Of Hugs and Battle Scars
By:StainedScarlet
Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters. I mean wtf would I be doing writing fanfics if I did? I also don't own the cover photo.
Summary: They had hurt her, but she still managed to save them from themselves. / Team 7/ /SasuSaku/
Author's Note: Hellooo lovely people, I'm StainedScarlet! This is my first ever fanfic, ooh so exciting! x) Just wanted to say thanks to my freakin awesome friend CrimsonVanilla for helping me out! Please, please, please review and tell me your honest opinion. I would very much appreciate some constructive criticism, rather than mean reviews :) I'm planning on making a chapter to show the bonds between Sakura and each member of team 7 so please stick around if you like this chapter! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1-Sasuke
It started with Sasuke. Somehow it always revolved around him.
Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke
The boy she shamelessly fawned over.
The boy who disregarded her.
The boy who became her teammate.
The boy who watched her back.
The boy who left her on a damn cold bench.
The boy who tried to kill her.
The boy she loved.
Yes. She hated to admit it but she was absolutely and pathetically in love with the damn Uchiha. What had stated out as a shallow infatuation with the incredibly cool Sasuke Uchiha, had slowly changed. Through grueling training and missions that tested their limits, she learned his many stregnths along with his weaknesses. She had accepted him as he really was, and she truly fell in love with him.
Even after he tried to kill her, she just couldn't make herself give up on him. She knew no matter how twisted and broken he was, deep down he was still Sasuke. She couldn't help the faint spouts of hope for his return and the urge run in pursuit of him and bring him back, because this was were he belonged. It haunted her day and night and the stress had started to take a toll on her. There were too many nights she would be scared awake by emotionless crimson eyes and the flashing white light of the chidori. She had tried so hard but she couldn't just stop caring about him. So instead she shoved her love down into the back of her mind and tried to ignore it.
When she heard news that he had declared to destroy Konoha, she was almost thrown into a fit of uncontrollable emotion. She wanted to scream, deny that it was true. She wanted break the wall next to her and frustration and desperation, or bolt out of Konoha in reckless search for him. She wanted to cry. But she was different now, stronger mentally and physically. As a proud shinobi, she couldn't act so immature and irrationally. She kept a strained neutral face while Naruto yelled furiously beside her. She put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, trying not to break down. Bowing to Tsunade she left the room, silently letting the gears in her mind turn.
She had that feeling again. That same one she got the day he left the village. It was a twisting in her gut that told her something horrible was going to happen, and she knew exactly what it what it was. She retreated from the cozy haven of her covers and prepared herself.
She walked down the streets, taking note of the buildings she passed by, even though they were all locked up tight for the night. The fish stand, Nakamura-san's house, the shop that sold her favorite tea, a weapons store, and the cute little bakery that she had lunch with Ino on Tuesday. She smiled fondly as she saw them.
She found herself at the gates of Konoha. It was the middle of the night, the sky was clear and the air cool on her skin. She stood outside of the gate, emotions whirling madly in her head. She considered the rate that her plan would work and hoped it would not be in vain.
He appeared in all his glory and luckily he came alone. He was even more muscular, elegant and handsome than before, but he did not have the same aura from their days as teammates. He was so much colder now. It hurt her to see him stuck in the darkness like that.
"Move", he warned, his cold but familiar voice pulled at her heart. Only a few years ago she would have done anything to be in his good graces. Get off you? Anything for you, Sasuke-kun! Go away? Okay, Sasuke-kun! Shut up? Of course, Sasuke-kun!
"No."
"You know I won't hesitate anymore", he said his signature chidori coming to life in the palm of his hand. Flashes of lightning illuminated his pale face, which held a blank expression. The sound of chirping birds filled their ears.
"I know", she said, refusing to move.
She watched him charge at her and for a split second, doubt shot through her.
Sakura was predictable. He already knew what she would do. He was sure she would dodge his attack and run away in pathetic tears, but with every foot closer he got with her still not moving, something stirred in the pits of his stomach. Of course he was sill serious about not holding back. He looked into her familiar jade eyes and watched them draw nearer.
Sasuke was coming closer and closer, but her feet stayed planted in the same spot. Between the three feet before he would reach her, she locked eyes with him and jumped forward too. The pain was searing, shredding through her stomach and she choked back a cry. The light of the justu flickered away and they stood just inches apart face to face, his arm drilled completely through her abdomen. He stood frozen, eyes widened in surprise.
He could feel her blood coating his arm and if he was anyone else, he would have thrown up then and there. They sat in a silince that seemed to strech on forever, and the only sound was Sakura's labored breathing.
"Why?"he found himself asking, staring at where his hand dissapeared.
She coughed hard, blood spouting from her mouth before she looked up at him. He saw so much emotion in those fading green eyes. She smiled painfully at him, but still didn't say anything. Surprisingly she edged herself closer to him, driving his arm through her flesh more with every inch. The sentaion of blood and torn flesh making him feel strange. Slowly she wrapped her trembling arms around him and pulled him into an awkward hug. She squeezed him with the rest of herstrength.
"I know how you are Sasuke. I could yell and kick and scream all I want, but words would never get through to you. . .", she faded off into a series of coughs. Her hug was weaker now, but remained unwavering and firm.
"Actions do speak louder than words, I suppose", she whispered, leaning her forehead on his shoulder for support.
"Sasuke", she called weakly, "Just this once listen to me. You remember right? Kakashi-sensei told you revenge wouldn't bring you happiness. So with Itachi, did it?" she paused to gasp in more air as he sat in her embrace, remembering Itachi's death and the truth of his clan's murder.
"I know it didn't because now you're hurting so much that you want to destroy Konoha, innocent people, your friends, your home. You don't need this hate. It's only going to hurt you and anyone you care about. . . This isn't what you want Sasuke."
"Don't act you understand", he growled.
"No, I don't understand. I couldn't possibly imagine what you went through, but I know you. You want revenge, but not because you're evil. You want revenge because you lost people you loved and are so incredibly sad."
He noticed her voice growing softer. "You don't know me."
She chuckled slightly and pulled away to face him. "I do. Because I know you aren't evil. You don't really want this. Look at me and tell me this is what you want! You are not heartless, Sasuke. You didn't really mean this, did you?", she said, holding his blood covered arm that still impaled her.
During the time when they both came to each other with the intent to kill, he hadn't felt like this. At that time, he couldn't recall any feelings, not even of hate. He was left with just a cold, numb feeling. He had been numb, with only a goal to push him through every day: his revenge. But now as he realized he had actually gone through with his threats, he somehow felt sick to his stomach.
Had he meant to hurt her? He had warned her, and anyone who got in the way of his plans had to be eliminated. There was no mercy. There was only his revenge.
. . .But this, this was Sakura. She had always been weak, she had always needed his protection. Nobody had the chance to hurt her like this, because he had protected her. It was different this time.
He had done this to her.
He opened his mouth, not sure if he was able to answer her question or not. But she was already falling. Down, down, down.
He caught her impulsively. It was as if they were genin again; his muscles automatically remembering the motions to help her. He gingerly pulled his arm free of her , picked her up gently and, without much thought, sped into Konoha for help.
He was in the hospital within seconds, blasting through the doors, eyes ablaze with Sharingan.
"Help her",he growled to the nurses.
Now you could imagine the types of reactions the nurses would have seeing the traitor Uchiha carrying The Hokage's apprentice Sakura Haruno, both a bloody mess and the latter dying or possibly dead.
"HELP HER!", he roared, Sharingan spinning madly.
Finally a sensible nurse came around and started barking out orders.
"Get Operating Room 3 ready! What the fuck are you standing around gaping like fish out of water for? Do you want Sakura-sama to die?! For the love of god somebody get Shizune-sama and Hokage-sama!"
The hospital burst into a frenzy and a nurse tried to pry Sakura's limp form from him. He glared dangerously at the person.
"U-um Uchiha-san we must get Sakura-sama to the operating room immediately", she explained urgently.
He reluctantly gave her up and sat down in the waiting area. He saw Tsunade rush by, scanning over him for a split second before turning away into the double doors were Sakura was.
Naruto and Kakashi appeared, both frantic. Seeing him only made the situation worse. When the blonde locked eyes with him, he burst into a wave of fury. His normally happy eyes hardened, fingers formed fists, and his whole body tensed into a fighting stance.
"Teme! What the hell did you do to Sakura-chan?!", he screamed.
He chose to ignore the idiot and Kakashi had to hold Naruto back from doing anything reckless. Surprisingly, neither of the two said anything further, but he didn't miss the disappointed look in his former sensei's eye. They just sat down beside him and waited anxiously. Sakura's last question resonated in his mind and shook something deep within him.
"You didn't really mean this, did you?"
There had been two times when they almost lost her. He knew by the even more frantic sounding shouts and the long, extending beeps that came from behind those double doors. Had she given up on living anymore? Was it because she truly believed that he wanted her dead? . . .There was no way he could want kill Sakura. She was just too innocent and too vulnerable. She needed protection. But. . she had gotten in the way of his revenge, and look where he was now. . . . no. . . no. He couldn't do it. Suddenly his revenge wasn't worth this, although he refused to admit to himself what 'this' was.
Tsunade came out of the room 4 hours later, looking bloodied, tired, and a scowl was settling on her face.
"Is she okay, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi asked nervously.
"Sakura's lost a lot of blood and the Chidori did some serious damage some of her internal organs, but she's stable now", she sighed out, taking her gloves off.
Sasuke didn't know why, but the news of Sakura made him feel. . better?
Naruto jumped up immediately. "Can we go see her now baa-chan?"
The Sannin looked warily at the raven haired boy, but saw actual emotions in those black orbs and waved them off to see her apprentice.
"You better not stress her more or I'll be after your hides!", she called out to them as they hurried down the hallway.
She was aware of the pain, it was an agonizing and relentless throbbing in her abdomen. But every shinobi knew that pain meant they were still alive and she took a deep breath. It was afternoon the next day when she woke, the last of the sun's rays splashed onto her face and she groaned. The familiar atmosphere of white and nauseating smell of disinfectant told her she was in the hospital. Something moved beside her and she jumped when her eyes landed on Sasuke sitting in a chair beside her bed. He shifted in his chair and ran a hand though his spikey raven locks. He didn't meet her eyes when he spoke.
"No."
She looked at him in confusion, but he made no move to add any other comment. Their eyes finally met and his eyes told her he what failed to say.
I didn't mean it.
She smiled and closed her eyes,"I know."