Sakura back in time ❦ (Naruto BIT fanfic)

6

"Sakura-san!" exclaimed Mikoto, nearly dropping the glass she'd been drying when she noticed Sakura in the arms of an ANBU. "What on earth happened?"
"She was attacked," answered Kakashi.

This time, she really did drop the glass. It fell to the floor, shattering with a loud crash. The Uchiha mother ran to Sakura and looked her over for any injuries. "You've got a bruise on your leg," she commented, examining it with a brush of her fingers. "Does it hurt badly?"

"No, I didn't even know it was there," answered Sakura. "I'm just glad Kakashi intervened when he did."

Mikoto looked up at Kakashi as if he was the coolest man on earth. "You did that? How noble of you!"

"It's no problem," replied Kakashi, looking a little flustered under his mask. "It's the least I could do for your guest."

"Would you mind bringing her to her room?" she asked. "I'm sure you know the way through the hallway with the bedrooms."

"How could I forget?"

Sakura couldn't help but notice the embarrassed blush on Mikoto's cheeks as Kakashi took her away and brought her to her room. He tucked her in, patted her on the head as though she was a child and left the room, shutting the door behind himself.

I bet he's really cute under that mask... she thought, closing her eyes to rest a bit. Strong, too... I guess going out wasn't such a bad idea, after all.

"Sakura-san...?"

"Mmm?" mumbled Sakura in her sleep.

"Sakura, wake up."

She cracked an eye open and asked, "Hm?"

"I just got back from my mission," answered Itachi. "Kaa-san told me about what happened. Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I was helped out, just like you said somebody would."

"By Kakashi," he added.

She nodded again. She saw his hands, which had been on the bed, clench and she looked at Itachi in worry. "Is something wrong?" she inquired, her brow furrowed.

He shook his head, unclenching his fists slightly."Every thing's fine, Sakura." Then his look warmed, although the anger was still in his eyes, as he said, "I wanted to know if you wanted to go for that walk I promised you?"

She nodded happily and sat up quickly. She got to her feet shakily and walked to the closet where Mikoto had put all her hand-me-downs for her. She took out an outfit and looked at Itachi expectantly.

"Oh..." he finally said and rushed out of the room, shutting the door behind himself.

She shook her head in amusement and got dressed into a white kimono with pale pink sakura petals at the bottom that seemed to be blowing in an unseeable wind. She took a pair of sandals that complimented the outfit and met Itachi in the hallway.

"So, who is this Kakashi person?" she asked as she walked with Itachi out of the house, saying a quick goodbye to Mikoto.

When they made it out of the compound, Sakura looked around timidly for those thugs she'd run into before.

"Kakashi and I dealt with them," Itachi told her as if he'd been reading her mind.

"Huh? You did?"

"Yeah, I know those guys," he answered. "They're a bunch of pushovers that make it a habit of taking advantage of young girls that can't defend themselves-not that you're defenceless or anything, it's just-"

"It's okay, Itachi-san," she cut-in with a warm smile. "I understand what you mean." He seems flustered, she thought. But what does he have to be flustered about? She didn't care. She was just flattered to see that he cared that she knew how he thought of her.

The walk through the village was quiet for the first few moments until they saw a group of young girls sporting skanky outfits and far too much make-up start walking up toward them.

Itachi made a small groan, just loud enough for Sakura to hear and she looked to him in confusion. "Gotta hate some girls sometimes," he commented, as if reading her mind again.

She smiled in understanding. It was obvious that, with his gorgeous looks, he was bound to have hormone-raging girls chasing after him day-after-day.

She was thrust out of her thoughts by Itachi taking her hand and whispering in her ear, "Play along."

She nodded, not exactly sure what he meant, but let him lead her through the street.

"Itachi-kun!" sing-songed one of the girls.

"Why are you with that girl?" asked one of the other girls, smearing on another layer of cherry red lipstick. "Why don't you hang out with us? You know you want to!"

"No thanks, Ladies," answered Itachi, not relinquishing Sakura's hand for a second, "I'd rather stay with Sakura-san."

"Why stay with her?" yet another girl questioned. "Her forehead is so freakishly large and..."

Sakura's eye twitched only once and she held Itachi's hand a little tighter. She turned to Itachi, a look of devilish intent all over her face. Itachi only looked slightly afraid for his well-being. She smashed her mouth to his and wrapped her arms around his neck and, once Itachi got over his shock, he wrapped his own arms around her waist. When their lips parted, they turned to see that every girl that had been there was now out of sight.

Her brow furrowed and she asked, "Why did I do that?"

"I don't know," he answered, his face a light shade of red.

"When that girl said that, I could just feel my blood boil and I acted on my first impulse."

He smirked, and said, "Perhaps it's a sore subject for you. Maybe you're getting your memories back?"

She shrugged, and then noticed her arms still around his neck and his still around her waist. She released her hold on him and he did the same. The two stood with their backs toward one another, trying to get rid of the awkwardness in the silence.

Then, Sakura noticed Kakashi walking by, reading some orange book and she sighed in relief. She was saved! "Oh, hi, Kakashi!" she greeted, waving a hand over her head excitedly.

"Hm?" grunted Kakashi, looking up from his book. "Oh, hi there, Sakura, how's the leg doing?" She didn't like the look in his eye... As if he was talking to a child.

"Better," she answered. Actually, she'd forgotten about it.

"Actually, I was heading into the compound to see Mikoto-chan," he commented. "Will you be heading there, as well?"

"Well, we were-"

"Just heading home," Itachi cut-in, his voice harsh.

Sakura looked at him quizzically, looking for an explanation for his rude tone of voice and how disgusted he looked while he stared at Kakashi.

Kakashi's one eye seemed to glare back until it curved to show that he was smiling. "Alright then, why don't we walk together?"

Sakura nodded, trying to smile, despite the tenseness in the air. Kakashi took the lead and Itachi and Sakura took up the rear.

"What's wrong, Itachi-san?" she whispered to Itachi, knowing Kakashi wasn't paying attention because of his casual whistling.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered back, not looking at her, only glaring holes into Kakashi's back.