Title: Cursed
Date: June 13, 2009
Summary: Team Seven fell apart…For one stupid little reason…They were Cursed…
Pairing: Sasuke and Sakura
Rating: M
Themes: Angst/Drama/Friendship/Family

Cursed

"This wasn't supposed to happen…"

The rhythmic beeping of various machines filled the following silence as the occupants of the small, white room allowed the statement to bring them back to the reality of passed events, allowing the adrenaline that had filled them just hours before to drain from their bodies and let the grief and sorrow set in. Five figures were cluttered in the space, one completely unharmed and leaning against the wall, arms crossed and head bowed; three sitting in chairs with their share of bruises, cuts, and broken bones; and the last completely still on the lone bed, tubes and needles piercing delicate skin.

"…This wasn't supposed to happen…" The masculine voice from before repeated, tone broken and defeated, weakly trying to convince himself with hollow words.

"…It did…Nothing can change that…" The reply had been whispered and feminine, coldness laced with her quiet statement.

All heads snapped up and stared at the bed right next to the large window, which viewed a beautiful day covered by gossamer curtains, sunlight trying to enter the room and dispel its gloom. The male who had first spoken shot up from his seat and quickly hurried to the prone figure's side, bright blue eyes wide with concern.

Emerald eyes were half opened with fatigue, but its jade color was darkened with awareness, lips – that had once been covered with blood – were turned downward with anger. Pink hair was splayed over the white, stiff pillows, traces of that thick crimson liquid still crusted in those silky locks.

"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Her companion asked softly, one calloused hand hesitantly touching her forehead and smoothing through her pastel tresses.

Half-lidded viridian eyes slowly locked onto his blue-stare and held it firmly, brows creasing as the silence continued before she turned her head away, "…I can't feel my body, Naruto…"

Despite her reply being so soft-spoken, Naruto couldn't help but flinch, allowing his hand to move away from her head, as if shocked, as if experiencing what she had felt just hours prior, "…Sakura-chan…"

"…I don't know what to think anymore, Naruto…" She whispered softly, the light through the curtains still hitting her face and emphasizing its paleness, "…I don't know him anymore…"

Naruto frowned, a mix of disbelief, sadness, and anger, before his shoulders sagged, his broken arm in the sling earning a sharp sting from his movements, "…But we can't just give up on him Sakura-chan…Not after so long…"

"I don't want to give up on him," Sakura responded almost defensively, "…I'm just…tired. So, so tired…"

Her jade eyes closed, and Naruto sighed as he took a seat on her bed, his less injured arm rising up to run through messy blonde locks. Slight movement caused him to look up and he watched as one of the older figures of the room pushed from the wall and lifted his head, panning his own gaze towards Naruto, Sakura, and the other injured shinobi present.

"…Hokage-sama says that Sakura's wounds aren't fatal…" He started, his frown still deep, "But the stab wound was close," He sighed, "Add to the fact that you say he used that same lightning technique through his sword, Sakura will be paralyzed for a while…"

Naruto's eyes widened and the oldest Ninja of the group exhaled deeply, one hand scratching through his silver-head, mindful of the bandages wrapped around his left eye. The form in the far corner turned his head ever so slightly as he regarded the messenger, dark eyes narrowed and bottomless, but expression sharing no emotion at all. Besides the bandages around his own torso, he looked fine, but his leg had been injured and he might sport a limp for several weeks.

"How long Yamato-taicho?" Naruto asked worriedly, his blue gaze darting from the brunette to the quiet – possibly sleeping – female, "How long will she be paralyzed?"

Yamato sighed as he shook his head, "It could be hours, days, or weeks…He used a very high voltage on her…I'm actually surprised she's already gained some consciousness…"

Naruto growled, fisting his hand together, "…That Teme!"

Yamato's dark eyes silently watched as Naruto internally debated while he switched his gaze from his broken arm to the female beside him, before allowing his own eyes to drift to the older man sitting to his right, no infamous orange book in his hand, but a lone-eye tiredly watching his former students with resignation, "…Kakashi-sempai?"

His head turned to look at Yamato and he blinked. Almost unable to witness the expression that flashed over that lone eye, which made the famous Copy-Cat Ninja look older than he was, Yamato turned away and plowed on with his message, "…Hokage-sama wishes to meet with you for your Mission Report…"

From his peripheral vision, Yamato could see the man nod as he took a stand, stretching his limbs carefully, mindful of his wounds, before walking towards Naruto and Sakura. For Yamato, even if he had not been a part of the Mission, just looking at the four Shinobi before him, he could almost feel their pain, their sorrow. Because he was a part of Team Seven, a small part, but a part nonetheless.

Kakashi was silent as he stood beside Sakura's bed, gazing down at her frail petite form when he knew that she held so much strength, tremendously showing that power during their encounter that morning. In an affectionate and familiar gesture, Kakashi gently pat her head before glancing at Naruto, watching him glare at the floor with a deep frown. Knowing what was on his mind, Kakashi pat his head too.

Roused from his thoughts, Naruto watched as Kakashi began to retreat from the bed towards the exit, hands buried in his pant pockets and head bowed, walking out the door in silence followed closely by Yamato; the brunette offered a weak smile and wave of farewell before he closed the door behind him.

Naruto let out a sigh, trying to let go of all his problems and worries with that one little exhale…

…But no such luck.

Turning back to Sakura, he frowned when he realized there was a frown on her features as well, deep and defined even in her unconsciousness. Lifting the blanket up carefully from where it rested on her chest, Naruto winced as his eyes found the source of her pain and problems. Bandages wrapped around her chest, flecks of blood still littering the planes of her skin. She had been run through right between her breasts, too close to the heart for comfort, and electrocuted with a Jutsu they knew all too well.

Frowning, he placed the blanket back in its original position, the anger returning deep in his chest.

"…Perhaps you should forget about him…"

The statement had been softly spoken but Naruto had heard it loud and clear, had looked up immediately after it was vocalized to stare at the remaining figure of the room with a mixture of confusion and irritation.

"What's that supposed to mean, Sai?"

The male shrugged, the fake smile usually present on his face was not there and his expression was thoughtful, "…You and Sakura-chan have chased him for many years and still he has not returned…Perhaps you should forget about him," He looked at him, dark eyes piecing straight through blue, "He's already forgotten about you…You saw the new team he possesses…"

Naruto faltered, mind quickly registering three other figures from the battle, two males, one female, but he shook his head to rid those images because it couldn't be true, "…Sh-Shut up, Sai!"

Sai looked away, down at his bandaged abdomen, "I am only pointing out that he has found replacements for the two of you…Just as I am his replacement…"

Naruto couldn't help but notice that the normally flat, emotionless tone Sai used had changed just slightly with his verbal observation…Almost as if it had cracked…Saddened…

"Sai–"

"Besides," Sai interrupted looking at Naruto again, "He had told us that they were strong allies…Perhaps you aren't strong enough to be his friend, Naruto-kun…Maybe strength is his preference…" He frowned, "Admittedly, we were defeated today…"

Naruto couldn't deny the truth in his words. Even if they hadn't held back, would they have been strong enough to defeat them…That four-man team whose leader was his former best friend and rival?

"…Perhaps we're Cursed…"

Naruto's gaze immediately snapped from Sai to Sakura, finding his female companion with her eyes half-open, staring at the thin, white drapes covering the window. Sai slowly followed his gaze. How long had she been awake?

"Cursed, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura licked her lips but didn't turn her head to look at them, her viridian gaze still on the covered window, "Have you heard the rumors Naruto? The majority of the village expects great things from Team Seven, expects a lot from us because of our abilities and talents…They're saying we're the next Sannin…Neo-Sannin was the word."

Blue-eyes widened, "Really?"

Sakura finally turned to look at him, expression emotionless, pride failing to show for their accomplishments, "…I suppose it's also expected because we were trained under the former Sannin…You under Jiraiya…Myself under Tsunade-shishou…And," She took a deep breath, "And him under Orochimaru…"

She turned her head away, gazing back at the window, absently blowing pink strands from her view since she couldn't move her arms, "…When I told Shishou this, she was proud, but…" Pink brows creased, "…She said it was a heavy burden to bear…A powerful title to hold…Cursed shoes to fill…"

"Why?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Look back on her team Naruto," Sakura simply pointed out, "They're separated, enemies…One left for power and eventually killed his former sensei…Two who had still stayed on the path of righteousness had gone their separate ways…Their friendship, rumored to have been close, had broken so…easily," Another sigh escaped her lips and Sakura turned her head to finally lock her emerald eyes intently with deep sapphire, "…Now look at us Naruto…Perhaps we've fallen with that Curse also…Between us we're starting to view things differently…You're trying to save a Best Friend who won't come back, I don't know if I can keep chasing him," She closed her eyes, "…And S-Sasuke, who I care very deeply for, almost killed me…We're breaking Naruto…We're Cursed."

Naruto laughed weakly, scratching the back of his neck uncertainly as he watched Sakura blink back her tears and would have probably been trembling if her body allowed her to, "Really, Sakura-chan…You don't actually believe in stuff like that…Do you?"

"…Well, what else could it be?" Sakura whispered.

Did they want to say aloud that perhaps the three of them – Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto – were just growing that far apart? Did they want to say aloud that their friendship was never meant to last? Did they want to realize that what they believed in for so long was a lost cause?

No. Because they worked too hard! Hoped too much! Wanted everything back the way it had been!

It just seemed so much easier to blame it all on one stupid, little reason…

And as they all sat in that little Hospital Room; one thinking about lost causes, another thinking about never giving up, and the last contemplating the worth of replacements, Team Seven began to grow apart…

Because of one stupid, little reason…

A/N: So another Plot Bunny that was never really thought too deeply on and written out. Yeah, I had a guideline but I guess this is what sort of helped start off Forbidden Bonds – you know, the whole teamwork aspect and dynamics of their relationships…

Cursed was supposed to be a Multi-Chaptered story also, about Team Seven – all of them: Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai – who just fell apart. They all hurt each other some way, which was further explained as the story progressed, all their relationships strained and the struggle to find out whether it was still possible if bonds could be reformed. Kind of Family/Friendship with a hint – or large dose – of darkness and angst. Hmmm…What do you think?

Keep Or Scrap?

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Disclaimer: Sigh, don't remind me…

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Loves!
Luvinukag83
a.k.a. Len83