Sacrifices for Peace

Part Four: Somewhere Like Home IV

Itachi leaned over Sakura, holding her wrists down together with one hand, the other at her throat, and his leg held her legs firmly on the ground. She was pinned beneath him, glaring up at him with a pout that Itachi had often thought was very cute when she was trying to be intimidating.

"Yield," he said, the hint of a smug smile on his face.

Sakura's glare intensified.

"You cheated," she accused. "We said only taijutsu."

Itachi smirked."You said that. I never responded."

Sakura rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "Seriously? You're such a cheater!"

"Stop complaining. Yield," he said again, smiling wider.

She let out an irate huff. "Fine. I yield," she said begrudgingly.

Itachi let her go, pushing himself up to standing and brushing off the grass from his hand. He looked over to the tree line and gave a little sigh. Madara had been watching them the entire spar but hadn't come out yet.

"Madara's here," he said to Sakura.

"I know, he's not exactly hiding," she said. "He probably wants to fight you."

Her voice was a little distant, and Itachi frowned. "Are you going to be okay if we do?" He asked her.

She snapped her head to him, her eyes narrowed. "Don't patronize me, Itachi," she growled. "We have bigger things to worry about."

Itachi looked her over. "We might have to fight him seriously one day. I need to know you're not going to have another episode."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched in anger. "You stupid Uchiha!" She shouted and punched him.

If Itachi hadn't anticipated the blow, he would have been thrown into the trees behind him. Instead, she hit only air, but that was enough to send a wave of wind to rustle the leaves of the trees thirty meters behind them.

"That's not a nice thing to say."

"You're all stupid. Sasuke Uchiha might be the biggest idiot number one. Seriously. Uchiha's. Are. So. Stupid."

Sakura continued to rant and rave about the Uchiha's apparent stupidity, seemingly unaware that it wasn't Itachi who had spoken, but Madara, who had finally come out into the open and stood beside him. Itachi and Madara shared a slightly amused sidelong glance at Sakura waving her arms around. But Itachi knew that Madara had no idea who she was talking about when she mentioned Sasuke or Shisui, and from the interested look in his eyes, he would have questions for them later.

Sakura froze when she saw Madara, her face comically shocked before she reigned in her emotions, wiped her face into as expressionless as she could make it and gave a stiff greeting. Itachi couldn't help but smirk at her, she was daily entertainment.

"Good afternoon, Madara," she said, somewhat strained and nervously.

"And to you, Sakura," Madara replied courteously.

Sakura glanced at Itachi, who merely shrugged at her, enjoying her obvious discomfort. She glanced at the trees.

"I see you made it out of the spectator's area," she observed, laughing dryly.

Madara gave her a look, clearly also enjoying her discomfort.

"Yes," was all he replied.

An awkward silence fell over the three of them. Sakura shifted her weight between her feet. Madara looked at Itachi.