{This is set in like… Present day Tokyo, on Valentine's Day of course, at some random big hotel place thinger. I'd say Sakura and the rest of them are like 16 or 17, so Itachi is like 19 or 21. Don't question me! Sakura has never met Itachi in person before, so yeah. xD Hope you like?}

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"Ino, please? I need help with my makeup, and you're the best girl with makeup and I neeeeed you." Haruno Sakura stood before her full length mirror, looking at the terrible job she had done herself with eye shadow and liner. She had tried to do something smoky, but glittery at the same time, and had failed… Which was plain unacceptable, considering what tonight was. The night of the highly anticipated Valentine's Day masquerade ball, which she had been looking forward to for months before hand. She had even convinced Naruto to go, which took just about all those months of anticipation to accomplish. Sasuke was required to go anyway; it was his father's idea, to attempt to even further advertise the Uchiha CO, especially to the younger crowd.

"I haven't even finished getting ready myself…" her blonde friend muttered back through the phone; ah, but the tone of voice gave her away. The roseate would be getting the help she needed, for sure.

"You can finish here; I could help you with whatever you need, too," Sakura suggested, twirling a strand of hair around her index finger. She still needed to curl her hair, finish the makeup, find the other shoe to the high heel pair, and fix the ribbon that would secure the newly bought eye mask to her delicate features. Already she had, with the help of her mother, pulled the dress itself over her slim figure. It was a good choice, she thought, and so did her mother.

A silvery-white, it brushed the ground easily; she wasn't one for the… Exotic costumes, like the fairie dress Ino had chosen. The strapless bodice was decorated in very light pink flowers, accentuated further by the soft glimmers of rhinestones that dotted each blossoms' center. The long flowing skirt itself was only a shade darker, but the fabric beneath the shear white top layer was shimmery, and added a unique look to every movement.

Oh, she did look rather nice… Not quite the 'Beautiful' her mother had proclaimed, but still nice. When questioned what she should go as… Blegh. She'd let the people at the masquerade decide. And then just agree with all of them.

"Oh, fine. I'll be over in twenty. Make sure to turn on your hair curler. I'm guessing you'll need help with that, too." With the last statement, the phone was off, and Sakura was left smiling. Oh, how well Ino-pig knew her… Now to find that stupid heel.

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"Thanks, Mom," Sakura said as she carefully climbed out of the small car, followed by the water fairie, Ino. Pinching the skirt of the dress up so it didn't drag along the remaining stretch of sidewalk till the entrance of the hotel; the name escaped her even as she walked up to the doors. Excitement was too foremost in her mind to bother with the smaller details.

"Just call when it's over, dear. Have fun, you two!" The small car departed, leaving Sakura and Ino standing there. Ino's dress barely made it to her knees, but it was gorgeous all the same. Sea green, traced with what appeared to be strands of silver thread, and accompanied with matching heels and mask. Of course it had taken the time that passed between their phone call and Ino's arrival at her door to have her remember that she would be wearing a mask during the whole event; fancy eye makeup would not be at all necessary. The blonde had helped with the hair and other basic stuff, which had been fun… But the highlight of the night was upon them.

The pair walked up to the door, and followed a pirate and a Victorian Age duchess through the entrance hall of the hotel; from the crescendo of volume as they neared a large set of double doors, Sakura already guessed that they had found it. Walking in the wake of the couple before them, the atmosphere was quite striking. Flashing decorations, beautiful designs, mysterious costumes, and then of course the masks that kept them all a secret.

Though some people could just not be disguised. A scarlet and gold decorated blonde quickly bounded up to them, and if the spikey style didn't give him away, the whisker marks that were still apparent on his face below the mask did. There was a grin on his face, and his bright blue eyes twinkled from behind the dark red cloth of his eye mask.

"Sakura-chan!" he proclaimed, hardly halting his bouncing movements after he came to a stop. So, despite the moaning and groaning that had accompanied his agreement to join them, Naruto seemed to already be enjoying himself. "You were so right. This is so awesome. I've danced with like three girls already, and the costumes are great! I like yours too. You both look beautiful," he obviously meant it, and Sakura chuckled at his exuberance, her cheeks going a bit pink at the compliment. Even Ino couldn't suppress a smile; Naruto's tended to be contagious, and who didn't like to be called beautiful, even if it was by the brother figure of the group?

"I'm glad you're having fun, Naruto. What are you, anyway? You never told me, and I can't tell," Sakura replied, and waved at Ino as she walked away, attracted by a Greek God by the punch bowls.

"I!" the blonde started, flourishing the half cape that was attached to his shoulder, "am a Matador! Made some adjustments to the costume, myself. Didn't feel like carrying around the cape, so I just sewed it on," he added, looking over and down at the stitches along the deep red cloth. Yeah, she had to admit, he did look pretty nice in the whole get up. The gold of the thick embroidered designs all throughout the outfit complimented his hair, and the red looked good.

A hand suddenly appeared on the shoulder of his jacket, slim and dainty; so obviously female. The roseate felt a slight shock of surprise hit her. So he wasn't bragging when he said he had danced with three girls already…

"Uh… I'll see you around, Sakura-chan!" the blonde said over his shoulder as the petite ice queen stole her best friend away. And she was alone… The feeling that someone was watching her made her shift uneasily, and looking towards the rest area, her vivid jade eyes met the stare that she had felt at her back. And they were stuck.

The man was standing apart from the rest of those sitting down or chattering, which included Ino and the Greek God. Just…. Leaning there, hands crossed firmly across his chest… He was wearing all black, from the leather calf-high boots, to the pants, to the partially unbuttoned shirt which flaunted the beginnings of a toned torso, to the mask and hat at the top of his head along with the black cape over his shoulders. His long black hair was tied back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, leaving long bangs draping down either side of his masked features.

And he was looking at her? No… He had to be looking past at somebody else. But the way his twinkling black eyes shone through the two eyeholes in the mask told her otherwise. One corner of his mouth curled upwards into a smirk, and slowly, oh so slowly, he raised a hand towards her, using the universal come hither finger curl.

She should have known better, really. Man in black, beyond attractive, unknown identity, asking her? Her. Plain, billboard fore-headed, only slightly curvy Sakura. To come hither… And yeah, she did know better.

But did that mean anything?

…

Well, as she walked, entranced, over to him, it occurred to her probably not. As she neared, he nudged himself off the wall he had been leaning on, moving with a feline grace that made her feel awkward just walking. Distracted by her observations of his poise, her foot managed to snag on the front hem of the skirt to her dress, and she felt her body go surging forwards and down…

Only to be halted by the strong arms of her new man in black. Her eyes looked up to stare dumbly into the black depths of his, which were dotted with miniscule flecks of deep blue. Amusement lighted them, and a meek smile of her own curled her mouth. Straightening, Sakura tried to act casual, though the flare of bright pink at her cheeks let it be known her embarrassment. The taller man bent over slightly at the waist, keeping eye contact while he grabbed her hand; where had it been before? Huh… She hardly even noticed it until then, as every nerve there decided to blow itself up to get her attention.

His lips brushed the back of her hand, and she felt a fresh wave of red hit her cheeks. Was it just her, or was it getting way too hot in here?

"Care to dance?" His words sounded just as smooth as he moved, deep and masculine and oddly soothing at the same time. Oh, there came that dumbstruck smile again… Unable to answer, she nodded her head only a bit too excitedly, giving away the trouble she was having containing herself. Oh how she wished Ino would just look at her now. Normally she wasn't one to brag… But men in black beat men in bed sheets any day.

His hold on her hand changed, and he used it to guide her more towards the center of the floor. She kind of knew how to ballroom dance and whatnot… Well, enough to know that her cues would come from him. Which turned out to be all she needed. His grace carried on to his dancing, leaving her feeling like a klutz in his shadow. But he hardly seemed to mind as he kept that same smirk on his face, one hand at her waist and the other clasping her hand. Her own sat lightly on his shoulder, and she couldn't help but notice that as the song progressed, the space between them gradually grew smaller…

Caught in her own little world that only contained her and her mysterious man in black, she hardly noticed that after the song ended, he did not relinquish his hold on her. He kept his hand on her waist, and hers in his and continued on as though there had been no pause as soon as the next dance started; not that she minded the choice being made for her… Not a word had she said to him, but already she felt perfectly at home right next to him; he made her feel beautiful, whereas all the other compliments she had ever received from others could not equate the same feeling that his eyes alone granted.

Oh, how she wished it didn't have to end… She felt special, unlike she had ever felt before. The conclusion of the second song came far too fast, and for a moment her partner looked far over her shoulder before frowning slightly. The roseate began to turn to look where he was, but was halted by the gloved fingers at her chin, tilting her chin upwards, towards his face. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sakura…" he whispered against her skin, while bright green eyes opened in surprise as the same lips that had not so long ago touched her hand met her own, stealing her breath away with just how perfect her first kiss felt with a complete stranger. She leaned forward into it, and felt the return pressure. So this is what kissing was like… In the same span it had taken for him to take her by surprise, he was gone again, already a few steps away.

It took only a moment for him to smirk that now oh-so familiar smirk, and disappear in the crowd with a flourish of the cape behind him. Sakura instinctively surged forward, watching the top of his hat until he was gone. Bringing a hand up to her mouth, her brows furrowed in confusion. Why had he just poofed like that? Stuck in her own troubles, she couldn't help but jump at the hand that grabbed her shoulder from behind.

Whirling around to face her assaulter, surprise lit her features upon seeing Sasuke standing behind her, a look of shock and confusion mirroring hers on his face. "Sakura?" he asked, peering at her as though he honestly couldn't believe it.

"Yeah, how many more pink haired girls do you know?" she retorted sharply, annoyed that her Uchiha friend was acting so weird. Stepping away from him, she started to step in the general direction her man in black had gone. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go-"

"Why were you making out with my brother?"

Stopping in her tracks, Sakura turned around and gave the younger Uchiha brother the same look of incredulity she had received just seconds before. "Your… Brother?" Oh this was great. Her man in black was one of her best friend's elder sibling. How flippin' awkward was that…

'Happy Valentine's Day to you too, Itachi,' she thought begrudgingly, bracing herself for the torrent of questions she now expected to come from his younger sibling.