The wind blew gently on this sunny day in the Fire Nation, the grass of the open plain uneven and natural compared to the training grounds in Konoha. It was everyone's favorite time of year and all but guaranteed that every ninja in the village that was not away on a mission would be taking advantage of the weather by training. Yet, for a certain raven-haired ninja the usual haunts would be impossible to reach and as such his sparring partner would have to meet him out in the wilds. It was for that reason he had traveled to thirty minutes outside of the city's gates in order to find the clearing he now stood in, scouring the tree line for a certain blond ninja. His eyes stopped when there was a rustle and he focused on the signs of movement within the darkness beneath the forest canopy.
"You're late, dobe." called the annoyed sounding shinobi, his hand reaching up to bush a few stray hairs away from his eyes as an orange blur burst from the branches.
"Shut up Sasuke-teme!" was the new arrival's reply once he touched down. Standing up he was unmistakeable, his spiky blond hair almost as iconic as the black and orange jumpsuit he wore beneath his new red and orange overcoat.
The spiral symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village was not only carved onto the forehead protector he so valued but was also stitched into the front of the new coat in the same deep orange which made up the flames lining its bottom hem. This was the new Naruto Uzumaki, the legend of Konoha and hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War just three years ago.
Sasuke meanwhile simply stood there and grinned in response as his best friend strode over with a raised fist. He too crossed the distance between them and bumped his fist with Naruto's before they made their way to the opposite side of the field and turned to face each other.
With a quick pull he threw off his own long black cloak so that he stood wearing his navy blue shirt which was high collared in the Uchiha fashion and yet had a deep V-neck. A mesh armor shirt peeked out from underneath and though bandages ran down from the sleeves and under the arm guards which armored the backs of his forearms. His long black pants ruffled slightly as he walked and a quick rush of wind blew at the back of the long crimson sash which acted as a belt, the tightly fastened material refusing to loosen it's grip on the chokutō behind him.
They were polar opposites and as much as it said about their relationship he would not want it any other way.
"How do you wanna do this Sasuke?" Naruto asked, stretching his arms behind his head before finishing with "Taijutsu?"
"I'm not like you dope. My taijutsu doesn't need practice."
"Ya well let's see how you do against six of me."
Sasuke's lips curled into a grin as he coolly replied "Make it a challenge."
They smiled at each other for a minute, the grass being the only thing which moved between them, before Naruto suddenly crossed each of his fore and middle fingers. Six Shadow Clones burst into existence in front of him. They ran forward before the smoke even cleared and formed a wide circle around the dark clothed shinobi before taking up his usual combat stance.
"This should be interesting."
"Dattebayo!" the clones yelled in unison as they suddenly charged at the unfazed Uchiha.
In a fluid movement Sasuke deflected a fist, spun around it as it flew past him, and connected his elbow with a whiskered cheek. He used the smoke of the dispersed clone to cover his movement, sidestepped a reckless sweeping kick, and in a flash appeared behind the attacking clone. With a powerful sideways kick the already off balance clone was sent flying and crashed into a tree trunk where it too became nothing but a cloud of smoke.
The other four were more difficult as they rushed him in teams, each pair taking turns to attack each of his flanks. With quick and conservative movements Sasuke blocked strike after strike, every so often giving light punches in return in order to force a few to back away.
Finally, he focused on one and after side stepping a high fist he lashed out with his foot and buckled the orange clad ninja's knee before following it up with an elbow to the jaw. The clone's partner leapt at him but in a flash he caught the attacker's wrist and forearm only to whip him around and throw him into a stunned compatriot.
With both turned to smoke he smirked at the lone survivor and gestured for him to make its best attempt. Without missing a beat the clone made a hand-sign and created six more exact replicas who immediately jumped into action and attacked the defender in his stead. These clones were more successful in their attempts to overwhelm, their broad but powerful kicks and swings carefully overlapped in the hopes of keeping the Uchiha on the defensive.
He was losing ground and knew it but just as he attempted to dodge a hit and flash behind the group he felt a sharp pain in his shins as a new clone slid into them and took out his legs.
The second it happened Sasuke knew what was coming next, the eponymous Uzumaki Barrage. Three more clones appeared and each gave a kick just like it which sent him rocketing higher and higher until he was floating in the air weightless and in pain. Then the final assault body his body came as one last clone appeared above him and came at him with a rotating heel drop whilst yelling "Naruto Rendan!"
The heel never hit however, Sasuke's body instantaneously being replaced by a log amidst a cloud of smoke. Naruto's clone gasped in surprise as it realized its mistake, the Body Replacement Jutsu having worked, and he was hit in the back with a separate rotating heel drop.
The simple technique was easily replicated however, and the blonde ninja performed one of his own, this one as unsuccessful as the last. Neither shinobi could get the drop on the other it seemed, with the pair rising higher and higher as they tried to out do one another. It came to an end when Sasuke finally changed it up by performing his own rendition of the Guilotine Kick which sent the Naruto plummeting into the ground, dispersing the clone in a tuft of smoke.
The four remaining clones watched him fall slowly toward them, deciding to each summon up two more of their own clones. When they judged he was close enough four leaped up in order to trap him in a circle of knees, surprised as he flew right past them by tucking himself into a human arrow until he touched down on the ground. With both hands holding him straight he splayed his legs and spun like a top, knocking each clone in the head and sending them bursting, before rolling forward out of the way of the once more descending Naruto's. Popping up on one knee he threw two kunai from each hand and turned every one of the last remaining clones into small clouds of smoke.
"Teme!" came a familiar yell from behind the Uchiha, "This was supposed to be just taijutsu training Sasuke!"
Turning around to look at the shouting blonde he gave a seemingly disinterested smirk and brushed away a stray jet black bang. Stepping towards his childhood friend Sasuke's smirk grew into a smile.
"What shinobi goes into combat without kunai? Ninja tools will always be used in taijutsu."
"That's not what I meant!" Naruto grumbled, annoyed that he couldn't think of a better argument at the moment.
They were about to bump their fists and discuss how next to train when the sound of rustling branches came from behind the Uchiha, causing him to nearly turn and face the approaching threat before he was stopped by Naruto's hand on his shoulder. The nod Naruto gave him told Sasuke to wait, that this intruder was not a threat but rather someone he needed to talk with. So he merely stood there unmoving whilst Naruto walked toward the would be threat and asked "What's up?"
"Naruto-senpai!" came the unfamiliar voice "The Hokage asks for your presence to discuss the trip to meet with the Fire Daimyō. He also asked me to remind you about the plans for the upcoming chunin exams that you need to look over."
"Cha!" Naruto spat, his tone telling all who heard that he had completely forgotten both of his two duties. In but a few moments they discussed what he would have to do before Naruto sent the messenger away with a promise to follow soon after.
"Baka." Naruto chuckled as he turned back and looked at his old friend, who stood exactly as he had since the messengers arrival so that he couldn't have shown his face.
"Damn ANBU, Kakashi-sensei always has them popping up at the most inconvenient times."
Sasuke scoffed at that, finally loosening up and looking to his old teammate with a crooked smile. He turned to face him and they finally gave each other the fist bump that had come to be a trademark of their friendship.
"Kakashi still got you running around?" the raven haired Uchiha asked. "Seems like he's really serious about making you the Hokage by now."
"Che!" Naruto scoffed, leaning his head back in frustration. "Scarecrow's working me even harder! Plus, whenever he doesn't wanna do something or decides to disappear and go reading he makes sure it gets sent to me and just calls it 'Training'."
They shared a laugh at that as Sasuke grabbed his cloak, catching the canteen Naruto threw at him and taking a drink. When he was done he wiped the excess off on his arm before tossing it back.
"So you going to see her?"
"Hn." was Sasuke's quiet reply, looking toward the Leaf.
"Hehe!" the blonde ninja started as he gave a knowing grin. "Tsunade-sama'd throw a fit if she knew there was a way of sneaking into the village. Still, she's always happier after your little visits. If you know what I mean."
Sasuke returned the comment with a deadly glare. Naruto flinched and raised his hands in defeat but still couldn't help but bite back a laugh at the slight blush which showed on his usually stoic friend.
"You know you don't have to sneak in anymore Sasuke. Kakashi and I made sure you were pardoned. You can just come home and stay." Naruto said, his tone turning somber.
"Not yet. You may have convinced the higher ups but not the people who matter." Sasuke sighed wistfully. "Our class may have been glad to have me returned, but to most of Konoha I'm still just a missing-nin in their bingo books. That's why I'm doing what I can with Taka, trying to help right some wrongs. In time Naruto, but not now."
Naruto watched his friend's sad expression as he said those words and while it pained him to admit it he knew Sasuke was right. Shaking his head the blonde shinobi raised a hand in goodbye before leaping up into the branches and disappearing.
The Uchiha was alone then and took the time to think on his knuckle-headed friend's words. She showed that much of a change when he was around? The internationally feared ex-criminal smirked at the thought. If only the world knew that he had been sneaking visits with the oh-so-perfect disciple of the Fifth Hokage.
In a flash he was gone, bounding through the branches with lightning speed as he made his way toward his hometown. Using the long since abandoned underground tunnels Sasuke found himself in the temple he and Orochimaru had used three years ago in order to speak with the Hokage of old.
The temple too was abandoned and so the covert twenty-year old was able to retrieve a pack he had hidden behind one of the Naka shrines, changing into the ANBU uniform he had stripped off of one of the masked agents that had tried chasing after him. Sasuke chuckled at the thought of what Kakashi had done to the poor fool when he came back with nothing but a story of how he had woken up wearing nothing but his headband and his underwear.
Pulling the red and white hawk faced mask into place he stepped out and looked upon the awe inspiring expanse where the bustling village was hidden. The mountain and the faces etched into it's surface were the same as always, timeless. The rest however, the buildings and streets, were bigger and brighter as they showed off just how new they were.
Konohagakure. How had he ever wanted to destroy this?
Yet he wasn't one for sentimentality and soon disappeared in a flash only to reappear on a rooftop yards away. Bounding from building to building he made his way through the village with ease. An ANBU racing above the busy streets was nothing to bat an eye at in Konoha.
When he neared his target though he dropped to the ground and took things a bit slower. He wanted to feel his home once more, to walk through the arteries and veins like any of the other citizens. It all felt so familiar, as if his time away wasn't real, as if this uniform he wore was his by right as one of the village's Black Ops defenders.
Passing the Ichiraku Ramen stand that he and his team had once spent so much time at he couldn't help but grin behind his mask at the site of three genin perched atop the stools. When the orange haired young girl gave a frustrated yell and swung a fist into the back of her scarf wearing teammate Sasuke actually stopped as he was hit with a sense of déjà vu.
Moving on though he continued until he found himself in front of a tall green apartment building, stopping in front of it for only a moment before he slipped inside and bound up the steps with steady even steps. It wasn't until he was standing before a pink door that he finally stopped and released the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Taking a deep breath he knocked. Once. Twice. Three times.
"Coooming!" her cheery voice came from behind the door.
He heard gentle footsteps and stood at attention like a true ANBU as she opened the door, wearing a fresh white robe with her hair wrapped up in a towel and with what little of her bare skin that showed glistening. Her big jade eyes looked him over for a second before recognition flashed across them and she gave him an apologetic smile.
"Oh! Sorry, I was just getting out of the shower." Sakura said as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess Kaka-sensei wants me for something, huh? Alright, I'll get dressed and be ready in a sec."
The door began to close before he could utter a response so he stuck his hand out to stop it just before it closed. With some force he pushed it open enough to see her face once more, frozen in shock as she wondered if she was about to be in a fight. He could tell she was about to turn the door to splinters in anger so he leveled his eyes with hers and activated it. His Sharingan.
He watched with satisfaction as the once hard eyes softened and glimmered with excitement. Her grip on the door loosened and she let him swing it wide open as he stepped through the threshold.
"Sa-su-ke!" she beamed as he kicked the door shut behind him.
"I...I was just gonna head over to the Uchiha compound to meet you, but..." she continued as she looked up at his red eyes, "...you're early."
"Kakashi," Sasuke replied as he pulled off the hawk mask and dropped it to the floor, "called Naruto so he had to leave early."
They were inches apart and he saw the glee hidden behind her knowing smile, looking down at those thin pink lips as he reached his hands forward to grab the robe's belt. With deft hands he worked the knot until it came loose and the robe fell open, revealing her pale naked flesh beneath.
"Sasuke-kun..." she started before he pulled her into a tight embrace and silenced her with a tender kiss.
It wasn't long or passionate but it conveyed all it needed to, leaving her speechless once he finally broke it.
Leaning his head down so that his lips were next to her ear he whispered "Arigatou."
-
It was two hours later and the two Sannin were laying next to each other in a tangle of sweat drenched sheets, both of them naked and panting in exhaustion. They lay on their sides to look at each other and Sasuke smiled at the pink haired beauty as she ran her hand through his jet black hair.
"Where have you been?" she asked absently.
"Kakashi hasn't mentioned?"
"Yes...but I like to hear you tell me." she said with a glint of childish joy.
He looked at her and saw the sincerity of her words before saying "Takigakure. A number of high ranking missing-nin were hiding out there."
"I remember Naruto saying something about wanting to send a squad after them." Sakura mused. "Kakashi-sensei said the jurisdiction was too tricky for us to send a team."
"Taka doesn't have jurisdiction problems." he replied with his usual cocky grin.
Yet the comment wasn't as well received as he had thought it would be, her expression turning dark at the mention of his team. Taka, the most notorious group of missing-nin in the world now that the Akatsuki were destroyed. The team was at the top of every nation's bingo book due to their sheer power and elusiveness, but with the exception of Kumogakure, for obvious reasons, it was universally given a blind eye. While they still had to stay low on the Five Great Nation's radar Sasuke and his team were given a little extra breathing room as a result of their actions during the last World War, a feature which made them near mythical to the ninja world's underground.
"Hey." Sasuke started, reaching out to push a pink lock of hair behind her ear. "You know how it is. I can't return to the village just yet, so this is how I do my part. I eliminate any outlaw shinobi that might threaten Konoha. I do it to protect everyone, to protect you."
"I do know Sasuke-kun. I do." Sakura replied, her jade eyes glimmering with barely formed tears as he caressed her cheek. "It's just...you're one of them. You're a shinobi outlaw. No matter what Naruto and I do we just can't bring you back, can we?"
He interrupted her dark thoughts then by crawling across the mattress and climbing atop her, his legs straddling her sides so that she was pinned. His face was mere inches from her then and he could see that all she could focus on were his onyx eyes as they loomed over her.
"Annoying."
Their lips came together before she could respond and they simply let the kiss connecting them convey emotions too great for words. He was strong and forceful, his lips pressing against hers just hard enough to feel good, his tongue bold and unafraid to explore the delicious wetness of her mouth. She though was soft and suppliant, her lips like petals as they glided beneath his, her tongue inviting his to dance with and massage her own.
Air called to Sasuke and he broke the kiss to catch it but before he could continue she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into an iron strong hug so that he lay completely against her. Naked toned flesh against naked toned flesh. He was riddled with nicks and scars from years of revenge fueled training and battle while hers was pristine from her constant re-healing. The Strength of a Hundred Jutsu really had done wonders.
"Never mind that. What have I missed?" Sasuke finally said, breaking the silence and letting her go on about the village instead. It always calmed her.
"Well..." Sakura began, trying to think but a bit distracted by the Uchiha nuzzling into the crook of her neck. "Temari's moved here as the official ambassador of the Sand, Yamato has his own genin squad, and Kakashi-sensei finally went on a date with Ayame from Ichiraku Ramen. That's about it I think...oh! Did Naruto tell you about how he's not allowed near the Hyūga compound?"
"No." he replied whilst still kissing her neck.
"Yeah, he snuck in one night for a little of his so-called 'research', but typical Naruto fell asleep right after." Sakura explained with a couple light chuckles. "Hinabi caught them and when she told her father he nearly tore the building apart chasing after him. Can you believe that? Naruto slept over at Lee's place because he was the only person he thought could match Hiashi's taijutsu."
"Hn. Idiot." Sasuke chuckled as he kissed the soft flesh. He chuckled before suddenly stopping and pulling back enough to give her a puzzled look as he asked "Wait, what research?"
"I thought he told you. He's writing a book in order to continue the Icha Icha series in honor of Jiraiya-sama,"
"Writing?" asked Sasuke, raising an incredulous eyebrow.
"Kakashi-sensei read part of it and said it was quite good." his pink haired lover explained with a smirk. "He said it's gonna be one of the series' best. I guess all that pervy behavior is gonna get worse now that he has a reason for it."
The Uchiha scoffed at that as he tried to imagine how the guy with the worst score on the written exams in their year could possibly write a book that could excite their bookworm of a sensei. Then again he and everyone else had said that about him becoming Hokage and yet now that loud mouthed dope was next in line for the seat. Who knew?
"Is it really that good?"
"Seems so. Sai was complaining about sensei pawning off his Hokage duties to go hide away and read Naruto's handwritten drafts. Couldn't shut him up about how annoying it was really." said Sakura before she asked, "Why? Getting jealous of your rival Sasuke-kun?"
"Hmph!" was his only reply. "Wait? That Sai bastard 'couldn't shut up'?"
"Yep." Sakura assured him, leaning in close to land a peck on his lips. She loved this, the way he'd pretend to not care whilst she caught him up on his old home and comrades, even though he listened to every word. She wondered if he believed the act himself. "He's really opened up lately, talking more and hanging out with everyone. A lot less socially awkward too. Ino says they're because of the oral lessons she's making him practice."
Sakura wasn't the only pink person in the bed now as Sasuke's cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the implications of her words. She seized the moment to flip him onto his back, not so subtly using a bit of her enhanced strength, before she straddled his chest and loomed over him with her own rendition of a power hungry grin. Looking up at her as she did this, took control, the Uchiha couldn't help but surrender as he was overwhelmed with love. No longer was she the annoying genin who blushed at his every look and who hung on each word, this was a woman who knew what she wanted and took it by any means necessary.
"So I was thinking," said Sakura with a sultry voice as she ran a finger down the scar on Sasuke's chest, the one that had been made by Madara, "how about we start some practice of our own."
"Hn. " came his reply, laughing to himself about how he'd once been nervous of being too demanding of her. He figured this would be the right time to tease her a bit so he muttered "I don't know if I have the stamina."
"Oh no you don't Uchiha! I won't listen to stamina excuses from the shinobi who can go toe to toe with jinchūriki." she growled, her face easy and loving while her voice was reminiscent of an angry Tsunade. It lightened up though as she teased back "Uh uh, you're not getting out of this. I'll go get you something to restore some of those calories. An apple good?"
"My favorite." he replied with a grin, remembering how she used to feed them to him in the hospital.
In seconds she swung her legs up over him and padded her way across the floor boards as she headed off toward the kitchen. He watched her leave and focused his gaze at her powerful legs before letting it rise up past the dimples of her perfect cheeks until it rested on the cherry blossom locks. She knew how much he liked long hair and had been growing it out so that now it came a stop just below her shoulder blades.
The way she walked, smooth and slow, was hypnotic and he was tempted to use his Sharingan just to memorize it until the next time he might see it again. Then she was gone around the corner and he simply tucked his arm beneath her head and rested it, closing his eyes in order to take in all of the comfort and peace this place provided instead of the usual camps and inns.
Sakura smirked as she felt his gaze linger after her, turning the corner quickly in the hopes that he might not see the blush on her cheeks. All these years and he still made her feel like a genin, she wondered how he did it. It was her place and she walked around it in one state of undress or another all the time, so why was this any different?
Then she saw the pool of white cotton which lay on the floor.
"Shannaro!" she cried "I can't believe I just left that there!"
Rushing over the pink haired kunoichi snatched it up and threw it over her shoulder, let out a huff of relief, and wandered toward the kitchen whilst scolding herself for being so careless.
With a bright red apple in one hand and a knife in the other she made her way back toward the room lazily. Her verbal self-abuse continued but it was nowhere near what Inner Sakura used to say. Besides, Tsunade-shishou said it was good for her to vent her frustration in a way other than punching Naruto every once and a while.
"Alright Sasuke-kun, the doctor says it's time I give you a snack!" Sakura purred in her best seductive voice as she posed for him in the doorway.
"How about I feed you thi-" she started before being interrupted by a knock at her front door. She rolled her eyes and sighed "Its probably Ino asking if I want to get some tea. I'll just go tell her tomorrow."
"Hn." was Sasuke's only reply as he rolled onto his back, as if no longer interested.
Sakura rolled her eyes at the dispassionate display and lazily threw the apple at him before turning on her heels and making for the door. With a flourish the robe was pulled over her shoulders and it's flimsy belt tied in an instant.
As she headed toward the door she started thinking about what she would say to Ino, what excuse she would use to postpone their plans. She certainly couldn't tell her that Sasuke was waiting back in the room. Her rival would never betray her, of course, but telling anyone about her secret would only get them in trouble should something go wrong. Should the Five Great Nations find out.
Yet when she opened the door there was no blonde Yamanaka in the hall waiting for her. There was no warm smiling face of her best friend. Instead there was a white porcelain mask, purple markings painted on so that it looked like an emotionless raccoon.
"Haruno Sakura." the masked figure replied in a flat tone, a statement more than a question. "The Fifth requests your presence for an important mission. I'm to escort you immediately."
"I have to get dressed!" Sakura blurted angrily, tucking the top of her robe closer together to emphasize her point.
"Ah! Yes, that is, of course" the ANBU replied nervously, even stepping back a little once considering who her sensei was.
Hearing the reply she had wanted the pink haired kunoichi smiled and suddenly slammed the door shut before scoffing and turning to head back to her room.
"Damn Tsunade-sensei! She's retired and yet she still interrupts my days off with some kind of work or training. You'd think that if surviving a World War wasn't enough all of my clinic hours would be." she grumbled to herself as she made her third consecutive trip down the hall.
Turning into the doorway she said "I'm sorry Sasuke-kun bu-"
However, when she looked into the room all she saw was an empty bed. No longer was her raven haired lover laying there waiting for her, instead it was as if all evidence of his presence had simply vanished. While a part of her was initially somewhat surprised there was another at this point that had simply accepted it as yet another of the Uchiha's infamous disappearing acts. He had known that she would have to go and in his mind it was simpler this way, leaving her with nothing but an open window to let in the draft which would take his scent away with him.
Just as Sakura was about to turn and begin to go prepare for her meeting with Lady Tsunade she stopped and saw something which she could not help but smile at.
Sitting on her dresser was the apple with a single bite taken out of it.