Arrangements

4

Sasuke has known, on some vague and intangible level, that his older brother is engaged to be married to some heiress of a powerful clan. He's heard his elders brag about the beneficial and strategically advantageous decision to arrange the marriage between the clans. He even sulked about if for a bit when he was nine, when their parents took his brother away for days and days to meet this faceless, stupid girl, leaving Sasuke behind in the terrifying care of his Aunt and Uncle and their insufferable children. Once Itachi returned, however, it was quickly forgotten between forehead pokes, teasing and training.

The fact that his older brother is engaged to be married never really sunk in, Sasuke realizes as he learns who will be staying with them for three weeks of his tenth summer. He spends most of the year fuming about this fact as summer draws nearer, not sure why it makes him so angry. All he knows is that yet another person will be taking away his brother's attention from him, yet another obligation will come to distance Itachi from him. Sasuke is ten and he is angry. He's made it a point to know as little as possible about whoever it is Itachi will be marrying, holding out a childish hope of making it go away if he ignores it hard enough. It doesn't work, obviously. So when he finds himself standing reluctantly by his parents as they prepare to greet their new guest, he is less than thrilled. Itachi had left to fetch his...his fiancé... by the gates. He had almost seemed like he had been anticipating it, something which makes Sasuke feel a little bit ill. He can't understand it. Girls are annoying , though he likes some of them in his class and in his clan. But they're far better than her, he is sure.

"Sasuke, try to smile a bit. Sulking isn't very mature of you," his mother chides him quietly, making sure his father won't overhear. "Sakura is a very sweet girl, and will make a good match for your brother when the day comes. Try to be pleasant toward her, if only for Itachi's sake."

Bristling, Sasuke huffs. His cheeks feel hot, and there is a weird, unpleasant feeling in his chest. What his mother is saying is nothing he hasn't heard before, but it seems worse now for some reason. He knows without having to ask his older brother, that Itachi would want him to get along with whoever this girl is. Itachi doesn't like conflicts, or being intentionally mean to others. He'll never forget the soft-spoken scolding he received after being caught taunting that idiot Naruto for failing to master the easiest of chakra exercises. They'd both been seven and eager to prove themselves to the people they admire, and Sasuke might have quietly admitted to a disappointed Itachi that he regretted taking his own frustrations out on the Hokage's son. Declaring themselves rivals, Sasuke and Naruto had developed a strange relationship that they sometimes admitted was a grudgingly close friendship.

Sasuke had found himself quietly grateful for this fact, especially in the last few months. While there were members of his clan in his class, and many likeable enough classmates unrelated to him, no one had really got him like Naruto. His clan members either feared him, resented him or had ulterior motives to befriending him. His other classmates were either intimidated by his clan, uninterested to have anything to do with a clan member, resentful of his skills or sporting an annoying crush on him. He gets along with Shikamaru and Shino, and doesn't mind the other boys in his class most of the time. Even some of the girls, like Hinata, Minorin and Suzume, were tolerable enough. He would even go so far as to call some of his classmates friends , though Naruto had been the only one he felt he could turn to after realizing his older brother's fiancé would come to terrorise the village this summer.

Laughing at first, it hadn't taken long before Naruto managed in his weird way, to make things better. No one, Sasuke thinks, understands better than the Hokage's son how frustrating it is to have duty and obligations wedge a gap between people. Sasuke is forever chasing after his older brother, the expectations of his father and the clan heavy on his shoulders. He feels like he is never going to be good enough. Naruto is himself in his father's shadow, but determined to stand on his own. Sasuke is right there with him, burning with a need to prove himself, to prove that he's worthy of his brother's attention and his father's praise. To have anything make things worse, feels like a bitter injustice. Naruto had let him vent, verbally and physically, and taken him to eat ramen and listened without calling him whiny or immature or pathetic. It had been a relief, but standing here now, Sasuke can't help but wish he had his friend here with him. His father would have never allowed it, of course. Sasuke swallows, fighting the urge to hunch in on himself. Instead, he straightens his shoulders and forces his lips to unfurl from their snarl. He won't let this girl get to him anymore.

"Here they come," his mother murmurs, placing a hand on his stiff shoulder and squeezing it gently. "Be good Sasuke."

Grunting, Sasuke feels reluctantly curious, despite the tightness in his chest. Subtly, he leans forward, craning his neck in an attempt to better see down the street of the compound. They're waiting outside their house, and he can see a group being led down the streets by his brother towards them. Next to him, Sasuke spots her , and nearly falls over in incredulity.

Pink! , is all he can think, mouth open and eyes wide as the group draws near them. He vaguely remembers his brother teasing him about it, about Sasuke in pink hair, asking him if he'd dye it in solidarity to any future nephews. He'd only reacted to the taunt of himself in pink hair, not really thinking too much about anything else. But he isn't stupid. He sees a girl who doesn't look much older than himself walk next to his brother, chatting with him and waving at them cheerfully, and he knows that's her. Somehow, it doesn't feel right. This wasn't what he had imagined, though he isn't sure what he expected. Some sort of she-devil? A demon? In any case, certainly not a little girl with pink hair and a happy smile. It's hard to dislike someone who smiles at you happily , after all. Naruto is proof of that.

He scoffs, uncomfortable, and looks away.

"Welcome, Lady Sakura," his father greets the girl, after nodding to his oldest son. He acknowledges the rest of the group - some of their own clan members and no doubt Sakura's babysitters - with a glance.

"I thank you for your hospitality, Lord Uchiha," the girl replies with a polite, perfect bow. Sasuke wrinkles his nose, annoyed at her manners for some reason. The girl smiles brightly at his parents, greeting his mother as well, before turning to him last. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sasuke Uchiha. I'm Lady Sakura, heiress of the Haruno clan, but I'd prefer if you'd just call me Sakura."

Meeting his brother's expectant gaze, Sasuke sighs and almost rolls his eyes, answering sullenly. "Pleased to meet you. You may call me Sasuke."

The girl - Sakura, what a silly name for a silly-haired girl - smiles still. He frowns at her, but she seems determined not to be discouraged. "Thank you! Too many Lords and Ladies being thrown around in conversation, it gets ridiculous after a while, doesn't it?"

Surprised, Sasuke looks to his father, but he seems to have missed their exchange, already talking to Itachi and dismissing the rest of the clan members. His mother is busy making arrangements for the girl's babysitters, motioning for them to follow her inside. His father and brother enters first, followed by his mother and one of the babysitters. Sakura takes the lead after, and Sasuke finds himself in a hurry to follow and not be left behind like an idiot. The last two of the three babysitters - all right, so they look like competent ninjas, but he's still feeling resentful - make up the rear. He's not sure what to say to her bold comment, wanting to disagree simply to be contrary but unwilling to outwardly lie to her face. His brother dislikes petty dishonesty, and Sasuke is feeling rather petty right now.

"Hn," he settles for, a familiar grunt of non-committal reply Itachi sometimes uses. The girl grins in response.

"You really are his brother, aren't you? So lucky!" she gushes, cheeks pink and eyes bright. He feels uncomfortable, suddenly stricken with the realization that this girl spent a week with his brother last year, and if his mother is to be believed (which she always is, or you'd suffer the consequences), has kept up a steady correspondence with Itachi ever since. On some level, this stranger knows his brother. Not like Sasuke knows him, because Sasuke is his little brother and has known him forever . But she still knows him somehow, and it makes Sasuke feel uneasy. He doesn't know this girl, and she's going to be marrying his brother, whether Sasuke likes it or not. He really wishes Naruto was here, if only to laugh at her pink hair with him. Pink. Tch.

"Sakura," Itachi interrupts suddenly, evidently having finished with their father. He's walked over to them, and is putting his hand on Sakura's back to steer her to their dining room, where the evening's meal is waiting for them. He nods to Sasuke, an amused tilt to his lips at Sasuke's wide eyes. "Sasuke."

Sasuke mumbles something in reply, not liking the easy way Itachi handles the girl, as if touching her isn't gross or weird. This summer is going to suck, he thinks sadly.