I Do Not Own Naruto

Uchiha

Uchiha Itachi was not a man to trifle with for there were few things he genuinely cared about and they were as followed: his little brother; Uchiha Sasuke, his family, his family company, and his home city.

It was why he was the Hokage now, and had been for three years.

Now, it was not all sunshine and rainbows for Itachi; far from it, which was the scary thing as he recognized his time was limited. Not that he had told Sasuke that, no, telling his little brother that he was dying because of bone cancer; a rare, aggressive strain; would never do. It was his duty as the eldest to make certain that his little brother was happy, healthy and safe.

It had been his job since he had been fifteen.

When he had been fifteen he had been over at his girlfriend, and now wife; Izumi's house; and he had been having sex.

But that particular night, his eight years old little brother, had been home; unsurprisingly. And that night he had lost not just his parents but his little brother. Sasuke had watched as three home invaders burgled their way into their house and had watched their parents be tortured and killed before his eyes, the only reason he was alive today was because their mother had hid him in the kitchen cabinets; where Itachi had found him instead of the police. After that his little brother was gone, who replaced Sasuke was someone who even Itachi revered in many way.

The Uchiha Sasuke who was his little brother now; at twenty-three, was a ruthless business man, a heartless bastard, and a cold person. Not even Itachi could reach his little brother, and that had been fifteen years of living with Sasuke, checking over Sasuke's homework, supporting his brother, and helpless watching as Sasuke stood up to their grandfather Madara and uncle Obito. It was heart breaking.

But still, Uchiha Sasuke was his little brother and he cared deeply about him.

Now, Itachi only knew of three friends in Sasuke's inner circles; and he sincerely doubted there was someone who held his baby brother heart.

Sasuke's friends were Nara Shikamaru, Sai, and Uzumaki Naruto. Shikamaru's family had been a family friend since their infancy, and of course the two youngest heirs of the two richest families in Konoha would become best friends; they were both scary smart which was what was probably the base of their friendship. The next friend was Uzumaki Naruto, after the death of their parents Sasuke had withdrawn to a point where no one could help him. But then came Naruto, Naruto who could push his little brother's every button and have them about to strangle one another in moments; from zero seconds to point three nanoseconds later to be precise. Still, they were best friends now, but how that work Itachi didn't know. And finally there was Sai, an odd one but Sasuke and Sai had met in college and bonded over their lack of verbal skills; at least that's what Itachi thought.

Still, it had been five years; five full years since Sasuke's inner social circle had expanded and Itachi didn't think it was going to anytime soon.

Now, Sasuke had social friends; for parties and stuff for formal functions. They usually consisted of Suigetsu, Gaara, Hyūga Neji, Juugo, Akimichi Chōji, and a few others.

And Sasuke had even dated few girls. Something Itachi looked over closely; he was not going to let his little brother be hurt but it appeared his brother had already decided that. Still, Itachi was impressed with the girls Sasuke could catch; there was Yamanaka Ino. Itachi had had hopes that Sasuke would propose to her after they had dated for eight months but Sasuke had dumped her the moment marriage had become something to talk about; Itachi had mentioned it to Ino which was how it was brought up and well… the rest was history. She was now married to Sai.

Then there had been Hyūga Hinata, though that had only been in an arranged marriage meeting and a few supervised dates before Sasuke said no and left her be. Itachi did not know how to feel about it when Sasuke showed up two days after the break up with a fat lip, black eye and told him to see the dobe only for a wedding announcement from Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hinata to be posted in the Hawk saying they were married. It was a shock to say the least, though Sasuke had said it was obvious; Itachi hadn't seen it though.

And then there had been Sasuke's longest relationship; with a woman Itachi could barely tolerate. Uzumaki Karin; a distant relation of Uzumaki Naruto. He had despised that tramp; she had looked the part of being a cheap whore, swore like a sailor and was about as nice as a pit viper who had been stepped on. Still, he had put up with the gold digger for a year and a half because he had a secret hope that she could make his brother happy, and that was all he wanted for Sasuke. But that wasn't the case, apparently after a year and a half of being together Sasuke had uncovered Karin out to be a cheater; sleeping with two other men; professors at the university; Orochimaru and Kabuto, and that had ended that to Itachi's relief.

Still, Sasuke was an unhappy man, cold, distant, and lonely.

And Itachi worried that his little brother would shut everyone out after his death; the doctors gave him a year or two at the most, once the cancer was in his lungs he was doomed, and he feared he didn't have much time.

But that was what brought him to today.

He had noticed it about six weeks ago, the change in his brother. It was odd for Sasuke to seem so… light, but these past six weeks something had happened. Itachi had had an investigator and friend; Shisui dig into the matter and that was why he was sitting here in the café waiting for her to come.

Apparently his little brother had met a girl, and a very colorful girl at that; Itachi had seen the surveillance photos of her.

Her name was Haruno Sakura, she was a medical student, daughter of Haruno Kizashi; a military man who had died serving his country, her mother, Mebuki had died in a car accident a few years later and she had lived with an uncle; Hatake Kakashi. She was the star pupil and rising star of Senju Tsunade's and there were high hopes for her. She was a twenty-two and through a bunch of cram courses, and challenge tests he was a final year medical students with a promising future in trauma surgery.

He looked up when the bright girl stumbled into the café then, she was dressed in red baggy coat, pale, faded loose shirt, a black tank, jeans, combat boots, and had yellow bag with pink sakura embroidered into it. She looked rather odd, her pink hair was braided, spun up in a bun and she had a clip holding her bangs back. On her brow was a pale purple diamond tattoo, and there was a small flower tat; he was certain to be a sakura, as well, just barely noticeable above her left breast just above the neckline of the black tank. Her green eyes spotted him, he nodded and she smiled as she hurried to his table and sat.

"Hello, I was surprised to get a call from you! I mean, Uchiha Itachi, head of Indra Inc. one of the most respected companies of Konoha and the current Hokage!" she said gleefully as she dropped her bag unceremoniously on the chair. "I didn't think I'd get a reply on my application for months. And a reply from you no less, it's an honor to meet you," she said as she bowed her brow low.

Itachi blinked.

"I did not call you here for an interview of that kind," he said.

"Oh?" she Said as she sat up straight again and he had a chance to properly see her face now.

Green eyes, elegant eye brows, a large brow which suited her face and was beautifully accented by her tattoo, her lips were full, and her nose was pert as her jawline rounded slightly but wasn't childish. Over all, she was attractive, and had a beauty of the bones; but she was so… unorthodox even in appearance.

"Then why did your office call me here, I don't have any other reason to be here…" she said with a puzzled expression.

"Miss Haruno," he started.

"It's Sakura, nothing else," she interrupted then and she smiled when a waitress came over. He just blinked at someone having the audacity to interrupt him as she chatted with the waitress and they were alone again. "I don't like using my last name, it's Sakura or Hatake."

"Very well Miss Hatake,' he nodded then. She had a coffee placed bevore her, she smiled and then grabbed the sugar. His stomach snarled as he watched her pour half the sugar into the coffee and wondered if he could possibly snag that from her, he had a sweet tooth. "I asked you here about my little brother."

"Huh? I don't know another Uchiha," she blinked at him with serious green eyes as she picked up her coffee.

"You are in a relationship with my little brother, Uchiha Sasuke," he admitted.

"Oh! Sasuke! Um… not really? It was a set up date from a childhood friend of mine and his friend, I don't think he's interested in me, but he's been a great friend!" she smiled.

"Huh?" he was confused now because Shisui's report had not said this and the pictures had lead him to think that there was something here.

"Yeah, I hadn't seen Ino-Pig in… oh Kami, fifteen years, and we ran into one another at the shopping district one evening, got to chatting, clicked, were friends again. Her husband Sai suggested I go on a date with a friend of his; Sasuke; I agreed, I'm not new in Konoha, but with med school and Tsunade's tutelage I don't have a social life and I thought it would be fun. Besides, Sai's sweet so I thought his friend was sweet.

"All I knew about him was his name was Sasuke, it was a good date, he asked for my number, I saw no harm in that; I mean I get no murder vibes from him or homicidal, stalker intent from him, so I gave him my number, he dropped me off at my apartment and we've been meeting up pretty regularly as my schedule will allow because I like him and I think he's a bit lonely," she explained hurriedly as she was offered a bagel and took three; he wondered where she was going to put that on her tiny frame.

"I don't know what you think is going on between us, but we're friends, I'm too busy to be anything but a friend," she smiled at him as she smothered the bagel in cream cheese. He found he was coming to like this little hurricane. That's what Haruno Sakura was making him think of, a hurricane.

"So what's this about?" she asked.

"I thought you were dating my brother," Itachi said. She choked, he reached over and patted her back as she gasped for breath.

"Are you kidding me!?" she gasped after a long bought of coffee.

"No, he has been… lighter these past week, I thought he had a girlfriend," Itachi said softly as he assessed her carefully; she blushed a bit, and bit her lip then. He didn't know what was going on at this point really, but he knew the look of a girl with a crush, and Haruno Sakura had a crush on his brother. Of this he was certain.

"Uh… no, I don't think Sasuke's the type of guy who would date a girl who gets not one, but three tats when she's wasted, or who is a scatter brain, slightly obsessive about messes and disasters, and has barely enough time to breathe between studying and working," she chuckled. "I'm not his type also, too… less, no breasts, a bit of hips, and toothpick legs, but he's a great friend!"

"Haruno Sakura, I think you are more than you think to my brother," Itachi mused looking at the frazzled pinkette; he found he liked her. He liked her a lot, she could keep someone on their toes, and she was brash, blunt, and honest.

"Itachi?" he looked up when he heard Sasuke's voice and glanced over to his brother then at the blushing girl who grinned broadly then took a chunk out of her bagel like she was a frickin' shark as she glared at him.

"Hello Sasuke," Itachi greeted as he saw his brother walk over to their table.

"Hey Sasuke, I thought he was you and sat down to join him, sorry about this but I gotta run; I have a shift in… shit! Gotta go! Nice meeting you Itachi! Later Sasuke!" the pinkette said as she grabbed her coffee, cream cheese, the other bagels and like a hurricane left them behind. Itachi chuckled at the flurry the girl was gone in, but saw Sasuke frown as he took her vacated seat. Itachi softened.

"I think she's charming," Itachi said calmly.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted as he assessed him, Itachi wondered what was going on in his brother's head.

"What are your intentions with this one?" Itachi asked.

"Hn," Sasuke shrugged.

"Sasuke…" Itachi started.

"I don't know," Sasuke said as he ordered his coffee, Itachi ordered one as well because his sweet tooth was aching for something now.

"Sasuke, you need to let someone in," he scolded.

"I like her Itachi, I like her a lot," Sasuke snapped softly. Itachi warmed at those words then. There was hope; halleluiah! Perhaps his demon of a baby brother was not condemned to a life of darkness and solitude.

"Tell me about her," Itachi said softly as he prepared his served coffee.

"She's annoying," Sasuke said calmly. "But she's… I don't know, she's Sakura," he shrugged.

"Are you two dating?" he asked.

"No, she's out of my league," Sasuke said calmly. Itachi blinked remembering those very words from a hasty Sakura after she nearly choked to death on a bagel.

"I would wait for her Sasuke, she's a keeper," he assured his brother softly.

"Hn," Sasuke shrugged and they sipped their coffees in silence. Itachi knew though, he knew from that moment on his brother was Sakura's, and Sakura belonged to his brother. He knew just from looking at them. Which brought him to his next plan of attack, getting Sasuke someone he could love before time ran out. Itachi just wanted to know his baby brother was cared for, and with his impending death it was more important to set this up now rather than later.

Sorry about the other day, there was no update here; I just rearranged the chapters because it bothered me that the I'm Alive mini arch was interrupted with funny pieces or my inquiry into fandom; it needed to flow together. And yesterday I was bored in my hotel so I thought to rearrange them as I thought over my personal piece.

Anyways!

This is probably the last update in Uchiha for a while, but stay tuned for other oddballs I might post!

That's all for now folks!

Enjoy Uchiha! =)