OMG, i spent a whole day writing this chapter, i just couldn't stop (XD). Hope you enjoy it. Please read and leave comments!!
Disclaimer : I DON'T OWN NARUTO
(Part 1) If I said I loved you, would you love me back?
Through weakness and strength, happiness and sorrow, for better, for worse. I will love you
Chapter 1.3
The sound of silent footsteps echoed through the deserted hallway of Konoha Hospital. A gentle sigh escaped through her lips, "Sakura-chan. You okay?", the pinkette gasped, startled by the sudden appearance of her teammate.
"N…Naruto, you scared me. Don't pop out like that"
The one called Naruto, gave the girl a sheepish smile, while he used his fingers to comb through his blonde hair, "Sorry Sakura-chan. So how is he?"
Sakura took his hand in hers and looked straight into his sapphire eyes, clouded with confusion and concern, "He's fine. His condition stabled overnight, he'll get better soon". Naruto however refused to avert his eyes away, as if to prompt an unasked question. Squeezing his hand, she gave him a weak smile, "And I'm fine too".
He wasn't satisfied with her answer, but he knew pushing her would only agitate her further and he didn't want her blowing a fuse at him. Not letting go of her hand, Naruto guided his friend through the hallow hallways, out of the hospital. He noticed how she squinted her eyes once they were outside, as though she'd been in the dark for a long time. Knowing Sakura, he wasn't surprised.
XXX
Finally after hours of arguing and fake smiling, Sakura had managed to get Naruto to leave, she knew that he didn't buy her charade, but she just needed some time to get her thoughts together. It'd been almost two days since team 7, arrived back at the village, tired and slightly dismembered. From the word go, she had spent every minute attending to Kakashi-sensei, his wounds were serious, but thankfully Naruto had bought him in time to Sakura, so they weren't life threatening. Easing her sore body on the cream loveseat rested her head on the arm she slowly dozed into some much needed sleep.
XXX
"Sakura-chan, quick do something…we were ambushed", Naruto's eyes were filled with panic. "Quick Sakura-chan"
Kakashi's body was limp, for a second Sakura thought that he was dead, but then his back arched, as he spluttered, struggling for breath. She could see the blood dripping down his chin, staining the white marble floor. Without wasting any more time, she went to her teacher's aid.
After she managed to heal his most serious wounds, Sakura began to relax. Seikou and Ruka went away, but she could hear Sasuke and Naruto whispering behind her. He was pretty shaken, but while she was treating Kakashi-sensei she could hear Naruto fill Sasuke in about what happened. She guessed it was the same ninjas who attacked them, or at least hired by the same person. Apparently the used a gas bomb and caught the three of them by surprise. One of them managed to stab Kakashi-sensei with a poisoned kunai, when he tried to save Ruka. Naruto said that he had to fight them off and that he and Ruka carried Kakashi back to the palace, hoping like hell that Sakura, Sasuke and Seikou had already made it back. She felt a steady hand grip her arm and pull her to her feet.
"Sakura you've done enough, you should get some rest". Without opening her eyes she recognised who it was, his deep, concerning voice engulfed her heart with pure ecstasy. She wanted to obey he voice…so badly. But she couldn't.
"Sasuke-kun, we have to get back to the village. Kakashi-sensei is still at risk, and I don't have the equipment to fully treat him", her voice came out weak, pleading with him.
"You've barely slept in the last two days", this was a fact, not a question. "Do you think you can make it back?"
Afraid that if she dared to open her mouth she would give herself away, all she managed to reply with was a brisk nod…
"Sakura, wake up Sakura-chan", she could hear her name being called out, but she wasn't sure if it was a dream or not. Suddenly she felt her whole world shaking, cracking her eyes open she found herself staring deep into two spots of black coal. Was she still dreaming?
"Sasuke-kun…", before she could stop herself the words escaped her lips, and when they did, how she wanted to snatch them right back.
Her face made contact with the hard timber floor and rolled onto her back, knocking her elbow against the coffee table in the process. Furiously cussing under her breath, Sakura managed to get herself onto her feet. Walking over to the kitchen, she turned on the jug and leaned against the granite bench. He knows. I know he knows. After the three arrived back at Konoha with a barely alive Kakashi, Sakura had preoccupied herself with taking care of him that she had successfully avoided Sasuke for two days. Success Haruno! However deep in the pit of her heart, she wanted to see him. Fail Haruno! The irritated growl of her unfed stomach, bought her perfect dream, crashing into reality. Caressing her stomach, as though she was calming it down, she took a quick glance at her digital wall clock.
"Holy shit…", double-taking she took a closer look to make sure that she read that she read the time correctly. Sure enough the crimson numbers stood firm, challenging her; 7:52 pm. She had slept for eight hours…eight…hours. Damn, she really must've been sleep deprived. Her stomach let out another irritable howl, crying to be fed. Sighing, she got her coat, keys and wallet and head out the door.
XXX
Sakura forgot the last time she had been able to walk through Konoha, peacefully. Usually she would be jumping over building rooftops, or pushing her way through busy crowds to either get to the hospital or to the gates to go on a mission. She laughed softly to herself, thinking about how much her life had changed in the past few years.
"What's so funny?", startled she jumped to see a very amused Sasuke Uchiha, before her very eyes.
"N…nothing, I was just thinking about something", she carefully eyed him to see his reaction.
Nodding his head he, stared straight into her eyes, "How's Kakashi?"
"He's stabilised overnight, so he's in a good position right now", she said, surprised at how qualified she sounded. He noticed too.
Smirking he said, "You've changed so much". He coal black eyes laughing at her bemused expression.
"Changed? What do you mean?" Before he was able to answer, she was betrayed by her stomachs loud rumble. Embarrassed she quickly looked away, thankful for the slight darkness, so he couldn't see her beet-red face.
XXX
He couldn't help himself from chuckling, but when she turned suddenly, he quickly disguised it into a cough. Holding her elbow he led her to a nearby restaurant.
"Sasuke-kun…", the girl gave him a puzzled look, her emerald orbs questioning him.
Avoiding her piercing stare, he spoke softly to the pinkette, "Your hungry right." He said this not as a question, but as a fact. "You work too hard…", she continued to stare at him, urging him to go on. But he didn't dare anymore, he just couldn't. Her eyes tore away and turned its attention to the menu board taped to the glass window.
"Well I guess I'll have the katsudon, what about you"
"…", he quickly skimmed through the menu, finally settling on something small, he didn't want to tell her that he'd already eaten, and was on his way home. "… oyakodon"
They walked in side-by-side, settling with a table near the far right window. Sasuke took a look around the restaurant; it was virtually empty, except for an elderly couple, a young couple with their two children, and a group of young ninjas sitting in the opposite corner.
It was the ringing of her voice which bought him to turn his attention to the kunoichi sitting in front of him. "So what did you mean about, you know…how much I changed?"
Her question caught him off guard, as he mentally cursed at himself for saying that. There was no way around it, once Sakura was latched onto something, she didn't let go easily. God, where do I start?
"Well I was just talking about how you work so hard as a medical ninja. When we were younger, you didn't really care about your jutsus, you just followed me around", the words flowed out before he realised what he'd said. Oh God, kill me. Kill me now!
XXX
OH. MY. GOD. He said it. He actually said it. She was too stunned for words, yet that the same time madly thinking of a witty comeback, if she stayed silent for too long it would only confirm his amazingly sharp observation.
Laughing nervously she locked her fingers together avoiding his stare. "Yea well I was younger then, I guess I kind of had a crush on you then", she was using all her self-control to keep her voice even, but even all that effort could stop he cheeks from tingling. "But now I have other things to worry about, I don't really have time for that." It wasn't a complete lie; technically her work would keep her so busy that she didn't have a minute to steal to think about him – however that didn't mean that she never did. She didn't have the courage to tell him the truth; that she was head-over-heels in love with the very boy sitting across from her.
Changing the subject she interjected, "You know you've changed too, Sasuke-kun"
XXX
Changed…me? Sasuke took a moment, contemplating her words. She thought he'd changed…he wasn't sure if it was good or bad. He just about to ask her what she meant, but he was interrupted by the waitress, who bought them their food.
They ate their meal in silence, Sasuke hardly touched his food. Sakura however was deep in her food he didn't think she'd resurface anytime soon. Just how much did she work? Almost as though she spent all her time attending to others needs that she forgot her own. She had changed. A lot. Again his thoughts were cut off midway when he noticed that she had finished and was eyeing him, warily.
"…"
"I said you hardly touched your food", she said this nodding her head towards his uneaten meal.
"I'm not that hungry"
"Oh, well I have to get back to the hospital. I should probably go now"
She was leaving. Why did this bother him so much? She stood up and took her wallet out of her coat. As soon as he caught on to what she was about to do, he stood up and took out some creased bills and placed them on the table. She looked at him, slightly embarrassed, and then she smiled, the most breathtaking smile. "Thank you for the meal, Sasuke-kun"
With that she took off, he caught a glimpse of her rosy locks flowing behind her back as she disappeared around the corner.
XXX
Sakura stopped running once she reached the glass doors of Konoha hospital, she was so glad to get out of there. She'd never been more mortified in her life.
Upon entering the building, she was immediately greeted by her many colleges. She braced herself for another sleepless night.
XXX
Back. Side. Stomach. Back. Sasuke was restless and unable to sleep, the nights events replaying in his mind over and over again.
"You know you've changed too, Sasuke-kun"
Changed. What did she mean? He figured she was talking about how he gave up on the whole 'avenger' cliché, but what if it had a hidden implication, some message that she was subtly trying to get across to him. No. He was taking too far. Why are these things so complicated?
But more than what got him the most was when she said that she had a crush on.
"Yea well I was younger then, I guess I kind of had a crush on you then. But now I have other things to worry about, I don't really have time for that."
And then she said that she was over him. Well she didn't exactly say she was over me. No but it was a pretty obvious hint. Who was he kidding, Sakura had seen him at his lowest moments, no girl in her right mind would want him after they saw him like that. And he was a jerk to her when they were younger. He didn't have a chance.
XXX
It was almost midnight, and Sakura held back an escaping yawn. She had just finished checking up on Kakashi-sensei, now all traces of the poison were removed from his blood system, all was left was his to regain his strength. She collapsed onto her chair and looked despairingly at the two growing piles of paperwork mounted on her desk. Sitting back she began to analyse both piles, contemplating on which one was smaller. As she reached for the top of the left pile, the door to her office creaked open. Squinting her eyes she could see the silhouette of the fifth Hokage and her master.
"Sakura, go home"
"Whaa…", her shishou had always been brash and straightforward, but she always took her off guard.
"I said go home. Go sleep. Eat. Whatever it is, I don't want you in this hospital", her amber eyes were flaming, and Sakura knew that there was no arguing with her.
Sighing, Sakura got up and made her way towards the door, where she received a comforting pat from Tsunade.
XXX
She'd made her way out the glass doors of the hospital, when she was hit with a chilling breeze. That's when she remembered that her coat was still in her office, she thought about going back to get it, then decided against it and made her way home.
"Sakura…", was that her name she'd just heard? She wasn't sure if the coldness had made her delusional, but just to make sure craned her neck to Sasuke approaching her at an extremely quick pace. Much to her annoyance he noticed how he was nicely rugged up, scarf and all. "What are you doing, do you have any idea what the time is?"
"Um…w.w.…", her teeth were chattering frantically, it was then that she realised just how cold she was.
"What the hell. Where's your coat?", without waiting for her to chatter an answer he took of his black, thick cotton coat and draped it over her shoulders. Her body was engulfed in his warmth, the smell of his fruity soap and aftershave lingering in the air.
Once she the colour returned to her face, he asked her again, "Sakura what are you doing walking around at this hour? And without your coat?"
Now that she thought about she probably looked totally crazy to him. The last thing she needed. "Tsunade-shishou told me to go home, I was in a hurry I forgot my coat"
Here he was for the second time alone with Sakura; he wasn't going to waste his second chance. "Sakura, take a walk?"
Though she was dead-beat, her heart obliged her to accept his offer, nodding she followed him.
XXX
"Wow"
Sasuke had taken her to a small lake; somewhere is the forest near the training grounds. The water of the lake was black, reflecting the moon which hung gloriously above it. The whole scene looked so serene.
"It's beautiful…", Sakura felt all her stress slowly ease away, it was extremely soothing, almost contagious. She walked closer to the bank of the lake, and sat on the moist grass.
Sasuke sat beside her, picking blades of grass out of the ground. "I used to come here a lot…after my parents died." Sakura was speechless, she knew that the Uchiha massacre was an 'off-limits' topic with Sasuke, this was the first time he'd bought it up. "I had no idea what I was doing, I was such a wreck. Swallowed by anger and revenge, I wasn't the easiest person to be around", he smiled at Sakura for the first time.
"…"
After a minute or so of silence he continued, "But I'm over that, Naruto was right; I had too much to lose", this time he looked deep in the core of her heart, the clash of onyx and emerald.
Sakura wasn't sure of what to make of his words, was he confessing something? The atmosphere was thick, and their silence loomed hauntingly in the air.
She took out her knife and cut it. "When I used to like you, I would always try so hard to get your attention but you always turned me down. My brain kept telling me that it was hopeless, yet my heart refused to give up. I really liked you", she was such a coward. For all she knew Sasuke could've been inches from confessing his true feelings for her, but she…she…what? Ran away? If she confessed and he didn't feel the same way, it would tear her apart and that's the last thing she needed. For know she'll keep the secret stored away deep in her heart and let it free when the time was right. I love you Sasuke Uchiha.
XX END XX
Next chapter is coming soon...hopefully. Read and Leave comments, i really appreciate it :))
