"For your own sake".
Sakura's fever had died down throughout the night. She had woken up a couple of times but the warmth that emanated from Sasuke's body had lured her back to sleep on each occasion.
When she woke up the next morning, she felt stronger; but somehow heavier too. She moved around a little and blushed slightly when she felt the weight of his arm on her. Over the night, he had slid down a bit from his sitting position against the cave's wall. Sakura's upper body was resting on his lap as his left arm rested on top of her shoulders comfortably.
Sasuke's soft breathing and his relaxed features were enough to provoke a small smile as she watched him sleep soundly. This way, he seemed to lower all his walls and for once let her see there was still a trace of that young innocence he still had left. There was no malice in his eyes, no narrowed eyebrows and no cold eyes. He was free of any trick he liked to use to hide his true feelings as he rested peacefully next to her.
She was so enthralled on his handsome face that, for a moment, she forgot the painful state her body was in. She tried to move but her muscles were sore and weak, every movement she made emphasized the pain on her ribcage.
"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered, trying to wake the sleeping man beside her gently.
He frowned, just before slowly opening one eye towards her direction. The simple mention of his name brought him to attention as his cheeks started to flush the moment he realized the position they were both in. It felt so intimate that it was beyond awkward. He lifted his arm, silently motioning her to move, only to end up with his left arm hovering awkwardly over her, while she was clutching the fabric of his pants as she tried to move without success.
"Can you help me move, please?" she whispered as she tried to move her hands from him, embarrassed. Her cheeks were redder than his as she stared into his beautiful black eyes. She was becoming distracted once again and she defiantly needed to move.
"Why are you whispering, Sakura?" he asked, a slightly annoyed tone hinting in his voice.
"Uh?" she replied wordlessly. True, she discovered a moment after that Suigetsu had not come back to the cave after last night's incident and Juugo was nowhere in sight.
He apparently was waiting for a response when his eyebrow rose inquiringly. Sakura, annoyed to say the least, could only answer in her own distasteful tone as she felt as if he was mocking her. "Are you going to help me or not?" she said a little bit harsher than she meant to, but if he did not intend to help, he better not make fun of her either.
He complied silently. He got up, being careful so he wouldn't hurt her and walked to the entrance of the cave.
Sakura was starting to regret giving him a choice when he heard him call on to Juugo, then retreat silently. She allowed a little whimper escape her lips as he slid his hands under her softly. Once she was safely in his arms, he strode closer to the entrance of the cave.
The sunlight hurt her eyes but the warmth of it reached her deeply. She smiled as she felt a fresh breeze play with her unruly bangs. She could hear the birds and animals as the forest came to life to greet the day ahead, making her feel alive once more, away from the coldness of the cave and its inhabitants; only until Sasuke laid her close to the entrance as Juugo walked towards her.
"Sakura-san, please drink this. It is a chakra booster I made with some medicinal plants. I am afraid I am not qualified to treat the gravity of your injuries but once your chakra levels replenish, you will be able to fix yourself" Juugo said, as he lifted her head enough so she could drink a little of the mix.
Sakura smelt the beverage and recognized all the ingredients; once she was satisfied with her mental evaluation, she took a sip at it. It tasted horrible, but then again all the good medicine always did. So she took it like a man, figuratively speaking, and finished every last drop.
Sasuke grunted, amused, when she made a face at the disgusting green mix Juugo had put together. She looked just like a little child who was given a distasteful medicine. She had seemed so childish and vibrant when he allowed the sun to hit her face earlier, too. She had smelt the air and smiled gracefully at the display of wild life at the forest; she seemed to captivate his attention more than he had ever wanted her to. Her innocence had always amazed him, even now. She had always been intense; always yelling and moving around him anxiously. She even had that brightness when she scolded and hit Naruto back when they were Genins. She had a glow around her that he just couldn't place. It intrigued him deeply.
Sasuke was pulled away from his thoughtful state when he heard Sakura call out his name, annoyed. Apparently he had been staring at her intently for some time now. He felt the heat return to his face but he willed himself to calm down. Such displays were not in his character and more importantly, he could not let Sakura think she was the sole cause of this. He had his pride, after all.
"Sasuke-kun, I asked you if you could retrieve my backpack from where I fought Juugo-san." Sakura asked him, the anxious note on her voice made clear to him she was not comfortable.
"You mean the one that was defiantly destroyed during your little spar with Juugo?" he said mockingly, raising an eyebrow.
'There were my spare clothes, bandages, medicines and…..the scroll. Shit! I need to make sure it's either destroyed or safe from his prying eyes. I have to keep him with me at all costs' she thought as her brain worked hard to find a way to keep him busy while she made sure.
"Sakura-san, now that you are awake I need to ask for your permission to remove your clothing. I need to clean you wounds again and the cloth has started to meld with your battered skin. It could infect your healing wounds." Juugo made sure to approach her gently. He knew she was still weary after her night encounter with the stupid mist nin and he wanted her to know she was not in danger with him.
Sakura, however, was not going to miss the chance that was presented to her. She glanced at Sasuke from the corner of her eye and saw a glint of the same intensity he had shown when he had caught Suigetsu last night. She allowed her inner self a wicked smile as she watched and played her part flawlessly.
Sasuke did not know why the sole mention of Juugo taking off her clothes was so disturbing to him. He knew Juugo had no ill intentions towards the kunoichi but the simple thought of his fingers on her skin was unbearable to him. He knew Juugo would never hurt her but when Sakura spoke he released a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Juugo….could you give us a moment, please?" Sakura asked timidly, eyes casted downward.
The orange haired man gave a curt nod and walked back outside. He knew she probably felt insecure with three men around her and being so weak to defend herself she had to rely on her teammate; only he wasn't sure Sasuke could comply. He was not a bad person but he didn't know how to deal with his past. He took one last look at the cave and started to make his way down. He just hoped that he would, for Sakura's sake.
"Sasuke-kun…please, help me yourself. I used to treat you both back when we were genin, so please do this for me. I feel unsafe around your companions and I know you will not hurt me. However, this is not entirely a request but more like…payback. "
Sasuke could see that with each word she spoke, her cheeks became redder and she almost yelled the last part. She was too damn intense. The moment she finished, she blinked a few times, looking like she didn't believe she just say that out loud. He could understand what she meant and fairly agreed. She had cured his injuries not only when they were teammates but also after the fight with Madara. He remembered the faint feeling of her warm chakra flowing through his body reassuringly as she spoke to him words of courage to keep on living, to fight back…to return back home safe. He had felt her hot tears as they made tiny wet marks over his chest as she fought to keep herself together with so many of her comrades been attacked all around them. He even remembered the small smile she gave him when he had whispered her name once he had regained full movement and faintly touched her hand as a silent 'thank you'.
"Fine" he said at last, sighing. He didn't feel too comfortable with the idea of striping off her clothes but he was defiantly not letting anyone else do it. He could not let anyone else look at her like that. She had insisted it was him who helped her; that was the least he could do for her.
Sakura returned her gaze to his eyes once more, glad he had accepted her request. She gave him a small smile while she nodded.
"Thank you, Sasuke-kun." She said softly. Sasuke could only manage to grunt in apparent annoyance as his eyes fixed on the grounds beneath them. He was allowing himself to be affected by her emotions. He had started to think of her needs before the fact that she was here. She had come looking for him for a reason and he intended to question her once she was better.
"I'll be right back" He said as he exited the cave looking for Juugo. He needed to inform him he would be helping her instead.
Once Sasuke was gone, Sakura closed her eyes, letting a small sigh leave her lips. She was so afraid he would say no and to be honest, she was surprised he had agreed at all. She had not seen that look in his eyes in a very long time. She had almost forgotten how beautiful his dark onyx eyes could look when they softened. He had stared at her and had made her feel cohabited by his pensive look.
She missed him.
She stared at the cave ceiling as she thought about the life at Konoha without him. She missed the strange grunt sound he made; she chuckled a little when she remembered there had been a time where she could recognize each emotion hidden behind the 'hn' he liked to use. She missed the fights he used to have with the blonde dumbass or how he closed his eyes while eating every time she cooked anything with tomatoes in it.
She missed him deeply.
She fought back the tears that had accumulated on her eyes; she had promised herself to not shed a tear for this man any longer. But the intense love she had once felt for him could not be placed aside so easily. She had cried herself to sleep wondering if he was well, if he was happy…if he ever thought about her at all.
When Sasuke entered the cave silently, he saw her troubled expression as she looked intently at the ceiling. He didn't make any sound as to not to disturb her, thinking she was dealing with the present situation; only when he sat next to her could he see a glimpse of her watery eyes.
"Why couldn't you stay?" she whispered, barely audible. It seemed as if she was speaking to herself more than to him.
He didn't answer. He couldn't. He had felt he needed to leave the past behind him and that included his once beloved family and friends, his brother, his house. He needed to get away to lift the sorrow of it all upon his heart. He had severed the bonds with all the people closest to him on the village; he couldn't expect them to just take him back.
Konoha was no longer his home.
Sakura turned her head to look into his eyes as he silently undid the bandages of her right arm to clean the dried blood underneath. He did not dare look at her. He was being gentle and careful with her hurting limbs as the unanswered question rounded both of their minds.
"I did not belong there." He spoke gently, washing her arm with care. The look of her purpled skin was hurting him for a reason he would rather deny. However, she didn't even flinch when he had to tear some of the cloth that was stuck on her elbow with his kunai. The pinkish fabric had seemed to have burnt into her skin from the several explosions during the fight.
"Konoha is your birth town, Sasuke-kun. You will always belong there, as long as you have people who care about you."
He was taken aback. He had not been expecting her to reply as he saw her eyes burning with unshed tears. She was still staring at the ceiling, stubbornly. His eyes softened when he realized just how much pain she had to endure because of him and how much stronger she seemed to have become because of that suffering. He was starting to see a very different side of her, one that was much less annoying.
He continued to remove her bandages in silence as she had closed her eyes. She had managed to keep her tears from falling freely down her face as she remembered her vow to keep herself focused. It was hard when he was opening slowly to her, but she did not want to push him. She had so many questions she wanted to ask…so many answers she needed from him.
She felt him tense next to her, his body rigid for a moment before she felt the zipper of her blouse been handled. Her eyes shot open at the contact naturally and looked for his eyes for comfort. Her face was contorted with worry only to be replaced with a faint blush over her pale cheeks.
Sasuke was not even looking at her. He had his face turned away from her but she could distinguish a faint blush on his handsome features. She chuckled faintly, causing him to react and look for her face as if asking for permission.
"You know, if you don't look you might pull the wrong way. It's okay, Sasuke-kun, I trust you" She said jokingly, trying to lift the burden from him as she smiled warmly at him. She had to; at least for now.
He complied silently, blushing still. She seemed to be having fun at his expense and he felt relieved she was not scared. He allowed himself to relax a little and pulled the rest of the zipper down. He had trouble because for some weird reason her zipper went to the right at the end of her shirt and he had to maneuver over her to be careful not to pull the fabric that was somehow adhered to her wounds.
He gulped inwardly. He had to admit at least to himself that the view of her black lace bra was amazing. Her small breasts were cupped perfectly inside it, perk and firm. Her belly was flat and her skin fair. She was looking to the side to avoid looking at him directly. He was able to see a small blush appear on her cheeks as she had started to be self-conscious. Flashbacks from his dreams started to appear on his mind as he exposed her front to his hungry eyes. He felt his body grow tense and looked away. The least she needed now was another pervert touching her inappropriately.
Once he had finished unzipping it he tore her ragged shirt from the neck to the sleeves so her shoulders were freed without having to move her. She protested but he silenced her immediately with a harsh look. The clothes were already burnt, missing complete chunks in some parts and were dirty as hell. He would have to get her new clothes soon, he thought annoyed as he tried to concentrate once more in the task at hand.
Once her torso was exposed he searched for her eyes, asking for permission to continue. She placed her hand on top of his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He was allowed to continue. He nodded silently as he started to cut down her skirt with his kunai, removing the cloth slowly until all that was left of her clothing was her black lace panties.
Too sexy for a mission, he thought as his eyes took in the beautiful body in front of him. It was perfect, even with all those bruises and scars. That proved she was a worthy warrior in his eyes. He had his own scars, which were proof of the many battles he had fought. Many were won; some were lost but fought fervently nonetheless.
"Why did you keep the scars? With your medical ninjutsu you could have just erased them." He thought out loud, his eyes narrowing at the sight of a particular large one that ran from her last rib down to her waist line. He realized he had spoken his thoughts when he heard her answer him.
"Because each of them has a story, a meaning; they remind me of the battles I had fought to become strong, the hardships I had to survive in order to be here." She said softly as she kept her eyes on the ceiling.
Sasuke slid his finger faintly over the scar, inwardly. The skin felt hard and the tone was slightly lighter than her skin. He wondered…
"That one was from the time I fought Sasori with Chiyo-sama. He had used that stupid poison gas and managed to cut me down. I was just about to die when I injected some of the poison in my leg to survive a little longer…I couldn't just give up. We needed to save Gaara and more importantly, I knew he could tell me where to find-" she stopped and immediately looked at his face.
"Me" he completed. He knew they had fought the Akatsuki to be able to learn his whereabouts…that was how they had managed to find the hideout, after all. His eyes never left the sight of her marked skin as he remembered he didn't believe she had killed Sasori only with the help of an old hag. That wasn't the Sakura he knew…but then again just how much of her did he really know?
He turned to her only to be met with her soft smile. "It hurt a lot…but it was worth it. We were able to find you."
"Hn" he turned back to washing her skin. He felt a small ping of guilt as he could see another new ones being added to her collection; 'Worth it, huh?' he thought as he stole a glance at her and narrowed his eyes slightly. She was smiling contently as she seemed to be lost in deep thought. He really didn't know what he had done to provoke such care in those two.
"Do you have any scars, Sasuke-kun?" she asked him, while he helped to turn so he could work on her back. He was taken aback for her silly question but he realized she was trying to maintain the flow of conversation. He remembered she had always been chatty but only when he saw that most of the back of her blouse was adhered to her skin did he understand. She was trying to distract herself from the pain to come.
"Of course I do." He stated simply. He needed to concentrate to be gentle. She was a ninja, she could take a little pain. But the back of her ribcage was horribly scarred. The claws from Juugo's monstrous hands had dug into her skin.
He sighed, in silent defeat. "I got most of them while fighting the Hachibi."
Sakura smiled as they kept their conversation simple and casual. She loved the sound of his voice as his calloused fingers worked on her offended flesh. She felt cared for, important to him, at least for now and she felt that familiar warmth that she had forgotten long ago.
Once he had finished cleaning her, he fixed her 'bed' so her upper body would be higher. She thanked him as a delicious smell made its way in from the woods and as if on cue, her stomach growled loudly.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her and she just shrugged, blushing slightly.
"Here" he said as he stripped his shirt off. She couldn't help to stare as her brain turned off for a second. She regained control immediately only to feel relieved he was not looking her way. He helped her to put it on so she wouldn't hurt herself while moving so much and immediately went outside.
She felt her face hot as she was able to smell him slightly on the fabric around her. It was too big in her and the upper part was too high that he had to undo the zip a little.
When he came back, he was holding two small roasted fishes on his hands and handed one to her. She took it almost too eagerly as she felt her mouth water. She hadn't had anything to eat for almost two days. She was so hungry that he could have handed her only the stick and she wouldn't have complained at all. She hummed contentedly until his words almost made her choke.
"Now Sakura, tell me, why exactly… are you here?."
Woohooo! Another chapter! and this time it didn't take me that long. I hope you liked this chapter and please let me know what you think, Next chapter will explain a lot of things including Sakura's apparent weakness towards him.
So please review, that's how I know you are still reading this jeje...
