Title: Belong
Summary: Sasuke knows what to expect at Orochimaru's base, and this is not it.
Disclaimer: Hereby disclaiming Naruto.
Theme/Prompt: Chance Meetings/Scent
Rating: K+
Warning(s): None.
Comments: This was completely spontaneous—I was going to submit something earlier this week but I couldn't finish it. I was going to submit it late until I looked at today's prompt a few minutes ago, and, well, this happened. Haven't even proofread it yet. I think it's set about a year after Sasuke leaves. My first attempt at present tense and drabbles.
At Orochimaru's base, Sasuke has gotten used to many things—the scent of blood, the scent of snakes, the scent of clean, cold medical tools, the clichéd smell of despair.
The scent of Sakura is not in his list-of-things-to-be-expected-here, but he recognizes it immediately. He stops with his kunai mid-throw and wonders why that scent is here, so out of place with its rosy quality. The smell of the apple shampoo she always used is still there, so she hasn't been traveling long—if she has been traveling. Sasuke tells himself he shouldn't care, it's just Sakura, probably here to try and bring him back, but he does care. Because the smell of blood is mixed with Sakura's scent.
The aloofness he hasn't perfected and his feet fight for a moment, then the feet win and he sprints toward the source.
Sakura is unconscious and slung across Kabuto's shoulders, and Kabuto must have caught the accusing look Sasuke thought he covered up, because he says, "Ah, Sasuke-kun, I was hoping you wouldn't have to see this."
Sasuke fights to keep his voice level—it's just because it's been cracking a lot lately, getting deeper, growing up, that's what he tells himself. "What are you doing with her?"
"Orochimaru wants to lure Tsunade here before we attack the Leaf again," Kabuto answers, pushing his glasses up on his nose like he always does when something is more serious than he tries to make out. "Sakura here has become a valued apprentice to her, so we hope Tsunade will either come herself or send an ambassador to argue terms for her release."
"She's not hurt, is she?" Sasuke blurts before he can stop himself, even though he can see the cuts on her cheeks and a larger gash across her shoulder.
"Oh, those were just cuts from the trees. Knocking her out didn't actually cause me any trouble, it was lugging her here!" Kabuto does the thing with his glasses again. "Well, I better be getting to the prison cells then!"
Sasuke has seen Sakura unconscious before, but he doesn't like to remember that night, the night that she was willing to give up everything for him. He tells himself it was just words—Sakura was weak, and there was no way she would back up her statement.
That night, Sasuke walks down to the cells. He's usually restricted, but Orochimaru is getting his medications now which means both he and Kabuto are busy. The guard is asleep, knowing that the chakra-stealing cages would normally stop anyone from getting out. Sasuke gives the guard a quick knock on the temples to ensure that he stays down.
It's not hard to locate the pink splotch of Sakura's hair among all the gray of sick and dying people. Sasuke treads silently over to it. She's sleeping, a lock of her hair over her nose shifting as she breathes in and out steadily. Knowing she won't wake up for a while after Kabuto's sedatives, Sasuke unlocks the cage, not quite sure what he's doing, and pulls her out. He carries her in his arms, like he did to put her on the bench all those years ago. Either she's become smaller, which doesn't make sense because her hips and chest seem wider than before, or he has become larger. It's also easier to carry her after all the muscles he's built with the steroids and training here.
Sasuke knows his way around base, and gets out of base quite easily. He is allowed to go out at night, because Orochimaru knows he will not leave as long as Itachi lives. He carries Sakura out to the forest, and she seems to be rubbing her eyes. She's coming awake, even after the sedatives. Kabuto's drugs keep Sasuke down for days, and Sakura is up after a few hours?
It hits Sasuke that she's a medical ninja—training with Tsunade, of course. She has probably worked her chakra through her system to neutralize the poison, even unconsciously. How much has she grown?
The night is cool and brisk, and Sasuke sets Sakura down against a tree. Once she's fully awake, she'll hopefully travel in the direction of Konoha. It's all Sasuke can give her—Kabuto and Orochimaru will be done soon.
His gaze lingers on her parted lips for a moment, remembering how he touched them that night on the bench, then tears himself away with difficulty. She doesn't belong here, but he does.
Looking up at the stars twinkling in the sky, he takes a last, deep whiff of the scent of freedom, then turns his back and returns to base.