DUST AND CRUMBS

Sakura sat on a cold bench under the warm sunlight. She eyes watched the pigeons pecking at bread crumbs thrown their way, the runners doing their daily laps, and people just like her sitting around and just lazily basking. Sakura liked to watch people and their behaviors, their ticks and their mannerisms, you could learn a lot about people when they didn't think they were being watched.

Her mittened fingers curled around themselves and she noticed that the material was wearing away on the fingertips. Absorbed by them she didn't notice the obnoxiously bright green tennis ball that tapped her foot. She picked it up to find a pack of eight dogs watching her obediently. A cross between an undignified gasp and choked off yelp escaped her, her pulse in her ear drums. One of the dogs was easily her height, almost all drool and a combination of eight different sets of eyes on the ball. They always managed to startle her. In the distance behind them she saw two men waving to her.

Sometimes she indulged them in their games by tossing the ball back when they needed it. They talked to her sometimes and the two men were very nice but Sakura preferred to stay and watch. They stopped when she looked at them then to the ball and one of the dogs came right up to her and she pet his short fur gently and tapped his nose before she threw it in the opposite direction.

The dogs darted kicking dirt with tails held high and left Sakura with a whoosh of air and a smile on her face. Smiling they waved a hand in thanks that she returned, but they eyed her a bit more before turning away. Sakura tugged her hat down more before she pulled out the book nestled inside her jacket.

OoOoO

The sun had already long since set when Sakura snuck in through the window. She had been careful to tiptoe quietly, skin against the floor cold and hidden in the shadows. Yahiko and Konan were both talking to another 'helper.' Sakura made herself scarce in those type of situations. She knew that their 'helpers' crawled all over the building like dirty rats in the walls and she had never made any attempt to get to know them, so she crept back into her room and shut it locked without a sound. She couldn't help but observe the boy with blond hair and wide stupefied eyes standing alongside another with intense red hair for a second. Yahiko's hearty laugh drifted to her. 'Suckers.'

Konan and Yahiko had been getting 'helpers' long before she had even arrived. She was not actually aware of many people had walked in out of their halls but it seemed there were new faces barging in and out every couple of months. They were like ghosts, talked about but never seen, and if you saw them it was never more than once.

OoOoO

Sakura had a certain routine that she followed (she used the term loosely). She would rise whenever she did and then straighten up some of the mess that Konan and Yahiko would leave the night before, get dressed and leave-usually by that time they were still passed out. Sakura would then visit the park, see the same joggers, the same two men with their dogs and others like herself. The predictability of routine was comforting. If she hadn't scavenged something from the apartment she would go through the city and take something or eat at places where she was welcomed. After that Sakura would do as she pleased, visiting places where she was friendly with the people and sometimes she would watch the ice skaters or the skateboarders.

Sakura would stay in the run down cold shelters when she would rather not deal with Konan and Yahiko and it was nice, there was a community there, a yearning for them. They were real people. Sakura liked the shelters but she was always infuriated with herself every time she caught her reflection in the chipped paint and spider-web cracked glass in the dead of night.

OoOoO

Standing in front of a streaked and scratched mirror, she was looking at her face and her new red sweater she had taken from the store. There was a knock on the door and Konan's voice floated through the wood. Pushing her way in she sat on her bed. She was eyed with interest and Konan sat, sighed, and patted the spot next to her.

"Come, sit"

Sakura sat next to her and Konan twirled her finger, smiling around a cigarette.

"Lemme do your hair"

Konan passed a glowing cigarette to Sakura and made a gesture. The smoking cigarette sitting in between her fingers was tempting and Sakura took a small huff. She was no stranger to this and she relaxed when she felt Konan's hand slowly coming up around the base of her neck, thumb rubbing circles over the bump of her spine and slipping and massaging its way up and into her scalp.

"You're hair is getting long. Looks nice"

Sakura made an agreeing noise and her fingers threaded through her wet pink strands and slowly, meticulously beginning the process of braiding it. They settled into silence and Konan began humming.

"Where's everyone?" It had been quiet when she snuck in.

"Yahiko had to deal with something personally and I didn't feel like going."

"Oh"

"Is that new?"

"Mhmm"

Once Konan finished she leaned back on her bed and propped the pillow behind her head, sighing contently and taking back the cigarette.

"You know, one time, Yahiko and I were dealing with this jerk. Name was Orochimaru."

Sakura leaned back on one arm and faced Konan, and cocked her head listening to her.

"This guy-most entitled and a pompous ass ever-said he would give ammunition and money for our business. It was a bad idea to start business with him, he was always aware of the cops around him and let them think they were on to him...insane if you ask me. Anyway the very first time that we met with him one of his guys thought that we were intruding so Kisame shot him in the ass! It was hilarious-he was jumping around like he was on fire."

Sakura had a ghost of a smile on her face and was tracing the patterns of the blanket with her finger, she looked up and Konan must have read the questioning look on her face and clicked her tongue.

"Well, that bastard is now dead. Good riddance to this world" Sakura thought it was ironic how blind Konan was to her own hypocrisy.

"Why?"

"There was undercover cops at the last meet up and ambushed them...raided the place. Shut it down. Now we've got to deal with some of the repercussions." Her humor slowly eroded into a frown and there was a reign of silence afterwards between them. Sakura leaned further into the bed. It was times like these that Sakura could find some semblance of peace among the dust and crumbs in the apartment. Times like this when they got along and Konan could be nice and they could have an actual conversation, but of course this only happened when they weren't off in their own world and the times when they did talk the resentment and bitterness would ebb back like the sea's tide...

"Stop being a brat. We're helping you." Konan chuckled good humouredly pulling lightly on her sleeve but the abrupt change in conversation made all traces of humor fall from Sakura's face.

...But of course these times were far in between the unstable waves. The walls of tension would snap up harshly, thick and impenetrable once again and Sakura settled for blatantly ignoring her. Konan sighed in irritation. She knew Sakura was no longer paying attention to her when she got that look on her face.

"Fine, it's no big deal. Tell me when you're done being self righteous." With that Konan rolled her eyes and got up, put out her cigarette against the nightstand, burning a reminder into the surface of the wood and left the butt laying there, exiting wordlessly. Sakuras green eyes glared at her back and at times like those she wondered why she didn't run to the nearest payphone.

Instead, Sakura left. And this time she managed to stay away for a month. She wasn't sure what exactly happened when she was away but the world must've turned on its head in a volatile quake, lacking clarity because it greeted her with breeding chaos and catalyzing something that was long overdue.

OoOoO

Naruto was and wasn't surprised to find himself in his situation. Living with Deidara and Sasori was easy, they were rarely around and when they were they were sarcastic and gruff and harsh but Naruto could have dwindlings of conversation with them, at least Deidara. Sasori stuck to intimidating looks. After Naruto's first run with Gaara Yahiko had decided to make them temporary partners. Gaara was obviously far from happy and Naruto was at least glad he wasn't alone.

Over the course of more than a month, things were getting surprisingly easy, he grew to learn the streets like the back of his hand. He had made friends with some of the business owners. The money he earned was not much but it was his, he had even developed a liking for ramen. Mornings were dull and uneventful (he mostly just slept)and nights?...Nights were what Naruto lived for, there was danger and anxiousness but there was no stronger pull than the rush of feelings and endorphins screaming you're alive, you're alive and you're unstoppable and the full body tingling sensation was utterly intoxifying. As the time passed Naruto had had the heart jarring realization,

"Why?"

"They all work for him"

"Everyone here works for him? Why?"

"They're all like us"

-the urgency to leave was no longer there. There was perpetual uneasiness but he didn't leave because Naruto had turned into another of Yahiko's messengers, even though he had thought backwards and sideway of ways to get out for the longest time. He didn't need to leave because he had money and he had freedom-but he couldn't leavehe couldn't leave. Escape was no longer an option because even though Naruto thought himself untamable Yahiko was the one who barked orders.

For a while Naruto wrestled with this realization, no it was not ideal, no he didn't necessarily like it, but he wasn't going to fight...at least for now.

So, Naruto stuck to Gaara like glue, once again he didn't like this but Naruto was nothing if relentless. The delicate and hesitant strings of friendship were formed and Naruto did most of the talking but he slowly noticed over time that Gaara wouldn't tune him out or scowl as much. They had conversations and their conversation from the apartment was never brought up again but Naruto still wasn't sure where he stood on that (he was told he was quite dense at times).

Contrary to his looks Gaara had a calm presence to him, there was no doubt that he was startlingly...unhinged, but there was a facade of peace with a ferocity just under his skin waiting for the right time to pounce and slash at your skin or waiting to dangle you between its jagged jaws. It was misleading and unsettling. Naruto knew that the time was approaching in which he would no longer be welcomed in Sasori and Deidara's apartment, he would hear the hushed whispers that included his name and Yahiko would give him hints and a wink here and there. Maybe he would get his own place just like Gaara?

For now it was just one day at a time but, maybe...maybe this could be a good thing?

OoOoO

The castor black alleyways were unnervingly silent. A beating heart overwhelmed all his other senses, thumping painfully in his throat and forcefully pushing blood. His lungs were screaming because-stop you fool I need to breathe. He was thrumming with adrenaline and nervousness, it clung to him as the sweat on his brow and the hot pin pricks of dry heat on his lower back. He cursed when his foot touched a puddle, water slapping against the ground and wall loudly. Blue eyes looked behind to see the other's shadowed form behind him but saw nothing else. Someone had been following them. The bundled package was still nestled against his chest and the second Gaara darted around the corner Naruto leaned against the wall and waited. There was no sound and his head silently peeked around the edge. The only sound was their harsh breathing.

They were in an intersection of alleyways of houses and the relative safety of the apartment was not far away. There was a tug on his sleeve and Naruto exhaled in relief.

"I think we lost-" Gaara was no longer looking at him but right in front of him at the black outline of what was clearly a cop. Memories of their first run popped into his head.

"...them" Naruto's voice trailed off and his head snapped in the direction of movement directly behind them. Another cop stood up from the trashcan he was hiding behind. The light of the alleyway to his left caught his eye as it distorted and molded into another form. A swear escaped him and Gaara grabbed him and was about to break into a sprint to their right. He didn't get far and Naruto almost ran right into Gaara and noticed that the three other forms were coming closer with guns raised.

A strong sense of revolting dread filled him and he didn't need to look ahead of them to know a cop was standing there too. The sound of the safety being switched off was loud and crystal clear in warning, and they began to move in hesitantly close like lurking panthers, waiting to jump and maul. Naruto's head fell slightly into the protection of Gaara's jacket, his heart beating erratically and his breath shallow puffs.

"Shit"

OoOoO

While the apartment was hostile at times and tense and she didn't necessarily like it, there was a minute sense of comfort in there-familiarity, was more like it- it was a suffocating calm she couldn't find anywhere else, it was a melancholy that was enrapturing and she couldn't just stay away-stupid stupid Sakura. So when Sakura walked in she could identify the smothering strained tension. The tension existed in the walls, permeated them and at it source was a paranoid Yahiko.

Sakura didn't have to see him to know it was him. She could hear him on the phone and without anyone seeing her Sakura snuck into her refuge. There was hesitation and uneasiness woven into the tones of his voice and for a second she wondered if she should leave again until it all blew over. Instead, rubbing her hands to warm herself she pulled a blanket around her and laid down. She was pretty tired from the trek to the apartment, it wasn't exactly in the heart of the city...

With a long winded sigh she plopped down on the bed and stared at the white ceiling. Her fingers drummed over her stomach before she shut her eyes. A restlessness rose in her that tingled and raced down her legs (runrunrun). Sakura's head turned towards the doorway. Deciding to push it away and ignore it she closed her eyes.

OoOoO

Sakura wasn't sure if she had actually fallen asleep or she had merely blinked, but when she opened her eyes a complete silence had blanketed her ears, a strange ringing echoed in her ears. The uneasiness was growing and Sakura sat upright and her first instinct was to go to the window. Outside of her window, the world looked ordinary but there was too much cars there, and more people than usual were outside loitering.

'Hmmm..' the movement of the people drew her attention and she knew something was very wrong-intuition sense of wrong. The people kept looking at the apartment and when she made contact with one of the people she darted back from the window. It was probably one of Yahiko's ghosts. It was complete silence and then when she looked out the window she saw that they were all holding guns and not too obviously holding them at the apartment. Someone saw her again and shot at her. The bullet missed her and broke the window, making her jump and yelp landing on the floor, absolute fear coursing through her. The bullet broke the spell of silence on the apartment. Her heart almost made a break through her chest and a fierce sweat broke out on her skin. 'I have to go tell Yahiko..' This thought instantly popped into her head and in a rush she grabbed at the handle and before she could turn it there were heavy poundings at the door, "POLICE! Open up Yahiko or we will use force! We know you're in there!"

Then from the silence Sakura could make out the sound of shuffling, panicked shuffling. After a moment of silence the door crashed open, the vibrations running through Sakura's toes. She left out a shaky gasp when tendrils of smoke drifted under the door and licked at ankles. There was indistinct yelling and dogs began barking, Sakura wasn't sure why but a clusterphobia rattled through her in the room so she yanked the door open and bolted for the back window. The apartment was covered in a thick haze and it made her eyes water.

She knew there was no point in running, Yahiko and Konan were busted, there was no way around it but she instinctively did it. When she faced the window with the paint chipped windowsill and foggy glass that lead out to the back set of dingy stairs she found herself face to face with an armed officer. Both were confused at the sight of each other and for a second Sakura wondered why she was seeing one of the friendly men from the park in her window.

The sight made her stop in her tracks and when she slowly turned she saw someone in a gas mask and she blinked at him. She took notice that she drew the attention of officers hearing murmurings of "what is she doing here?" The world was slowly distorting and she swayed on her feet. She recognized the dog that was alongside the man and it came over to her right before her eyes fluttered to the back of her head and she hit the ground.