She didn't understand.
Nearly every morning, at the least four times in a week, Naruto and Sasuke are late to their meeting at the bridge. But more importantly, they're dead.
"What happened to you two?" Sakura asked, already knowing their answer.
"Ah! I fell out of my bed again, haha, guess I should start sleeping on the floor-"
"Hn."
The two of them, looked away from her simultaneously, and her body prickled uneased. She hated being left out of the loop, their team dynamic. And not knowing something. She should've figured it out by now… or at least made Naruto spill.
"Well!-" she started, without a plan of how to finish her sentence. How can Sakura ask aloud… whether or not they even slept last night, when they're bodies looked so beat up?
Naruto was better off, of course, like he usually is. His orange jumpsuit was only a little bit torn, his hair mussed more than usual. Still, he walked with such a sprig in his step, the strained gait unnoticeable to an untrained eye. Not hers. But despite all, he's not tired. Naruto was always first to always recover in their team, with plenty of energy to spare. Sakura would be envious if she could explore the feeling further. Unfortunately, she knew only too well how quick Naruto gets himself into trouble… and whether that was on account of the immense stamina he holds, she doesn't know, but.
He certainly needed it more. He's not as bedraggled as Sasuke-kun.
Oh. Crap. Sasuke.
The boy looked as if he's coming down with the flu, red nose, cheeks, the works, but Sakura had calculated that it's not another four months until flu season… not to mention they've all been vaccinated prior to graduation. Flipping through the pages in her mind, she knew for sure that they haven't interacted with anyone sick in the past week, their recent mission of rearranging the village library took a total of 12 days, 5 of which were supervised by Kakashi-sensei, the rest by an unknown chuunin. Neither of them were sick, not her, and definitely not Naruto, the kid has an iron body.
Then-
She thought she knew Sasuke, who'd never spend recreation time with anyone. Well, whoever he was with she already doesn't like them, and it's not because that girl is potential competition. No, of course not.
(Okay… maybe a little.)
She just doesn't want him to get sick, he doesn't heal like Naruto can, and well, he doesn't have anyone at home to take care of him. Unfortunately, he's showing all the worst symptoms, breaths out his mouth, pale skin colored weak, red-dark circles, blue veins protruding-
"Sasuke-kun, would you like to visit the Nara compound?" she asked, innocently, already planning on barraging him with medicines to carry home. Vitamin C capsules, acetaminophens… "Kakashi-sensei has warned us that, you know…"
"What?" he said abruptly. Dark eyes looked (glared) at her.
She blushed. "Well, that our next mission will be longer and more strenuous. We might not get enough time to eat. We should stock up on fresh rations and chakra pills, they expire fast. Naruto too," she looked at the hyper ninja of their team, forcing him with her eyes to agree with her. "Well?"
"But Sakura-chan! Rations are icky, I have lots of travel ramen saved up-"
"We can't cook during a mission!"
"It's just boiling water, I'll ask Sasuke-teme to warm it with his fire jutsu."
"It's a matter of time and convenience, we can't stop to boil water for ramen." Probably.
"Then…" Naruto paused to think, his face scrunched up in a pout, eyes squinted. "Well, I could just soak the ramen cold?"
Ugh. Ew. Sakura couldn't help that her lips curl, she would normally want to keep her face pretty and serene in front of Sasuke but this is a moment that warrants abject disgust. God, Naruto…
The image of bloated pale noodles… she shivered.
"Please don't. I think that'd make you sick." It's about to make me sick! Her inner yelled. Sakura shook her head of her other self, and the visuals. Time to retreat and drop the conversation, she'll think of another plan later.
"Nevermind."
Correction. Fifth time this week.
"Kakashi-sensei?"
The older ninja looked up from his porn book momentarily, to acknowledge her (she could never tell if he was still reading or noticing, though he is a ninja at multitasking).
She progressed with plan B. Snitch. "Do you know what's wrong with Naruto and Sasuke, they don't appear as fresh as usual."
Kakashi closed his book with a clap, and gave her his full attention.
"You're right, good observation."
Yes! Inner Sakura pumped a fist, and Outer nodded wisely. She was glad that she hadn't been imagining things herself… and now, Kakashi will be on her side.
"Everytime I ask I can tell they're lying to me…" she trailed, her voice despondent. She doesn't like to be left out from the boys, but such a thing happens far too often than she can count. "I don't know why."
"Maa, Sakura-kun, don't worry so much about it. They're here, aren't they?" Kakashi crinkled at his one eye, and cocked his head north. They both looked up far ahead of them where Naruto and Sasuke were walking, or rather arguing along the beaten path, orange and blue. Her sensei rested a hand in her hair, ruffling the style that she carefully prepared that morning.
"Sensei!"
He (of course) dodged the offense against his gloved hand. His mask twitched at the corners.
Tch. She'd have to find out by herself.
It's been four hours.
Sakura understood that boys will be boys, and her boys at that will be even more immature (including Sasuke) but this… this was absolutely ridiculous.
They continued to spar, if that was what this could be called, because she wouldn't label this as light of a term as 'sparring'. Naruto and Sasuke fought, taijutsu only as they've long ran out of chakra, their fists all that's left to their name. They're violent, fatal blows barely dodged, dirty tricks used and abused. Naruto was an orange blur, his pranks coming in handy now, Sakura would bet, as she watched him hold his own against Sasuke. Her Uchiha, on the other hand, was much the same, Sharingan blazed to aid his taijutsu, his legs moving so fast.
This was a death match.
She never got the impression today that they were upset at each other, at least nothing more than usual. And she had stalked followed them all day, her steps quiet, controlled chakra muted to invisibility, tracking skills put to the test. Nothing. Nothing except this war, one that she could tell will only end in one of two ways.
Hospitalization and hospitalization.
Why are boys so stupid? Sakura asked herself, as she hid crouched within the cover of a tree, her perch that gave her unlimited access to the scene happening before her. She gripped the branch she sat on and shook her head sadly.
Well, she might as well watch them, and help them to the clinic after they're "done". Sakura rolled her eyes.
That time was coming closer. Naruto was too slow to escape, Sasuke took advantage swiftly, and got the handle on him. With a kick to the head, down, into the dirt, Sakura winced and hissed in empathy, Naruto was no more. He didn't move from his spot, didn't start another of his cool stupid speeches that Sakura would deny to the grave ever being inspired by (though Inner liked hearing them). He's eerily quiet, and she was worried.
….Actually, she shouldn't have bothered.
In moments so fast she couldn't track (in her defense she closed her eyes because she couldn't bear to see Naruto beat down like that) Sasuke too fell to the ground. Sakura doesn't know what exactly happened, but she could guess that Naruto had an out-of-the-park plan like always, the crazy idiot. Her Inner cheered (that traitor) Outer Sakura gasped for her Uchiha, who now laid in the grass, spent, next to Naruto. They've exhausted everything, the match had finally come to an end. A draw.
Not the first draw they've had, if the relaxed smiles (smirk on Sasuke) on their faces is anything to go by. Then again, five times every week, maybe more.
Sakura and Inner are reminded, grow incinerated, anger boiling red hot through her veins. Her green eyes glowered. This was the stupidest training ritual they could ever have that she was made to watch and she's about to go give them a piece of her mind: about safety and stress and muscle tearing and chakra abuse-
"Nah, Sasuke, can you walk?" Sakura paused at the question.
"Hmph. Can you?"
Naruto took time, a full twenty seconds (she counted!) to turn to the other boy, his body so strained he couldn't move his muscles much at all. He grinned widely.
"Nope!" he said with stupid pride.
Sasuke snorted, his tiredness apparent, but a relaxed countenance showed across his face. She could see his head rested against Konoha grasses, eyes turned to the sky and stars.
"Is that so?" he asked with small smile. His eyes were closed.
Naruto shifted back on his back, raggedly breathing, until he too closed his eyes.
"Mmhmm. Bet you didn't expect my sneak attack…"
"Hnn."
"And-" Naruto yawned widely, Sakura could only copy him, it was late. "I got you with my paint bomb…"
"Hn."
"Did you...?"
"Mm."
"Good-" Naruto tried to finish his sentence, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was a violent snore.
"-night."
Oh crap. They're asleep.
The first rule of a ninja is to not sleep undefended, and her boys are breaking that rule through and through.
Sakura jumped out of her perch on the tree, landing next to where they lay. Naruto had his arms spread wide, inviting all points of weakness, tender areas where an enemy ninja can strike. He had a smile on his face, like hell that'd stop anyone, and Sakura wanted to smack that smile off and awake and safe-
Sasuke-kun wasn't any better.
He's curled (cute), pale arms crossed at the chest, at least protecting something. But that doesn't excuse the fact that he's dead to the world, they're both asleep, unprotected in an open clearing of one of Konoha's many practice fields, the easiest entrance for foreign mercenaries…
Sakura could punch a wall, but that won't solve anything. She doesn't know what to do.
She's definitely not leaving them here, but she fully believed they needed hospitalization, one night, or at least a check-up visit. She can't carry them both herself, her clones won't last very long, Sakura frowned in thought, and the way back to the village takes approximately 50 minutes on foot…
Sakura lowered herself to her knees, decided on Naruto first.
She slapped his cheek repeatedly.
"Naruto… Naruto, you baka, wake up, I can't carry you!" her hand started to sting but she didn't care. This idiot had to get up.
The idiot in question only opened his mouth and drooled in response.
"Mmm… Sakura-chan~" he said with a creepy smile.
She almost screamed.
Promptly giving up on him, she does not want to learn more what dreams he's currently having of her, Sakura focused on the other sleeping boy.
"Sasuke-kun?" she hesitated to touch him, not because she's afraid of what he'll think but… Inner was getting too excited, and she doesn't trust her hands.
Maybe she shouldn't enjoy this too much.
"Um, Sasuke-kun," Sakura rested a palm on his shoulder (that's safe, right?) and shook lightly. "You need to wake up, please, you shouldn't sleep here."
Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly, she did watch them for four hours) the pale boy didn't make any response. He only groaned and curled even further.
This wasn't working. They're too passed out to move.
With a whispered message to her parents who were expecting her, Sorry, mom and dad, Sakura made her seat where she was, swiped at the grasses beneath her for bugs and tried not to get too comfortable.
Now to keep herself sentry and awake… Sakura steeled her eyes, stifling her growing yawn.
She's a kunoichi, she could do this.
(Dammit.)
Sakura groggily filtered through her morning brain the sound of conversation, of Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei's voices and… Pakkun?
"-it's surprising to find one's students attend later than their teacher. Should I get into the habit of tracking you all every morning?"
"Ne, Kakashi-sensei, we were just getting in extra training!"
"She's awake." Sasuke stated simply. Pakkun hummed in agreement.
Sakura blinked. Her eyes noticed through the soft early sun-lighting, her team, Naruto who grinned at her with a thumbs up, Sasuke who rolled his eyes, Pakkun who raised a furry eyebrow, and Kakashi-sensei who eye-crinkled smiled.
Her mind freezes with realization at the sleeping position she's in, legs cracked indecently wide, crusty mouth and eyes, Ino who's always teased with a laugh 'you snore like a sheep', and she hasn't washed her face, brushed her teeth, her insane bed-head-
Sakura eep-ed, sat up with a start and snapped her knees shut. She blushed all the way up to her ears, shades pinker than her hair. This was the worst!
"Good morning Sakura-chan, are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?" Naruto was too close for comfort.
Indecisive between pushing Naruto away and/or retreating back to sleep in the hopes that'd she'd forget, (Oh, no, Sasuke was watching!), she slapped her hands over her face, ashamed.
"I can't believe you didn't wake me up!" she berated herself, her Inner crying, I wasn't supposed to fall asleep!
"You looked so tired, we figured we'd wait until you woke up and then leave together… and then you slept in, I guess," Naruto scratched the back of his neck, smiled wide at her. Sasuke harrumphed, and Sakura blushed even further, if that was possible.
She hugged the orange jacket closer, only belatedly realizing what she was holding.
"Naruto!"
"Well, you were shivering so I-" he trailed.
What about you? Sakura thought, and she doesn't know exactly when this night sparring started, but if Naruto was already getting used to the cold…
"-I'd have given it to Sasuke-teme over here, but he'd probably set me on fire."
"Hn."
"Well," Sensei started, interrupted the conversation and her growing thoughts, and Sakura rubbed at her eyes to focus on him. The morning glare was blinding, she suspected he probably knew and did that on purpose somehow. Kakashi-sensei smiled. "Since we've all gathered and rested nicely maybe everyone's ready for some training?"
She'll never, ever sleep in again. Kakashi-sensei didn't hold back at all.
Though Naruto and Sasuke have recovered somewhat. They (or just Sasuke) struggled through the mission for that day, as if their fight never happened. Orange and blue, yet again, pushing each other as they walked down Konoha streets to the marketplace. She didn't know where they get their energy, but it's tiring to keep watching them. And annoying, (maybe she was a little envious). Sakura now had the sniffles, violent and red and wet, but at least she figured out why Sasuke's getting sick.
He's apparently been sleeping in the open air just like she did (unwillingly) the cold spring nights and even colder mornings, no blanket, no pillow, no shelter, and Naruto too-
Maybe the imaginary competition girl would've been better. She slumped.
If Naruto won't spill a word, Sakura mused as she walked toward her other teammate, she'd have to try her luck with Sasuke.
(Now that she knew what, she just needed to find out why…)
"Sasuke-kun?"
The pale boy turned to her, a thin eyebrow raised. Sakura steeled herself.
Honesty is the best policy and all. She didn't think she could lie to him very successfully, not for a second time (and it is Sasuke-kun looking at her). She gripped her red qipao to steady herself.
"I was watching the two of you fight yesterday…" Her clothing twisted in her hand and she turned away from dark eyes. Sakura didn't feel ashamed for following them, though she should. The only thing laid heavy and churning in her stomach was worry, leftover upset, and granted, a little bright curiosity. She allowed the first feeling to seep into her voice. "Why would you fight so hard… until you both passed out?" she asked, earnestly curious.
Sasuke's face slackened, shock, she thought, though rare for him to show any emotion she's kind of proud to achieve such a reaction. She should be the one in shock, however. Sakura waited.
"I forget." Sasuke said, uncharacteristically muted, and… shy? Sakura's face frowned.
"You forgot 'why'?"
"No…" He shrugged. "I just forget the state of my body, that's all."
Her green eyes squinted thinly, pink eyebrows furrowed, another ugly face, but she's confused.
"That doesn't make any sense." She stated without of lick of restraint. Sasuke flushed in embarrassment.
"Hn." He said, eyes averted.
Sakura processed her recent words, calculating in her brain, and then- "I mean, I'm sorry I was rude, Sasuke-kun!"
He's silent.
"I'll just leave you alone now…" she said guilty, shuffling away. Escape.
That was a bust. Inner commented needlessly. Outer could only nod in morose agreement.
It'd become a habit now.
In her state of constant worry over Sasuke-kun (and a little bit maybe Naruto) she started attending their fights consistently. Sakura still wondered over the reasons why, still hid herself away from their presence (though she thought, they probably knew she was there) and still kept guard (tried being the key word) when they surely fell asleep. She couldn't do this all the time, her parents were waiting at home for her, but she wanted to. It's just not safe…
But. She refused to be stupid, like her teammates. She prepared, and now expecting the final result, she brought defenses.
Now, she waited.
"Ah, such soft blankets, mind if I have one?"
Sakura almost fell out of the tree.
With a hand clutching her racing heart, chakra control being the only saving grace to her name and her life, she bottled the high-pitched yelp inside her. Her eyes glared at her sensei.
"No!" I almost died!
"I'm hurt, Sakura," Kakashi-sensei said with a masked smile. He squatted a meter away, on her branch. He shook his porn, waving it side-to-side like it was a finger. "What if I get a cold?"
"Then bring your own," She whisper-yelled, hugging the blankets and pillows tightly to her chest. These were for Sasuke and Naruto and not herself because she's technically supposed to keep guard.
(Though that never actually happened, Inner piped and Sakura blushed.)
Shut up.
"That woe-is-me act won't work, sensei." She said, as Kakashi sniffled sadly and wiped at (nothing!) his mask. His eye crinkled.
"Maa, it wasn't an act… I'm really hurt."
Almost instantly, she hesitated, guilty, wringing her hands in her blankets.
"Well, I guess Sasuke and Naruto could share one and you could have the other..."
"And you?" Kakashi settled into the tree, cracking open his book.
"Maa, I didn't know you were so bold as to sleep with Sasuke, kids sure grow up so fast these days."
Sakura screeched. Her sensei calmly expected that (she hated him already) his palms covered over his ears. She didn't notice how Naruto and Sasuke stopped at the sound.
"You dirty old teach, that's not it, I swear, I'm just keeping watch!"
"Ah, 'watching', now is it?"
"Nooo!" Sakura blushed to her toes and cheeks and neck, and shook her head wildly. Kakashi giggled, seriously, the grown ninja had to cover his shifting mask with his book.
Sakura lamented what was her life, gone, she should've fell out the tree, Inner nodded in agreement. She cried internally at the unfairness of it all until she felt a large hand pat her head.
"I'm only kidding, Sakura. Why don't you take the things you've brought and all of you go to rest, really sleep." He gestured to the boys below and chuckled to himself. "I'll keep watch, hm?"
She was suspicious.
"Are you sure?" She did a once-over over the bright orange erotica, eccentricity, and the general laziness. She scowled at her findings. "You won't read your porno book, would you?"
"Me? Never."
His tone of voice wasn't the least bit reassuring. Sakura frowned.
"You can't okay, really. Otherwise…"
"Mm. Mm." Kakashi nodded with exaggeration. Past her notice and despite her advanced chakra control, he promptly pushed her, kicked her off the tall tree.
Luckily, blankets and pillows. Unluckily, just blankets and pillows.
"You stupid sensei, are you trying to kill me! I could've died, ahh-!" Sakura flailed on her back as she felt a bug crawl up her side. The ninja in the trees only grinned, she could tell beneath his stupid mask.
He waved away. She groaned.
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto worried, and Sasuke stood beside him. She immediately adjusted herself upright.
"I was-" she started, yet again without a plan to finish her sentence. Sakura wanted to offer them her blankets and pillows, bright floral pink in her hands, (she didn't even think of color, crap) but she didn't want them to be too stubborn to accept. And well, Sakura had originally planned on catching them unawares after they knocked each other out…
Honesty is the best policy?
"Here!" She stretched out the bundles in her hands, and looked down at her bent knees. Please take it, she prayed. Sakura waited with a small hope.
Tentatively, Sasuke was the first to accept the pink cotton, awkward and slow, his voice quiet. "You didn't have to," he said.
Naruto nodded emphatically, "Yeah, I mean, I'm used to the cold-" and she didn't want to hear the rest.
"Just take it, Naruto!"
"-ah, thanks, Sakura-chan."
"Hn."
When she looked up, the two ninja, her boys, had focused their eyes on the individual grounds before them, embarrassment etched across their faces. Sasuke, his ears reddened, Naruto, his neck, and Sakura… well, she was still curious.
"So why was it again that you were fighting?" Their individual blushes flared.
"Training?" Sakura gave Naruto a look. She raised a pink brow at Sasuke.
"Endurance pract-" Sakura shook her head and he stuttered in his excuse.
She sighed. With a small smile, she decided that she'd let them off the hook, too tired to argue otherwise. Sakura waved them off.
"Well, don't stop on my account, training. I just wanted to make sure that when the two of you finish beating the crap out of each other," Sasuke and Naruto shuffled uncomfortably. "You'll at least be warm."
"So…" Naruto laughed nervous, high-pitched and obnoxiously loud. "Is this like a real sleepover?"
Sakura paused to think. Then, she smiled with a nod.
"Yeah! I guess it is."
"…wait, what do you mean 'real'?"
