NaCl: This fic is dedicated to AnimeLover112! She requested for the sequel to Something's Cooking, and here it is!
Lil bro: Joy…
NaCl: I decided to make a series of one-shots…this one is about how Sakura and Sasuke finally realize their mutual love and get together…
Sasuke: What mutual love?
NaCl: You see, I was watching the fourth or something episode again, and in it, our dear Sasuke-chan mentions that he has two ambitions, one to kill Itachi, which is finished, the second was to rebuild his clan…
Sasuke: Hn…
Lil bro: So, who's the lucky Mrs. Uchiha? And where are the kids?
Sasuke: (dark aura)
NaCl: I wonder if Kishimoto ever thought about who he's going to choose for Sasuke to rebuild his clan with…
Lil bro: Watch it not be Sakura, Ino, or Karin, instead some pathetic civilian from Sunagakure…
NaCl: WTF?
Sasuke: (death glare)
Sakura: (giggles) For that to happen, Sasuke has to man up…
Sasuke: (dark aura + death glare)
NaCl: Do you know how hard it is to write your feelings for Sakura and STILL keep you in character?
Sasuke: Hn.
NaCl: Anyway, this chapter has a serious tone because I think it'll take a lot for Sasuke to admit he likes Sakura. Personally, killing off Sakura was my first option…
Sakura: WHAT? (pulls on black gloves)
NaCl: Have you seen the way the English dub completely slaughters her? She sounds like a blonde brainless cheerleader!
Sakura: Said cheerleader will punch you so hard you'll go through the wall…
NaCl: Anyway, I put Sakura in a lot of danger…so that Sasuke will admit it to her…
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, I would TOTALLY teach Sasuke how to be more social…
Sasuke: Hn…
NaCl: See what I mean?
Poison to My Heart
It had started off as an ordinary day. But then, it always does. But today was different, yet again, because Naruto had decided to give up.
If you don't think there's something wrong with above statement, you need to be admitted to a mental hospital.
This is NARUTO…GIVING UP!
He had finally abandoned the idea of getting Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura together…with some persuasion. Which came in the form of a very scary kunoichi with awesome chakra control, and a cold revenge fanatic with a dangerous kekkei genkai. Basically, Sakura threatened to punch Naruto halfway to Suna if he continued, and Sasuke threatened to use his Mangekyo Sharingan on him.
But the amazing species that is Uzumaki Naruto didn't stay down for long!
He found another project to work on. You know what they say; if at first you don't succeed, take a break. If you still don't succeed, you might want to try something different.
So now Naruto was planning to get another human ice cube and another hot-tempered kunoichi together.
Great idea Naruto! Like it worked last time!
Naruto's idea was to get Hyuuga Neji and Tenten in a small, cramped place…together. 'So that both stubborn idiots could get it going' was how he praised it. There is no need to describe the perverted look on his face…
Or the first attempt that he failed at. Honestly Naruto, Hyuuga and Tenten are smart enough to not accept sweets from a complete stranger. God, even a five-year-old knows that! Even without the telltale smell of sleeping pills…
But this time, it might actually work…
Gaara was visiting Konoha as a part of his state visit. Temari and Kankuro were already here, working on the upcoming Chuunin exams, and he decided to visit his old friends. Naruto was still the same idiot he always was. Gaara seriously doubted if he's ever going to become Hokage.
Gaara sighed, and took off his headpiece. It was so sweltering out, humid even though it was almost dusk, yet his irritating older sister insisted he go out in his full Kazekage robes and headpiece. Damn, even in Suna he didn't wear that ridiculous hat! He wished to become more like Godaime-san; she wore a kimono, not bothering about the paperwork and dignity behind a Kage.
It was then, when he saw them.
It was some random couple lying on the ground, looking like they were making out. This was so not Gaara's day. He made a mental note to never walk down this path again. The sight of two teens, one, presumably the boy, lying on top of the other, the girl, provoked too many disturbing pictures. Even if they had all their clothes on.
He turned around to go back, leaving them there to do whatever they were doing, when the realization hit him hard.
He whipped back to look at the couple, his eyes disbelieving. He was right. Not many kunoichi had that particular color for their hair, and not many shinobi had black hair that looked like the backside of a chicken.
Uchiha Sasuke was on top of Haruno Sakura. Outside. In the middle of a freaking path!
That was it. Gaara turned back to go and nearly ran headlong back to the house he was given when he came here, trying to erase the mental pictures that scarred him.
What he hadn't noticed was the fine, thin, silver webbing that covered the two. Nor the barbs, glistening in the sun. He hadn't seen the pinpricks of blood from where the barbs dug into the Uchiha, nor his clenched fists and scrunched up eyes as he tried to maintain the millimeter distance between him and Sakura. He didn't see Sakura's exhausted face and narrowed eyes, too fatigued to do anything about the situation she was in.
However, Sasuke and Sakura were feeling the effects of their cramped position. They had come out in the early morning to train, as neither had a mission while Naruto and Kakashi had one. When they were coming back at seven in the night, exhausted from the extended sparring, wanting to collapse in bed, a root that neither saw tripped both of them, the net dropping the second later. Sasuke was pierced instantly from the barbs as he tried to get off Sakura. It took all the willpower he had, and he had quite a lot, to not succumb to the pain or the fatigue and keep a distance between him and Sakura, no matter how small.
Personally, what Sakura wanted to do is punch the net and tear a hole into it, but she barely had chakra left. They had left for early morning training, but know it was almost seven in the evening.
She groaned when her stomach growled, she didn't have any lunch either.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Sakura's eyes widened, this was a first, an Uchiha initiating a conversation…
"Yes."
"That fucking dobe, when I get my hands on him I'll torture him so bad Tsunade'll have to clean up the pieces."
"Aa."
"What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with you?"
"…"
"So you admit there's something wrong?"
"Hn."
"Ah, the antisocial Sasuke we all know and love is finally back."
"I hate you."
"The feeling's mutual."
"Stupid net."
"Why don't you just Chidori it?"
"Number one, I'd like to see you do anything when barbs are digging into your skin, and two, if I'd Chidori it, you'll get electrocuted as well."
"…It's at times like this when I wish I was going out with Shikamaru…"
"What?"
"He does such sweet things for Ino, and whenever she's all panicky, which is like all the time, he's always there, calming her down, and giving her solutions to seemingly impossible problems…"
"Like ours?"
"No duh."
"What is his fucking problem, anyway?"
"Naruto seems to think we like each other…"
"I know that…"
"Oh, Sasuke-kun, still thinking about that party a month ago…"
"Those bruises still hurt."
"That's your fault for telling Naruto that I'm pregnant with Sasuke Jr."
"It's his fault for believing it."
"True…"
"I can't believe dobe actually thought…"
"I know…talk about perverted."
"Speaking of perverted, I bet that he's spying somewhere in these trees, listening to us."
Sakura shifted a little, feeling really uncomfortable. Sasuke was two inches from her face, and was struggling to keep his body off hers. They had been in this position for fifteen minutes, and as soon as she got out of this trap, Naruto would be walking with a limp…
Suddenly they heard footsteps approaching their…situation.
Sasuke leaned down as far as he dared, his nose touching hers as he muttered to her, "Don't move, and pretend you're asleep!"
Hesitant, Sakura complied closing her eyes and unclenching her fists. Sasuke just lay in the same position, although he noticed Sakura flinch when she realized he wasn't moving up, leaving their noses to still touch. Sasuke was close enough to Sakura to realize that she smelled like cherry blossoms and strawberries. Which, in his opinion, was way too close.
"Oh, look what we have here! The Uchiha having some fun…"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, out of all people it could be…
"Ne, is that Sakura?"
"Wow, you're right, Tenten, that is Haruno. And here I thought Naruto was an idiot."
"Neji, Naruto is an idiot."
"You're right, but this proves that Sasuke's finally a man."
Sasuke wasn't holding all the coins in the situation, but he had to get his pride back somehow, "It's more than I can say for you."
"Why did Haruno faint? Your inexpertise at kissing?"
"No, my expertise."
"Oh, that's right; you have Naruto to practice on right?"
"You're one to talk; you go to dobe every day for training."
"WHAT?"
Sasuke never wanted to hear a girl scream with that much intensity, but he continued nonetheless.
"I hear you want to kiss a certain brunette who can whoop your ass at sparring-"
"I'd stop there if I wanted to keep myself in one piece."
"Um, Neji, I'll go on ahead…I'll meet you at our usual training place."
Sasuke heard one set of footsteps going away, and one coming near. He could sense Neji standing next to him.
"It's a net, no wonder…"
"Yeah, you're a genius; now get us out of here."
No ninja had anything on an irritated Haruno Sakura. Not even Hyuuga Neji, dark and mysterious, number one ninja in Konohagakure.
Except Sakura was under a net while he was not.
"I would…but think of it as revenge. You understand that concept clearly right, Uchiha? I'll just leave you here; chakra drained, with no more strength left, and poisoned barbs sticking into you."
With a chuckle, the Hyuuga got up and left, leaving the two still ensnared in the net, lying helplessly on the ground. There was only one thing going through both their minds…Poison?
Two seconds later, Sasuke collapsed on top of Sakura, unconscious.
It was ten minutes later that Neji finally found the blond idiot. There was never a question of where he would be at this time of day, so Neji headed straight for a certain ramen bar.
What he didn't plan on is his uncle spotting him halfway and giving him an irritating ten-minute lecture on the rumors that he was going out with Tenten, and how he shouldn't marry lower than his rank and that he was going to bring a bad reputation to the Hyuuga family.
Frankly, Neji would have told the Hyuuga Head to go fuck himself if he hadn't been so scared of his Byakugan.
He was still feeling the sores from having his tenketsu closed since when he had brought Hinata home from a mission with both arms broken.
Neji still maintained it was her fault for fainting at Naruto's proximity and falling off the branch. Which was coincidentally fifteen feet off the ground.
His cousin was an idiot.
And he did not want to be in the same room when she and Naruto finally told his uncle that they were going out.
Personally, Neji would enjoy seeing Naruto in the hospital, especially since the rumor that he was making out with Tenten behind a tree. He had pasted a picture on every lamppost and wall, showing a Byakugan eye and a bun of mussed brown hair.
What people seemed to ignore was that the eye was significantly lower placed than the other girl's hair. His other cousin, Hanabi, had asked Tenten for weapons training.
Damn that Naruto.
He gave a victory smile inwardly as he saw a familiar orange jumpsuit behind the curtains in a familiar restaurant. Outwardly, he had to maintain that Hyuuga dead face, even though Hinata, supposed heiress, rarely did.
Naruto was sitting and eating ramen at Ichiraku's, like every other day. But today, he didn't see his girlfriend, nor any of the million idiots he would have begged to come with him.
Great, no witnesses.
Naruto gave the Hyuuga a nonchalant smile between slurping in bowls of ramen as Neji sat next to him.
The Hyuuga smiled back, which was when Naruto gulped. Neji smiling had the same omen as Sakura pulling on her gloves. An omen that never boded well for the blond.
"Hey, Naruto," Neji began in a sugary voice.
"N-N-e-e-j-j-i-i…" Naruto had got even more nervous, and had actually stopped inhaling ramen to stare at the Hyuuga prodigy in fear.
"I heard that you were planning to trap me and Tenten in an enclosed space…"
"U-U-m-m…f-f-from w-w-who?"
"Baka, the whole village knows about it, your stealth skills suck."
"OI!"
"Anyway, I have good news and bad news."
"BAD NEWS FIRST!"
"Your plan failed."
"…Good news?"
"Your plan worked."
"WHAT?"
"Your net failed to trap me and Tenten. However, it did capture a certain evil heir and a murderous pinkette."
"What net?"
"Honestly, Naruto, you never fail to amaze me."
"I'm serious!"
"The poisoned barbed net you set up in that path on the border of the village, where nobody except Team Gai and Team Kakashi goes."
"OH THAT NET!
"…Tube light…"
"Cept there's one problem…"
"What?"
"I never set up a net…"
Neji turned to Naruto, confused. Then who set up that-
Both pairs of eyes, one blue and one pale purple, widened as they heard a familiar kunoichi scream in agony in the distance.
Sakura's eyes had widened when she saw Sasuke fall on top of her. Now it's been ten minutes, and Sasuke hadn't stirred.
'Damn Naruto and his pranks to hell…'
'Naruto didn't do this… Shannaro…'
'How do you know?'
'Why would Naruto poison Sasuke?'
'…'
'I mean, sparring is one thing, but POISON? WHICH IDIOT DOES THAT TO THEIR BEST FRIEND? SHANNARO!'
'Which idiot tried to kill their best friend?'
'Point noted…'
'But you're right, this is taking things one step too far…'
'…Whose chakra is that?'
'What chakra?'
'THAT CHAKRA IN FRONT OF YOU, BAKA! SHANNARO!'
'I can't see anybody…'
'That's because Uchiha's hair is blocking your vision…'
'What happened to 'SASUKE-KUN!'?'
'I got over him…SHANNARO!'
'WHO THE HELL IS THAT?'
'Is that…a Sound hitai-ite?'
'Oh…Shit…'
Sakura found the net being ripped out of the ground and Sasuke picked off of her. She sat up dizzily, gulping in air and relishing in the feel of the breeze against her skin. The dusk had darkened into night, and she couldn't see much. Using a bit of the depleted levels of chakra she had, she counted the chakras present. One… two… three… four… five… six… seven.
There were three in front of her, holding up what looked to be like the net, and the remaining four were stationed around her, in case she was just masking her chakra and feigning tiredness and was about to make a run for it. Yeah, right. At this point, Sakura wouldn't be able to even muster enough energy to glare at them.
The moonlight filtering through branches glinted off a piece of metal on one of the shinobi's head. Sakura, instinctively screamed, the sound reverberating around the forest as she recognized the music note engraved in the forehead protector.
Sound was here.
The enemies had arrived.
She tried to scan the darkness behind the three men with her exhausted eyes, looking for Sasuke.
'If they fucking take Sasuke back to Otogakure, I swear, I'll go over there and castrate Kabuto and come back…'
'YEAH! TORTURE THE TWO-TIMING FOUR-EYED PERVERTED BASTARD! SHANNARO!'
'Don't worry…I'll let you take over…'
'YOU BETTER! THE LAST TIME I HAD SO MUCH FUN WAS WHEN INO-PIG TRIED TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR MIND! SHANNARO!'
'But first we need to find Sasuke…'
'Shannaro?'
'Oh my god, just shut up and go away, Inner…'
Sakura blinked a couple of more times, finally getting used to the darkness. The Sound nin in front smirked as she focused her glare on them, then continued their conversation.
"We're lucky the Hyuuga didn't investigate with his Byakugan."
"Hai, good thing he just thought they were poisoned barbs."
"Honestly, some geniuses are idiots."
One of the nin snapped his fingers. The air in front of the net began to shimmer. Sakura almost fell backward as she saw what seemingly materialized from thin air.
'Genjutsu, I should've known…'
'YOU TOTALLY SHOULD HAVE! SHANNARO!'
Sakura sat up a little more alertly, scanning the net. In some patches, senbon needles appeared where there were barbs, as if the barbs were just holders for the needles. In the other patches, either it was gone altogether, or a part still stuck out of the barb, as if it had been cut off.
Sakura's fatigued mind couldn't put the puzzle together, instead she stared, confused, at the enemy nin.
"I can't believe that Uchiha didn't realize that it was a genjutsu."
"Talk about idiotic…"
"I thought Uchihas were supposed to be illusion experts."
"Apparently not revenge-fanatic, pathetic, disgraceful mistakes like Orochimaru's pet, Uchiha Sasuke."
"He's worthless."
When one of the nin inclined his head slightly to the left of him, Sakura followed his line of sight. She froze when she saw it, all the pieces falling into place. She choked back a sob when she saw his body lying there, lifeless.
Sasuke was crumpled on the ground, senbon needles sticking him in so many places he looked like a pin cushion.
He wasn't moving, and it didn't look like he was breathing either.
The Sound nin walked over to Sasuke and kicked him in the stomach with a scornful laugh, "Ha, Uchiha? All he is, is a piece of trash!"
"Quit fooling around and let's get what we came here for."
Sakura couldn't move as one of the Sound nin came towards her. All her horrified eyes were fixed on was Sasuke's motionless body. The senbon needles sticking into him everywhere. The blood dripping off his body. The red rivers that ran over the ground.
Sakura was too lost in a memory of a different place, a different time. She remembered the memory all to vividly, as if she had gone six years back in time.
She remembered seeing the same body, lying in the same motionless state. The senbon needles that pierced him. Naruto's pained expression as he explained that Sasuke acted as a human body shield. The puddles of water on the ground, occasional red drops that landed in the water, spreading the crimson liquid. She remembered reciting one of the shinobi rules, to never show emotion. She remembered collapsing on her teammate, crying, sobbing, wailing.
But the thing she remembered most vividly was his voice, so sweet it was as if it had come from heaven. 'Sakura, you're heavy.'
But history wasn't going to repeat itself.
Sasuke was stuck with many more needles than that last time, on a bridge in Wave Country. Sasuke was not in a near death state, as far as she could see. Sasuke was, he was…
Her thoughts were cut off as a metal encased hand clamped around her neck. She found herself lifted in the air, looking down on a cruel smirk.
"Finally, what we're after. The Hokage's prized pupil."
Sakura was slammed against a tree, unable to take a breath as the hand constricted her throat.
"Where do the Elders stay?"
Sakura couldn't speak, she was gasping, trying to tear the man's hand off of her as she struggled to take a breath. However, the Sound nin just brushed aside her pitiful attempts to free herself and continued, squeezing even tighter.
"When does the Hokage receive her shipment of sake?"
The Sound nin's eyes grew murderous when she didn't answer. He shook her, slamming her into the tree once more and growled, looking into her exhausted face, "Fucking bitch, if you don't tell me, I'm going to-"
"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you."
Sakura flushed with relief at the sound of a familiar arrogant, cold voice. The Sound nin, for his part, turned to look at the two Jounin standing there. A flash of surprise crossed his face when he noticed the bodies of his six fallen comrades.
"Impressive for a Hyuuga, incapacitating all the others without a sound."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO SAKURA-CHAN?"
"Let go of her, and we'll give you a five-minute head start."
"Let go of her? Are you crazy? Let go off the only pupil Tsunade has taken? No way, this cherry blossom is very valuable. If you two step even a millimeter closer, I'm going to kill her."
Neji and Naruto stopped, seeing the conviction in the shinobi's eyes. He grinned, tightening his hand around the choking pinkette's neck.
Two pairs of eyes, one burning red with the Kyuubi's power, other smoldering Byakugan white, glared at the nin, as if trying to kill him with looks alone.
He chuckled, noticing their helplessness. However, his smirk turned into a look of confusion as he heard the sound of a thousand birds behind him.
Sakura gasped in relief. Standing there was none other than Uchiha Sasuke.
His eyes were murderous, the iris having turned Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan red. His pale face was glaring at the nin. He seemed to have disregarded the many needles that stuck him everywhere. In his left hand was a ball of chakra, crackling with electricity. Sakura could see the fire in his eyes, the flickering flames that she had only observed when someone mentioned Itachi in front of the Uchiha heir.
"Never fucking touch her again, you bastard!"
The Sound nin had time for only one horrified look before the Chidori connected with its target.
Sakura crumpled to the ground, freed from the suffocating hold. She was on her knees, both her hands wrapped around her ribs, her face an inch away from the ground, gulping in huge breaths of fresh air.
"TEME I THOUGHT YOU DIED!"
Sasuke turned to the blond, a victorious smirk on his face. He wrapped his hand around on of the many needles sticking through the Uchiha and pulled it out, dropping it to the ground with a tinkle.
"It takes more than a bunch of needles to kill me, dobe."
His best friend grinned, remembering the day stuck in Haku's ice mirrors, "Hell yeah."
"What's the matter with Haruno?"
Sasuke followed Neji's gaze to the ground where Sakura was trying to regain a normal breathing pattern. He smirked, then went to crouch beside her.
Sakura looked up when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, propping her up, off the ground. Her eyes widened as she looked into obsidian orbs. Strangely there was warmth in those black eyes. Sakura just stared, shocked at the facial expression the otherwise stoic Uchiha was showing.
'Was he…smiling?'
'Hell no.'
'Impossible…'
'Pinch me.'
'…'
'OW!'
'Hehehe…'
Sakura blinked, trying to reassure herself that Sasuke was actually smiling. However, when she opened her eyes, it was gone.
Smile? Gone. Warmth? Gone. Murderous intent? Crystal clear. Conclusion? Somebody's gonna die.
Sakura barely had time for a shocked expression as Sasuke launched a kunai at her.
She actually felt it go a millimeter past her face. She squeaked, shocked, as she heard a grunt of pain behind her. Before she could turn and look who it was, an excruciating pain exploded in the right side of her neck.
She screamed collapsing to the ground. The last thing she saw before blackness swallowed her up was the blurred face of Uchiha Sasuke, looking down at her.
Tsunade was pissed. And everyone in Konoha could tell. Her high heels stomped the ground as she walked towards her destination, the white building in the middle of the village. Her face was curled up into a death glare, her fists were clenched and her eyes promised deadly retribution. Shizune, walking next to her, looked fearfully up at her Hokage, praying for the person foolish enough to cross her path.
Tsunade had stumbled to bed, dead tired after a bunch of meetings and the many bottles of sake she consumed. It was around seven. What she hadn't planned was waking up fifteen minutes later, with a fierce hangover. She would have murdered the poor messenger if he hadn't mentioned something about Sakura in the hospital. When she had calmed down enough for her to listen to what he was saying, with Shizune restraining her, he had fearfully said something about poison, Sakura in the hospital, and something about a certain Uchiha. The messenger's words were garbled but Tsunade go the jist of it.
Damn Uchiha…when I get my hands on him, I'll make him wish he was never born…I knew I should have passed the death sentence on him like the Elders told me to.
As soon as they reached Konoha hospital, Shizune grabbed a clipboard and rushed up to where Sakura was. Tsunade followed at a more slow pace, calculating all the different ways she could torture the Uchiha without making her hangover worse.
However, when she climbed the final set of stairs and appeared in the hallway where Sakura's room was, she noticed an unusual sight.
Sasuke was there standing in the corridor, facing the opposite direction from her. His head was lowered and he was looking at the ground. She could see the lights glinting of the many senbon needles that were cut into him, the pitter patter of the blood drops as they hit the floor. She could see his disheveled state, and she could sense his low chakra levels.
Naruto was in front of him and he was angry. He looked just short of pulling a Rasengan on the Uchiha who stood there motionless, throughout Naruto's angry yelling at him.
Neji was also there, in front of Sakura's room, and he was staring at the wall. Tsunade would have thought that the Hyuuga prodigy had finally cracked if his Byakugan wasn't activated.
Sai was also there, sitting on the bench in front of Sakura's room, reading an unfortunately familiar pink book. He was the only one who noticed the Godaime's approach. He gave her a smile and turned back to the book.
"TEME KILLING YOURSELF WON'T MAKE SAKURA HAPPY!"
"Idiot, stop making it seem like Uchiha's trying to suicide."
"I agree with the Hyuuga."
"HE'S A FREAKING PORCUPINE, SAI!"
"It's not your problem."
"IT IS MY PROBLEM IF MY BEST FRIEND ISN'T GOING FOR TREATMENT!"
"Oh, look, it's Godaime-sama."
"She doesn't look happy."
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT TSUNADE BAA-CHAN! TELL TEME TO GO FOR THE FUCKING TREATMENT!"
"Naruto, Uchiha's not going to listen to you."
"I DON'T FUCKING CARE! SASUKE-TEME IF YOU DON'T GO FOR TREATMENT, THE BLOOD LOSS WILL MAKE YOU EVEN MORE INJURED! WHEN SAKURA-CHAN WAKES UP, I DON'T WANT TO TELL HER THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE YOU'RE A STUBBORN PRICK!"
"Idiot, if you shut up, I can concentrate on what's going on inside."
"Ah, Godaime-sama! What brings you here?"
"You perfectly know what, Sai."
"Ah…Hyuuga'll explain."
"Over my dead body I will."
"Then Emo?"
"Uchiha's not in a position to tell anyone anything."
"Naruto?"
"SHUT UP SAI! TEME IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET YOURSELF HEALED IN FIVE MINUTES, IMMA GOING TO RASENGAN YOU!"
"And how is that going to help?"
"ALL OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP!"
"…"
"Hai, Godaime-sama."
"Now, Sai, explain."
"Why me?"
"Cause I said so, and I'm the Hokage."
"Fine…"
After she finished listening to the explanation, Tsunade rubbed her temples. What a complicated situation…
What was shocking of most, was Sasuke's condition. She had gotten close enough to see his face. His skin was paler than pale, owing to the blood that spilled out of him. She could see the rivers of scarlet that ran down his body. Those senbon needles hadn't killed him, but they hit some major veins. His mouth was pressed into a grim line. He didn't look like he listened to a word Naruto had said. And he was dead silent. An Uchiha's silence was no stranger to her, but this was beyond anything she had seen.
What was most shocking of all was his eyes. The usually fathomless black depths were flat, the obsidian orbs were lifeless. His onyx eyes looked like he was dead. Tsunade winced inwardly. The last time she saw eyes like that was ten years ago, in this same hospital. When she was pulled in to perform surgery on an eight-year-old boy. The wounds that boy suffered…she had never thought a Mangekyo Sharingan could do so much damage. But then, what had frightened her, the best med nin across all the countries, the most, was the boy's lifeless eyes. Eyes that had witnessed the murder of his family.
It was at the sight of those eyes that Tsunade made up her resolve. She took a seat next to Sai, waiting for Shizune to come out of the room, praying that the pinkette was all right.
Naturally she was astounded when the Uchiha spoke.
"It was…my fault."
Naruto looked shocked at the Uchiha, his momentary anger forgotten.
"If I had been quicker…if I had noticed the genjutsu…if I had…"
"No." Tsunade surprised even herself with the words coming out of her mouth. "You did the best you could, Sasuke, it's not your fault."
The Uchiha looked far from reassured. In fact, his fists clenched, making the blood run down quicker as the pressure increased.
"However, I will consider it your fault if you die of blood loss and leave Sakura heartbroken."
Sasuke inclined his head to stare at her. She could sense no emotion, no life in those eyes.
"TEME! IT'S BEEN FIVE MINUTES!"
"Naruto…"
"RASENGAN!"
"Nice, Naruto. Just explain one thing?"
"Anything."
"HOW IN HELL DID THAT MAKE ANYTHING BETTER?"
"Shut up Sai, it…um…er…I DON'T KNOW!"
"STOP SHOUTING YOU BRATS I HAVE A FUCKING HANGOVER!"
"Godaime-sama, if you would be a little more quiet I could see what's happening more clearer."
"AGRH! NARUTO TAKE UCHIHA TO A HOSPITAL ROOM! SAI, STOP READING THAT BOOK, YOU'RE STARTING TO TURN INTO KAKASHI! HYUUGA YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!"
"What's happening out here?"
"Ah, Shizune, how is Sakura?"
"She's fine, I've administered the antidote. She should wake up in a couple of minutes. But what happened here?"
"Uh…nothing, Shizune-san."
"Don't 'nothing, Shizune-san' me, Hyuuga! WHY IS UCHIHA ON THE FLOOR? WHY ARE NARUTO'S EYES KYUUBI RED? WHY ARE YOU READING ICHA ICHA SAI?"
"Kakashi gave me the book and I was bored."
"IT WAS A RHETORICAL QUESTION!"
"Calm down Shizune, and attend to Uchiha, will you?"
"TEME DESERVED IT!"
"Idiot, before Uchiha wakes up, I suggest going on a mission to Suna."
"Why?"
"He's going to Chidori your ass to the moon."
"LET HIM TRY!"
"SHUT UP NARUTO, YOU'RE GOING TO WAKE UP SAKURA!"
"YOU SHUT UP SHIZUNE!"
"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP, YOU'RE MAKING MY HEADACHE WORSE!"
"Where's Uchiha and Shizune?"
"Shizune is treating Emo in the next room."
"It's good that Naruto knocked him out, his dark aura was getting uncomfortable."
"He really did look like he was going to suicide."
"It's funny that only when she's on the verge of dying does he show feelings for her."
"It's funny that who shows feelings for who when she's on the verge of dying?"
Everyone froze. Standing there, in the doorway, with a slightly amused expression on her face, was none other than Haruno Sakura.
Naruto, as usual, was the first one to react.
"SAKURA-CHAN YOU'RE ALL RIGHT!"
"Naruto, why are your eyes red? And why is there so much blood on the floor?"
"Uh…"
"Nice to see that you're okay, ugly."
"SAI I WILL PUNCH YOU ALL THE WAY TO OTOGAKURE!"
"Nice, Naruto. Uchiha is going to be royally pissed."
"Sasuke-kun? Where is he? And who is this that has feelings for someone else?"
"Uh…about that…"
"Don't tell me that Neji finally asked Tenten out!"
"I don't like that weapons kunoichi."
"HA! YOU BLUSHED!"
"Shut up, Naruto."
"MAKE ME!"
"Haruno, Uchiha's in the next room because Naruto pulled a Rasengan on him."
"Y-Y-YOU T-T-TOLD H-H-HER!"
"Wait…what?"
"S-S-SAKURA-C-C-CHAN I-I-I C-C-CAN E-E-EXPLAIN- NOT THE BLACK GLOVES! HOW COME YOU HAVE THEM ANYWAY!"
"Shizune when you're done healing Uchiha, start with Naruto."
"Hai, Godaime-sama."
"Sakura…"
"Sasuke-kun…"
"I'm sorry."
"…"
"OMG, UCHIHA ACTUALLY KNOWS HOW TO BE POLITE!"
"Uchiha, if you get out of this hospital bed, I'm going to-"
"CHIDORI!"
"Haha, missed me!"
"Hyuuga, you're a dead man. Speaking of dead men, where's dobe?"
"He was irritating me."
"…I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you."
"YOU WHAT?"
"Um…I didn't say that…"
"YES YOU DID!"
"Shut up Sai, or I'll Chidori you too."
"Sai, why the hell are you hiding behind me?"
"SASUKE LOVES SAKURA!"
"Sai, get out from behind Sakura…"
"OMG! TEME LOVES SAKURA-CHAN! I KNEW THIS PLAN WOULD BE A SUCCESS!"
"SUCCESS! AH, NO, WHY ARE YOU MOVING AWAY, UGLY? NO, SASUKE DON'T-"
"CHIDORI NAGASHI!"
"Uchiha, this is a hospital."
"Hn. I didn't hear you complain when Naruto used his Rasengan."
"OMG TEME JUST START KISSING SAKURA-CHAN ALREADY!"
"This is too troublesome."
"Are you turning into Shikamaru, Sasuke-kun?"
"You did say you wish you were dating him."
"Sasuke-kun…"
"Shizune, heal Sai would you? I'm going back to sleep."
"TSUNADE-SAMA! FINISH YOUR PAPERWORK FIRST!"
"No."
"IF YOU DON'T I'M GIVING ALL YOUR SAKE TO THESE KIDS!"
"YAY!"
"Shut up, Naruto, or I'll close your tenketsu."
"THEY'RE UNDERAGE SHIZUNE!"
"AND YOU, AS THE HOKAGE, NEED TO SHOW MORE DISCILPLINE!"
"I AM SHOWING DISCIPLINE!"
"HOW?"
"I'M RESISTING THE URGE TO SET MY SLUGS ON YOU!"
"Um, Tsunade baa-chan, there's someone here to see you."
"Ah, Tenten, come in."
"Uh, Godaime-sama, Shizune-san, I'm afraid I have to remind you that this is a hospital, and most patients need their rest. Please lower your volume."
"Why of all the nerve-"
"You lay a finger on her, Shizune, and you'll be walking with a limp."
"N-N-Neji!"
"HA! HYUUGA DOES LIKE TENTEN!"
"I'm going back, bye Shizune."
"Wait…where's Sasuke and Sakura?"
"They're probably making out under a tree."
You don't know how right you are, Neji…
"Whatever, let's go Neji."
"Aa."
"Wait, why am I the only one here? With a Chidori'd patient to take care of? When I see Godaime-sama, I'll…"
In another side of the village, in a sakura grove, two shadowy figures can be observed. On closer inspection, one could see the boy's raven hair blowing in the wind, and the girl's pink strands flying around her. You could also see the ardent passion they were kissing each other with.
You could also see Sasuke's hands on Sakura, if you were in the same strategic location as Naruto.
The kissing was stopped when the couple heard a certain blond scream, "TEME AND SAKURA-CHAN ARE FINALLY TOGETHER!"
Also, if you were watching the scene that night, you could hear the screams of a certain loud-mouthed idiot as he ran away from two figures shrouded in a dark aura. One, with lightning glowing in his palm, the other, whose chakra swirled around the black gloves her hands were incased in.
Today was just not Naruto's day.
NaCl: SO? HOW WAS IT?
Sasuke: …
Sakura: …
Naruto: …
Lil bro: …Lame…
NaCl: (ignores him) Anyway, I have an idea for the next one-shot, which will be about Neji and Tenten. This is going to be a series of one-shots, with mostly humor.
Sasuke: Hn.
Naruto: You mean I have to undergo even more torture?
NaCl: I will only write the sequel if at least ten people request it, plus, go to Nakoujou's profile and request her to make the Rumy Nin sequel…
Sasuke: …Blackmail…
NaCl: Yup!
Sakura: You're evil…
NaCl: I know! Well, peoples, you know the drill! R&R!