Disclaimer : I still own nothing

Final Chapter, unbetaed fanfiction, non-massacre AU.

AN : Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favored and followed this story. It took me some time to write the ending, I swear the story didn't want me to end it. Hopefully, the ending will be good, and if it's not, don't hesitate to write your own versionI guess, I would love to read it *grin*.

Hope you enjoy it, have a nice reading ;)

Dango Hime

Itachi's POV

"Should we finish there ?" asked breathlessly Shisui.

Itachi nodded before using his hand to swipe away the sweat from his tired face. He was tired, but felt better after sparring with his best friend. They came back from a mission this morning, and although it had been a S-class mission, it hadn't required their full ability.

Shisui and Tenzo-senpai had been quite annoyed by the stuck-up princess ; however, Itachi wasn't going to complain. Hokage-sama must have a good reason for sending their team in the first place, or else… No, he shouldn't think about using the Tsukuyomi on their new estimated Hokage.

"Do you want to shower at mine ?" asked his cousin.

"Hn."

It would be more prudent, if his mother learned that they had chosen training after an ANBU mission, she wouldn't make his favourite dango. Taking a shower at Shisui's would enable him to be clean, and have dango tonight.

With a nod, his cousin shunshinned away. Itachi followed one second later, his cousin opened the door to let him enter.

"Right, you go first, I'll make us some tea." kindly said his friend.

Itachi entered the bathroom and took a nice warm shower ; life as a shinobi makes you appreciate what civilian would took for the norm. Warm water, soap, those were luxuries - although he called himself a pacifist, Itachi had to admit that life as a shinobi forced you to live modestly.

He used Shisui's shampoo, and frowned at the lack of conditioner - no, he would not complain. As he washed his bruised muscled body, he dreamed of a life where he wasn't an ANBU, perhaps he would have been a teacher. Itachi smiled at the thought, he would have loved to train the innocent, teach them how to take of themselves, teach them about the Will of Fire.

He sighed deeply and took two towels - one for his hair, the other for his body. Too bad, his father had wanted him in ANBU, even if did admit that ANBU work was more stimulating than Clan work. He massaged his tired eyes at the thought of the paperworks waiting for him ; since his father was really teaching him the ropes of clan leader, he sympathized with the man.

"Itachi, did you finish ?" asked Shisui.

"Yes." said Itachi.

His cousin entered the warm bathroom as Itachi entered Shishui's room. He smiled at the sight of two pairs of clothes on the bed - his cousin was truly the best. Itachi dressed up and used a B-rank Uchiha Katon jutsu - specialized in haircare. He carefully brushed his hair with his hands, the control for this technique required precision and maintenance of fire chakra input - too much, and he would burn his hair, and that was something unforgiving.

He finished brushing his hair and waited for Shisui in the kitchen, the warm green tea greeted him like a lover. He took the small cup and smelled the nice scent of the tea brand ; it had been imported from Tea Country. His dry lips found themselves on the cup, and he felt guilty for not waiting for Shisui - he was thirsty, thankfully his cousin wasn't harsh with etiquettes or protocols.

"I see you finished drinking." said Shisui as he came back in the kitchen.

He was dressed but his hair were flatter with water on them, some drops shyly left the curls to crash against the ground. Itachi frowned at the mess, however, he couldn't scold Shishui - as it was his home. His cousin easily understood Itachi's frown, and he rolled his eyes with a snort.

"Jeez, I'll clean it later, Itachi-Hime." teased Shisui.

Itachi scowled at the nickname and at the blatant lie. Shisui was no pig, but he cleaned when he felt like it. It was during those moments that Itachi missed his little brother, Sasuke was as unforgiving as Itachi when it came to cleaning - something they may have inherited from their parents.

"Oy, Itachi-chan." started Shisui after finishing his cup of tea. "During your shower, I received a mess age from Genma."

Itachi blinked, urging his cousin to continue.

"He wants to speak to us about the report. I will meet him in ten minutes, it's at the bar. Wanna come ?" asked Shisui, as he took their cups and put them in the sink.

Itachi didn't have anything to do. He didn't have a social life as huge as his brother - even if Sasuke didn't like to spend time with his friends. If Itachi went back now, his mother would suspect that he had trained before coming home. Even considered a genius, he didn't understand how she knew exactly that.

The better approach would be to follow Shisui, it would give him at least one or two hour, and his mother would appreciate his effort at socializing. Also it has been a long time since he walked around their village, it would be better to assess if changements had been made in case of an emergency.

"Only if you let me wash those cups first." agreed Itachi.

Shisui snorted but let Itachi clean up the dishes accumulated in the sink.

A few moments later, and they met Genma at a familiar bar where many chunin and jounin liked to hangout. The place was known for its sake, according to Shisui. Itachi watched with judgingly as a group of chunin and recently promoted jounin were dancing around, alcoholic beverages in their hand.

What a foolish behavior, this was what caused many incident around the peaceful village. At least, thought Itachi, it was pleasant to know that the younger generation were living peacefully.

They met Genma who shared their thoughts, but who loved those type of places. To some degrees, Itachi could understand that the difference between cold ANBU mission, and warm bar could be appealing to some people. The warmness of the atmosphere, the luxurious beverage, and the many bodies around them were better than sleeping on soiled ground, crunching on tasteless ration bars, in tense surrounding.

However, Itachi prefered to spend his free time - which nowadays happened rarely - in lited libraries, with a warm tea ; or sometimes, he would take a book and read it in their garden, his hair fluttering thanks to a nice breeze.

Genma's chuckle interrupted his thoughts, he blinked and looked at his teammate.

"What is it ?" asked Shisui.

"Well, look at Kakashi's students, they look cosy there. I'm surprised that your clan is letting your cousin date an outsider." Genma drank his cup, as they both turned toward where he was pointing. "I mean, they rarely let insider in, right ? It hasn't changed."

Itachi couldn't really see because of the amount of people and Shisui in front of him, however his cousin gasped scandalously.

"Sasuke-chan has a girlfriend ?!" asked Shisui.

That statement froze Itachi. Sure, he hadn't spent too much time with his brother, but Sasuke would have told him if he was dating someone, wouldn't he ?

He thought about that time when his brother left Konohagakure and went to Orochimaru, he thought about last month, when Sasuke announced that he would be moving away from the compound. Itachi frowned, he was being a bad brother - he hadn't been taking care of Sasuke, he was failing again.

"Shisui." murmured the Clan Heir, his tone a little hesitant.

What should they do ? Thankfully for him, his cousin was more talented than him when it comes to speaking with others. Shisui gave him a firm nod, they both gave Genma a bow and walked toward Sasuke.

On their path toward his younger brother, they met Sasuke's closest friend. Shisui and Itachi exchanged a nod and a smirk - reconnaissance it was. Naruto's twinkling blue eyes found them and his happy smile widened into a grin.

"Hey ! It's elder teme, and the fishy dude !" shouted the blond.

It was during these moments, that every Uchiha understood what a hard trial Sasuke had lived. Uzumaki Naruto may have been a warm person, he lacked manners - Itachi looked at the Hyuuga dancing closely to the boy, what a surprising sight. Itachi had known the ex-heiress during her childhood, she had been a gentle soul, sadly meeker than a mouse.

Itachi didn't know if he should be outraged at the sight of such a conduct - ex-heiress or not, she was a Hyuga, they had a stricter behavioral code than the Uchiha. Or if he should be impressed by Uzumaki Naruto's way of changing people ; the blonde had evoked many emotions from his baby brother who had been falling in the darkness, and Naruto was now changing the Hyuga - forcing her to leave her shyness, and embrace the extrovert way of expressing love.

Itachi decided that he should be impressed. Maybe if he hang out with the blond, he would be able to socialize, however he knows that they nothing in common, beside Sasuke.

"Hey, you're the one named after a fishcake, Naruto-chan." snarked Shisui, a teasing grin easily placed on his face.

Naruto scowled, and opened his mouth. Itachi didn't have the time.

"Naruto-kun, is my brother courting someone ?" asked Itachi.

Shisui seemed as surprised as Itachi about his initiative to speak - he whom hated useless conversation.

The blonde boy cutely tilted his head, his eyes full of confusion - what an expressive face, noted Itachi.

"Er, you mean if he's with someone ?" translated the blonde.

"Yeah, that." added Shisui.

The blonde, whose cheeks were flushed from drinking, crossed his arms.

"Hmm, guess he's with Sakura-chan 'ttebayo." said Naruto-kun with a few nods.

Itachi felt his big-brother world collapse around him, his Inner Itachi had fainted from the shock. His baby brother was dating, and he hadn't told the news to Itachi ; wait, or was he hiding the news ?

Itachi frowned, it was a prudent approach to be in a secret relationship - the Uchiha elders would not accept a non-Uchiha partner for Sasuke, he was from the main branch. Yes, it was better to keep that relation secret for now, he would change the laws when he will ascend to the role of clan leader. He would force the elders to accept his brother's future wife, or they would… disappear from this realm.

The two Uchihas watched Naruto dance away, and they shared another look.

"Itachi. We should speak to Sasuke, he's flaunting his secret girlfriend in a bar." muttered a worried Shisui.

His cousin was right - Sasuke spending time with his partner was alright, but if he wanted to keep it a secret, a bar wasn't the right place.

"Let us go, Shisui." said Itachi.

His cousin leaded him toward his baby brother as they navigated through the drunken crowd.

His cousin leaded him toward his baby brother as they navigated through the drunken crowd. The amount of body surrounding him made him anxious - he had never liked stranger touching him, breathing in his space.

As a shinobi, Itachi had given his hardest to not let this impact his missions or his comrades. His family and Shisui were the only ones he permitted to touch him closely - though, only his mother and Shisui tried to touch him nowadays. His father easily managed to communicate through his eyes, some nods and the rare pats when he was proud of Itachi.

Sasuke had been his solace when they had been young, his innocent touch gave him courage to continue his missions, to continue being a shinobi. Now, Sasuke had stopped rushing toward him when Itachi came home ; he was emulating their father, and was now communicating through his eyes and nods. But Itachi hadn't lost his hope, his brother was as shy as him - or as asocial as him, they were just bad with this type of communication.

Itachi believes that if they did hug, it would be for a meaningful situation.

"There, they are." muttered Shisui.

Itachi blinked, his eyes finding his precious little brother sitting on a chair, his black eyes warm and innocent, the ghost of a smile leaving his pink lips tainted by sake. Itachi frowned, in the blink of one eye, his cute brother had become a man ; Itachi wasn't ready to accept this, even if he knew that he had to or he would lose his brother.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here ?" interrupted Shisui, mischievous black orbs tinted with worry over Sasuke - it warmed Itachi's heart.

His brother's face closed off, the warmness disappearing from his eyes, his lips were slightly grimacing.

"Shisui." stoically greeted Sasuke.

It hurt Itachi to know that his warm brother was turning more and more like their father and Itachi - they were closing themselves from others, letting duty and pressure mark their faces.

Itachi's mind and heart were not at ease, because Sasuke's hardened personality was a product of the clan's pressure, and their conditioning. Mother was wrong when she told Itachi that he was not to be blamed, he had been a child, he had his own duty ; but Itachi knew that he was not guiltless of this change in Sasuke.

"Sasuke." greeted Itachi, trying to put warmness, love inn his voice - he failed, his voice was unused to such feelings, ANBU can do that.

However, Itachi had not failed, his brother's warmer black orbs found his charcoaled colored eyes. Itachi was happy to see that twinkle of happiness, his cute brother's face became more open - something resembling a shy smile was on his lips.

"Nii-san!" greeted happily Sasuke.

Itachi could have died of happiness, his brother was not mad with him. Itachi's lips barely had the time to turn into a smile before Shisui snatched his arm and sat them both down on the stools.

Thankfully for Itachi, he fell gracefully on the stool - if anyone hadn't seen Shisui's hand on him, they would have seen Itachi sitting down of his own accord. Itachi's glaring orbs analyzed their entourage ; the Nara was still fast asleep - more likely, he was pretending to sleep - Sasuke was in front of him, glaring daggers at their cousins.

Itachi's eyes turned on his brother's girlfriend. They widened.

She must have been made by a deity.

Luscious pale pink hair- The gods had stolen the colour of soft cherry blossom to paint each pigment of her hair. The playful mass of intertwined pink locks must have been softer than cotton candy, some of her locks looked fluffy. Her shy locks playfully brushed her hidden collarbone.

From the size of her shoulder, and the proportion of her delicate neck, he could imagine her collarbone and its perfect geometry, below them would be her- No.

He would not go there.

His eyes locked on her face - a mistake that should not have been made.

A pale face, her skin looked as soft as her hair - even softer than a peach. Her dainty nose was perfect and cute, her lips were small, but full, her bottom lip was redder than cherries and glew - tainted by sake. Suddenly, he felt the urge to taste them, were they bitter or sweet. No, he shall resist such uncouthful thoughts.

His eyes left her dangerous lips, and he locked his orbs on her eyes. Was she a sorceress trying to ensnare him with her green orbs ? Itachi was no idiot, however, here, he didn't know how to describe those eyes.

They weren't, and he refused to say that they were just green. No, the gods were not kind with him, they had taken every shade of magnificent green, from hardened jade to colorful emerald. The gods gave her eyes the color of healing, a green fire - her eyes were the color of Life.

Itachi's heart skipped a beat. Was she the daughter of a shinigami and Life itself ? He felt her dangerous orbs on him - they were as innocent as Sasuke's, but full of curiosity. He felt unworthy of her gaze - a balm full of life hurting his bleeding chest. He wanted to hide, he couldn't meet this temptress' eyes, her sight would make him burn to his death.

What was this being from the outerworlds doing here ? Why was she sitting in this unsavory bar ? She should be sent back to her realm, where her dangerous beauty could be seen by other gods and goddesses. She shouldn't have left her realm, why was she playing with mere humans ?

Itachi blinked.

He would not lose this fight. He would not acknowledge this deceitful goddess trying to pass as a woman.

"So, Sasu-chan." said the first man with a mischief aura and a grinning face. "Is that your lover ?"

Itachi paled.

Was his brother in danger from this deity ? Was she trying to kidnap Sasuke ? Maybe, his brother's innocence, his strength, his beauty had stolen the creature of Light in front of him.

His brother's eyes foolishly met the Life-colored orbs. The deity continued to tempt them, she bit her sake tainted bottom lip, the cherry colored skin softly enticing them all. She tilted her head, her lovely locks carefully following the movement, caressing her pale neck.

Itachi needed to pray. Pray for their hearts, why was no one acting in face of this deity ? Was she fooling everyone with a genjutsu ? Why wasn't Shisui doing anything ?

The Life-colored orbs looked glazed, what was she seeing ? Was she judging their character ? He hoped she thought he was good, Itachi knew that wasn't, but now, more than ever, he wanted her to judge him as someone good. He wanted her to tell him, that he had done wrong but his soul was still pure.

He was in trouble.

Her reddened cheeks looked like sweet and sour apples - why did she look so sweet ?

"No." firmly said his brother ; not as foolish as he seemed.

Itachi nearly nodded, but stopped. He wouldn't want the goddess to know that he knows he secret identity.

"She's my teammate, Haruno Sakura."

Oh dear Lord. She had infiltrated the village for too long. How did no one discover her identity ? He shouldn't underestimate a deity, she must be powerful to have fooled even the Hokages.

"Sakura. This is my nii-san, Itachi. The annoying one is Shisui."

Itachi paled.

Foolish little brother, he shouldn't have given their names to the powerful dangerous being. She could curse their clan ! She could kill them all !

He watched her arm move - she must be squeezing his brother's tight. This goddess had already ensnared his brother, that damned tempetress.

She dared to smile. Was she able to read his mind ?

They were in trouble.

"Hello, Shisui-san, Itachi-san." softly said the siren.

He tried to give a firm nod, his voice would not come out. He felt her life-colored orbs intensely staring at him, they were slightly narrowed. Was she forcing her power on him ? Her eyes suddenly changed, did she think he was foolish ?

"Haru no Sakura. That's cliché, right Itachi ?" answered dangerously his cousin.

He was on something, maybe she was the deity of spring, her life-colored eyes and her flower-colored hair were proof enough. Shisui was sharp, he too had found out about her secret identity.

"But I guess, it fits you Sakura-chan."

Did his cousin have a death wish ?! How could he boldly call a deity by her name, and with such a suffix. Itachi was tense as he watched her left eye twitch - oh, please forgive us deity of life, thought the clan heir.

"What do you want, Shisui." impatiently asked his foolish baby brother, who had decided that a goddess was a nice companion to have in Konoha.

Shisui stole their bottle of sake and poured a cup ; was he the one affected by the Deity of Life and Spring ?

"Well… As I already said, I just wanted to see your lover Sasuke. I actually thought she was a civi at first, though." directly said Shisui with an easy laugh.

Itachi's eyes were fully on the dangerous being, she looked ready to snap - to kill them all in an angry fit. Her chakra was not angry, nor was it full of emotions - her chakra disappeared. Since he had seen her, the amount had been to small for it to be normal - now that it stopped being, he could fully confirm that she was, indeed, a powerful being.

"Tch. Did you lose whatever brain cells you still had ?" rhetorically asked Sasuke, and Itachi had to say that he secretly agreed with him. Shisui was being disrespectful to a goddess. "A pink-haired kunoichi, named Haruno Sakura. Can't you recognize the fifth's apprentice ?" finished his brother, with the same tone as their mother when she was right against unpleasant annoyances.

He blinked, suddenly remembering various moment when he heard about a small pink-haired kunoichi.

("You really should have seen them, Itachi-chan ! They were the cutest !" chirped his mother a bright smile on his face.

"Hn."

"The cute pink-haired girl has a huge crush on your brother, but she was so shy with me ! She was so pink, and cute. You wouldn't believe it."

"Hn."

He took his plate of dango and left the room, leaving his mother gushing alone on the sofa.)

(The door of the study room closed itself harshly. Itachi froze, his hand staying still on his favorite book 'The Road to Peace : War'. He turned his face toward his angered father.

"Tch."

"What happened father ?" carefully asked Itachi.

"That Senju woman took an apprentice." stated his father, as he dropped his paperwork on his desk. "She just became the Hokage, and she's taking an apprentice - your brother's teammate who cames from no clan."

Itachi frowned. He had never met his brother's teammate, he had been too busy with mission to meet them officially. Although, he did see Naruto-kun train with his brother a few time.

"Naruto-kun? " asked Itachi.

His father froze.

"What. No. The girl, Itachi." His father harshly looked at him. "Haven't you studied about Uzushio ?" sharply asked his father.

It was Itachi's turn to frown.

"No, I focused on Konohagakure and the other villages - I did read a few texts about Uzushio's speciality, fuinjutsu."

"The Uzumaki clan came from Uzushio." informed his father. "Go to the archives, we have plenty of informations about them."

He abruptly stopped speaking. Itachi sharply looked at his mysterious father ; there was something else he was missing. But he gave his father a bow before leaving the room, his book forgotten on the shell.

"Itachi." interrupted his father. "Do not speak about those books to your mother." softly finished his father, his voice less hard.

What a mystery.)

If the being was the Godaime's apprentice, she should have the famous Seal on her forehead. Was the deity impersonating the Godaime's apprentice ? He sharply looked at in between her brows - her long hair hiding the upper part of her forehead.

His brother sighed, before taking an elastic - stolen from Itachi's room. The being turned around - Itachi could do nothing, as he watched the flowing pink strands shyly dancing. He couldn't believe his eyes - and he was an Uchiha, Sasuke was touching her hair.

His fingers were delicately touching the blossom-colored locks ; his brother was touching the dangerous being. Itachi felt a surge of anger in his belly - he felt strange.

What was the being doing to him ?

Why wasn't he feeling those protective feelings for his brother ?

Why was he feeling a small seed of negativity against his brother ?

Was she enforcing the curse of hatred to root itself in Itachi ?

He was feeling different - she was using a powerful genjutsu. He discreetly put a genjutsu on his eyes and activated his Sharingan. His dojutsu would break her attempt at controlling him - a gift from a god against a deity.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." softly said the Spring Being.

"Hn."

Activating his Sharingan had been a mistake.

She turned around - her sweet face on them, his dojutsu magnifying all her beauty. Her hair were the threads of the Spring Goddess, her eyes were carved from Life itself, she had stolen peaches from the Deity of Harvest to make her human cloak, and she took their cherries to make her lips.

However, her most beautiful features weren't what ended his heart and his soul. No, what made him go weak was her sweet forehead - it was wide, pale, a proud rhombus decorating it.

He felt his breath, no, his soul leaving his body and coming back - only because her life-colored eyes were on him. He felt his fingers twitch, the urge to poke it pervading him.

It must be with tease, that she took her cup of sake and drank the beverage ; she was humouring him.

In that moment he hadn't lost the battle, but the war. She took him by surprise and he had felt preyed upon, he had fallen.

His mind, his soul and his heart were hers ; she had won.

"Jeez, you too. Are you sure you're not a couple ?" asked Shisui, more seriously.

Inner Itachi was dressed in black traditional clothing, praying for the lost life of his heart.

"No, we aren't." cut the deity.

No they aren't, because the vixen had stolen his heart ; it must have been her plan from the strat. Corrupting his baby brother to now ensnare his heart.

"He's my brother." firmly said the Spring Being.

Her sentence was repeating itself like a broken record in his mind. The way she firmly claimed his brother as hers, was she asking his hand for marriage ?

He analyzed the being more carefully. Was this what she was proposing for his silence on her presence in Konoha ? It was a nice plan, if he was to accept her arrangement - she could live peacefully in Konoha, and he would be able to follow her attention, to counter her future nefarious plan. Her powerful power could be useful to their clan - whatever those were.

"Brother… Is that so ?" slyly repeated Shisui, his cup of sake approaching those smirking lips.

"Yes." firmly confirmed the Spring being.

So they hadn't misunderstood. This deity was bold to ask for his hand during their first meeting, before meeting his parents. With Shisui's presence, he would present her… proposition to the clan tonight.

"Mmh. What do you think Itachi ? Do they look like siblings ?" rhetorically asked Shisui. "Don't they look too close, what do you think, Nara ?"

Without meaning to, Itachi began to compare the Deity with his family. She didn't look like an Uchiha, not at all. He watched her blink slowly, her Life-colored eyes on the Nara boy.

The Nara was not foolish, unlike Itachi's little brother, he got up quicker than any Nara and left them alone muttering a small 'troublesome'. Itachi analyzed the deity, her angered eyes glaring at the sloth of a Nara.

It seemed that she preferred the Uchiha Clan for her wants. So she wasn't after Konoha, or she would have manipulated the Nara - and besides she was the apprentice to the Godaime, and a student of the Rokudaime. No, her objectives were different.

She must be here for the sharingan.

"What do you want." asked Sasuke ; his brother didn't understand what was happening underneath the underneath - what had he learned under Kakashi ? (Itachi preferred to not think about that dark period, when Sasuke left Konoha for Orochimaru).

"No. Really Sasuke, don't you think you're too close to each other ?" asked Shisui, in a tone more serious than before.

Itachi dearly needed to inform his beloved brother how to not follow powerful beings. First, he followed Orochimaru, although the wicked man was no god; he was a Sannin - powerful enough to do terrible things to Sasuke. Naruto-kun was onto something when he called him a 'snakey-bastard'.

Sasuke's fierce scowl deepened; looking exactly like their harsh father when the elders spoke in riddles. Shisui looked stunned by Sasuke's innocence, a sentiment that wasn't shared by Itachi - his younger brother was the absolutest form of innocence.

"You really are innocent. You, you both seriously don't see it?" added his cousin, turning toward Itachi, as if he had put a genjutsu on the bar and was playing a mischievous joke. What a foolish thought. "Itachi, you see it too, right?"

Itachi barely opened his mouth when arresting life colored sharply gazed at him. His heart may have skipped a beat. Was the enchantress using her techniques? He fought with himself, but lost; a breath left his lips. He couldn't speak.

Ha barely managed a nod, his eyes too focused on those life-colored orbs, soft love-colored hair framing her nice dumpling colored face. Her glistening forehead marked by power made his finger twitch - he needed to poke it.

He sharply took back control of his mind and focused his eyes on his precious baby brother. The deity nearly managed to possess his mind, he should be more cautious.

"Sasuke." carefully continued Shisui. "Look how close you are sitting to each other, her hand is on your tight - you aren't being discreet." Itachi nearly let out a victorious smirk when the deity finally let go his innocent brother. "We know you're not a womanizer Sasuke, but to stranger, you look like a couple."

"We do not!" powerfully cut the deity of Spring.

"You do. You may say he's your brother, but with colorings like yours, nobody will think that. You don't have any blood tie." sagely said his cousin.

The killing intent he felt hadn't surprised Itachi; he had been looking cautiously at the deity. What surprised him was that it was Sasuke who was angry. Itachi was surprised by his brother's anger; was the deity affecting him to that extinct?

"Get out." coldly ordered his younger brother.

Sasuke's eyes burned from anger and pain, making Itachi's guilt tripled. His brother had found a friend in the mysterious deity, that could not be refuted. Even if Shisui or Itachi tried to explain the situation to Sasuke, his brother would not listen. The deity had never betrayed his foolish innocent brother.

"We apologize, Sasuke." gently said Itachi, his eyes meeting the angry red gaze of his baby brother.

Sasuke's love for him had not been lost at least, his baby brother thankfully turned off his sharingan. A small warmth spread through his body, his dear brother was forgiving him.

However all warm thoughts disappeared when the deity's aura suddenly changed. Something shifted in her life colored eyes, power sharpened her unforgiving gaze. Her dainty fingers hooked on the bottle of Sake, and she took it to her mouth - drinking the bitterness away, countering it with her sweet colored body.

Her body language asked for their attention, and Itachi could do nothing but obey. His eyes locked on them, oxygen abandoned his body, he would swear that in that moment, his blood froze.

"I don't know why you both think you have a right to come during MY birthday party, insult my friend, and think that we will obey you. Tch." harshly expressed the goddess.

"Come Sasuke, let us go." the deity got up, her hand linked with his brother's arm. "We have better things to do." continued the deity, her life-colored eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I'm sure that your mother will love to know how my party went, right?"

His heart stopped. What did she just say?

"Hn." murmured Sasuke, a smirk on his face.

Her smirking face combined with her knowing eyes made her look poised. At that moment, Itachi should be thinking about her vicious blackmail, he should be thinking about his mother's anger. He should be thinking about his mother being manipulated by the powerful being.

So why was he thinking that she would make the perfect matriarch for his clan? She must be an Uchiha, thought Itachi, an Uchiha that had taken the form of his ideal food, and stolen its sweet colours.

Her calm attitude, her hidden strength, her love for his brother, and the way she had boldly asked for his hand. Had the gods created this deity to be Itachi's undoing?

The winning smirk she gave him was the final nail on his coffin. This Spring Deity, who stole Life for her eyes, Love for her hair, with the wide pale forehead asking to be poked and marked by Power - she had been created for him or against him.

"Really?" shouted the Menace, startling his frozen being. " WOW, your brother is so kind, Sasuke-kun!"

What was she saying? Will she announce his acceptance of their courtship ?
"He's going to pay everyone's round for my birthday ! What a kind man, right everyone ?!"

What.

He couldn't breathe, he couldn't hear the sound of the crowd; their happiness for his.

"Let's go Sasuke-kun, I'm pretty knackered." finally finished the deity with a blinding smile.

His foolish baby brother shared a moment with the dangerous deity.

"Now, I know why you're Kakashi's favourite."

And they shunshinned away, leaving Itachi and Shisui alone.

"Shisui."

His cousin was startled by his pained voice, but instantly turned toward him.

"I don't have my money pouch." confessed Itachi.

Shisui groaned and loudly flung his head against the table.

"Urgh, just give me the sake cousin." Continued the curly haired man. "Next time I want to generously help Sasuke, just stop me. What a drama queen, he and that pink-haired girl. But hey, why were you so silent? I thought you would have spoken more." justly said Shisui as he snatched a used bottle from the Nara's table.

Itachi's lips twisted in grimace.

"The." he stopped involuntarily. Itachi wouldn't address her as a deity, he would think it; but he wouldn't fail to keep his pride and call her that in the presence of others - even if it was Shisui. "The Dango Hime merely forced me into silence. She possessed my mind and took control of my body."

Shisui's face had never been that flabbergasted. He got up abruptly.

"I NEED MORE SAKE FOR THIS SHIT!" shouted loudly his eccentric cousin.

The kind bartender happily obliged, and Itachi may have partaken in a rare bottle; he will need the courage liquid to confront his mother tonight.

AN : So, I wanted to stop here, but...

OMAKE TIME

Itachi's POV

"I-TA-CHI." slowly pronounced his upset mother, her long dark hair hiding her snarling face, except for the glowing red eyes. In her hand was a frightening frying pan.

"Mother." the liquid courage must have functioned adequately, because he hadn't stuttered.

"I can't believe you would spoil Sakura-chan's birthday ! You have never even met the girl, and you already antagonized her!" scolded his mother.

He knew he wouldn't be able to argument, so Itachi didn't speak. After five terrible minutes of scolding, she put a ban on dango and consigned him to his room.

Sakura's POV

"Thank you, Haruno-sensei !" shouted gleefully a young boy as she properly finished healing his skinned arm.

"Your welcome Ryouta.-kun. However, be more careful with kunais, there's a reason why you shouldn't use your parents' weapons." scolded naturally Sakura.

The boy gave her firm nod and jumped out of the chair, rushing eagerly through her door.

You can come out." sharply said Sakura.

Sasuke's brother appeared in front of her; she didn't understand why he detested her. But since they met two weeks ago, he wouldn't stop following the medic.

"What do you want, Uchiha-san ?" merely said Sakura without a smile; his behavior was tiring her.

"I have finally managed to assess your procedure. Your time is nearly done, I will not allow you to endanger Konoha."

Was he taking drugs? Sakura rolled her eyes, Sasuke's beloved brother was uncool - whatever Sasuke-kun and everyone said was untrue; he was the strangest shinobi she had ever met.

"Okay, so what? You want to learn my procedures?" reluctantly asked the pink-haired medic. He could just have attended medical classes, instead of pestering her.

Oh, right, he was an Uchiha; he had to have the best.

"You would let me learn your procedures?" asked the Heir.

"Sure, I guess. Just don't disrupt me in my work."

He gave her a firm nod and left her alone.

"Finally!" muttered loudly Sakura.

Itachi's POV

"Aniki."

Itachi stopped polishing his kunai.

"Sasuke."

He turned toward his younger brother, and Sasuke had a frown on his face.

"Has something happened?" asked softly Itachi.

His beloved brother seemed to hesitate.

"What are you trying to do with Sakura?" directly asked his darling brother.

Itachi paused. He couldn't reveal that he was assessing the dangerous being; his innocent brother was still under her control. Itachi would have to use the convenient excuse provided by the deity.

"We have entered in a courtship."

"What." muttered his young brother, his eyes rounded by such a foolish idea.

Itachi nodded sagely.

"It is accurate. You should ask her."

Itachi promptly returned to his kunais.

Sakura's POV

"Sooo, what's the problem teme?" asked Naruto as he finished his third bowl of ramen.

"This is a Team 7 situation." said Sasuke.

"Huh? Something happened, Sasuke-kun ?" asked Sakura.

She hadn't seen anything strange lately, everything had seemed pretty normal. She blocked the memory of the annoyance that was Itachi Uchiha and his weird stalker-behavior.

"You finally understand that you are as straight as a cooked noodle, and dickless is your sun?" wisely proposed Sai.

"Eh? Whadd'ya mean, dattebayo?" asked Naruto. "And don't call me that, Sai!"

"I'm straight!" shouted Sasuke.

Sakura punched the three boys on their heads.

"So. Sasuke-kun. What's the problem?" loudly asked Sakura, ignoring their insulting whispers.

"Itachi told me that you were dating him." said Sasuke, glaring daggers at her.

"WHAT! Sakura-chan, you're dating Itachi! You could have told me, dattebayo!" shouted Naruto, pointing his chopsticks at her.

"Oh my. Uchihas are tasteless, who would have thought that Weasel liked Ugly."

"What?" whispered Sakura, overlooking her team's dramatic behavior; she was used to them.

"My brother." repeated Sasuke. "I confronted him about his behavior toward you, and he seemed to think you are dating each other." finished Sasuke.

Sakura bit her bottom lip.
After showing many medical procedures to the Uchiha heir, Sakura had been tired from his constant presence. She couldn't go meet anyone — although she was thankful that his presence stopped the flirty behavior of many patient — or hangout with her friends. Her solution was to speak to Sasuke-kun; he would be able to stop his beloved big brother stop stalking her.

But now that she thought about it, his weird behavior was similar to Hinata's. Maybe it's the way nobles tried to confess. Thinking back about the past weeks, Sakura had spent many awkward moments with the elder Uchiha. He was weird, silent, and always looked at her. The pink-haired medic thought the medical procedure she showed him would be enough to leave her alone.

However, what if it was his way of asking her on dates? Tenten and Neji always went to 'train.' Maybe, Sakura was dating Itachi! They spent many times together, and she did find him nice looking. They had things in common; he liked to read historical romantic book, and they even shared a fondness for sweets. He eagerly followed her to libraries, willingly paid for her take-outs.

"Holy Hokage! I'm dating Itachi Uchiha." realized Sakura.

Ino may have been onto something about Sakura's feminine charms. Itachi must have fallen for her and was expressing it à la Hinata. Suddenly, Sakura felt guilty, she hadn't known they were dating. She will be kinder with him tomorrow.

"You could have told us." grumbled Sasuke.

No way was Sakura telling him or team seven that she had been unknowingly dating his brother.

Itachi's POV

The deity had prepared two bento boxes.

Itachi calmly assessed her behavior and how she manipulated people into loving her. However, she had behaved quite strangely today. Her dumpling colored face had taken a peach tint, and her life-colored eyes wouldn't look at him in the face.

The Spring Deity was wearing eyeliner, a pink gloss over her lips - and couldn't she stop biting that cherry colored bottom lip of hers? She twisted her love-colored lock on her finger and proposed to go in the park near the hospital.

His shinobi sense flared in alarms. She was plotting something.

She took him to the park, and they sat down on a bench. She gave him a bento box, and took another one for herself.

He could see a dangerous purple aura surrounding his box. He bravely uncovered it - badly cooked rice, weirdly cut vegetables and nice eggs welcomed him. He glanced furtively at her.

"You can try it." softly muttered the deity.

"I… I'm not famished." lied Itachi.

The deity glared ferociously at him.

"I spent two hours on it, asshole!" shouted shrilly the pink-haired menace.

Her life-colored glare forced him to take the chopsticks. He decided to go for the eggs; they looked normal enough.

He should have been more prudent.

The deity had managed to assassinate him, thought one last time Itachi.

Sakura's POV

Sakura scowled harshly at the arrogant Uchiha.

"I spent two hours on it, asshole!" furiously shouted the medic.

She really devoted two hours to make their food, earnestly trying her hardest even if she was tired from her shifts. According to Ino, men loved when their lover cooked for them, and especially when they made bento.

He took on of her rolled eggs, she smiled nervously. Hopefully, he would love it.

He put it in his mouth and chewed; his face turned pale and purple. He choked on the eggroll and fainted, inevitably falling from the bench.

Sakura's infallible instinct kicked in, and she was saving him. Thankfully, he was alive. She frowned and took the bento box; she analyzed the eggroll, it looked ordinary. She put in her mouth; she choked and spat.

"I put too much salt on it, dang it."

She pouted and properly assessed the prepared food. The veggies were badly cooked, and she even failed the rice, shannaro! How did she fail that? Her apologetic eyes promptly turned on the fallen Uchiha.

"What a ninny, he could have eaten it." grumbled the pink-haired kunoichi.

She rolled her eyes and gently put the Uchiha on the bench. She seized the two boxes and allegedly dumped them in the nearest trash can. She left the Uchiha alone on the bench, and she walked toward the dango shop a road away from here.

The sweet dumplings were Itachi's favourite, according to Sasuke-kun. She bought nine sticks and went back to the bench. He was getting up, thank god.

She smiled gently.

Itachi's POV

He had miraculously survived.

His eyes opened, the terrible taste in his mouth must represent the taste of foolish death.

"You're awake, good." spoke the deity.

He glared fiercely at her.

She intentionally avoided his eyes and eagerly pushed homemade tea in his calloused hands.

"Here, it will soothe your throat." insisted earnestly the sorceress.

Itachi glared at the hazardous substance, the beverage looked too normal to be good. It must be another toxin from her world.

"It's really good, I promise." whispered gently the deity. "Sasuke-kun and Naruto drink it every time."

That explained many odd things executed by the strange duo. Itachi frowned in thoughts, maybe this was what she utilized to erase the memories of the one who found out about her secret powers. Or was she using it to control everyone? Yes, this could be a possible theory, maybe she replaced the previous Hokage's cup of sake by this exotic beverage.

"Hey, are you okay?" interrupted the deity.

"What are the godaime-sama's humble opinion on this beverage?" asked Itachi.

He must have accurately perceived the deity's secret, for she frowned at his question. Her life-colored eyes sparkled.

"She likes it, I guess. It's really good for your health!" her cherry-colored lips widened in a mischievous grin. "Sometimes, I even exchange her dear sake with it. But keep it a secret please, or shishou will punch me." finished the deity with a light chuckle.

So, he was accurate.

He had definitely discovered the secret behind her criminal ways. He had her where he wanted, it was with a smirk that his eyes found her sparkling life-colored eyes.
He shouldn't have looked at her radiant face. The dangerous deity was trying to control him; he instantly felt his heart speed up - what a dangerous creature.

Her life-colored eyes looked mischievous and innocent, the gentle wind played with her love-colored locks, her plump cheeks were painted in a peach color. Her cherry lips were still stretched in that innocent smile of hers.

It seemed that the gods didn't want her cover to be blown up. Was she using a genjutsu to force his eyes to look only at her smiling face, his dark glare focused on her prominent forehead. That cute pokable forehead, with a mark inviting him to just poke it.

His calloused fingers twitched.

Why was he the only one who found out the truth about this powerful entity? He would take SS-ranked mission instead of confronting this deity.

He frowned, he had to do something; he was no coward. He had sworn to protect Konoha.

"What do you want from me?"

Was this his voice? It had been a mere whisper, the gentle wind could have stolen his words, but the deity had heard him. Her face twisted in a frown, her life-colored eyes as confused as his being.

"In general? Or now?" asked the deity.

His face fell flat. She lightly chuckled.

"Both I guess? Well… in general, I guess I wanted to apologize…" started cautiously the deity, her finger founding her delicate chin.

So, she had done wrong and was searching diligently for atonement.

"And, well, I hope that our relationship will be better in the long term?" her skin flushed, and her brilliant eyes widened. "Not marriage! I mean, not now! Wait, no, I guess I do like you, but we don't know each other for that. And I mean, that, yeah, if everything in future is good, and I guess there is love between us… Wait! I'm not saying that I'm hating you or anything. I like you, Shannaro!" shouted the deity.

What.

She blushed brightly.

"Whatever, here I brought you some dango! You like them right?"

He thoughtfully watched her trembling arm handing him a nice Hanami dango stick. The sweet scent detected by his nose, awakened his dead taste buds, however he didn't take it. His astonished eyes were wide and focused on the deity. Her life-colored eyes were averting his gaze; her teeth were playing with her cherry bottom lip.

He finally unraveled her complex story.

The Spring Deity was working for Konoha to amply atone from her previous sins, however she had undoubtedly fallen for him.

"What is your goal?" sharply asked Itachi, persistently ignoring his racing heartbeat.

"To be a better shinobi, to protect team seven and Konoha with my life." conveyed the deity without any hesitation.

Their personal purposes aligned.

"If we were to enter an open courtship, what would you do when you are the next Uchiha matriarch?" interrogated the clan heir.

She glared fiercely at him.

"I will marry only for love." solemnly swore the deity. "And if we were married, I refuse to give up my life Uchiha! I worked hard for what I have, and no clan will steal my work nor break my spirit." strongly said the deity.

"I see. In that case, you will be mine, dango hime." solemnly concluded Itachi as he took her ultimate gift to him, and his clan - food for her intended husband.

"W-what ?!" shouted the deity.

He naturally gave her a firm nod.

She had undoubtedly passed all his tests. The gods had created this dango-and-life colored deity for him, she was a capable protector watching over his precious brother and Konohagakure.

"Shannaro." muttered the deity as she fainted on him.

Itachi intentionally let her head fall in his lap and started to contentedly eat his dango. A dango hime for a dango lover, he should never have doubted his mother - the Uchiha gods had created the perfect being for him.

And if she was a spy, he now had an easy way to watch over all her movement in the village.

- END

Finally finished ! Yay ! So, what did you think of Itachi's thoughts ? I labeled this story as funny just for his point of view.