Beta-reader: Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night
Chapter: Two – Debt to Repay
Type: Story – Incomplete
Word Count: 2,169
Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine
I quickly went through the settings to the alarm clock on my phone. I set it for midnight. If I don't find Sasuke before then, than I'll leave….But what if I do find him? Then what? It's not like I can just walk up to him and go: 'Hey, Sasuke. Long time no see. Are you still angry with me?' And on top of that, what if he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore? I know I wouldn't want anything to do with me after what I did and then choose to reappear seven years later.
Okay just take a deep breath, Sakura. Don't freak yourself out just so you can back out of this. This isn't a bad idea. And even if it is, you've got to try, you big baby. Then again, degrading oneself doesn't really help in the already faltering confidence department. I shook my head to rid it of the thought process. I'm not backing down. I'm going to try my best and at the very least make him hear my apology for doing what I did.
It's not like I didn't have a reason for it. A very good reason.
I sighed again and headed for the bar. Maybe Pops still works here. That'd be nice and convenient. At least he could tell me what's been going on while I've been gone. Of course that is if he doesn't hate my guts for hurting Sasuke and all… No! I've got to stop thinking so negatively. Think positive. Like what if he missed me terribly and doesn't hate me in the slightest? That's totally probable. See? Being optimistic about this isn't so hard.
And again my early confidence that had gotten me to and inside the club had returned and again I was quickly heading for the bar portion of the club. When I got there, I took the first available seat that I could find. Then I proceeded to look around, searching for Pops. I couldn't help but smile when I found him down at the other end of the counter. So he is still here, what a pleasant surprise. But it'd be a minute or two before he'll get to me, if that group is any indication.
"You're in my seat." I blinked, I know that voice. So logically I turned to where I'd heard it come from only to find Sasuke behind me.
Oh crap.
I gulped. Okay calm down, you rehearsed this all the way here…but what the hell was it. Damn it, I can't remember and I didn't write it down either. Double damn. Ummmm wasn't it about an apology or something?
"Are you going to move or what?" He asked again. And I realized right then and there, that this wasn't Sasuke. He looked and sounded and acted a lot like Sasuke but this wasn't actually him.
So I nodded quickly, my nervous breakdown over and slipped from the stool, "Sorry." I thought about adding that he looked like someone I knew then decided not to. He'd already taken the seat and if he was anything like the guys who hung around here, then he probably doesn't care either. I started to walk away, the lounging area maybe. I can wait to talk to Pops, I've still got a couple hours before twelve o'clock.
I got as far as one step when my wrist was grabbed, on instinct I whipped around only to find a brown haired guy with two parallel red fang marks on his cheeks. "You really shouldn't pass up such a hot chick, Itachi." I pursed my lips; I'd forgotten what it was like to be treated like a possession. That's part of the reason that had kept me away for so long. Wait did he say…
"Itachi? As in Uchiha, Itachi?" I asked before I could help myself. As in Sasuke's older brother that he wanted to find so badly, Uchiha, Itachi? So that's why there is such a resemblance… My mind raced at the possibilities. If he's here, then is Sasuke or are they on the same side now?
The man turned slightly completely ignoring the guy who obviously knew him and stared at me with analytical, sharp eyes. So much like a hawk's or a crow's. "I didn't think my name really reached that far. Who are you?"
I paused then snatched my arm from the hand that still held it. Fang-boy double blinked, as if surprised that I'd been able to get my hand back. I opened my mouth to answer when.
"Her name is Haruno, Sakura." A slightly rough, really pale and somewhat familiar hand found its way to my shoulder the other rested on my hip. "One of my exes." One? I turned my head to see none other than the guy I was looking for. Well, I didn't really need to look nor did I really start in the first place.
So many things built up right then and there. But the one that made it through was the position Sasuke had his hands; we'd made that up a long time ago. He was telling me to be quite and let him handle it. And boy did it take a lot of effort for that. I'm trying to reconcile, not start a war.
"Oh. Well that explains it. Ha! I knew you weren't that famous Itachi." The brown haired guy laughed, shoving a finger in Itachi's aristocratic face. So this really was the guy Sasuke had been trying to find for so long. And he'd finally found him. That's good. I'm glad. I looked back up at the guy behind me who still had his hands in the same spot, he was beginning to look annoyed and I couldn't help but wonder if they'd noticed that.
He turned away with a hn. Which meant he was either very tolerant or was used to the guy's behavior. "Knock it off Kiba." Sasuke cut in, finally shifting his hands, the one on my shoulder falling half way down my arm to just above the elbow, the other fell of my body completely. This meant something as well: let's go. So he didn't want a scene. Same old Sasuke.
"What?" Kiba whined, but we were already walking away, Sasuke steering me toward the couch that basically had our name on it…well it used to. It's probably just his now.
"Hey, Sasuke. Long time no see. Are you still angry with me?" Oh sure. Just had to think about that earlier, didn't I? But it was the only thing I couldn't think of to say to him. I'd forgotten the whole speech I'd prepared no thanks to Itachi.
He snorted. "What do you think?"
"That would be a yes."
"After the way you left, how could I not be?" He shoved me causing me to stumble and fall sideways into the cushions of the couch. He sat down across from me.
Quickly, I sat up and straightened out. "Look. I didn't come here to start a war." I started still quite intimidated. Why was I? I've never felt such a way with him before. Maybe it's because I'd never thought this would happen, because we'd never been in this situation. And again I remembered how this was all my fault. Me and my stupid mouth and stupid ideas and and –
"Really? Then why are you here?" His black eyes pinned my own green ones with more emotions flitting through them then I could name. But I caught the biggest ones. Anger, curiosity, hope, and sorrow.
"I know how I left was wrong. And I shouldn't have done that. I…I want to make it up to you." I paused taking a deep breath and returning his intent gaze. "I can't stand to be away from you. Seven years is seven too many." I groaned inside. Idiot! Why couldn't I have just said 'I want to say sorry' and leave it at that? I just had to go and make a fool of myself. I just had to go and sound fake and fan-girlish. He's always hated that kind of behavior. What is wrong with me?
He sneered. "So you couldn't stand the heart break you brought on yourself?"
Still, I shook my head, "I didn't mean to leave you like that." I protested, "I told you….I told you that–"
"That you love me. And I called you a lair." He finished with narrowing eyes quickly loosing his patience. But even so, he remembered exactly what happened. Even after all this time. That's got to count for something, right? Right? "Give up the act Sakura. You're still a lair and still doing things for your own gain. To make you feel better." My heart dropped. The words stinging and I tried not to tear up at how harsh he was being.
I winced. I deserved that. Totally and completely deserved that. "But it's true. No matter how it looks to you. I really do still love you…" then I lowered my eyes as his earlier words flashing through my mind 'one of my exes.' "But I didn't come here to ruin any life that you've made for yourself." I smiled bitterly, laughing without humor "Besides, I don't blame you for letting me go. Leaving like that, being gone for so long. I'm glad you moved on. And I just…" I paused feeling my nose sting, signaling that tears wouldn't be far behind. Not now. Please hold on, I pleaded with my body. Just a minute or so more. That's all. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry, and I left because I was only hurting you Sasuke." I took another breath, "I did have a reason. But…" I looked up into his eyes blocking out all the emotions that I saw there as the tears prickled at my eyes. "I only came to say I'm sorry. That's it. I didn't expect you to take me back or to still love me. Hell I don't expect you to forgive me." I quickly stood, wiping the falling tears away as fast as I could.
Out. I need an exit. Now.
Just like so long ago.
"You really are something. You know that?" His quite voice inquired with bottled rage just as I got past the couch, his hand reached out and snatched my wrist yanking me back.
"Sasuke, please. I won't ever come back if that's what you want." Even if it's not what I want. Was he going to pick pride now and tell me to leave? Were those feelings that I felt every fucking day just an illusion? What I wanted to feel because it helped soothe the pain even if it did add more to it?
He shook his head. "You're a bitch and you're insane if you think you can just do this to me, Sakura. You don't get to walk away and then seven years later decide that I deserve an apology and then disappear without a trace again. I won't let you." Conviction and determination ran through his gaze, ruling it and pushing everything else down. "In fact. You're not going anywhere. You have a lot of making up to do."
Hope bubbled inside of me. This was his way of telling me that I still had a chance. I could still be a part of his life. I felt my smile return and the tears run quicker.
He frowned. "You can start by not crying."
I laughed bobbing my head, trying to wipe away all the tears. But they wouldn't stop. "They…they won't stop." I hiccupped.
He rolled his eyes. "Still a cry baby I see. Come here." He tugged me forward and I lost my balance. Crumbling to the floor before him. It should have bothered me how even after seven years, even in our current situation I still didn't mind baring my soul to him. To give him the power to crush me into pieces whenever he so chose to. Using the back of his hand he caught all of my tears, roughly wiping them away. Right. I forgot how rough he could be. "And the next thing is I want you to go find Pops and apologize for suddenly disappearing. You and Naruto really hurt him you know. Then I want you to go home. And don't even think of trying to find me again."
I also forgot just how pushy he could be. Under different circumstances I would have blinked, smacked him then stock away while cussing him out about how bossy he was being and lastly demand he figure out how to ask for what he wanted. Damn brat. But like he said I have debt to repay.
Which means from here on out I have to be on my best behavior.
Next Chapter: Meeting the Gang
Next Update: June - 10
Thanks for reading, review please, criticism is forever welcome.
