"Uh," Says a tall, broad man who stands awkwardly on her doorstep. There's a bouquet in his hands. "I'm looking for Izumi?"

"Akifumi," Says the brunette. Sakura steps to the side. "How'd you find me?"

He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. I just wanted to apologize."

Izumi tilts her head. "Oh? What for?"

"To be honest," He says, he's thinking hard. Increasingly perplexed when he can't find the answer. "I can't quite remember why we were fighting."

"Oh!" Says the Uchiha as she rocks back on her heels, upper body leaning forward. "Me neither. It probably wasn't that important."

"You think so?" He says

"I do," She replies.

His gaze drifts to the left. Sakura thinks he's still wracking his brain in effort to recall what started all this.

"Well, anyway," Says Izumi. "Are you free tomorrow?"

"Yeah," He says. "We'll do something then?"

"I'd love that," She tells him. They kiss goodbye as he hands her the flowers.

"I love you," He says as he walks back to the street. He doesn't wait for her to reply.

The brunette's eyes widen, lips parted as she stares after him. When he's out of sight, she turns to Sakura, who'd been watching her with curiosity. "What the fuck did he say?"

"He said--"

"No way," Izumi says. "No fucking way." She strides to the living room where Shisui and the omega are watching that dramatic soap opera again. "Did you wipe Akifumi?"

Shisui scoffs. "Why would I? You guys have been dating like, what? Ten months?"

"Shisui." Says Sakura. "You can't just wipe people!"

He waves her off. "I don't do it that often."

"Shisui," Itachi says, "You can't just wipe people."

"You," Shisui says, tone light as he pokes the smaller man in the side where he's most ticklish, "stay out of it."

"Wiping people is bad, un." Says Deidara. "Bad alpha."

Sakura catches a glimpse of the time from the clock on the wall above their heads. "Tsunade-sama is going to be here any minute."

Shisui stands, stretching out while Sakura goes to greet their soon-to-be arriving guest.

Tsunade is mid knock when Sakura opens the door. "Good morning, Shishou! I'm glad you could come."

She's obviously hung over when she says, "You know me. Always going above and beyond for my students."

She seats herself at the kitchen table, Shisui is already there.

Sakura starts on a hangover concoction while the busty omega takes in the Uchiha. "Damn boy, what happened to you?"

"That's what I wanted to speak to you about," Says Sakura. She slides the drink over to her Master along with two slices of toast.

Her hand rises to Shisui's face but he flinches back.

"Sui," Says Sakura. "You have to let her look at you."

Reluctantly, he leans forward, his breath catches when the Godaime's fingertips light on the very bottom of his brow. Sakura's fingers ghost over the Uchiha's shoulders as she stands behind him. A promise of protection from a perceived threat.

Tsunade pulls away. "Even the socket is bruised. It looks like you've worked on the worst and have decided to let it heal on its own?"

"I wanted to leave evidence so you, yourself could see it."

"Evidence?" Asks Tsunade. "Sakura, what is all of this about?"

"This was done by Danzou." Says Sakura. "And he, apparently, has several Sharingan from the Uchiha Clan."

"Did you see it?" The Godaime asks.

"I did," Says Shisui. "As did Izumi."

"Okay," She says. "But you are both Uchiha and that kind of accusation is a little," She flips her hair over her shoulder and laces her fingers, "convenient, for the position your Clan is in."

A pair of hands slam onto the table and it creaks. "One of your high-ranking officials came for our bloodline." Demands Izumi. "And you tell us it's our fault?"

Tsunade turns her head, coming nose to nose with the enraged alpha. "Come any closer, and I'll put your blood on these walls."

Shisui moves to stand but Sakura's hands keep him still.

"This aside," Says the Godaime. "Where does he keep this collection of Sharingan?"

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"The ones we saw were implanted in his arm," Says Shisui.

Tsunade nods. "Then I'll get started on gathering intel, alright?"

The brunette draws back, seemingly satisfied.

"But I'm going to tell you right now, that if this is a farce, there will be consequences for the both of you."

"I know you saw the documents," Says Itachi from the doorway. Even though his voice is soft, Sakura is calculating how to wrangle three aggressive Uchiha. There's no damn way. "The ones about the ordered massacre."

"The ones about the coup d'etat?" She shoots back.

"Tsunade-sama," Says Itachi as he approaches. "The attack of the Nine-tails was not our fault. We have been unfairly judged and unfairly treated."

"I agree," She says. "Master Sarutobi was wrong in the way that he handled your Clan."

"Thank you for hearing us and making an inquiry," He says. "I think it would help if, perhaps, the Clan could be given permission to relocate?"

The blonde tilts her head. "Why?"

"We were told, not asked to move," He says. "They rebuilt our homes on the outskirts -- making us ineffective as law-enforcement."

Tsunade seems to think on this. "How about I get with Fugaku-san and we discuss it? Would this satisfy you?"

"I think it would," He says.

"Now," Says Tsunade, "There's only so far I can go before it starts to look like special treatment. Please keep that in mind."

Itachi comes to stand on the other side of Shisui and meets Izumi's gaze. "Please be seated. This is a negotiation, not an argument."

The chair scrapes as she follows his request. The omega, too, sits beside Shisui.

The tension in the Hokage's frame eases. "A negotiation, huh?"

"I didn't prepare a power point," Says Itachi. "But I do have a short list of things I'd like to bring to your attention to discuss with my father."

"If you had a power point," She says, "I would want you dead."

"No power points," Says Itachi as he slides the list to the busty omega. "Understood."

xXx

Tsunade had left after a discussion of the things on the list. They'd crossed out one or two that the Hokage immediately knew she'd be unable to achieve, but everything else, she agreed to talk over with Fugaku, then take to the council to have passed.

"I mean," Says Izumi as she perches on the arm of Sakura's couch, "If Aiko wasn't obnoxiously evil, how far would the plot go?"

"It cheapens the plot," Says Shisui as he sits with his back to the television while he diligently rubs Sakura's tired feet. "There's no depth. No actual motivation."

Itachi rolls his eyes. "It's a drama. It's supposed to be cheap."

Deidara frowns. "You are so dumb, un."

"All I'm saying," Says Itachi. "Is Dark Shallows is better than Seventh Sunrise."

"Apples to oranges," Says Izumi. "Dark Shallows is a sci-fi. Seventh Sunrise is a love story."

If Sakura's honest, she has never used her television for anything but the weather to make sure she's dressed appropriately. She really needs to get her family group out of the house more.

"It's a literal omega harem," Itachi says. There's something in his tone that Sakura thinks might be agitation. "How is it a love story?"

It occurs to her that he might actually be triggered by the series but had simply hidden it as distaste for the genre.

She wonders if sharing her attention with Deidara is also something that puts Itachi under duress. If it was, he'd hidden it away quite well. Perhaps, Shisui offsets that so there's enough attention for both of them and no competition.

"Because it's about one omega in a harem. And the alpha fighting to be with her."

Itachi just hums a non-reply.

"Dark Shallows is literally alpha looking for a supposedly extinct omega colony to impregnate." Argues Izumi. "Reverse harem?"

"It's about the morality of their intentions and the consequences of that," He says. "Also technology."

"Oooh~" Says the brunette. "Shiny toys~"

Itachi shrugs.

"I can't do anything with you guys, un." Complains the blonde. "Why is everything a philosophical discussion? Can we just sometimes do stupid shit and not worry about how it applies in the real world, un?"

All three Uchiha look to the blonde, seemingly baffled.

"Okay, damn." Says Shisui.

There's a soft, snk, and all heads turn towards the noise in the far corner of the room.

A masked shinobi appears behind Shisui, blade drawn. The katana comes down as the curly haired alpha twists to look at his attacker.

Izumi moves to intercept but Shisui says, "It's fine." And the blade freezes a hair's breadth from his throat.

"Wh-what?" Asks the shinobi between clenched teeth as the sword trembles in his grasp.

"It's a shame," Says Shisui, Sharingan spinning. "You should have known better than to come here."

It shakes harder as he turns it on himself. "H-how?" Gasps the assailant.

"Shisui," Says Itachi. "Shisui stop."

The Body Flicker doesn't reply as the operative ends his own life under the gaze of those in the room.

"Goddamn it," Says Sakura. "I'm definitely not getting my deposit back."

"Blood isn't that hard to remove," Says Izumi. "I'll help you."

"Get the fuck out."

All eyes turn to the dark haired omega. Sakura realizes he'd been holding Shisui's gaze while she and Izumi were talking.

"Itachi--" Starts Shisui but the younger man stands.

"That was cruel and you know it."

"It was the cleanest, easiest way."

"You could have let him go when he realized he was outmatched."

Shisui rises too, towing over the omega. "So he could be prepared for next time?"

"There might not've been one!" Says Itachi, his hands are powerful when they push against Shisui's chest. The alpha actually steps back, stunned at the outburst.

"Hey!" Snaps Izumi. "Don't come at him like that."

"Fuck you," Spits Itachi. "Fuck both of you."

They blink.

"Wait a minute!" Says Izumi. "The fuck did I do?"

"You think giving other people amnesia so you can use them is acceptable. It's sick."

Izumi recoils.

Deidara face palms. "Always fucking fighting, un."

"Growing pains," Says Sakura.

The blonde looks at her. "The fuck does that mean?"

"And you," Itachi comes back to Shisui who appears to still be stunned. "You run off with some other woman, come back here like nothing is different while you know full well you'll be going back."

Shisui's eyes narrow.

"You," Itachi shoves him again. "betrayed us to Sarutobi and left me with no options. You fucked me over. You act like destroying someone's memories and will is fine as long as it isn't Sakura and I."

"Did you know about the Sarutobi bit?" Deidara whispers.

Sakura shakes her head. "I had no idea. I thought it was Itachi who came to him with the information."

"Omega," Says Shisui, his voice is a warning. "Stand down."

Itachi's own Sharingan meets his. "You are not welcome here."

Shisui moves to grab him but the younger man flinches back, baring his teeth.

In a heartbeat, Shisui goes blank. Everything hidden in a carefully crafted neutral expression. "Fine."

His visage flickers and he's gone.

"You're going to fucking regret that," Says Izumi as she, too, disappears.

Itachi doesn't move, body still tense.

Sakura and Deidara look to each other. Play Rock-Paper-Scissors on who's going to engage him. Deidara loses.

"Hey, un." He says. "Are you good?"

"Do I look okay to you?"

"I just wanna know what touched you off, un."

"Deidara!" Hisses Sakura.

"He crossed the threshold from chaotic neutral to downright wrong. That's what."

"He's been like that the entire time, un." Says Deidara. Sakura smacks his arm but he waves her off. "You're just now seeing it? Are you pregnant again?"

"How did I never see it?"

"Because he knew it'd freak you out, un. Because he never wanted you to find fault in him."

"Why now?"

"He probably lost it because there was danger in our vicinity."

Itachi huffs a sigh. "Not an excuse. I told him to stop."

"Okay, un." Says the blonde omega. "But do you listen to anyone around you when you zero in on things?"

This gives the dark haired man pause. "For someone so totally unhinged, you make a lot of sense."

"That's because you are, too, un. You just hide it."