When Mothers Meddle

Chapter 13- A Picnic- Of Sorts

Itachi

Itachi slipped his fingers around Sakura's warm, soft hand. It was smaller than his but the underlying strength was unmistakable. Besides Tsunade, she was the strongest kunoichi in the village, maybe in the world. But was she strong enough? He frowned at himself, the better question was, did she have the right strength to survive a major shift in Uchiha tradition?

"How's your week been?" Sakura spread a blanket under a tree and settled down to unpack their dinner.

The grass was soft, offering a cushion as Itachi settled down next to her. He rooted through the basket of food, mostly to avoid answering her question.

His week had been horrible, starting from when he'd returned from his mission and spent the night with her.

It wasn't her fault of course.

Hibiki had stopped him on his way to meet with Tsunade and harassed him about choosing a wife. Hoshi had stood off to the side smiling and posing as if all Itachi was interested in was the arm candy she'd be. Ultimately the only thing Hibiki had accomplished was making Itachi late for his meeting. And not even Itachi got away with that. The resulting tirade from Tsunade had been scathing, leaving him raw and angry.

That had made him late for his meeting with his mother and uncle, which had resulted in a less scathing but still very angry rebuke from both of them. He had stood quietly, waiting for them to ask him for an explanation and when they didn't, he'd simply moved on.

"Itachi?" Sakura brushed his bangs back to peer into his eyes, drawing him out of his progressively darker thoughts.

"Sorry. My week has been— ah— challenging."

"Is Hibiki giving you trouble still?"

Something about the tone in her voice and the way she turned away from him as she asked sent a shiver of dread up his spine.

"Has he been bothering you?"

She hesitated just a moment too long. "No, not at all. Well, not much."

"What has he done?" He spit the words out, leaning into her face, and then pulled back. "I'm sorry. That man is determined to keep the Uchiha clan in the dark ages."

Just this morning Hoshi had appeared at his door with homemade dango. He'd suggested she bring them to an elder who might appreciate them. It was an insult to her and Hibiki, but accepting them made him beholden to her and he wasn't going to allow that.

"N-nothing. Nothing I can't handle." Her laugh was meant to be lighthearted, but it broke off into an uncomfortable silence that they both allowed to linger for far too long.

"I'm sorry." The words that would save her from this were on the tip of his tongue. Was it too much? Was the price of loving him too high? But he couldn't bring himself to ask. He couldn't bring himself to walk away. Not yet. Though he suspected it was inevitable.

"Have you talked with Mikoto about it?"

Her question was fair. As acting head of the clan, Mikoto should be the one to deal with Hibiki. But Itachi had never run to his mother with his problems, and he wasn't going to start now.

"How's work at the hospital been? Any missions lately?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him but didn't question his change of subject. "I had a quick mission to a nearby town, to gather some ingredients and treat one of their residents. Other than that work has been routine." She shrugged and started laying out food. "Are you ready to eat?"

Sakura

Sakura packed up the last of the food and took the folded blanket from Itachi.

"I'm really glad we got this time. When do you leave again?" Sakura hid the sadness she felt at Itachi's distance with a pale smile. She leaned into him as his lean strong arms wrapped around her.

"I'm home two more days and then I'm gone at least a week. I think Tsunade knows when I become clan leader I won't be as available and she's trying to get as much out of me as she can before that happens."

Sakura smiled into his shoulder, relishing the feel of him against her. She missed falling asleep beside him after making love. Would he come home with her tonight? Should she discourage it?

If he wasn't willing to talk to Mikoto about Hibiki and the rest of the problems they were facing— Did it mean he'd changed his mind and didn't know how to tell her?

She tipped her head up, their lips meeting in a tender, almost sad kiss.

"Sakura—" Itachi let his voice trail off.

"It's okay."

"It's not. I want to be with you, and I'm not sure how to make that happen anymore."

He was going to be the head of the clan. Couldn't he just say what he was going to do and do it? But Sakura knew better. Going against the majority meant he'd never get anything done. And his mission with the clan was more important than anything. Even his own happiness.

"I understand." She smiled as warmly as she could and pulled herself out of his arms. "I need to get home. My shift starts at midnight and I should get a nap in before I go."

"Midnight?"

Sakura busied herself with the basket and folding the blanket. She needed the space. If he looked her in the eye he'd see the truth. She needed him to reassure her of his love. And he didn't seem willing to do that.

"Good night Itachi." She reached up on her tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on his lips and ran her hand down his arm. "I'll miss you."

She saw it in his eyes, felt it in his kiss, he didn't believe her. But she wasn't ready to walk away. Not yet. Though she suspected it was inevitable.