Battle For A Blossom's Love

Chapter 3

"Why did you join Akatsuki?" Itachi asked curiously.

Sakura paused for a little expecting yet not expecting the question from him. Itachi waited for her to think of what to say just curious to as why she would join the Akatsuki and defect from her village.

'What are you going to say Sakura?' Inner asked her.

'I'm thinking Inner. Can't you see this?' she asked Inner back.

Sakura sighed and looked to the ground making her bangs cover her face so he wouldn't see the tears threatening to spill over.

"I am not appreciated there Itachi-san. I am treated like dirt, like I am worthless, useless. Naruto has even lost interest in me. Ever since Sasuke and his friends or whatever came to Konoha everyone has ignored me. No one acknowledges me and even Kakashi sensei and Tsunade shishou have stopped looking at me and speaking to me," she said to him, her voice starting to tremble with the last sentence.

She held back her tears and kept her head down. She didn't want to seem weak in front of him. She felt Itachi put his hand on the small of her back, rubbing up and down slowly to comfort her. He sighed seeing what she was trying to do.

"There is no need for you to feel sorry for me Itachi-san. I am used to this treatment seeing I have dealt with it for a few years so far..." she said her voice trembling worse.

Itachi sighed again and let his face soften as he looked to her as she tried to hide her face.

"You hide away your emotions until you're alone then brood in them don't you?" he asked already knowing the answer because he did the same after his clan...incident.

Sakura picked her head up for him to show her face and with her barely able to keep back her tears.

"I thought so..." he sighed. "Sakura-san, don't let that happen. We are here for you now. You now have Akatsuki to worry about you. You no longer have to deal with this stuff on your own. Remember that all right?"

He rubbed her back to comfort her slightly then got up and left hoping she'd take it to heart. Sakura sat on her bed thinking about his words still fighting back tears. A few minutes later another knock was heard. She answered the door and it was Sasori.

"May I?" he asked seeing the tears in her eyes.

"Yes Sasori-san..." she said to him sadly.

He walked in and stood by her bed. He held a look of sorrow on his face. He didn't show emotion often just like Itachi so it was a bit weird for Sakura and she imagined he was worried as well.

"So you are also worried?" she asked him knowing his answer already.

He sighed and ran a hand through his short red locks. He nodded and Sakura sighed lightly. She motioned for him to sit and he did. She sat beside him finally getting over the urge to cry her heart out and taking on the look of just a sad little girl.

"Wondering why I joined?" she asked him softly.

He nodded again and she sighed making him sigh. She decided to tell him exactly what she did Itachi.

"You are the third person to come to me tonight and the second to ask me that. Itachi was the first. Just as I told him, I'll tell you. I am not appreciated there Sasori-san. I am treated like dirt, like I am worthless and useless. Even Naruto has lost interest in me. Ever since Sasuke and his friends or team came to Konoha everyone has ignored me. No one acknowledges me and even Kakashi sensei and Tsunade shishou have stopped looking at me and speaking to me."

He nodded to her and sighed. He couldn't believe that was how she was treated. It was unbelievable.

'No one should have to be treated like that...' Sasori thought to himself.