Both Bleed
-or-
Unhealthy Relations
-
Rating: Med/High T
Misc: Angst/ Romance
Warning/s: Fairly Dark
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
She hits him.
He hits her back.
Both bleed.
He always loved her, even when she couldn't stand him. She knew. It was twisted, but, whenever she saw him,
she'd flirt with him a little. To keep his hopes up – but not too far up. She led him around on his one-man roller-coaster
from hell.
It was when she was on the verge of crying that the torture became the worst. A brush of the hand, a touch of
the cheek, maybe a 'Lee-san! How are you?' Whenever her mom yelled at her, or her flavor-of-the-week turned sour,
she knew one thing would cheer her up.
On would go the perfume, Number Twelve, lavender with a hint of cherry blossoms, and her most form-fitting dress.
Then she would go hunting. She had memorized where he trained and it was too easy to find him.
Oh, hello, Lee-san. I didn't know you'd be out here too. What a small world.
It made her feel better, knowing someone was having a shittier night than her.
She hits him.
He hits her back.
Both bleed.
Look, he wasn't stupid. Chance meetings, two to three times a week, get to be suspicious. Perfect hair, perfume,
and a beautiful dress weren't exactly prime training gear. He knew he was her punching bag, to kick around
whenever she pleased.
There's some glass in your eyes, kid.
He could play that too. Whenever she'd come around, he'd slip into neutral. Nothing fazed him; he was a rock.
She'd try to flirt with him, playing with her hair, messing with her clothes. He took it all in stride. The first day, it
was almost funny, seeing how she reacted. Her lower lip trembled and she whispered something about having
to be home. He thought he heard a sob.
Ha, ha, ha...
She hits him.
He hits her back.
Both bleed.
He wouldn't get over her that easily, she decided. She was terrified to lose her crutch. She thought of some way,
some thing, that could really get him to notice her again. It just seems natural by now that she'd choose something
that hurt him. She began to flirt with Neji.
Poor Neji, he didn't really have anything to do with this. She was just using him as a tool to reach her own goal.
It's the oldest, lamest cliché, but hooking up with a man's rival is the best way to send him straight to hell. It
helped that Neji was just an innocent too. He really thought she liked him.
She paraded him everywhere, almost dragging him along, until they found Lee. He turned a little paler when he
saw them. Hello, Lee-san. You know my boyfriend, right? Neji-kun? Then a lingering kiss on the lips.
She hits him.
He hits her back.
Both bleed.
He saw her nine times that week. It took some time but he had adjusted, even to this. Whenever they passed,
and Sakura glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, he put on his brightest smile. She looked so disappointed.
Ino suddenly began visiting him. He had been out-of-bounds, she said, but since Sakura was dating Neji, that wasn't
a problem anymore. He asked what happened to Chouji but Ino said he fell for Ayame, the noodle girl. She wanted to
start anew. With him. It was strange, but he didn't really care. Someone wanted him.
His eyes didn't move from hers when the four met. Sakura. You know Ino, I believe? We are madly in love. He never
knew which one of them looked away first. Sakura was, apparently, happy for them.
She hits him.
He hits her back.
Both bleed.
She had just gotten off a twenty-hour shift at the hospital. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was still wearing
yesterday's clothes. Her hair was an unholy mess. She turned a corner and almost walked into him. "Oh, hello, Lee-san,"
she lied, "I'm just on my way home. Um, from Neji's." It was only when his eyes moved over her and he frowned that she
realized how it must look."I mean, I just love him so much, I can't stand to be away from him."
"A-ah," he replied, trying to shake off his sadness, "Yes, I am the same with Ino." He grinned at her and pointed at a
long scratch on his arm. A training post had shattered the other day when he punched it. It took all the energy he had to
keep smiling.
Her eyes moving everywhere but his scratch, she forced a smile in return, "And how is Ino?" she asked through clenched
teeth, "Good, I hope?" Pig. Whorish, immoral, back-stabbing pig.
Things were actually a little awkward between the two. Ino seemed fairly sincere but he couldn't help but avoid her
advances. They'd kissed once in a week. "Oh, wonderful, wonderful," he insisted, "Our love burns brighter every day."
He had to take a deep breathe before continuing, "And is Neji-san treating you well?"
She almost missed his question. Oh, that disgusting pig. She always had to swoop in and steal the good things in her life.
It was Sasuke all over again. That pig was just doing this to get back at her, to prove that she was still ahead, and had
been since the Academy. She always had things easy, with her blonde hair and perfect figure. Pig. Ino never had to
struggle like she had. She just danced through life without shedding as much as a tear. Pig. Some friend she was. She
only remembered to answer at his soft 'Sakura-san?'. "Neji-kun..." she started, "Well, he's just a hopeless romantic really.
Candlelight dinners, walks in the forest. I mean, I feel like I'm being spoiled." Honestly, Neji was a homebody who trained
constantly. She hadn't seen him at all that week.
"Of course," he answered automatically. Neji had told him how the Hyuuga were sworn to chastity, as a form of devotion.
It was all talk. Talk and lies. And to think he was once Neji's friend. "Neji-san is a good man." He glanced down, "I need to
go, Sakura-san," he muttered, "I am meeting Gai-sensei outside the Hokage's office." Their eyes met again, "Unless there
is something else?"
I love you. "N-no," she said, "I don't have anything else to say. Do you?"
I love you. "No," he replied, "Maybe I will see you again?"
"Maybe. Goodbye, Lee-san."
"Goodbye, Sakura-san."
She hits him.
He hits her back.
Both bleed.
If you've ever been there, I'm sorry.
Thanks for reading.
Azure.