And so, Sakura had been staying with Kakashi for the past two weeks. Two weeks. Two weeks of utter and complete hell for Itachi. If he'd thought that Kakashi was around too much before, he had officially seen enough of the older man to last him a lifetime. Or two. Or three. Kakashi was everywhere. Literally. He answered the door in the morning when Itachi went to pick Sakura up for training, he showed up when they took their lunch breaks, usually with Sakura's favorite food in tow, and of course, very conveniently forgetting Itachi's share. Every single day. HE was also there at night when they called it quits, walking Sakura home to cook for her (since she'd worked so hard the whole day, it was the least he could do, his words) or taking her out for dinner.
Sakura was reveling in the attention and was in no hurry to move out of Kakashi's apartment. It was nice to live with someone, she'd told Itachi the other day.
"Kakashi's been my rock and refuge for years," she told him, the small smile playing at her mouth soft and gentle and the look in her eyes so loving that even thinking about it made a sharp pain run through Itachi's chest. "I can tell him anything and I know he'll listen without judging. He's so damn smart and insightful, always giving the best advice possible. I can't really explain it but being with a person that you know only wants what's best for you regardless of himself, is so freeing. I hate and love how selfless he is. He'd do anything for me, and I love that, I just sometimes wish he'd demand something for himself. But that's just how Kakashi is."
Itachi hadn't been able to say anything to that. He knew, of course, just how selfless Kakashi was. Sure, lately, the man had been infuriating him every step of the way, but he knew the man Kakashi was underneath the underneath. Selfless to the bone. He'd do anything for the people he loved.
At the start of his ANBU career, Itachi had been a little leery of working with Kakashi. The man was aloof and showed very little emotions. Plus, behind his back, the village whispered, called him horrible things. Friend-killer Kakashi. Itachi had gone to the Third with his concerns. He'd never forget the pained look on the Hokage's face, the utter despair in those wise eyes. "He's a good boy," Sarutobi had said. "Troubled, lonely, aloof, but good to the core. Kakashi wouldn't hurt a fly if he didn't have to. The people are ignorant, Itachi-kun. The see the surface and judge based on it, no one bothers to look deeper. If he could, Kakashi would give his life to revive those he'd lost, he'd give his life to protect those he's got left, precious few as they are. ANBU is not the place for him. Talented as he is, he's not suited for that sort of life. He's running away from his memories. One day he'd have to face them, I just hope he won't be alone when that time comes. I hope you come to see the real man beneath Kakashi's mask, Itachi-kun."
And Itachi had. It had not taken him very long to realize that the front Kakashi showed to everyone was very different from the man he really was. Kakashi loved very deeply and that love hurt. He tried to hide from it but couldn't escape it in the end. In the years since he'd left ANBU and Itachi had lost contact with him, Kakashi had come out of his self-imposed isolation, had started opening up to people more, formed meaningful relationships. Sasuke and Naruto had a lot to do with it. But, Itachi knew, Sakura was at the very center of it. He was happy for Kakashi, he really was. But he just wished he'd stop meddling. Kakashi wasn't aiming for Sakura, Itachi was almost certain. He was just trying to test Itachi, to see if Itachi was worth to be with the person Kakashi treasured the most. It wasn't hard to see that Sakura was one of the most important people in Kakashi's life. And Itachi respected that. He just wished he knew what exactly Kakashi wanted him to do, how he could prove himself.
Being jealous all the time was getting tiresome. Sakura talked about Kakashi all the time. Smiling, eyes shining, as she recounted something the older man had said or done. Sung his praises as she talked about the missions they'd been on together, got that gentle, loving look on her face every time she spoke of how he protected her, sheltered her, not willing to let anything happen to her.
Kakashi was absent that day, short mission out of the village and Itachi was enjoying the time alone as he and Sakura ate their lunch in the shade of a tree. She was talking about Kakashi, again. Itachi was only listening with half an ear, more interested in her expressions than her words. Kakashi wasn't interested in Sakura, he was sure of that. But maybe Sakura was interested in Kakashi. How come he'd never thought of that before? Was he really so conceited to think that Sakura would not be interested in anyone beside him? Not that she'd ever shown any particular interest in him. In fact, all she talked to him about was either training, or Kakashi.
Anxious, and eager to get the unpleasant thought out of his mind, Itachi acted on impulse. As soon as she'd stopped talking, Itachi leaned forward and kissed her. It was brief, and chaste, but warm and gentle and when he pulled away, she smiled. And her eyes were warm and shining. Ah, well, no need to worry, right?