Just a little note to my followers of my account and this story.
You may notice that this story at this moment only has one chapter. You may also notice that the story has be rewritten in a different tone.
That's because I initially wrote it when had just graduated high school in 2012. It's been seven years and one day I reread it and realized that I still had a passion for the characters that I built on. So for the past
three months I have kept the base of the story in tact but changed it from a past tense writing style to in the now with a hint of that past in there. It was very very difficult to fix every "said" to "says" and so on. I for the most part have started from scratch. I have poured my heart
into this story, editing it over and over only to have it delete itself and boom I started from scratch again. So on that note, the other few chapters are done, but still have to be uploaded and formatted into fanfiction's
website and edited once again. I'm 24 now, so this stuff takes more time. I'm a full blown adult now with a job and a boyfriend of 9 years. I stream video games on twitch on Xbox one which takes a lot of my extra time and makes me a little money as well. I have a new, more serious writing style that I hope you will still enjoy. And for all the keyboard warriors, I do not need comments about typos here and there, if I see them I'll fix it. If not just get past it. I don't claim to have no typos, no weird run on sentences sometimes. I'm an anxious person. Its how my mind works. If you don't like it just don't read it. Read something else you do like!:) I love all of you guys from the bottom of my heart. Bear with me the next few days as I finish editing the next few chapters and at that point the story will be up to date and I can work on brand spanking new
chapters for it. Please leave feedback. I love knowing what people truly think because like I said, I love you guys! I'll hopefully have the next few chapters done by tomorrow night!
Thanks again so much. -Kaitlyn
Chapter One
When I see Itachi through the wall I realize I'm about to get everything I trained for. For ten years. Creating new jutsu's like no one has ever seen before. Training day and night. No seeing my friends. No doing the things I loved to do. Cooking, baking, music, nothing. I have eaten, slept, and breathed revenge. Revenge against the man who obliterated my family. And I Sakura Haruno, am finally going to get what I've wanted for so long.
Chakra hidden, justsu to see through walls and objects, and my invisibility jutsu in action. It's time.
"Itachi." It's all I can do not to scream at the top of my lungs.
Being face to face with the reason I've wanted to just leave the earth on separate occasions is one of the most painful things I've ever been through. But nothing is worse than that night. What Itachi did... lets just say he deserves to die the most painful death.
"Who is there?" The monotone man voices out. No fear, just a simple question. And it makes me hate him even more.
"There is no time for chatting. I'm here for your death" I say. He can't see me in any way and the thought is absolutely liberating. I am one upping the most infamous ninja in existence. The one upper himself.
"Many have tried. If you're so confident in your abilities, show yourself."
I do. He doesn't say anything for a long moment, trying to move he realizes I have put a jutsu on him long before I made myself known, he stops his efforts. For a split second, I see Sasuke in Itachi's face.
That's what gives me that last push. I perform my jutsu with one hand while simultaneously pushing a dagger filled with enough poison for ten ninja into his chest. I'm killing Itachi, without a fight, and he is going to feel all the pain I've felt over ten years in ten minutes.
I can tell Itachi is trying not to show pain, but his black veins and clenched fists said otherwise. He throws up.
I hear commotion outside of the manor that makes me look to the right for a split second and when I turn around I see Itachis face, inches from mine. As he starts to fall down, I realize the mistake that might just cost me my life. Such a stupid mistake.
As I feel him slide to the ground I feel myself leave my body as it falls to the ground as well. I know what is happening. Sharingan.
I'm in front of my childhood home, and my thirteen year old feet start walking toward the broken door slowly. As the teams merged together only for training, I felt myself growing more confident, stronger, smarter. The smile I had from winning a match against Ino, who claimed it had been a fluke but who Kakashi corrected. "Sakura outsmarted you Ino" vanishes.
I know something is wrong.
I open the door and inside, the smell hits me first, then what I see feels like I'm seeing it for the first time. Itachi standing over my parents lifeless body. My sister limp in his arm, looking like her neck had been broken. Enough to kill most people. Enough to definitely kill a four year old child. Itachi looks at me as he drops Saru onto the ground right in the pool of my parent's blood.
The apartment had been trashed, blood on the walls. Most likely from my parents putting up a fight. My father was one of the highest up Medic nins and my mother not far behind. They were not trained to fight high class nin like Itachi. They were barely trained enough to make sure they didn't die in battle while healing people. They should in the world we ninja live in, but they don't.
I just stood there in shock. Not knowing how to handle something like this. I tried to fight. My thirteen year old body pumping with shock, anger, the type of adrenaline that makes you shake. I didn't even make it 6 feet across the floor before Itachi was behind me. Stinging me just because of the memory of his little brother leaving me just like that not even 3 months before.
"They knew too much" He says right before I expect to die as well. Much to my shock...and disappointment I'm only knocked out.
I wake up and everyone is there. Anbu, medics, the newly appointed hokage Tsunade. I was on a stretcher watching them trying to heal my sister as others started to pull my parents off the floor. That's when I started screaming. And it felt like I'd never stop.
All of the sudden I see Sasuke of all people in the doorway. And somehow I know even as a thirteen year old me that he isn't supposed to be here as an adult.
He comes over to me and kneels down to me frantic. "Sakura stop screaming, this isn't real. You need to wake up!" He's shaking me, but he doesn't understand. It was real. It had happened. And its why I'm so fucked up.
I get up and run out the door onto my front lawn...and back to reality I guess because when I open my tear soaked eyes I see the same Sasuke Uchiha holding me in his arms while on his knees. And he's...crying. What was that I said about coming back to reality?
"What the hell?" is all I can muster. Seeing him for the first time in 5 years is unsettling. The last time we saw him he was trying to kill us. Kill me.
"Jesus Christ, I thought you were dead!" He says as he pulls me against his chest. The amount of confusion I'm feeling is making me nauseous. I move out of his arms quickly standing up, balancing myself on the wall. I look to Itachi's dead body and I breathe a quiet sigh of relief. Then I turn to go.
I pass out once again, but this time my landing isn't on hard concrete, it's into a pair of arms.
When I wake up, it seems like everything is off. My body feels off. Then I realize I can't move my body when I try. It feels like the most energy I have ever used goes into opening my eyes. Even though all I want to do is just let them go I knew I have to face the light. And that light is Naruto.
"Oh my god you're awake. Ohh I didn't think you were going to make it Sakura you've been out for almost a week. My god what's wrong with you? You could've told me what you were doing. I could've helped!" Naruto says much too loudly, choking back tears as he holds my hand to his forehead.
Somehow I've never felt more shame. Naruto is the only reason I haven't just completely ended it all. No matter how far away I stray from home, and no matter how many times I keep myself out of reach, Naruto is there, the one constant. He's the one that helped me change my clothes after what happened that night. He made sure I bathed, ate, or even drank a glass of water every now and then. He's the only reason I made it through losing my family and I do nothing but hurt him over and over again.
"I'm sorry" I barely choke out. I can't even look at him, so I just stare out the window.
"I know...I know you are but Sakura, you're my best friend. Whether you like it or not you're stuck with me." He says as he walks out with a nurse to update her and Tsunade I'm guessing.
The IV in my arm is starting to ache, so I pull it out. I turn to my side and try to gather my thoughts.
Itachi is dead. Finally gone. I trained ten years for this. I ignored Naruto and the love he tried to give me over and over again.
After the night we shared...We had both just turned 18. Our birthdays only a few days apart. I had completely forgotten and yet Naruto showed up at midnight like he always did and I was so consumed with whatever I was feeling that I just needed out. So when Naruto showed up with flowers and a cupcake. I kissed him. And kept kissing him. He was so sweet and I had forgotten his favorite day and I just wanted to make him happy. We were each other's firsts. The next day I left to train and didn't come back for a month. When I came back I saw him walking hand and hand with Hinata and I knew. I had ruined it, whatever it was. I had done the one thing that would keep Naruto away for a while and I think that's what I was trying to do. He complicated everything. My thirteen year old feelings for Sasuke. My matured feelings for him. My thoughts of revenge.
I threw myself into training with Tsunade who took me under wing as an apprentice. My strength and chakra control were rumored to be more than she at my age.
I just killed Itachi. I should be on top of the moon. But I'm on the bottom, barely hanging on. Waiting to fall into nothing. Death, I suppose. God, sometimes all I want is to go to sleep and not wake up. No more pain. No more causing pain. Just nothing at all.
I hear a knock on the door and take my blood soaked fingertips out of the open cuts in the palms of my hands and put them under the blanket.
"I was sure you would have put my name on the list of no visitors." Sasuke says, leaning on the door with, it seemed, no plans of coming closer. He looks uncomfortable.
I just stare. I see his arm in bandages. He looks exhausted.
"Why are you here?" I say, trying not to show ten years of pain in my voice.
"Well I couldn't just leave you ther-" "Really? I'm surprised. Your great at it." I say cutting him off.
"I deserve that. And much more. That's why I came back. I'm here to atone...hopefully. In any way I can." He says opening the door. "I hope you can allow me a few minutes of your time. I need to explain." He says searching for answers in my blank face. When none come forward he sighs.
"I'll come back to see you after my court hearing." He continues, closing the door.
I'm sure Konoha is in chaos. They don't handle traitors well. When I hear that though I realize there is one thing I can do to pay Naruto back for everything he's done. Help him get his best friend back. Even if it would absolutely kill me.
I put my clothes that are in a neat pile on a chair on and slowly creep out the door. I wouldn't have been able to move any faster even if I tried, the amount of pain, stiffness, and exhaustion in my body is almost too much to handle. But I move on. I always do.
Standing in front of our courthouse, I suddenly can't move. I stand there like that for a few minutes. Frozen. I hear them start. I hear everyone's testimonies to Sasuke's character. Then the people that think he should rot in jail or be sentenced to death. I feel pins and needles then, hearing that. I don't know why I feel that. I thought I had stopped feeling anything a long time ago.
But that feeling pushes me through the doors and inside.
Seeing everyone turn to me, stunned probably because they thought I was still hurt or just to weak to face this, makes my face heat up.
I see Sasuke turn to me wide eyed. I know he probably thought I was going to help sentence him to death. But I wouldn't do that to Naruto.
I stand in front of Danzo at the stand.
" Ah Sakura. Thank you for joining us. We just finished our last testimonies from Mr. Uzumaki. As one of the most trusted Anbu leaders and medics in this village, what say you about Sasuke Uchiha?"
Standing there I glance at Naruto and his hopeful face and know why I'm doing what I'm doing.
"I believe Sasuke should be pardoned." I say, raspy, but understandable. Danzo looks disappointed...or surprised. I'm not sure which. "Go on?"
"Sasuke saved my life. If it hadn't been for him I would have been stuck in Itachi Uchiha's Sharingan until I died. Instead he saved me, and brought me all the way back here." I lie in the next part. "If it hadn't been for him, I would have never been able to kill Itachi, one of the most sought after enemies of the Village Hidden in the Leaves." I take a deep breath.
Danzo looks at Sasuke then at me once again.
He speaks to the jury before sitting back down, speaking.
"He shall be pardoned of his past crimes. BUT he will be on a six month probation. While in this probation he must be accompanied by you. He is not allowed to leave the village under any circumstances other than to OCCUMPANY you on your missions. In this time he will stay at your residence until our next hearing in six months. You are one of the only ninjas in our village that I know has the capabilities to stop any of his efforts to leave. Which is my reasoning behind this pairing. Is this understood Ms. Haruno?" He says as everyone looks at me expectantly.
This is for Naruto. This is for Naruto.
"Yes sir."
I hear cheers from all of our friends. I immediately push my way out through the crowds heading out the door. Realizing I am now in charge of babysitting a full grown man I understand I have to wait. I lean on one of the fences outside of the courthouse balancing my spinning head.
"Sakuraaa!" Naruto's chirpy voice comes running up to me hugging me so hard he picks me up off the ground and twirls me. I don't have the heart to tell him he's about to make me throw up. Whatever medication they had put me on is definitely a strong one.
"We got him back! Thank you so much for what you said. Now we can go back to being a team!" He exclaims in my ear loudly. I think he starts to realize that my body is a foot off the ground and sets me down. I definitely feel dizzy now.
"Thank you. Sakura. Thank you." He says giving me one last squeeze and I watch as he runs to Hinata who lights up seeing him so happy. My gaze falters at this and onto Sasuke's face.
I start walking toward my home and I just assume Sasuke starts to follow.
"YOU GUYS BETTER BE AT ICHIRAKU TOMORROW NIGHT FOR FESTIVITES!" Naruto calls out to us. I'm almost angry at Naruto at how easy it is for him to go back to normal.
I don't think I can ever get back to that. Normal.
We start walking in silence and when we pass my old house Sasuke speaks up. "Isn't that your house?" He says motioning to my house unknown to him had been abandoned since it happened.
"Not anymore." I mumble.
"In the sharingan...that was real? I didn't realize...I'm sorry" Sasuke says very quietly.
I'm quiet, just focusing on not fainting. "Are you okay Sakura? You look pale" Sasuke says and then I feel it. I grab onto his arm for support. I hate the feeling. Depending on him.
"I'm fine, just really drugged up." I say starting to walk again.
"I'm pretty sure your file had you staying at the hospital for another three days." He says walking beside me. Maybe to make himself more accessible if I feel sick.
"Fuck off. Were here." I say walking up the front steps. My legs give out on the third stair and I start to fall backward and this time Sasuke puts his arm under my legs and the other on my back and picks me up.
"Dude. I'm fine. Put me down!" I protest as he pushes open my front door.
He ignores me and takes me up the stairs and directly to my bedroom and sets me down on the bed. He walks out coming back with a glass of water. I don't have the energy to fight right now and chug it not realizing how parched I am. He goes out and grabs me more water and I finish half letting myself sink into my bed. I blink and I'm asleep.
Sasuke's POV
I look around Sakura's bedroom once she falls asleep. Sparse is the word that comes to mind. A bed, a tv, and one dresser. There's a guitar caked in dust in the corner. Across the hallway is her office, piles of papers everywhere. A pair of french doors lead onto a small balcony. There's a large bathroom right before I head back down into the living room.
When you first walk into the house its open, the living room in front. You can see the whole kitchen about ten feet behind the couch. The only separation is the couch and the kitchen island. There's an entry way table with all the frames flat on the table. They're pictures of Team seven back in the day. Her and her family. Her little sister. I never even knew she had a little sister. I never used to think about her home life. I was so focused on getting stronger. Killing Itachi. Killing my...friends. God I almost fucked up so many times.
For her not to mention that in the hearing...for none of them to mention all the times I tried to hurt them while I was under the control of Orochimaru. It was selfless of all of them and I don't deserve it.
I can feel the stiff pain setting in. My fight with Kisame outside of Itachi's manor really fucked me up. Seeing my brother die at someone else's hands did too. All of that training to be wasted. But the funny thing is, I feel lighter. Like I can finally lay down on this couch and just sleep. So I do.
When I wake up it's dark outside. I get up and the stove clock says two in the morning. I head to Sakura's room to check up on her and when I get in there she's gone. The French doors are open so I head through them to see a ladder leading up to the roof. I start climbing. I see Sakura laying on the roof of the front end of the house. Arms behind her head in just a tank top and shorts, the only word I can find is stunning. As well as the view. It seems as though you can see the whole lit up city from up on this hill.
I take a seat next to her and cross my arms over my knees. "Are you feeling any better?" I ask looking at her.
Taking her in, I can see the changes in her body over the years. Long legs, strong curvaceous hips, her...chest. Her eyes have dark circles under them and she has a few scars on her biceps and neck. I can't even deny my attraction. I knew even as kids that I liked Sakura. But it seemed like anything I could have even imagined caring about vanished back then. I didn't want that to happen with team seven. So I pushed them away. I was cruel. But I can't take it back. I can only move forward and try to fix my mistakes for the people I've wronged. Starting with one of the only people who used to love me unconditionally. Now I guess...there are conditions.
"I'm just fancy." She says with irritation etched in her voice.
"Sakur-" "Don't" She says looking at me straight in the eyes sitting up slowly with a pained grunt.
We sit in silence like that for some time.
"What do we do now?" I ask.
She sighs the heaviest of sighs. Crossing her arms on her knees she sets her chin on them.
"I just know I don't want to be here. With you. In Konoha even. But I am. And we need to figure out what the fuck to do with it.." She says.
"I know you didn't do it for me. I'm not an idiot. But for what you did in the court room...thank you." I say. Even if she doesn't care I needed to say it.
"You're right. It was for Naruto." She says getting up and heading down the ladder as I follow suit.
She rummages in her closet for a few moments, long enough for me to stand awkwardly watching her ass. She carries a bundle of blankets and a pillow and heads downstairs. She drops the stuff on the couch and heads to the kitchen.
"Holy fuck it's two am." She mumbles.
"I don't keep much here...not home much. We can go grab groceries tomorrow since I guess were going to be sticking around for a while. But whatever's in here you can have" She says heading back upstairs.
No goodnight or anything but I know I have to earn stuff like that back.
"Goodnight Sakura." I call once she's halfway up the stairs and she stops short for a second like she wants to say something but continues upstairs, closing her bedroom door behind her.
After sleeping from four pm to two am it seems like sleep will be impossible. I hadn't slept so long in years. That's when I hear a faint bang from the backyard. In the dark of the kitchen through the window I see her. She's practicing her moves on a dummy. It's flabbergasting that she has the energy after all she's been through but there she is at it again.
She stops for a second and I see her hold her hand up to her other hand and I think she's going to heal it. It looks pretty bad whatever had happened, but she puts both hands down and continues. She trains until six am as it starts to get the faintest bit of light out and her back yard flood light shuts off. I see her jump up to her room, so I head over to the couch to make it look like I was there all night.
Surprisingly enough she doesn't come down and I assume she goes to bed.
I lay there, wide awake until I hear rustling around ten am. I decide to go into the kitchen and make some sort of breakfast for us. It's the least I can do. I ended up deciding on an omelet and get to cooking two of them. Then I shred some potatoes into hash browns. I think the smell entices Sakura to come down the stairs and I notice her discreetly inhaling.
I set the plate down at the bar on the kitchen island and she slowly gets into one of the stools. She looks as though she's expecting the omelets to explode.
"I had to cook for myself on the road. Usually with even less ingredients than you have in your cabinets" I say with a laugh. Her face goes red and I realize that saying that might have made her feel bad. I don't know what her situations have been all these years. It seems like she stayed away from Konoha most of the time.
I busy myself with getting the other omelet done and I sit on the opposite bar stool. I did really good.
"Are you okay heading to the store with me?" She asks quietly, staring intently at her omelet.
"Sure. I should probably pick up a few things now that I'm settling down somewhere. Clothes and whatnot" I say. "Are you going to eat that? It's pretty good." I say confidently.
"It's been a while since anyone has cooked for me..." She says finally biting into it.
That sentence has ten years of loneliness packed into it and I feel this need to make it better. A feeling I'm not used to after years of fending for myself.
We finish up and I pick up our plates, rinse them off, and put them in her dishwasher.
We get dressed and head out of the house. Sakura is wearing a red flannel, black leggings, and her long black lace up boots. Her long pink hair is tied into a braid. It seems that she can make anything look stunning. Her brows are furrowed as we walk and I can tell she's thinking hard about something. An older woman that seems to know Sakura stops to talk to her and Sakura seems extremely uncomfortable, stammering responses. We walk away quickly and when I look back the older woman is glaring at me.
Down the road we pass Ino and Shikamaru at Ino's parents flower shop. They both wave and Sakura gives them a quick wave. I give them a nod and a smile. Ino gave me an good testimony and Shikamaru's was good too. They helped me get where I am. Ino does a weird nudging motion to me towards Sakura which makes me blush. I can't even remember the last time I blushed.
We reach the grocery store and Sakura grabs a cart. We walk around throwing things in. Lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. I did notice Sakura throw in like ten tomatoes and I realize that this might be the way she shows she still might somewhat care? She remembers my love of tomatoes. Surprisingly enough she grabs baking ingredients. I didn't expect that. I throw in a few things here and there. I see she likes noodles because she grabs a bunch. She grabs a couple bags of candy and we head up front.
We get to the check out line and I go to hand the lady money for the groceries and Sakura pushes my hand down.
"You don't have to pay for my stuff. I have money" I say to Sakura. I have a good amount of money to be honest. Enough to rebuild my estate ten times over.
"It's fine. I'm good for it." She mumbles.
"Hn.." I mumble back. God, we're painfully awkward.
We grab our bags and hustle back...home I guess I can call it for now.
We get back and put everything away which helps me understand where everything goes. When we finish, she takes an apple out and starts chewing.
That afternoon we head to our designated spots at Ichiraku next to Naruto who gives us big hugs. Next to him, quiet Hinata waves as Naruto puts his arm around her while chatting with us about what I guess both of us missed out on with Sakura apparently being gone all the time. The rest of Rookie 9 is here just chatting about what we all have been doing over the years.
Every once in a while I catch Sakura watching Naruto's arm on Hinata in a way I can't quite pin down. Sadness isn't completely the right word, but it is a fake happiness that you can easily see through. I want so badly to ask what was up with them, but I don't have the balls. And I assume I don't want to know the answer. They have a past without me and I have to accept that.
As we get up to leave I see Naruto say something into Sakura's ear. She nods and gives him a thumbs up. So out of place for her but you can tell it's all for Naruto. That night when we get home she goes straight to her room and doesn't come out till the next morning.
"I need to go to the hospital and catch up on my paperwork." She says. She grabs the large bag of candy she bought yesterday and sets it in a big bowl with a smiley face on it and we head over to the hospital. We stop at different patient's rooms which mostly look like children. She lets them all take a handful. It's the first time that I've seen her smile genuinely since I've been back, lit up by the little children's stories. One in particular jumps off the bed and into Sakura's arms as soon as she could.
"I missed you so much Sakura!" The little girl exclaims. She has platinum blond hair and looks to be 5 years old maybe a little older than Sakura's little sister in the picture at her house. Maybe a year or so off, I haven't been around kids much so I don't know how to tell.
"Hi Saya! How have we been feeling lately?" Sakura asks setting the child back on the bed.
"I've been okay...they had to have surgery on me while you were gone. Right here" She says slapping her little hand over her heart.
"Oh my...I'm sorry I wasn't here for that. But it seems to be doing much better!" Sakura exclaims while she listens to her chest, looking at her chart periodically, and jots down notes.
"Who's that man?" Saya asks looking at me inquisitively.
"... that's...Sasuke." Sakura says glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.
"That's THE Sasuke!? From your stories?" She asks as Sakura blushes. I can tell even from behind her that her cheeks are beet red.
"Yes. He's come back to stay with us" Sakura responds, visibly tense.
"Mr. Sasuke is it true that you were the strongest kid in your class even when your were my age? That's what Sakura says!" Saya says in awe of me it seems. Sakura is so uncomfortable you can see it seeping out of her body. It's a little comical.
"I ranked high yes, but Naruto and Sakura were the ones who really were the best in our class. Sakura saved my life on many occasions." I say.
"Me too. She saved me and my mommy from a very bad guy. She brought us both here to Konoha, and when we're all better we get our own house right near Sakura's!" She says moving to sit in Sakura's lap.
"That is absolutely the coolest thing ever." I say with a smile.
Sakura won't look at me as she finishes up her tests. She writes a few things down on Saya's chart, gives the little girl a hug, and heads out the door without even a glance at me. She takes me to a room that I assume is her office. Stacks of paper line the walls on the floor.
"Have a seat. I'm sure we'll be here a while" She says motioning for me to sit on the couch. I pick up one of the medical journals on the floor and read for a good two hours before I hear her move. When she does she's looking at me. I sense some kind of fear in her eyes and it is unsettling. As she keeps reading papers you can see her getting more and more frustrated. You can see anger seeping through her skin.
"Hey Sakura?" I ask, jolting her out of whatever she's reading.
"Hm?" She mumbles still caught up.
"Would you like to go spar? I'm going a little stir crazy." I say getting up and stretching.
"I don't think that's the best idea." She says looking at me. She means something different than what she's saying, I can tell.
"Come on, I'm sure we both have some pent up frustration we need to get out." I say. This drags out a light chuckle from her. Getting up out of her chair and stretching she leads me out of the hospital.
We head to our old training grounds and nostalgia hits me right in the face.
Everything is just as it had been ten years ago, plus a few craters, I'm sure from Sakura's fist.
Awkwardly we stand not knowing how the other one moves anymore. Then we just start. Sakura doesn't hold back and neither do I. The strength she shows me is astounding. I'm sure if we were actual enemies that she could probably beat my ass into a pulp.
There is a split second where Sakura seems deep in thought in the middle of the field so I take the opportunity to land right behind her not even a foot away, in hopes to call a draw.
Immediately I know it was the wrong thing to do. I fucked up. She tenses up and flinches and I start to feel memories flood in. Me behind her, knocking her unconscious and leaving her on the bench by the front gates of Konoha. Me behind Sakura about to attempt to kill her if Kakashi and Naruto hadn't intervened.
I can see her visibly shaking and that's when I see it. Tears. All of the sudden I watch her disappear into the forest. I run after her, not really having a choice but to go with her.
Damn she's faster too. It starts to rain making foot landings on branches difficult. I sense her chakra a ways ahead. We run at least for an hour, me calling her name only to have her change direction on me. Suddenly I feel her chakra change as I gain on her. I stop and sense her there, but she isn't anywhere near. That's when I hear a low groan from down below and I see her. She must have fallen at least thirty feet.
"Sakura!" I yell, jumping down to her. I hear her breathing as I notice her lips turning blue. We are entering cold season and the rain is frigid. I take her into my arms and look around the area for shelter. I see a small cave in the distance, barely visible from the road. I get us in there and notice a fire pit left from the previous visitor and light it immediately. Sakura groans opening her eyes, confused.
"Ow." She says trying to get up. I softly push her back down.
"Sakura we need to get out of these clothes or we'll both hyperventilate" I say motioning to her clothes. She looks uncomfortable but lets me take off her shorts as well as her shirt. I like to say I'm a reserved man but seeing Sakura, skin bared, makes my body feel like its on fire even though its enduring the exact opposite. I try to keep that fire from reaching too low on my body. I take off my shirt and pants, leaving me in just my boxers.
"Now I'm going to pull you onto my lap, we need our body heat to stay warm" I inform her, starting to shake almost as badly as Sakura. She nods and I cross my legs and pull her onto my lap rubbing her arms with my hands. I take a deep inhale and get a whiff of her hair and memorize the feeling it gives me. Slowly our shaking starts to subside. I feel Sakura's forehead and it seems like she might have a fever but the heat of the fire seems to be helping.
I hear her sigh deeply. She sounds content but motions to get up, and I could let her. Instead I pull her back against my chest. I don't care how awkward it would make us later...I don't want this feeling to end.
We drift off for a few hours it seems, until it's dark out. When I rustle awake, I see Sakura is dressed and sitting across from me watching the cold rain outside. She seems deep in thought. When she hears me moving to put my shirt on she jolts a little bit.
"I almost left you here. I thought about running to a different nation all together. But all I can think of is how much it would hurt Naruto. So I stayed." She says turning back to the rain.
I stay silent not knowing what to say to that.
Sakura's POV
Overwhelmed.
It's the only way I can describe how I feel. When we were training...it brought up so many memories...painful memories. And seeing him in my house and taking him everywhere. It's only been two days but I've already seen him more in these two days than I ever had in such little time. I don't feel ready for it. Everybody expects me to just go back to normal and I don't think I can.
I stand up, getting angry. So fucking angry.
"You left us." I say, gathering the courage to finally say it, using the angry adrenaline to my advantage.
"Sakura...I-" Sasuke steps closer.
"Stop. I need to say this. If I don't I might explode. You left us. You left me. I gave everything I had to you... You and Naruto...you were my best friends. I needed you, I lost my whole family and you were just gone. And then you tried to kill me. Why? Because I cared enough about you to follow you over and over and over. And now your back acting like nothing ever happened. Sometimes I just hate you. This is all just so much. So much...you."
"FUCK." I yell. Needing to get it off my chest. It echoes in the cave.
"I know you'll never believe it Sakura but I left because I loved you guys...I loved you. I couldn't let you get mixed up in what my brother planned to do." He says as he walks a few steps closer to me. He's so close to me.
"I won't excuse that I also left for selfish reasons. My plans for revenge against Itachi. But I promise...promise that I will never leave you again, Sakura. For what my word is worth to you." He says. He presses his forehead against mine, his thumbs running down my arms cause a chill to go through my body. I close my eyes and for a split second I want him to kiss me. I want to believe him, but years of hearing the exact opposite of what he is saying to me right now from his own mouth just doesn't ease my heart or my head.
I remember who he is and who I am and remind myself that I'm not thirteen anymore and jolt away from him.
"I have a mission in a village not to far away from here. Now that we're here, I would rather just take care of it now. I'll send a pigeon back to Tsunade letting her know of our whereabouts." I say as Sasuke puts his pants on.
"Fine by me, I need some sort of action" He says looking out of the cave as the rain starts to subside.
"You'll be a visitor. You'll shop or stay in the hotel." I say firmly and Sasuke looks at me.
"Yes ma'am" He says with an eyebrow raised, motioning for me to take the lead of toward the rising sun.
We reach the city that I needed to visit and confer with the new Kage Lin. Saya and her mother were the only people living near the beach. Everyone had moved more into the city to avoid whatever has been killing off all of the plants and animals near it and making people in the city sick.
I think back to when I first met Saya and Hashiko. They were by themselves in their little beach house. I was walking down the beach doing research. Someone broke into their house and had poisoned them. If I hadn't been nearby by the fate of whoever's up there in sky I can't imagine what would have happened to them. I got rid of the two guys and healed Saya and her mother and brought them back with me to Konoha for testing. Whatever was getting into the air and the plants was also poisoning the people near it.
I bring Sasuke along with me to the hospital where I heard the Kage had been spending all her time. "Sakura, I wish the circumstances weren't so dire but I'm so happy to see you anyway! I know Kai has missed you around here" She says to me with a hug and wink making me blush. She narrows her eyes at Sasuke when she takes in who he is. "Kai and Sakura always hit it off when she's in town." She says causing my whole body to basically turn red. "Lin, I'm sure you know but this is Sasuke Uchiha. He will be accompanying on my missions from now on."
"Well I can't really refuse a good line of defense around here nowadays. Since we last talked things have gotten much worse. Kai and myself have been working night and day to crack this. My people don't even feel safe to come outside." She says.
It's why we hit it off so well. She is a renown natural healer as well as medic and when we got together we always bounced ideas off of each other.
We spend hours going through her hospital to see all of the people affected. We come to the conclusion that it is a man made virus. Unnatural, with traces of chakra in it.
I see Kai, basically Lin's Shizune. We exchange a hug and catch up for a few minutes. I can see Kai eying Sasuke. Kai whispers in my ear "If you need anything, you know where I live." as we part. He pats my cheek affectionately and I awkwardly back up and away from him.
He's a good friend. He did try to kiss me once but I was never really available to reciprocate his feelings. I sneak a glance at Sasuke, surprised at his narrowed eyes at Kai as he walks away. I step on his foot with a little chakra to knock some sense into him and he jolts, looking anywhere but at me.
After a few hours more brainstorming with Lin and checking on all the affected villagers we call it a day. She has her Kage duties to take care of.
I take Sasuke with me to settle in at the Inn and pick up their welcome basket they always give out, since I didn't bring food or anything. It comes with fruit, bread and butter and it is always delicious. As Sasuke and I walk through the streets toward the beach to do testing I'm thoroughly creeped out by the lack of people. It seems like everyone is either in the hospital or too scared to come outside. There are no sounds of birds at all. Never a good sign.
We get to the beach and I take samples of the sand and the ocean water as well as some plants around it. I have some suspicions on what could be the cause. I sit down to take a look with some instruments I borrowed from Lin as Sasuke starts pulling the food out for us.
"This better be worth all the work...you better believe it!" I quietly say using my Naruto voice. Sasuke lets out a big laugh which makes me smile unintentionally. I didn't think he could hear me. "WERE GOING TO BE A TEAM AND RUN OFF INTO THE SUNSET YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!" Sasuke bellows surprisingly and I start to laugh. The kind that you can't stop until your stomach starts to cramp. Sasuke joins in on the laughter. I've never seen it before. It's like a gift to see such a handsome sight. Sasuke lays down in the sand and chews on some bread. I make a ballsy decision and take my pants off leaving me in a tank top and underwear and walk to the cold water to take some samples. Once I'm done I lay flat in the water letting myself float and look up at the sky.
All of the sudden I'm fully submerged in the water and I see the culprit in a boxer clad Sasuke laughing and helping me up out of the water after I shriek his ear off. It feels...weird, to goof off with Sasuke. Like it's wrong, but my whole being needs a release. Laughing is so nice.
It's when he grabs my hand and the small of my back and dips me in the water and pulls me back up that I look up at his face. It hits me that maybe he's trying to be better because when I look in his eyes for the first time I actually feel safe with him. For a second it feels like his face is coming closer to mine, like he might kiss me. I choose to spit the water that's in my mouth into the air letting it rain down on Sasuke and splash him from both sides leading to a full on splashing war.
All of the sudden I feel something grab my ankle and start to pull me down. The last thing I see is a confused Sasuke as I try to grasp him or anything, but it's futile and as I go down I feel my head hits something hard. Something in me snaps, it might be the head hit but I feel like just giving up right then. As I'm pulled further and further down I find a sort of peace. I stop fighting and close my eyes.
Sasukes POV
That weird moment hits again. I feel this compulsive need to bring our lips together. We're quietly just staring and right as I lean in, Sakura spits all of the ocean water that had gathered into her mouth, right into my face with a hysterical giggle. All I can think of is how adorable she is. I start to grab her back when I feel her hands slip away from my arms where she was holding herself steady.
But it isn't a get away playfully kind of slide. It's a holy shit I'm terrified and my hands are clawing at your arms to keep from going under slide.
"Sakura!" I try to look around with no prevail under the dark water.
"FUCK!" I scream smashing my hands against the water. I decide to turn my Sharingan on. I havn't used it in almost a month but this is dire. I am not under any circumstances, going to lose Sakura again.
I begin a jutsu that lets me hold my breath for extended periods of time and look under the water. Maybe four hundred feet away I see a blur of pink and I start furiously pumping chakra into my legs to get to her.
I realize there is a Jutsu surrounding the area. I see a disgusting looking chakra coming from little spots of a building down below. It looks like it is pumping in directions all around the city behind me. I think we've found the source of this city's troubles.
I start getting sucked forward into the direction I'm going. And really fucking fast. I'm swept into an open door that is almost closing. I have to pump more chakra into my legs to make sure I make it through the door so I won't be sliced in half. Once inside a small ten feet by eleven feet room, the door finishes closing and the water drains down through the door quickly, dropping me onto my back.
The adrenaline I feel in my body is like nothing I have ever felt before. The idea of Sakura slipping away from me in pain, angers me to an extent that I've never felt. And I have felt a lot of anger.
I take a second to catch my breath then start toward the door in front of me.
Please Sakura, just be okay.
Sakura's POV
I don't think it could ever be possible to feel more helpless in a situation than I do right now. Having no sense of vision in the dark water. Being drug into the water by my feet. Not being able to move. Whoever the culprit is that is dragging me has an intricate ability to mask every single seam of their chakra.
All I can think is that this might actually be it for me. Depleted chakra, loss of vision, the fever I had in the cave starting to kick in again. It probably wasn't my best idea to go swimming, but I had needed that release. Hopefully whoever it is taking me, left Sasuke behind.
The cloth around my eyes that is working as a blindfold has a burning sensation, poison seeping through it. A man, I can tell by the stature and the way he tosses me around like a ragdoll, throws me over his shoulder roughly and holds me steady by gripping my hair. A silent warning not to struggle against him.
Before I know it, my legs and arms are getting spread apart and latched onto a wall. If I wasn't trying my best to figure out my surroundings while blind, I would be embarrassed by my position and obvious lack of clothing.
A door opens and slow footsteps come right to me. "Sakura Haruno, what a pleasant surprise. My men recognized your pink hair from his scope" A man says with a familiar, malicious edge.
Kabuto.
It makes sense now. The urgent reports of strange noises coming from the ocean. But it doesn't explain why a "dead" Itachi was lurking around. The reports were of a man of black and red eyes, flickering back and forth. I knew it couldn't be Sasuke considering he hasn't left the village since he got back until now. The idea that Itachi is still alive vanishes. It had to have been Kabuto. Itachi. . Right?
"Ahh, lovely cherry blossom, your spunk has still yet to leave you" He starts off.
"Sakura dear, recently we've heard that a mister Uchiha, has come back to Konoha as a civilian. I also heard…that you have been in charge of his whereabouts." He states. Slowly he takes the blindfold off of my watering eyes. The stinging is painful but I don't let it show.
"So I need to know how my dear friend Sasuke is doing. Did you finally win his heart sweetie? Did you finally become strong enough to get him to notice you? I mean it couldn't be the fact that you're being shoved into his face by your bitch Hokage, no, it couldn't be." He says with a laugh. How the hell is he finding these things out? This is getting out of hand.
"What do you want Kabuto?" I snarl.
"What do you think I want S-A-K-U-R-A?" He asks.
I just stare. He sighs shaking his head with a tsk.
"Well, Sakura, I want Sasuke back, and I want you to tell me where he is" He says. His breath reeks. He is too close.
"I don't know where he is, Tsunade took me off of his case a week ago, because…apparently I'm too emotional. Said I couldn't handle it." I say, trying the dumbfounded stupid girl approach.
He takes off my blindfold and looks me in the eyes, anger evident on his face.
"See, you know I'm not stupid, and I find it insulting that you think that I would believe that crap" He glares. "You're the strongest ninja in your village at the moment, aside from Sasuke and Naruto of course. Kakashi is a threat, but he well, he's too busy with his perverted books."
"And you see that's the difference between me and Kakashi…He likes fiction.. I like the real thing" He whispers into my ear. I start to struggle as he licks up my cheek and around my ear.
"Now Sakura, tell me where Sasuke is. It's either that or I'll be forced to let myself and my men have their way with you. You see, being down here, we don't get much…companionship" He says with that creepy laugh once again.
"And then we'll of course have to start the injections into your fingertips" He goes on.
Raising a brow he waits for an answer. I spit in his face.
He starts to get rough. He grabs my jaw; bringing his face right up to mine. "Bitch, either talk, or become a common whore. It's your choice."
The burning in my eyes is getting worse. "Fine, we'll start with the injections. I think you'll like it. JUUGO, bring me my things!" He yells into a walky talky. He doesn't say what they are injecting me with out loud. He knows of my reputation with poisons and antidotes.
In comes a large man, tall and burley, with bright orange hair and a sort of orange eyes. Juugo he's called. The name sounds familiar. I can't for the life of me pinpoint why. He keeps his eyes downcast away from me as he hands the items to Kabuto. Juugo is the one who carried me I can tell. He looks very timid actually. Not what I was expecting.
"Last chance Sakura.. WHERE IS SASUKE" Kabuto seethes out.
I just smirk. Completely hiding the fear inside me. Kabuto is famous for his forms of torture. I watch as he fills a syringe with a thick yellowish liquid. The needle is thick and long. I shiver. I'm fucked. So fucked.
In walks another man. Disgusting in appearance. Older, maybe 60, muscular and so tan his skin looks like leather. He grins at me and licks his lips.
"Layaro, have at her while I inject her. It'll make this process all the more enjoyable." Kabuto tells the man who grins even wider at me.
He doesn't speak. He immediately comes at my mouth, practically slobbering on me as he tries to pry my lips open with his tongue. The absolute most disgusting experience of my life. I feel gross. Dirty.
He starts squeezing my clothed breasts hard. He grinds against my crotch with his, pulling me against him by grabbing my ass, even against the chains.
I see Kabuto come over to me and stand facing my hand. Layaro starts to pull one of my bra straps down my arm, leaving the other one on, exposing what he seemed to be longing for.
I scream when I feel the needle push against the skin under my fingernail. After this excruciating pain the needle finally pierces the skin. I can't make a sound. I feel like I may pass out from the pain. Tears stream down my face against my will.
I start to vomit all over Layaro's head as he's at my chest with his mouth. He screams in anger and punches me in my face. Hard. As he sulks out of the room, I'm guessing to go clean his hair, I noticed that Juugo is sitting in the corner, his hands over his ears, as he stares at the wall.
I vomit again which seems to make Kabuto grin. I'm alone. I'm afraid. I shut myself off as Layaro comes back in and puts his mouth back on my breast. I stop letting myself feel anything. It's easier this way.
The door crashes open suddenly and I watch with heavy eyes as Sasuke runs in, red eyes ablaze. I see him zero in on me and his eyes darken in anger in a way I've only seen when he tried to kill Itachi back in our younger days.
His lightning filled arm grabs Layaro by the neck and he uses his other arm to push Kabuto away from me and against the wall. Kabuto loses his grip around the needle and it stays in my finger dangling. I feel relief though, not having it pushed into my finger any farther.
Kabuto just laughs. He fucking laughs. He reminds me of Orochimaru. I'm sure that's what he's been going for.
"Sasuke my friend, how nice it is to see you! We've been searching long and far for a chance to speak with you." Kabuto weezes out. Sasuke just grips his neck tighter. I watch as Juugo keeps himself impaired to what is going on around him. He just rocks back and forth. I have a curiosity burning in me as to why such a large man is cowering in fear. It doesn't make sense.
"Anyway, we want you back. Orochimaru would've wanted you to stay loyal with us. Karin has been keeping watch over the guys at the base. With you in our midst, we could be unstoppable!" Kabuto coughs out with excitement shining in his eyes.
Sasuke squeezes harder. Silence.
"What!? Why in the hell not?" Kabuto looks utterly confused.
"Fuck yourself." Sasuke responds darkly. Blankly.
"You're kidding obviously. Karin would give herself to you in every way possible. You would have ultimate wealth and indisputable power! How isn't that beneficial to you!? You goddamn brat!" Kabuto seethes.
It's a good question. Sasuke glances at me.
"Well then. We'll see how this plays out then. You better watch your back though, I should warn you. Not to mention that little cherry blossom you seem to be enamored with." He says with a sarcastic laugh. "And you can have Juugo back. He's more of a nuisance than help these days"
Within a blink of my burning eyes he's gone. Sasuke punches the wall where Kabuto just stood. He finishes choking Layaro to death and drops him on the floor.
I refuse to meet his eyes as he gently pulls my bra strap back up covering my exposed, bruised, breast. He softly melts away the chakra bonds in the latches while searching my face for answers. More tears fall down my face. He grasps my waist as he lets my jelly like legs adjust to standing on their own once again. They can't. It's difficult because any sharp movement I make reminds me of the intense pain that's seeping from my hands into my whole body. Sasuke picks me up and I can't even put up a fight. It seems like this is going to be our thing. I get hurt and Sasuke picks me up. Just like when were kids. The thought hurts me harder than my physical pain.
"Juugo.." I lightly call reaching out to the hysterical man's shoulder. I pump the little bit of chakra I have left into him to soothe his anxiousness. He melts into my hand after a few tense seconds. The man shakily looks up at me and I feel a pinch at my heart. This man is terrified. Of what exactly I'm uncertain. Then I see his eyes light up like a small child as he looks over my shoulder.
"Sasuke!" He yells as he charges at Sasuke's ready figure with me still in his arms. This is starting to make sense to me. A little.
"Sasuke you must introduce me to the nice lady! Oh but first how are you? OHHHH it is so good to see you again!" Juugo exclaims with a giddy laugh shaking around Sasuke's body in a bear hug like a rag doll with me between them. Sasuke just takes it. It is such an odd sight. He doesn't hug him back but he lets the man be close in that matter.
"Oh I should probably lead you two back to town then! Good job with Kabuto! Sorry about him. We should especially hurry. She needs to get some rest. I just couldn't watch because I was starting to get angry and I didn't want to hurt her!" Juugo says sadly.
"Juugo..why did you go back to Kabuto?" Sasuke inquires quietly.
"Well…when we- let's talk as we walk to the sub.- when we disbanded, you left so fast and I looked for you almost everywhere I could think of and there was no trail from you. Kabuto was the only one left that was strong enough to stop me when I went on a binge. I didn't really have a choice if I didn't want to hurt anybody. Karin tried, and so did Suigetsu but they just... couldn't." He informs Sasuke sadly.
I feel so sorry for the man.
"Juugo" I add in. "Why don't you come back to Konoha with us. There are plenty of ninja that would be strong enough and more than willing to help you. You'd be welcomed with open arms and I will try my very hardest to help you with whatever you need." I tell the large man from the safety of Sasuke's arms.
His eyes brighten even more if possible after seeing Sasuke who is staying silent. I feel him squeeze me tighter to his chest. I know he wants to make sure I'm okay, but I just can't talk about that yet. Questions are in his eyes and part of me wants to tell him everything that happened. But I just can't. I'm not his problem.
"Oh yes lady! I would appreciate that very much!" Then stops short "As long as it's okay with Sasuke" He says turning toward the quiet man.
"hn." Which is what both Juugo and I know as yes. "Well then miss, let me take you guys back to town."
I like this guy. For some reason he helps me stay relaxed. For years now people have been timid while talking to me. Both scared to piss me off or insult me and break fragile little Sakura.
Once we get into the sub it takes maybe 10 minutes for us to rise to the surface right near the beach. The sun is starting to rise and I can see our clothes exactly where we left them.
As Juugo helps me out Sasuke goes and gets our clothes. He has to help me put my clothes on because whatever Kabuto injected me with had drained my energy and made every inch of my body ache. It's decided that Juugo will travel back with us to Konoha tomorrow morning, giving us all of today and tonight to sleep.
Juugo goes back to the underwater building to set off a timed bomb that he made himself to destroy Kabuto's base.
I start to head toward the Kage's tower but Sasuke stops me by grabbing my arm glaring at me. "You really think you should be doing anything else except resting?" He asks incredulously.
"Yes Sasuke. She needs to know that they don't have to live in fear for the time being!" I say trying to keep going. "I'll report to her but first we're taking you straight to the inn" He says. He insists again grabbing my arm but I pull away sharply.
"I'm perfectly capable of walking there myself!" I say loudly. I don't need anyone else's help. After what happened I feel like my 12 year old self once again and I fucking hated it.
"Fine!" Sasuke says stomping off toward the tower.
I let out an irritated huff heading, very slowly, toward the inn. The man I remember from my last trip here directes me to our room. He gives me a complimentary basket of goods for the deeds I had done in the hospital the last time I was here. I had apparently helped his wife.
I thank him graciously and head straight for the bathroom once I get into the room. I shower and once I'm done washing the grime off of myself I turn it to the bath setting and let the hot water fill the tub. I like having the water so hot that my body has to adjust to it; it helps my muscles relax easier.
This is exactly what I needed. I hear the door open and close. I then hear Sasuke step close to the bathroom door and I make sure to turn on the massaging jets so he can hear that I'm in here. It works and I hear him sit down on the bed. I try to relax.
Sasuke had scared off Kabuto it seems. The city is safe for now. Everything will be fine. I keep telling myself this as I sink under the water letting it engulf me with its heat.
Everything should be ok.
Sasuke seems to be.
When will I?
Naruto is. Ino is. Everyone is.
Me? I want…I just want my family back. I want my little sister to be alive, growing up and becoming strong, and marrying a handsome ninja.
That isn't even one of my blind hopes that I used to have while I was in denial. Just a dream where they still exist.
The burning in my eyes is starting to dwindle into just a small bit of irritation.
Maybe it's just time for me to accept everything. But I will NEVER go back to being the one who always needs saving. I can already feel myself expecting to look around and see Sasuke beside me somewhere. That is not something that will happen again.
Goddammit. I really need a haircut. It's already grown to under my shoulder blades. As I'm running a hand through my wet hair I start to realize that the water has lost its warmth so I get out and dry off wrapping myself in one of the soft bathrobes. The innkeeper had offered to wash our clothes which I took him up on. He said he'd have them ready tomorrow morning so I guess I'll be sleeping in the robe.
As I walk out of the bathroom I see Sasuke lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. He doesn't look up as I come out and he is in his boxers so I gather that he had given the man his clothes also.
I sit on the bed and started to go through the basket. Fruits, tomatoes, some more of the really good bread Sasuke had brought with us to the beach.
The beach. Eating and swimming. Laughing. Enjoying ourselves. I hadn't felt so relaxed in years. Even my constant migraine had been gone.
Is that something that I hadn't known all these years? That Sasuke Uchiha has a sense of humor?
I think that maybe it's putting into place the thoughts that had been churning in my head for a while now.
Maybe I should just go after Itachi and go waste away in some lonesome town. Everyone would be better off without me. They could move on. Kabuto was my punishment for letting go on the beach, I just know it. It's karma telling me that I deserve all of this uneasiness and sadness. Sasuke would meet a woman to restore his clan with..someone to laugh with...as much as the thought unnerves me. Laughter just isn't in the cards for me anymore.
"Sleep. We have all day and night to sleep and you're wasting it." Sasuke grunts. I don't bother responding, he's right. I'd be less of a burden if I'm well rested.
I lay down. It feels awkward and weird. Different from the time we spent in the cave. My eyes almost immediately start to droop.
Sasuke's POV
What in the hell just happened? I think I might be undergoing whiplash as I lay here next to Sakura's sleeping form. Yesterday evening Sakura had been laughing and joking around and I was starting to relax for once and the next thing I know I'm chasing after Sakura saving her from being tortured to death by Kabuto.
Ever since we got back she's been jumpy and harsh around me. It feels like she's back to hating me again. At least she's finally getting some real sleep.
Seeing Juugo again was surprising to say the least. It brought back those shitty feelings of being away from Konoha. Out of everyone I conversed with and went on missions with while I was gone, Juugo is the one I honestly missed. He depended on me in a way that reminded me of having a certain bubbly pink haired Kunoichi leaning on me..expecting to turn and see me beside her.
I'm actually really glad that he's coming to live with us in Konoha. We can keep him safe. The way Juugo let Sakura so easily be near him was surprising as well. But then again Sakura has that effect on people even though she doesn't realize it. People that are strangers instantly take a liking to her. When she isn't so sleep deprived that she looks like a zombie that is.
Hopefully things will get better with us. I know I might not be the easiest person to talk to, but living with me won't be too hard for her I don't think. We still have six months left to live together so here's hoping.
I glance at her..her chest rising with the deep repetition of sleep. I become more relaxed. It's nice watching her sleep because it's one of the only times I get to witness her features when they're relaxed. Without her brows furrowed in anger or frustration. I finally got to see her relaxed with me on the beach and I hope to god or whoever exists, that I get to witness it again.
That's why I need to protect her. She had to deal with more pain with Kabuto because I couldn't catch up to her in time. When I had walked in at the sight of her latched against the wall bleeding and crying with that...thing violating her. I wanted to let the seal take me over right then and there. But I didn't want Sakura to witness me like that like she had years before.
My anger induced shaking is finally starting to die down. Maybe I can just rest my eyes for a few hours.
I'm starting to get used to the warmth that is Sakura Haruno leaning on me. It's such a comforting warmth. I woke up a few times during the night and she seemed to notice my movement even in her sleep. She grabbed onto my shirt, gripping it like she was worried my body would leave her. I fell back asleep promptly afterwards. She has nightmares though and it broke my heart to hear her cry out for her parents in her sleep.
Now as I look around I can see the sunlight seeping through the curtains.
I turn to Sakura and I can feel heat shoot straight into my cheeks... and into my groin. I can see her breasts pressed together against my chest. Her bathrobe has come undone just enough to give me an idea of what they might look like without anything covering them. I shake my eyes away and toward the big bruise on her face. I wince, thinking about what had happened to her.
I try to move quietly out from under her but she stirs and her eyes slowly open. I watch her glazed tired eyes take in her surroundings. As they zero in on my face she looks at me with confusion then she seems to relax. But then straight back to that wonderful Haruno aggravation. She gets up and goes to the door opening it to get our clothes out of the basket then heads to the bathroom. When she comes back out I'm dressed and we're ready.
We meet up with Juugo at the city entrance and I see Sakura look back at the hospital then start walking out of the city. We stop and take a break at the cave to eat and take a breather. Breathing seems to be a little difficult for Sakura this time around. Juugo and Sakura are hitting it off though.
Eventually we make it back to Konoha the next day and the only words Sakura had uttered to me were about our pace and what we would tell Tsunade when we get back. Apparently it had been to visit Lin because Sakura had started to miss her.
When we get to the gates there is a worried Naruto and Ino. And not far behind them is a verrrry pissed of Tsunade. Once we apologize multiple times Naruto and Ino finally let us leave with the angry Hokage and a confused Juugo trailing after us.
"Tsunade-sama.." Sakura starts off but is cut off by the lady pointing at Juugo and I sharply then at the bench outside of her office. Sakura quietly trails behind her. For a while I sit there only hearing hushed voices but gradually the volume of their conversation gets loud enough for me to make it out.
"I understand that Sakura, I really do, but you are one of the future leaders of this village and you can't just go gallivanting off"-
"I wasn't gallivanting! I was researching. Yeah. I was finding out about the reports that you so carefully kept from making its way onto my desk. Luckily someone thought they were important enough for me to see!" Sakura is seething.
"Sakura , I only kept that information from you to protect you. You were beginning to look like your old self again and if you would've known about the files and reports, I thought you might start to self-destruct Don't pretend that this change in your attitude doesn't have anything to do with the fact that the Uchiha boy is back and that you know he's safe." I hear a scoff come from Sakura.
"I am a full grown woman. I can come and go as I please. Unless you put me on probation as well. Now if you don't mind, please keep from interfering with my ability to do my job!" I hear from Sakura.
Out of the door comes a swift stomping Sakura followed by a slower moving Tsunade. What surprises me though, is that there is a smile on the woman's face.
"You do realize how pissed she is right? Or are you drunk" I ask incredulously. Tsunade just waves it off with her hand. "At least it's progress. She feels something…and she's talking about it." I hear come from her while I walk after Sakura.
I know my hunch is right and that she wouldn't go home. She'd let out her steam on some poor tree somewhere. I see her pink hair fly around as she pounds and kicks at the tree. There is a voice that starts speaking.
She stops short and says something so I mask my chakra and jump to a closer tree to be able to hear better. I don't want to eavesdrop but I'm not really allowed to be away from Sakura. "It would've been nice of you to let me know you were going, regardless of whether or not it was planned Sakura, I deserve at least that. You can't keep doing this to me!" Naruto. He scratches his head.
When she responds her voice lacks the distrust and anger that she has when she talks to me.
"I know you do Naruto and I know I can't. It's just.. I remember so much when I'm near him. It's too much to handle...sometimes..." She tries explaining. I can hear that she isn't telling him everything.
"I know. I do too. But he's our friend and we finally get him back. And were starting to get you back too Sakura. We have the chance to be a team again! Do you know how badly I want that?" I can hear a hint of that famous Uzumaki anger.
"I know Naruto! I'm trying! I really am!" Sakura sounds so sad. Desperately trying to make Naruto happy. I'm almost angry at Naruto's impatience with her. She deserves all the time she needs after everything she's been through.
"Then try harder!" He yells. Realizing his tone he lowers his voice to softly continue. "We can be happy again. You and Sasuke too. You don't have to keep chasing and fighting. We can be like Iruka and Kakashi and be senseis!" Naruto says with a desperation of his own.
I hear a deep sigh come from Sakura as Naruto pauses obviously debating something.
…
"Hinata's pregnant." Silence.
"I'm…really happy for you guys…Naruto." She responds with a hitch in her voice.
"You're a shit liar, Sakura" Naruto says as he pulls her to him in a deep grasping hug. The embrace of two best friends who had been through hell together.
"I love you so much, Naruto"
"I love you too, Sakura... You know, it was always supposed to be you…in my head. From the minute I met you and saw that pink hair of yours. But now I see it would never work. Hinata is the best thing for me. I have to stop thinking, what if you loved me as more than a best friend? What if I had been there to help you through those dark years of yours when you'd run away for months on end? What if you didn't love Sasuke? But it's just how things are… and I'm going to be a father, so I can't always be worried that you're going to walk yourself off a cliff. I'll love you no matter what. But it's going to be different this time." Naruto says with a kiss to Sakura's forehead and with that he's gone.
Sakura just stands there for a moment and I watch a wave of anguish pass through her face and a sob escape her lips. I watch the pain register on her face as she punches the ground with all her might with sobs continuing to wrack through her body. It cracks and splits in every direction. Her brute strength still surprises me.
I never knew that the bond between them was so strong. But I missed so much. It pains me to think about how much I wasn't there for them…for her. But I can be here for her now.
"Sakura…". I call out softly to her causing her to jolt back into a defensive stance. She doesn't expect me to be right in front of her but I am. As much as I want to kiss her tears away, I just pull her tense body into my arms and hold her tightly. She struggles as much as she can with all of her energy and chakra used up.
"Sakura. It's okay." I whisper into her ear. Slowly I feel her sag against me. Her head resting as tall as my ear. I never knew she was tall. I never paid attention. She sobs and it's a heart wrenching sound. I can feel the heartbreak she feels about Naruto. He was harsh. If their bond is what I think, hearing that Hinata is pregnant is soul crushing for Sakura, I'm sure. But I felt the heartbreak in his words as well.
"Lets get you home, huh?" I ask her. She has dark circles under her eyes and the bruises on her neck, face, and arms are a reminder of how much she's been through recently. I take the initiative to take her legs out from under her. She doesn't even protest as I carry her back to the house. She looks too tired to care.
We get inside and I realize she's asleep and I take her directly upstairs to the bed. She doesn't even stir as I lay her down except to tighten the grip she has on my shirt. I decide to take the leap and keep her in my arms as we lay down. She sighs contently and I shut my eyes to the sound of her deep breaths.
The next month we begin to talk in passing in the house. We don't talk about that conversation with Naruto or what she went through with Kabuto. Just on casual terms.
Recently Naruto, Sakura, and I got put on an ANBU team with Kakashi as our leader and we now go on missions together once again. It was tense for a little while but we quickly get back into our old groove. It's been a great time actually.
When we get back from our most recent mission Tsunade finally agrees to let me go where I please within the confines of the village on my own as long as I keep living with Sakura. It's a great feeling to be able to train by myself once in a while. Sometimes I even let Naruto come along or drag Sakura with me. It really is almost like old times. Naruto never stops talking even for a breath. That's still something that hasn't changed. Now I just bask in it. I have my best friends back for the most part and it's nice. Very nice.
Whilst thinking this I'm cutting a tomato into slices when I hear a hard knock at the door. I open it and there's Naruto, brows furrowed in thought. He looks up as the door opens. "Sasuke. I need a favor."