My Little Matchmaker

Whicha! Thanks for all the Reviews guys, All apreciated and I am trying to take as much of all the suggestions in as possible...so bare with me :D

Now continue to enjoy *skips off* tra la la!

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Shina felt rather pleased with herself, she already knew Sasuke was onto her, but that didn’t matter. Because she knew something he didn’t. The house…hadn’t been fumigated. She’d put the tent up herself, taken a damn long time. But she knew it would be worth it if all went according to plan. What she’d told Sakura had been true. But she wasn’t so much annoyed at Sasuke for his ‘moping’, more worried. When she was young, right up until she’d stumbled on the hidden village. She’d had a pretty tough life. Itachi had definitely not been the best father figure. He lacked moral, heart, a conscience…pretty much all human emotion…he was a spineless, gutless, heartless…and many other things the involved the lacking of body parts. For ten years of her life she’d just lived. Clinging onto something like hope for the first handful of them. Hope that her father might actually love her one-day. Might actually do something nice? He was nice to her, but only when he wanted something. Even in her tender years, harsh surroundings had made her perceptive. She’d picked up on the pattern pretty quickly. When she’d hit eight, it finally dawned on her. Nothing was going to change. Itachi would always been Itachi. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how much she wanted to curl up into a small ball and cry until she died. Shina wouldn’t, wasn’t her way. Everyone would expect it from her, expect her to do that and then she wouldn’t be ‘their’ problem any more. Call her stubborn, but she wanted to prove something to her father even after that revelation. That she was worth something, she had her own mind and wouldn’t be controlled any more. Itachi loved power, controlling his daughter was just another means to make her into a tool…weapon…like cold steel. But she wasn’t cold, she wasn’t hard, she wasn’t like him. She had emotion, she could bleed, and she could hurt. But she was strong, wilful and determined. For two years she’d thought up ways to get out of her situation, two years of hell. Until he’d made her do something and she’d finally snapped and couldn’t take any more of it….she couldn’t


-=Flash back=-
Cold cold cold…Why was it so cold. Something warm? It was warm? The girl’s fingers gripped the warm wet thing in her hand and looked down at it, blinking away that tears until they slithered free. Vision instantly returning. Red and warm. Red like his eyes, red like her eyes. The small blade in her hand was red, her hand was red. Her eyes travelled down, seeing the blood soaking into her shirt, into her pants. Slicking up her arm and cooling, going sticky. Her body felt cold again, a fine tremble shivering across her. She couldn’t stop…stop shaking. Was she afraid? Was she scared? Yes, yes she was afraid, she knew what she’d done…it hurt…but she wasn’t wounded. A heavy ache thudded in her chest expanding with each breath. Bile rose in her throat. It hurt. What had she done? What had he made her do! The ache expanded until it became unbearable. She started hyperventilating.
“Chi…” She whispered, her throat hurt. Why did it hurt? “Chi….” Again, sore, it gnawed at her. She’d killed Chi, her best friend. She’d killed him. Her throat became soar from the screaming. She’d been screaming? It was fuzzy. She couldn’t remember.
“Feel better.” That mellow voice rolling over her, like a cold dash of ice and she stiffened. Black eyes peeking up into those stony red. He was crouching before her calmly, expectantly. Her best friend. She’d killed Chi…He’d made her kill Chi….he’d made her kill Chi…He’d done it! HE DID IT!
Shina screamed and lunged at her father. Coils of blood thickened hair lashed her cheek, lines of crimson painting her face as she held the Kunai in her fisted hand and went for him…anything…make him bleed….make him hurt. Pain…pain…She wanted his pain. She wanted him dead. So bad it hurt even more. His pale hand shot out and got her by the throat and she gagged, struggling as he swung about and slammed her into the floor. Stars danced across her eyes. More pain…not his…damn him. Blood spilled into her eyes as they cast their hated red at him. Not black, red, she hated him. That other set of ruby met her, so much hate towards everything. Cold, uncaring. She should have been scared, should have screamed to get away. But those eyes, she was used to them. She’d peered into them for ten years. She’d claw out those eyes…she would.
“Are you trying to kill me Shina?” No expression, he didn’t even look curious. Just a pale mask of cold marble for a face, empty air for a voice. She lashed out until his fingers tightened and she gasped, choking. “Do you want to kill me Shina?”
A garbled scream of frustration gagged in her throat as she kicked and clawed. Then he lifted her up, off the ground by her throat and cocked his head to one side. Her vision blurry. Why hadn’t she used Jutsu? She couldn’t fight him with just a Kunai. Didn’t matter…not now…the blacker it got the less it hurt…didn’t hurt.
“I expected more from you…I did you a favour you know?” The grip loosed and her body immediately fall into a crumpled heap, lungs ripping in air her chest burning.
“I hate you…” She whispered head bowed.
“Hmmm?”
That head snapped up, hate and anger in those eyes. Red eyes, the three marking in each fusing into that forbidden mark…Her best friend was dead…Chi was dead. She’d killed him.
“I FUCKING HATE YOU!!” All the training she’d ever had, all the hate she felt now was plunged into one unforgiving pool as she lunged at her Father once again. This time, a blur of black and red. The action actually caught Itachi off guard and he felt cold steel plunge into his side. Blood poured forth as if it had simply been waiting for freedom. She screeched her unholy cry then spun and smashed her foot in against his jaw sending the larger Nin flying across the room with feral force. Laying against the wall he remained still Shina gasping for air. Trembling still. Rage and hate taking over. Sudden a cold chuckle lifted from the slumped figure.
“Maybe I can use you?” The words were speculating, more to himself as he looked up, those eyes locking with hers. Her whole body froze. She couldn’t move…she…and it was black again.
-=End of flash back=-


Shina swallowed and felt cold even remembering that day. Refusing to remember what had happened next. She’d gotten away that day, but not without a price. When that group had found her near Kanoha, suspecting her dead. They hadn’t been far from the truth.
“But things got better…” She murmured a sad smile curving her lips. She found Sasuke…and Naruto. Uncle and big brother. She’d do anything to make them happy, they were her precious people. Give anything to keep them safe.
She finished wandering and came to the door and hit it with her fisted hand. Knocking loudly. Silence greeted her from the other side and she sighed. Smashing her fist against it again and yelling.
“Shikumaru. Get your lazy ass of your couch and open the door!”
She continued the loud noise, knowing at some point it would annoy him enough to open the door eventually. There was a click form the other side and the door opened. She stopped the pounding and peered up at the Jounin and grinned. The bored expression spoke volumes to her with a ‘what the hell do you want’ look. Stuffing those hands into her pockets she winked at him.
“Love you too Shiku-kun.”
He gave another bored look and walked away from the door and she followed closing it behind her. As soon as he met the couch again she promptly deposited herself on his stomach squeezing the air from his lung and he made an ‘oomph’.
“Shina, what do you want?”
“Just wanted to pop in and say hi.” Giving him an glomp Shina-style. Wrapping her arms about his neck and squeezing the life from him. He wheezed but didn’t bother moving. The pair were used to each other. Though Shikumaru acted like she was troublesome, and she went to length to bug the hell out of him. They were friends. Sorta.
“You’re so annoying.” He mumbled once she let go.
“Yeah, and you’re the laziest Jounin I’ve ever met in my life.” Snorting her mocking distaste. He simply rolled his eyes and folded his arms behind his head taking a relaxed poise. The fourteen-year old sitting on his stomach. It was normal, so it didn’t bother him.
“What are you really doing here?”
“Camping out for a few hours. Need somewhere to hide while Sasuke fumes off steam due to my evil plan.” She grin again smoothing then threw back her head and cackled. “Bwa hahahahahaha! Soon…soon it will all be in place…Bwa hahahahahahaha!” Looking manipulating and evil. Shikumaru simply rose a bored brow.
“What have you done this time?” He grumbled and she poked his stomach getting another small ‘oomph’ from the man with smirked.
“Not telling. I’m going to let the brilliance of my devious ploy eat away at your curiosity until it drives you mad with wanting to know!” Another dramatic cackle was inserted soon after and Shikumaru rolled his eyes again.
“You been eating sugar again?”
“Only a sack of sugar cubes and a packet of Pocky.” He blinked and she smirked. “Just kidding.”
“Che…” He grunted, seeming bored again. Shina was determined to continue the conversation until she got at least a good hundred coherent words from him. It was like a mission in life or something like that.
“Really want to know?”
“No.”
“Then I guess I can tell you.” She purred and he sweat dropped. “Playing match maker with Naruto and Sasuke.”
That got his attention and he gave her wide eyes.
“Eh??”
“Pfft…you’re not going to do a Sakura and go ‘oh my god! But they’d both guys!’ are you?”
He continued to stare stunned. It was very rare to get Shikumaru’s full attention like this, so she decided to make the best of it.
“Anyway, I thought they could use some time together. So I got Sasuke out of the house and staying with Naru-kun.”
Blinking finally the man considered this.
“How did you manage that?”
That feline grin slithered over her lips again.
“That’s my special secret you shall never know.” Unless he bothered to go ask Sasuke. But knowing Shikumaru that wasn’t going to happen…because that involved effort. Go figure.

***

Sitting there in his black silk boxers, spiky blond hair sagging gently under the water that still remained after the short shower. His robes and shirt forgotten on the floor. Looking thoughtful. He’d gotten the call a few hours ago; the light female voice had seemed overly pleasant on the other end. Shina had asked him in Sasuke could stay over and badgered him into a yes with efficiency. Not long after the girl had turned up and dropped of her uncle’s thing, with an excuse of ‘he’s busy so I thought I’d save him the trouble’. Naruto hadn’t became the sixth Hokage by staying stupid, he knew a conspiracy when he saw one. But after some thought, he decided what ever it was Shina was up too. Couldn’t be that bad if it involved Sasuke staying over…in fact he looked forward to it. A great deal more than he should have. A soft knock on his apartment door drew him from his reflective thought about the Dark haired Uchiha male and he blinked, looking up. Shifting from his seat he trotted over to the door and unlocked it, flicking the chain away from the slot then opened it.
“Oh hey Sasuke.” He gave a lopsided smile at the presence of the Anbu who seemed slightly put off. Grumbling to himself under his breath the promptly stopped upon realising the door had been opened and was standing before a half-naked Naruto. Blinking then swallowed. Naruto had sounded calm enough upon opening the door, but the thought suddenly hit him fully on. Like a big SledgeHammer smacking him in the gut. Sasuke plus himself plus his apartment alone equalled…Oh damn. Of course it had occurred to him before, but now as he stood here, staring down at the Uchiha. Black hair, snowy skin, those dark ebony eyes looking a bit worried. Lips gently parted as if he wanted to say something, while all Naruto could think of was the long list of things he could do to that mouth with his teeth. Silenced followed and they both simply stared for a long while. Finally it was Naruto who broke the silence.
“Ah…you coming in?”
“You’re standing in the doorway Dobe(1)…”
Blinking he looked down to confirm this, then grinned foxishly.
“So I am.” He sidestepped one hand on the doorframe giving the Anbu a silent invitation to come in. Sasuke slipped in, looking calm and cool once again. Naruto wandered back to his couch and flopped down on it. That foxy grin still flashing on his face, the whiskers adding to the effect. Slumping back into the seat and draping his arms across the back, relaxing as Sasuke seemed to flick his gaze towards him a moment then quickly flick away again. He seemed nervous? Or was he just reading too much in it? Sometimes he knew what was going through Sasuke’s head.
“Heard you have bugs?”
“Eh?”
He wasn’t sure if he was nervous, but he was obviously distracted. That short reply confirmed it.
“House…bugs…. Fumigation. Or was Shina pulling my leg?”
Sasuke looked at him blankly then seemed to click on.
“Yeah, according to her we have Ants or something. I haven’t seen any of them.” The last part came out a little acidic. Naruto laughed and rubbed the back of his head, grinning again.
“Well I’m sure three days of chemical gas will knock them off good. Seems a bit extreme?”
“Che…” was the response before an added. “…That’s what I said.” Was put on the end.
It went quiet again and Naruto clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth then thought.
“Well feel free to steal some food or drink from the fridge. Your stuff is in the room. Showers free.”
Turning those dark eyes of him Sasuke seemed to mull this over a moment before asking.
“Which room.”
Naruto pointed the Anbu’s eyes following.
“Isn’t that your room?”
Shrugging the blond man seemed indifferent.
“Yeah, but I don’t have a spare in the house, so I’ll take the couch.”
“No I’ll take the couch. It’s your room.”
That surprised Naruto, then he chuckled.
“Pfft. I don’t think so. Shina would throttle me if she suspected I wasn’t being hospitable to her Uncle Sasu.” He teased and got a faint smirk from the raven haired Anbu.
“You could take her.” He teased back making Naruto grin wickedly.
“Yeah, but I have enough work without having a nagging teen after me.”
“Your fault, she acts too much like you.” The comment wasn’t insulting and it didn’t even sound blameful like it should have been. But more happy.
“Ha! She still has your damn Uchiha pride and stubbornness. Some things must be genetic.”
“Che…” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. Seeming aware Naruto was just teasing.
“Yeah, smug bastard. So don’t go blaming her personality defects on me.” Poking out his tongue only to have a chair cushion biffed at him and smacking him square in the fact. He gave a small ‘merph’ then started laughing as it plopped into his lap.
“Dobe.” Sasuke got the cushion back in his face with surprising speed as soon as the remark left his lips and yelped. Naruto grinned from ear to ear.
“That’s Hokage Dobe to you.”
He gave a ‘humph’ looking cold and indifferent as usual, but Naruto caught the small flicker of a smirk trying to form on the corner of his lips. Spinning about on the crouch and reclining on it, he tucked his hands behind him, webbing his fingers together to cradle his head there.
“Well I’m exhausted. So hope you don’t mind if I just zonk out right about now.” Winking at the pale boy he closed his sky-blue eyes and relaxed. Having Sasuke over at his place for three days would have its advantages and it’s disadvantages. But he was willing to explore those later. Right now he was exhausted.

TBC

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Yatta!! Second chapter...I knwo they are going up fast ATM, that's because I wrote this a bit back and am use sticking them up...so don't expect the fast updates to last :D Cus I'm slacker than that

(1)Dobe=dead last (more or less)

Now someone pointed out something VERY IMPORTANT to me...that is Sakura is 22 Sasuke must be too (I always thought he was a tad older, but that's just me) Meaning Itachi must have had Shina about or just after the fun little frollic through the Uchiha gardem with a Kunai 0.0" I have a good explaination for this that will clear all of it up and it make senses....
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I DIDN'T KNOW!!! *slaps forehead* I wasn't %100 percent sure on Itachi's age difference. I suspected about 5 year...so...er just bare with me people *sweatdrop* and just let that little tid bit slide for my idiotic sake