Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was no way out. Gray and black smoke had infiltrated not only every corner of her room but also her vision. No matter how much she tried to cover her nose and mouth, it reached her lungs. It made her cough a lot, and it did not help that her eyes were bawling out as well.

Unfortunately, her voice would not let out a single pitch. And when it could, she did not ask for help, but for the two persons dear to her who were most likely in the verge of death too.

“Mom...Dad...,” Sakura weakly called, eyelids resisting the urge to fall. She was pushing her back against the wall as she sat on the wooden floor, wiggling legs trying to avoid contacting any part of the existing fire.

It felt like hell. It was getting hotter every second to the point that her body’s energy evaporated into the thick suffocating air already. Her liters of tears could not beat the intense volume of the heat.

All she could do was to clutch the flower necklace her father gave her, protecting it inside her clenched hands above her chest.

She did not hope anymore to be saved. She was too exhausted from weeping and dodging fire debris at the same time. Maybe, it was better if she could be with her parents as well. At least, she would not be alone when she opened her eyes once more.

Until a low yet overwrought voice called her out.

“Sakura!”

There was no way in. Everything around the Fourth Hokage’s residence was in angry flames. No matter how geared he was for battles, neither his mask nor his ANBU uniform could help him easily and swiftly locate where the Hokage’s daughter was trapped in. The fire ruptured all over Konoha, causing the residents to seek wherever it was safe. His father, the head of the Konoha Police Force, had already ensured the civilians’ security while all the available Leaf shinobi, together with the Fourth and his wife, were still facing the nine-tailed fox, luring it away from the village.

Sasuke, the single-most important person for the Uchiha prodigy, was thankfully rescued by Shisui along the other younger Uchihas in their compound. When Itachi and other ANBU members – regardless if they were in a mission outside the village or not – were summoned by the Third, they were given separate tasks to balance the assistance to the people, to the Fourth against the fox beast, to Kushina – who used to be its jinchūriki, and to Sakura. Since Itachi was the youngest and newest member, he was dispatched to accommodate the needs of the evacuation centers as per the police officers.

However, in a matter of time, it reached his knowledge that the two ANBU assigned to guard and escort Sakura lost her due to the crowd’s uncontrollable terror. Due to the overflowing chakra surrounding one place, they could not detect hers.

Itachi did not buy the reason. It was either they were manipulated to neglect her, or they were part of the anti-faction plotting something behind the scenes during this ongoing commotion so as not to be obvious.

It was against his will not to follow commands from the superior he respected, but it was not spelled in his principle to let someone savable die out of being used to harm the village. Especially if s/he was innocent.

Not Lord Kizashi and Lady Mebuki’s cherished daughter. Not his brother’s kind classmate.

Not the only living memory of the Fourth and his wife’s valor and sacrifice.

Requesting Shisui a favor to take his post, he did not dash off to all the nearest and possible places she could be. It would waste time. He tried to think where lost people would find themselves dragged by their feet. It would be where they feel safest, right?

So he rushed to the Haruno residence. Only to find it set in flames.

But the will of fire inside him was burning more fiercely.

Without letting another second slip, he summoned around ten clones and dove into the flames. He did not feel burnt at all – that was the least of his concern if he was or not. He kept searching the house for a familiar color pink.

It made him upset that he could not summon his crow because the fire had grown harshly.

To add to what he felt as a stroke of failure, it frustrated him that he had not yet activated his Mangekyō Sharingan in that desperate time to put out the fire. If only I can use Amaterasu... Still, he had no time to spare for unnecessary regrets. He was racing against time.

Finally, he found her.

He yelled with all his might, “Sakura!”

The girl’s eyes widened, but she was too stifled to move her head to his direction. When she slightly lifted her gaze, a weasel mask with red triangle paints was revealed on her sight.

She coughed for a few times before she managed to whisper, “A-anbu...san...”

When Itachi quickly removed his mask to put it on her face instead, Sakura’s lips formed an upward curve. “...I-Itachi-kun...,” her voice sounded relieved after seeing a very familiar trustworthy person. According to Sasuke’s proud narratives of his brother, Itachi was the best ninja, which was not far from what her parents were sharing with her – that he was second to none even when compared to shinobi of other ranks and even in age groups.

They had encountered each other briefly whenever he fetched Sasuke in the academy and during his ANBU missions of safeguarding her when there were official Kage meetings and important events, such as festivals and the Chūnin exams.

Itachi crouched in front of her with his hands supporting her delicate body. He could not give her a smile. What he could only show her was a distressed expression written all over his face. Her frail hand stopped his other hand from putting on the mask on her. She would speak why she did it, but her incessant coughing would not allow her.

Sensing what she wanted to say, he uttered firmly, “You need it more than I do.” He fastened the mask onto her to lessen the smoke she was inhaling.

If he would wait for her breathing to steady, they would be devoured by flames in no time. Sakura, aware that they had to get out of the burning house, tightened her grip on his chest, signaling that she was fine enough to be in motion with him. Her one hand remained clutching on the treasured memento from her father.

The young Uchiha swooped the little Haruno in his arms and used body flicker technique to move out, eliminating the chances to encounter any fire hazard. He had also marked a specific risk-free location in the forest where he would bring her.

Still carrying her in a bridal style, he announced that they had transferred to a secure space. “You’re safe now, Sakura.”

She detached the mask from her face and surveyed the dim area. She was surprised to recognize a very well-known tree in her memory. “This is my...,” she did not continue with words but by staring at him.

This was the only moment his lips felt smiling. “Your adorable hideout.”

Pink speckled appeared on her cheeks. Ino was the only one who knew about this small tree shelter, and truth to be told, it had been a couple of months when Sakura herself last paid it a visit.

That was when she heard straight from Ino that they were not friends at all.

Sakura thought that if someone whom she held dear comes to see her special sanctuary, they would leave her because she was doing something outlandish. Maybe, that was why Ino, her only friend, cut off their friendship and chose to hang out with the cool kids instead.

And maybe, that was why her parents seemed to leave the world too soon. Her so-called sanctuary was filled with bad luck.

That kind of impression pained her. She turned her head to him, one cheek rubbed against his chest. “You can go to Sasuke-kun.”

From the way she said it, Itachi had a hunch that she was pushing him away. “He’s fine. Many people are protecting the villagers.” And those who must protect you are also there.

“You should also protect the village, not me.”

“You’re part of the village, Sakura.” He was reluctant to carry on to the next words because he did not want her to assume that he was only helping her out of duty and guilt. Indeed, her parents were out there to protect the village and the least anyone could do was to protect her.

Nevertheless, he wanted to stay with her. It was his own choice.

He could see that she was battling against her own train of thoughts by the solid clench she was making on his chest and her own – where the cherry blossom pendant was within.

He explicitly spelled it out for her. “I’ll never let you go until everything is over.”

Tears started to make their way on her eyes down to her cheeks.

Itachi gently put her down, so he could wipe her tears. He bent a knee on the grassy ground as she stabilized her stance with a one-hand support from him. He realized that he could also clean the powdered dirt around her face.

“My face is dirty...It’s full of ashes and smoke dust...,” she embarrassingly murmured. She was certain that there were mismatched colors on her face and his gloves.

He used his index finger to rub the tip of his nose. He showed his gray finger’s point that contrasted his skin color. “Mine as well, no?”

Sakura tried to create three horizontal lines on his other cheek that resembled cat whiskers. She chuckled at her finger work with his cheek as the canvas. “Itachi-kun is a half-cat.”

He was released from anxiety when she made that light remark. “But a full-pledged weasel.” He proceeded in erasing fire-related traces from her face until she was cleared of filth. “There you go. You’re a dango again.”

When he was done cleaning her face with his fingers, Sakura returned the favor. Albeit, with her sweaty palms. “Itachi-kun has a big face...it’s faster with my hands.”

Not minding one bit the moist from her palms, he let out a small smile. “Thank you, Sakura.”

With her lead, they crawled to enter the mini space she had ornamented for herself. The stuffed toys and room decorations were intact, though the flowers had wilted already. “I’m sorry, it’s not a large place...”

As he sat with neatly folded legs, he surveyed the interior. “It’s well-decorated. The ambience is pleasantly relaxing.”

Her voice lacked confidence on how her design had lost its glow. “I haven’t tidied up the stuff here...”

He noticed her fixed gaze on the flowers devoid of life in a glass vase. If he replaces it with fresh flowers, would that make her happy?

With that question in mind, he stood up.

“I-Itachi-kun...?”

He recalled seeing a bush with growing white flowers nearby. He was not acquainted with flower names, but he was not so unfit not to distinguish a flower from another kind of natural creation. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

Two pair of hands gripped the end of his black shirt.

“...Don’t leave me alone, please...”

Two pair of green eyes begging him to stay.

He turned his body to face her and crouched to meet her gaze. “I apologize. I was just thinking of getting new flowers.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “But there’s no need because the most beautiful flower to adorn this place is you, Sakura.”

Her cheeks flushed for the second time that night. “I can’t fit inside the vase...”

A silent laugh slipped from him.

“Oh, wait...!” She sat on the ground and rummaged a light brown cloth bag. “Itachi-kun, do you know how to fold a paper flower?” she asked after successfully retrieving a variety of colored origami papers.

He sat on the floor with crossed legs. “If you teach me how, then I can.”

The atmosphere around her became gleeful as she situated herself in front of him to instruct him on how to create the alternatives of natural flowers.

After making a dozen of colorful paper flowers, Itachi took note of Sakura’s drowsiness. When she could not keep herself from sitting up-straight, he invited her to rest already.

“You can sleep, Sakura.”

She tried to pinch her cheeks. “I shouldn’t sleep...”

“Why?”

“You’ll be alone...”

“But you’re with me.”

“It’s unfair that you’re awake and I’m not...”

Itachi stopped folding the paper he was working on to adjust himself. He stretched his two legs and left a space between them. “Your presence is already enough, Sakura. I’ll be more at ease if you get yourself some rest.”

“...Are you sure...? You might be tired too, Itachi-kun...”

He gave her an assuring smile. “I’ll consume less energy by not keeping on convincing you.”

She could not give any excuses anymore. She sluggishly sat between his legs with her back against his chest. “Thank you, Itachi-kun.”

He was about to say something when echoes of a loud rumbling noise was heard. He felt her shoulder twitch.

One of his hand covered her eyes. “Just close your eyes, Sakura. The sun sets both in paradise and chaos.”

“...W-We’re still in danger...” Restlessness was evident in her quavering voice. “...M-Mom...D-Dad...”

Itachi knew very well that he could not figure out the right words to solace her. Not when he himself was not there in the actual scene with his fellow shinobi and tell how her parents were faring in the battlefield with the fox beast.

“Lord Kizashi and Lady Mebuki will always be with you, Sakura.”

She held the flower pendant for the nth time. “Mhmm...”

“You’ll be alright, Sakura. As long as I’m here, no one and nothing can harm you.”

“But how about you, Itachi-kun? How can you protect yourself when you’re protecting me...”

“I’m strong, so I won’t be hurt easily.”

“...But Mom and Dad are strong too...” Her upper body began moving up and down. “A-and...and...they are...”

Sakura’s source of pain was not external. And that was something Itachi could not save her from.

“Even strong people die, Itachi-kun...what if when I wake up, you’re not alive anymore...”

Despite partially wearing gloves, he could feel hot tears from her eyes. Using his other hand, he softly squeezed her against his chest.

“I don’t want you to die because of me...”

Itachi rested his forehead on the top of her head. “Shh...,” he tried to pacify her broodings. “I’ll not die, Sakura.”

He lifted his head to look at the cramped hole that showed the source of the moonlight that lit up the tiny area that they shared.

“We’re safe and sound in your sanctuary.”

Sakura was tempted to peek at the scenery outside and before she knew it, her vision turned pitch-black.

“Don’t look.”

Itachi told her after he blocked her eyes with his callous hand. This time, no gloves could conceal the texture of his palm.

“Is it...still ongoing?” she hesitantly asked.

A low and deep hum was his confirmation. A resigned body posture was her reaction.

“Say...aren’t people getting tired of the same conflict...?”

He looked at where she was supposed to. They were currently staying at the top of the hill, so the traces of explosion and clashes of shinobi were vividly visible. “Their roots are different. So are their fruits.”

“...I’m one of the roots,” her voice displayed self-reproach. “They keep believing that I’m the nine tails’ jinchūriki...”

“Then you’re not one of the roots. You’re just a stem to mislead them away from them.”

“I’m thankful that you always rescue me, but...I don’t want to be always protected, Itachi.” From a strong conviction, her voice dropped to an irresolute one. “...But I know that I’m too weak to—”

“You’re strong.”

She was still unsettled. “...I’m useless in our team. The girls in other teams have specialized in something, and here I am, still finding what I can do other than brain work...”

“You’re useful.”

Still not convinced. “I don’t know many advanced jutsus. Unlike my parents, I can’t figure out my affinity. There’s a lot of things that I should be able to do by now, but I can’t...Menma and Sasuke are walking too ahead of me—”

“Walk at your own pace.”

“...I’m slow.”

“There’s beauty in being slow, Sakura.”

The genin stayed in gloom. “Then why won’t everyone slow down...?” Her insecurity was rising. For the three years that she had been a genin, she felt stuck, most especially now that the chūnin exams were being prepped for already.

Itachi felt on his palms that something slipped its way out from her eyes. He removed his hands that had covered her sight and made her spin around to face his unwavering look by gingerly holding her upper arms.

“Because they’re chasing something that time has been keeping away from them. For what it’s worth, not everyone can slow down.”

“...How about you, Itachi?”

“I can. And I will.”

His grasp fell on her forearms.

“For you.”

Sakura did not mind her memory repeating the same exact words that came out from him when she was downgrading herself.

His words were always her lullaby.

She let her emotions control her body. And so did he. Their silent embrace was loud enough to understand what they felt.

What they meant. To each other.

Her face remained buried on her chest. “...Do you really have to go...?”

For a couple of years now, Itachi had been part of the mercenary group called Akatsuki. Many villagers from the Leaf presumed that the promising Uchiha shinobi had severed ties with Konoha.

But he had no intentions of explaining himself to the public.

His lower cheek remained rested on the side of her head. “For you and Konoha.”

“Can you stay for a little bit longer today?”

“If that’s what you want.”

Sakura slightly retreated herself to look up at him. She knew very well that those crimson eyes were screaming to take the time off.

“I feel that it’s what you need.”

He did not object at all. Making use of the special kunai that he received from Minato a few years ago, he teleported themselves in the place that both of them had held special in their lives.

As soon as they had set foot on their tree hideout, he released her from his hold and gave her a calm smile.

“I missed this home.”

She sat on the carpeted ground. “And it missed you too.” She patted her lap twice.

As he took steps toward her, he deactivated his sharingan and laid the back of his head on her lap. With his body flat on the floor, he fixed his deep black eyes at her green ones as if he was trying to travel into her thoughts.

This time, it was her to cover his eyes.

“You deserve to rest, Itachi...You’re doing a lot to keep our village peaceful...You yourself need peace as well.”

Itachi rested one of his hands on his belly while the other above her hand that shielded his eyes.

“Thank you. I can only find peace with you.”

“How about Sasuke?”

A long pause hanged like a plain curtain concealing his response. “...Maybe, if he finds peace in his romantic interests. He’s growing up as a rebel.”

She let out a nervous laugh. “But a good ninja.”

“A shinobi is not only about skills, Sakura.” Hearing her preparation to spill more words that would brush aside her self-esteem, he spoke first.

“Who tended my wounds, Sakura?”

“I did...but any shinobi can treat their own injuries and learn to perform basic healing jutsus...”

“Do you think I’ll let other Akatsuki to see that I received a graze or bruise from a mission?”

He felt her shake her head when her body lightly swayed.

“Please don’t underestimate your aptitude for medical skills and chakra control. Even Lady Tsunade saw the potential in you, no?”

“...Itachi...”

Since he had been holding her hand, he easily removed it from his eyes and revealed to her another pair of unfeigned look.

“When you set yourself way below how enough you are, you don’t only hurt yourself. You also hurt me, Sakura.”

She was holding back her tears. “I’m sorry...You already have a lot on your plate already...And I’m still adding to your burden...”

Itachi rose from his position and pulled her close to him. He unfastened his cloak to wrap it around her back. He situated himself in a way that she was between his legs and his arms, together with his black coat with red clouds, served as her blanket.

“How can you be a burden when you are what makes things light?”

“Only when I assist you in treating your injuries...”

“I feel special. I have my personal medic-nin.” He caressed her pink hair that she decided to keep short. “A beautiful one at that.”

“What if I didn’t make it to the chūnin exams?”

“You will. You’re strong.”

“I might bring my team down.”

“You’ll not. You’re mentally and strategically competent.”

“They might go after me...,” Sakura contemplated. It was a time that she would be unguarded despite the restrictions prepared by the committee and five Kages. “After all, the exams will take place in Suna...”

Itachi paused stroking her har.

“I’ll not let them.”

Sakura was not daring to open her eyes. The last time she opened it while she was falling from the sky, she entered an unknown yet similar world as hers where her parents were alive and her friends were contrary to how she knew them.

She also did not have a single encounter with Itachi when in fact, they communicate every day. If it was not through meeting personally due to the nature of his organization and assigned commissions, they could still through his crow as his messenger of letters and simple gifts from him.

She was aware that she had stopped falling from above, but as oddly as she perceived, her wrists and feet seemed to be chained. Her tumbling down on the cold ground did not ache her body unlike when she slumped against a tree branch earlier. However, it did not give her a thrust of certainty.

“...Itachi...,” she silently called as she kept her cherry blossom necklace inside her squeezed hands.

In the nick of time, a crashing noise pervaded her ears. The recoil appeared to cause a temporary shaking of the ground.

“Amaterasu.”

The flames that devoured what shackled her provided the comfort she badly needed. The familiar hands and scent from the man who was drawing nearer to her brought nothing but peace to her troubled mind and body.

“I’m here now, Sakura.”

Without a doubt, she was finally free from danger.

Chapter Text