had only lasted half a second. "Sasuke and Naruto crashed in the guest room, and I could not allow her to sleep in Sasuke's room, for reasons I should not have to elaborate on." He replied smoothly, following her down the hall. Descending the stairs, he pulled his loose hair up, sweeping it over his shoulder once it was tied neatly.

"Okay then, can you tell me why she was so upset? How late did you two stay up?"

"Late," Itachi answered frankly, before adding, "We're helping her move out of her parent's house."

Mikoto looked back at her son skeptically. "Where to?" She asked dubiously, before adding, "And I already know you stayed up late. You had the sorbet with her." Mikoto accused teasingly, leading the way into the kitchen.

"She should have an apartment closer to the hospital," Itachi commented lightly, only then noticing their unwanted visitor. "She has a sweet-tooth. I'll buy some more. Do you think she would like raspberry flavored sorbet?"

He then met the gaze of the woman sitting at their table, listening to their conversation. She was scowling at him, much to his inner amusement, and the urge was too great. He glared back at her. This was Sakura's mother, he knew, and the one to always say how she wished she had never birthed her only child, according to what Sakura had told him the night previous.

"Mango is better than raspberry, Itachi-chan. That's why we buy it." Mikoto answered. "Do you really like Sakura-chan?"

He gave her a noncommittal shrug, turning to address Sakura's mother. "Haruno-san." He murmured politely, utterly unashamed of his shirtless state, even though she was evidently bothered by it, by how she refused to look anywhere but his face. "Did you know how acute a shinobi's sense of hearing is? It is possible for an experienced shinobi to hear a pin drop from a floor above, or in the dead of night, perhaps a whisper from three stories up." Itachi stated calmly, eyes narrowing slightly at how she nibbled on her lower lip. It was clear what he was alluding to.

"That is very interesting, Uchiha-san, I-

There was a soft huff from the stairwell. Itachi and Mikoto having heard it, turned to see a disheveled Sakura with her hands on her hips. "Would you knock that off, Itachi? It isn't very nice." She said, entering the kitchen. Her mother's horrified expression was completely expected, and predictable.

Itachi smirked back at her. "I wasn't trying to be nice."

She rolled her eyes almost affectionately. "Yes, I could tell. I wouldn't have told you anything if I wanted you to harass my family, so be good."

Mikoto was shocked. Never had she seen her son listen to anyone besides herself, and occasionally Fugaku, but much to her surprise, Itachi had heeded her. It meant something, and she knew it. It was obvious, both by the fact they had shared a bed, and this unusual situation, that there was something to Sakura that appealed to her son. She certainly approved; Sakura was just the sort of girl she would like to welcome into the family, and Itachi did need a wife. She had not seriously thought it possible, but it had always been a pleasant thought.

Momoka was even more stunned by what she saw. "Sakura, what on earth are you wearing?"

Blushing, Sakura looked down at the clothes she had borrowed from Itachi. She had been embarrassed slightly the night before, when he had handed it over, but she was thankful he had been kind enough to offer them to her. Sakura had never considered what it would look like to others, because she had most definitely not done what her mother was assuming.

"Okaa-san, it's not what it looks like, I promise," Sakura said quickly. "I never slept with Itachi, so you don't need to panic."

He just had to smirk then, as if to universally contradict what she had said. Only in the most technical of terms had she slept with him, but no one else needed to know that. Her mother caught his expression though, and in turn, glared at her daughter, standing with her disapproval. "Sakura, I don't like this. I don't want you spending any more time with Itachi-san, especially if you are doing such wholly inappropriate things with him."

Mikoto, feeling a little insulted by this, was quick to defend her son. "Haruno-san, I assure you that Itachi-chan would never do anything dishonorable. I raised him to be a respectful man, and I know he would only offer Sakura-chan his clothing because he knew it would be uncomfortable to sleep in her kunoichi outfit."

Itachi, entertained to say the least by the insanity unraveling in front of him, watched Sakura closely. Her cheeks were still flushed by the conversation, and she looked as if she wanted to run from the room, for fear of the argument started between their mothers. Beyond their notice, he signaled her over to him, smirking widely when she stepped towards him, her cheeks burning crimson under his attention.

"You know," he said softly, leaning down to her level as her mother screeched sarcastically, 'yeah, I'm sure he didn't use his demon eyes to watch her as she dressed, either!' "I already decided I am helping you move from your parent's home. I'm sure you haven't even considered that." Itachi accused in an uncharacteristically playful tone, his breath warm on her ear.

Sakura swallowed. "I can't leave home, Itachi," she muttered back guiltily. "I shouldn't have even told anyone besides Sasuke and Naruto, so please try not to think about it. I don't want you worrying about me too."

Itachi sighed, standing up straight. It was natural of her to ask this of him, because she was the sort of person who did not want anyone concerned about her. At the same time, the conditions she was living in at home were unacceptable, and he would make his opinion known to her. He glanced behind her, and the bickering women that were likely to wake the entire neighborhood, before frowning. "I believe we should continue this elsewhere." He stated bluntly, guiding her from the room.

Itachi really did not want anyone else hearing this conversation either way, so he found the part of the porch overlooking the bamboo fountain to be perfectly peaceful, and sat her down there, crossing his legs casually. She stared at the fountain, clearly uneasy by being alone with him, especially after the night previous. "Itachi," she mumbled, "please don't stress yourself because of me. I was emotionally vulnerable last night, and that's why I told you about my parents, but there isn't anything I can really do to change how it is. I wouldn't want to hurt them by moving out."

He shook his head in disagreement, unable to keep the warmth from reaching his eyes. "After what you told me last night, you are more concerned about injuring your parent's feelings? You are giving me only more reason to rip you from that house."

Sakura growled with frustration. "Where would I live? With you? They already hate the Uchiha clan because Sasuke is my teammate, and they would hate you even more, if you took me away from them." She snapped, before asking in a quiet voice, "Why do you even care? Before yesterday, you hardly knew me."

Itachi's voice was equally quiet, but he made her turn to him, holding her chin so that she met his gaze. "I don't know why."

He, in turn, scowled at himself. He was being ridiculous. She had nothing to have to do with him, and before yesterday, she had been beneath his notice. He had never spoken to her, had hardly spared her a second glance.

She was just his little brother's kunoichi teammate. Yet, somehow, she was more at the same time. At least, he found himself wishing she was. And he did not know why; these were dangerous thoughts, ones that she would not take pleasure in knowing. Something about her though, and how sad her situation was, he wanted to help her. Usually, he was not the sort to care, and for good reason. What he was thinking was madness, because there was nothing between them, and he doubted there ever would be.

What she had told him though, as she drifted off to sleep, stuck in his head.You can actually be very nice. No one ever said things like that to him, and it left an impression on him. Then there was waking up, embracing her in sleep, and feeling pained when pulling away. It was all ludicrous. He had no right to be lingering on such things.

She exhaled slowly, trying to relax herself. He was only trying to help her, and it was more kindness than she deserved. "Fine," Sakura relented, "you can help me move, but you're telling my mother."

Itachi looked at her smugly with his victory.

Itachi was not the sort to be delicate. With Sakura, he had somehow managed to be gentle in comforting her, but that was because it had been Sakura. He had no reservations for her family. So, with very little preamble, he led her back into the kitchen once things had calmed again, letting her hold his hand when she needed the confidence boost.

Mikoto and Momoka had been standing on opposite sides of the kitchen, glowering at each other. He cleared his throat to catch their attention. Momoka's gaze instantly narrowed at their joint hands, showing her displeasure at seeing them standing so closely together. Mikoto, on the other hand, looked ecstatic. Sakura, however, was tense beside him, and Itachi endeavored to relax her, rubbing the pad of his thumb in small circles on her hand.

"Haruno-san," He started calmly, "I would like to inform you that Sakura is moving from under your roof. I will be assisting her finding a more permanent residence, and she will be staying here temporarily." Itachi then turned to his mother as an afterthought. "I hope you don't mind, Okaa-san."

Flustered, Mikoto shook her head, grinning happily. "Of course not, Itachi-chan! You know as well as anyone else that I love Sakura-chan like my own daughter," she then addressed Sakura, "You are welcome here as long as you like, so don't rush in finding somewhere to live."

Sakura squeezed his hand lightly subconsciously. "Thank you, Mikoto-san. I'll try to get out of your hair as soon as I can."

Momoka simply stood and gaped at the three of them, unable to believe what she was hearing. It made sense to her, of course, that Sakura would fit in better with a family of murderers. Still, she did not approve, and only wanted what was best for her daughter.

"Sakura, I don't want you to stay with this family. I am your mother, and I will not let you have a relationship with that man, especially since you know your father wants you to marry someone else." She stated at last, looking miffed. She signaled for Sakura to join her, clearly meaning they were to leave, but her daughter stayed where she was. In fact, she smiled deviously, scooting closer to Itachi, doing the opposite of what her mother wished.

"Okaa-san, Itachi can be a very convincing man. I'm not going anywhere."

As if on cue, her two idiot teammates stumbled down the stairs, chip crumbs in their hair, and sticking to their skin. They did not know what had passed between them, and Naruto was much too horrified to see Sakura standing so closely to Itachi to think much of anything. It was Sasuke that reached the most logical explanation first.

"You two shared the sorbet, didn't you?"

The End

AN: I'm vegan, so I don't eat ice cream. Which is why, with the summer heat, I've been eating lots of mango sorbet. Yummy! I was inspired by that, and the fact Itachi likes sweet things. Hope you enjoyed my little one-shot. I may, or may not write a sequel.

Happy Independence Day, to my fellow American readers! :D