Closing his jaw, that had previously dropped from shock, Sasuke nodded in false agreement. No this was not wonderful news. Sasuke felt like all the air had left his lungs as his mind registered what had just been said to him.
The two families had been dinning together around the Uchiha's large dinner table, when the adults decided to announce some wonderful news to their children. Sasuke and Sakura were to be married after Sasuke's 16th birthday. The pink haired girl blushed when she heard this. At the same time Sasuke looked like a gapping fish.
The weaker side of the twelve year old boy wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. While his angry self wanted to hurl everything on the dinner table in front of him at his parents and the Harunos. But he would never do either of those, he had too much self control.
This union was strictly created to benefit the two families. The Harunos wanted their descendants to have the power to govern the Fire Country. They wanted a status higher than Nobility, which they already were. The Uchiha's agreed to this because they wished for their son to marry a girl from a wealthy family. Peasants were out of the questions.
For the rest of dinner Sasuke's attention was focused on the plate of food, that he no longer had the appetite to finish. Conversation between the parents continued on normally. No one seemed to notice the Uchiha heir's new interest. Not even Sakura had noticed his gloomy mood, or if she had she was obviously ignoring it because she was staring at him with giant pink hearts in her eyes.
Soon after dinner, as Sasuke was bathing in the bathhouse thinking about his betrothal, he had the sudden urge to vomit. He aimed the mix of stomach acid and food into the wooden bucket in his hands, that was previously being used to wash himself with. His head felt heavy. His body felt hot and cold at the same time. Sasuke began to wobble as he made his way to get a towel. Then suddenly collapsed onto the floor unconscious.
Five minutes later Kakashi came in to check on the prince, since he usually didn't take this long to bathe. Fear filled the masked man when he saw Sasuke passed out on the bathhouse floor, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.
Immediately he rushed over to the boy and felt his forehead. He was burning with a fever. Letting out a heavy sigh, Kakashi picked the practically naked prince and headed for the boy's room. He knew full well--since Sasuke no longer had a nurse maid--that he would be watching over the boy all night long.
Looking upon the pale boy's face, Kakashi scolded, "You always make yourself sick when you're overstressed. But then again you were always a very sickly child."
Naruto tripped over the hem of her kimono as she was dancing and fell forward onto her knees. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed by a pair of hands. She felt worried, but not for herself.
"Naruto", Anko sighed, "you were doing so well. I thought that you were going to complete the dance without any mistakes this time."
"Sorry Anko-nee-san. I just got a little tired", Naruto replied picking herself up. "We have been practicing for about an hour."
"Hmph. You're lucky I waste my free time teaching you. If I'm not out entertaining men, I'm here with you. Pshh you're tired. I'm tired."
"Forgive my rudeness Anko-nee-san", Naruto got back on in her knees and bowed. "I appreciate that you take time out of your schedule to teach someone like me."
"Get up brat. You sure know how to kiss someone's ass." Anko gave the younger girl a cat grin and patted her on the head. "There's help for you yet. Now get me some dango then you can sleep."
After her little errand for Anko, Naruto stood in front of her window. As she stared out at the night sky, Naruto placed her hand over her heart, feeling its rhythmic beating. She knew that feeling. It always happened whenever Sasuke got sick. Everyday until he was finally better, her chest would feel uncomfortably tight.
Naruto felt like crying, but wouldn't let her tears fall. She had to be strong.
"Sasuke will be taken care of", she chanted over and over again to herself.
She knew that was true, but a part of her felt that there was a part of Sasuke that could only be taken care of by her.
Her heart clenched.
"There's a part of me that only can take care of too", Naruto breathed out as she gripped her chest tighter.
"Kampai!" Anko cheered holding up her cup of sake to her now official little sister(1).
The blonde girl sitting across from her lifted her own cup and clinked them together before they both drank. Anko smiled widely. She was so proud of the girl in front of her.
"From this day forward you shall no longer be known as Naruto, but as Anzu(2). You are now a geisha."
Two years had passed and now Anzu was fourteen years old. She was finished with her geisha training and one more step closer to her dream. Now she sat across from Anko in a teahouse, performing the bonding ceremony between sister geisha.
Anzu wore a black kimono with a crescent moon pattern, the same one Anko wore. White makeup covered her face to symbolize innocence. Her lips were colored a bright ruby red. And her blonde hair was pulled back in a split bun with a red ribbon hanging between the buns. She sat up straight, hands folded neatly in her lap, making her look mature and beautiful at the same time
"Thank you Anko-nee-san for agreeing to be my big sister. I hope I do don't become a burden"', Anzu said pouring her big sister some sake.
Anko downed the liquor without even blinking. "Brat, you were a burden the moment I meant you", she said sarcastically. She looked the blonde girl straight in her shinning blue eyes and smiled."I'm proud of you. Now stop being all proper. It's just the two of us here, so relax. You have the rest of your life to sit up straight and act like a 'Nadeshiko.'(3) Tonight, let's have fun!"
Anzu smiled and dropped her shoulders. She reached across the table for a new bottle of sake and held it in front of Anko's face.
"Let's see who can get drunk first", she challenged.
Anko laughed and grabbed a bottle for herself. "You're on brat. But just to let you know, Tsunade-baa-sama going to kill us both if you come home drunk. Are you sure you want to?"
"Of course. Like you said I've got the rest of my life to sit up straight and act like a Nadeshiko."
"Sasuke-kun, what do you like most about me?" the fifteen year old pink girl asked, clutching onto said boy's arm as the two headed for the dinning room.
"I like that you insist on asking me questions", Sasuke replied sarcastically.
The Harunos were back for yet another visit. Obviously this meant more fun time with Sakura.
"No, I'm serious Sasuke-kun", Sakura said batting her eyes at him. "You'll be fifteen(4) in two months. Which means that our marriage is drawing closer. Since I am to be your wife, there should be at least one thing you like about me."
Sasuke sighed heavily. Women were so irritating.
"Sometimes, when you're not trying to make me like you, you're okay to talk to."
The green eyed girl tightened her grip on his arm as she squealed with joy.
"Sasuke-kun is the owner of my heart. And I will be the owner of his one day", she said, her voice booming with conviction.
They continued to walk in silence. Sakura grinning happily, while Sasuke pitied her.
'I'm sorry Sakura, but someone already owns my heart. And I don't want it back.'
AN: Merry late Christmas everyone. Sorry I couldn't get this chapter out yesterday, but when I finished writing it at 10 last night, my sister decided that to hog my laptop. Sigh she takes away the computer when she moved to San Diego and now whenever she visit she steals mine. So I had to wait to type it up.
Anyways sorry this chapter is a little choppy, but I really want to get to interesting part of the story. There's no point in writing too much about their childhood other than what has already been said. The story will develop quicker if I just keep this stuff short, so bare with me and enjoy the indirect SasuNaru fluff.
(1)When a girl is new geisha she finds someone more experienced to help guide her in her transition from training to working geisha. This person becomes her "big sister" or mentor. The big sister pretty much just lets her younger sister shadow her as she works so the younger of the two can gain experience.
(2)Also when a girl becomes a geisha she changes her name, usually to something that has a similar beginning to her big sisters. I will refer to Naruto as "Anzu" when she is being addressed by a person, but I'll call her "Naruto" if she ever decides to talk to herself or for other reasons involving her original name. I'll try to make this as least confusing as possible. Her name change is essential to the plot. Anzu also mean apricot.
(3)A nadeshiko is a flower. It also means "perfect lady."
(4)Sakura is actually older than Sasuke by 4 months. Her birthday is March 28, while his is July 23.