A/N: Sorry this took so long Himeko, I finally got my cast, so I've been holding off the update stuff till then.
Hope everyone enjoys!
The Sweetest Joy Is You
Chapter 2
if i has to choose between loving you, and breathing. I would use my last breath to say I love you.
18, what an age to be. Especially if you're a woman named Sakura. And you'd be lucky to be the guy to have a girl like her by your side.
Unfortunately for the virile population, this certain beauty was not looking for any man at the moment.
And actually, she was thankful not to have a relationship at the moment. The mission she had been assigned would not have been kind on any romantic association.
Sakura assumed that when she'd approached Tsunade's desk that she was going on a mission with Neji and Shikamaru. Wrong.
Actually, Shikamaru and Neji had a mission in Suna with the Kazekage in some majorly important recon mission for some long lost team.
The team's name was classified from her. She didn't think much of it though.
It was her mission that had her preoccupied. Funnily enough, her mission was classified from them too. Sakura vaguely wondered why Neji and Shikamaru weren't allowed to know.
Her mission was to gather intelligence on Stone. The country and their long line of leaders were quite the shady type, and word had it they were planning an international coup.
At least that was what she heard amongst a few other ANBU.
The actual means of getting the information was actually the reason she wasn't too keen on going: Seduction using her feminine wiles.
Even if this mission wasn't classified, she still wouldn't tell her boys. They'd probably follow her in the night and slit whosever throat that tried to touch her.
Maybe that was a good idea?
She strapped on her gear and looked at Neji and Shikamaru who were by the door.
"Ready?"
"Ready." She replied.
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When they reached the gate, she stepped toward Shikamaru first, planting a kiss on his cheek, along with an affectionate hug afterwards.
With no hesitance, she stepped towards Neji and gave him the same open affection. She could've sworn he blushed.
"See you guys later!"
Moving toward the gate, she suddenly felt a large hand wrap around hers. Sakura turned towards Neji. He returned her goodbye with a kiss of his own on her cheek. Without warning, Shikamaru wrapped his arms behind her, burying his face in her hair.
Neji twitched. How dare he – nuzzle her. Was she a dog?
He suppressed the violent urge to punch Shikamaru.
"Good luck Sakura chan," Shikamaru said.
"You too!" She said happily. "Luv ya both!" she smiled.
When she ran off through the gates of Konoha, both sighed. Each knowing exactly what the other was thinking.
Of course she meant that in a platonic way.
Both sighed again.
Shikamaru looked up at the clouds. Even so, there was no way he was going to give up yet. Thoughts of pink hair and green eyes flashed through his mind. His heart beat a bit faster.
Shikamaru was determined more than ever, he was going to win her over. Never had he felt so passionately about someone like he did for Sakura.
He glanced at Neji. Neji was his friend, his teammate, his shoji buddy.
But, no one was going to come between him and Sakura. Shikamaru felt a rise of something he couldn't quite name rise out of him. He wasn't entirely sure what it was either.
Little was he aware that Neji too, had the same emotion rising out him as well.
However, the name was one the Hyuuga could identify.
Possessiveness.
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Five Shinobi sprinted through the trees at an inhuman speed. They might actually be on time for once.
All of them were in a line, each step seeming synchronized. One the far left was a tall, dark haired, incredibly good looking fellow, with an emotionless, plastic smile on his face. His frame was slighter than his counterparts, but not to be underestimated. He was an elite shinobi of incredible artistic skill.
His name was Sai.
Yamato, an ANBU for leaf also was amongst their group. The seasoned ninja was the second oldest, and had brown hair unlike his counterparts. He ran with his shoulder line tensed, testimony to his ANBU background.
The man next to Yamato was the oldest out of the five. That didn't mean he wasn't as good looking as any of them either. His mask covered half his face, but gave him a mysterious look. His wild siver hair looked rugged and was enhanced by his leanly muscled body.
"Kakashi, who's Konoha sending to escort us home?" Naruto whined to the silver haired jounin. He was so bored after all. This running was monotonous!
Naruto, a towering blonde with a sunny disposition. He stood about 2 inches taller than the rest of the men, who were all quite tall already being all about 6`1".
A fact which he rubbed in Sasuke's face as much as possible. This leads us to the last man
Sasuke Uchiha. The sole Uchiha survivor. The reason all of them were currently not with their beloved Sakura as of right now.
"Not sure," But the hope in Kakashi'd response voiced all of their hopes. Maybe Sakura was waiting for them, at the location where the Konoha team would take them home.
It was stupid that they needed a team to escort them, but seeing as it was standard procedure, Kakashi supposed he couldn't complain. Especially not if Sakura was there waiting for them.
Sasuke felt something inside him – dare he say it – flutter, as they all sped up to get to their destination. Sakura could be there. And when he saw her for the first time in years, he could imagine how she'd be likely to tear up, and tackle him with a hug…
Yeah so, those were imaginings he kept well hidden from the others. Not only the fact that he had a tremendous albeit secret, crush on a long time friend and team mate, but if the others found about how he felt toward Sakura, they would surely be very displeased.
It was more than obvious how they all felt towards the pink haired kunoichi. Naruto's love for Sakura was so blatantly obvious, he felt himself obligated to punch the blonde.
Then, the trees thinned up ahead. And sunlight filled a gap in the forest. The pick up location.
They all stood in a line, muscled arms down, shoulders drawn back, with tense expressions on each ninja's face. Their hope shone through their eyes as they witnessed the escort team jump through the other side of the trees.
They could only hope to see a flash of pink…
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"Ah, you're here." The old woman at the desk said. "You're right on time, Miss Sakura."
"Ah, thank you,"
"Well then, let's get right down to business shall we?"
Sakura replied quietly, "Hai,"
"Aliright then, we must hurry…first off all, do you have a lover at home,or male companions who might be alarmed you are on this mission for me?"
"Well…I suppose so. Ok, very much so." She admitted.
The old lady frowned, her wrinkles frowning with her. "It can be problematic if they find out. Let's hope they don't,"
"Why not?"
"I know you will not like what you are going to have to do, I am sure they will hate it…"They woman drifted off, leaving the air a bit tense.
"What will happen if they find out?"
She laughed, "You tell me, they are the men in your life right? Lets hope they aren't the bull headed type."
Sakura laughed alongside her, however knowing that all the men in her life were quite bull headed when it came to her safety.
Let's hope they don't find out.
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A/N: ok so there is chapter 2, onto FDA chapter 9 now. (I still have to write it.) Please Review!
