A/N: Chapter 3 is here! Thank you Darkhope, Cheese, Diva, ShadowFox777, Castle Of Ice, Kaorichan1189, and Alucious for the wonderful reviews! I will hopefully update chapter 4 soon, but since I do celebrate Christmas, it might be after that. Anyway, Happy Holidays everyone, and enjoy your vacation!!
Okay so, incase you guys forgot.
-- Time breaks/Scene skips
Italics - Flashbacks.
And Italics/Bold used with regular text it stressing the point!
--
AND again...
Did I create Naruto?
Nooo.
Did I create this fanfiction?
Yesss.
--
Retrogression
By: dark dreamerx
--
Chapter 3
(Enjoy!)
Her voice was monotone.
And the blade trailed along his neck.
Silver clashed with red.
Flesh opened.
A thin line of blood trickled.
She had nicked him.
As a threat.
A warning.
His mind pictured her.
What happened?
She'd never forgive,
nor forget.
"Sakura..."
His voice was calm.
Silence.
He tried once more, his voice soft.
"Sakura, why are you hiding?"
Grip.
Trickle.
More blood spilled.
Silence.
"Don't pretend that you can't hear me—"
She spat a retort in his hair viciously,
"Shut up."
He grimaced.
She trailed the kunai again.
He swallowed slowly.
"Sakura—stop."
She refused.
Sasuke grudgingly grabbed her hand.
And ripped the blade from her fingertips.
Slice.
Drip.
His hands were bleeding.
But he didn't care.
And neither did she.
"I'll stop you. I'll get you back."
Step.
Step.
Step.
His hand was outstretched.
Reaching.
Reaching.
It was thrashed away.
Shuriken.
Her eyes were glistening red.
Murder intent.
He felt it.
Yet he was prepared.
Repeat:
Step.
Step.
Step.
She pummeled a fist.
He dodged.
She threw a kick.
He avoided.
Then, she grabbed his shoulders.
Roughly.
Sending them both to the floor.
Tumbling, glaring, breathing.
They stopped.
She was on top.
He looked up at her with tired eyes.
Green eyes remained cold.
"I swear, Uchiha..."
She pushed weight on him.
Lips near his ear.
"If you talk to me ever again,"
Pause.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
"I will personally mutilate you."
The weight dispersed.
And she was gone.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Sasuke did not move from the ground.
--
"She really isn't the same anymore."
Her eyes drifted to his...
Searching.
He nodded solemnly.
"I thought you two were close."
"We were!"
Turquoise pools oozed salty liquid.
"Ino...don't cry."
Shikamaru took her in his arms.
Her shoulders trembled.
Tears.
And more tears.
He watched them fall from her eyes.
Listened to her aching sobs.
He hugged her tighter.
Closer.
"Shhh..."
"She's dead Shikamaru!" Ino cried.
Her voice lowered, a steady whisper against his chest then.
"So dead...so dead...she's really gone..."
--
Obsidian eyes continued to stare into nothingness.
It reflected his life so well.
So perfectly.
His neck was wet.
Blood still spewing; clotting.
He was unaffected.
Hands behind his head.
Black hair mixed.
Closed his eyes.
Licked his lips.
Taste.
It was on his tongue.
That red liquid.
Salty metal.
Only melted.
Smirk.
She made him bleed.
He was still alive.
Could still feel.
Could still taste.
Could still breathe.
All thanks to her,
again.
Unintentionally.
She was different,
yet the same.
She only hated him.
Not bad.
Stab.
His heart liked to hurt like hell.
And it was true.
He was only on someone's death list.
Someone who had loved him.
So long, so dearly, so loyally.
He almost felt guilty.
Liar.
He felt that emotion.
It was far worse,
far worse than the Mangekyou Tsukuyomi.
And to be hated,
by someone who loved you.
He was so precious...
Stab.
Stab.
Stab.
Pain.
How could he make it go away?
When the person who could stop it...
Started it?
--
Step.
Step.
Step.
She reached his door.
Her hands were bloody.
Knock.
Knock
Knock.
She stood emotionless.
She was at her full height.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
The door opened quickly.
"Who—OH! Sakura-chan?"
She walked right past him.
"Wait—"
Naruto was confused.
He looked at his clock,
after he'd closed the door.
4:30 A.M.
Was she crazy?
"Sakura-chan...ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
He was tired.
And irritated at being woken up.
Though, she didn't seem to care.
Did she care about anything?
Silence met his ears.
Glare.
"You know what time it is, right?"
She nodded, not interested.
Stare.
He was staring at her.
Disbelief etched his features.
Then, they softened.
"Did something happen?"
He hadn't noticed her hands.
Yet.
She looked at him.
Something about her eyes.
There was something she was saying,
without words.
Looking,
he really was.
But he wasn't seeing.
"Sakura-chan?"
Disorientation.
Couldn't she just tell him?
Emerald.
Empty.
Once more.
The blonde took a breath.
"I can't do this anymore, Sakura."
Her shoulder's tensed.
He left the suffix...
Out.
He noticed her unease.
What was left of her.
Her feelings.
Then, her hands.
Azure gaped.
Red.
Blood.
But it wasn't hers.
She wasn't wounded.
"...whose blood is that?"
Shock.
That's all he felt.
Anxiety was not far behind.
Silence.
She told him nothing.
He became frantic.
"That blood!
Breath.
"Whose is it!?"
Again, no answer.
"SAKURA!"
His voice was loud,
demanding.
She kept quiet.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Turn.
Water reached Naruto's hearing.
She wanted to cleanse herself.
Grab.
He took her wrist and pulled her back.
"No. Tell me why there is blood—on your hands..."
Silence.
"Now."
Anger was in his tone.
Pause.
She roughly pulled her hand from him.
"It doesn't concern you," she said.
"Sakura. Tell me who you hurt."
Her body stiffened.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
"Tell me," he repeated.
The demand in his voice was overpowering.
But not to her...
She was not frightened.
"Sakura, what did you do?!"
His grip tightened.
She glared.
"Shut up."
Thrust.
She was on the bed,
back against mattress.
Step.
Step.
Push.
Grab.
Grab.
She was pinned.
He knelt above her.
Threatening her cold eyes.
"Do you think I'll listen to you?"
He neared her face.
"Make me bleed. I could care less."
She remained silent, cold, frigid.
"You will tell me who you made bleed."
Breath.
"Who does this blood belong to?"
The kunoichi just stared.
No answer escaped her sealed lips.
Naruto could only guess then.
He had one person in mind.
"It was him, wasn't it?"
Gritted his teeth, shouting.
"WASN'T IT?!"
Her eyes faltered.
As if remembering something.
Guilty.
She was guilty.
The next question was asked,
"You killed him, didn't you?"
--
He was in her tower.
Step.
Step.
Step.
With nothing but the clothes on his back.
And nothing to live for.
No friends,
no family.
No anything.
Push.
Shove.
Stagger.
The ANBU were relentless.
They probably hated him.
Probably was a definite understatement.
Pure resentment.
In their eyes...
he should be dead.
Step.
Step.
Push.
Step.
Step.
And maybe he should.
But he wasn't.
Though, he felt dead.
Was there a difference?
He was dead to everyone else.
Stop.
Grip.
Shove.
He was pushed through grand doors.
The Hokage's office.
He gritted his teeth.
The blonde Godaime was sitting.
Her chair faced him.
She was hidden.
Onyx eyes watched.
Her profile was seen.
Chair turning, narrowed brown eyes.
She was glaring at him.
Had she already known?
He was back.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Except for his pulsing eardrums.
And irregular breathing.
Agitated?
Yes.
Nervous?
No.
Scared?
Of course not.
Shocked?
Beyond.
Not because of the Hokage's face.
Of her disapproval.
But the hatred of the kunoichi...
that had loved him.
Once.
But for so long.
Sure, he'd be angry with himself.
And he'd hate himself too...
Stab.
Stab.
Cringe.
She'd said nothing, shown no emotion.
Could've cared less if he had died.
But not before.
Not four years ago.
She would have died for him.
He clenched his fists.
"Sasuke...long time no see," The Hokage said.
Hands supporting her chin.
Lips—thin line.
Locked gaze.
Silence.
He was too absorbed in his thoughts.
Sakura would have died for me.
Is this her idea of dying for someone you love?
Locking yourself away?
To not feel?
To not listen?
To have no reason?
No value of one self's life?
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
"Sasuke. Do you realize your consequences?"
Ignore.
"SASUKE!"
Obsidian orbs snapped toward eyes the color of wood.
"What?" He whispered.
Tsunade glowered.
"Do you even care about your fate?"
Pause.
"I have the power to obliterate you."
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
"Go ahead, Hokage-sama."
HE said the name without respect.
"I'm not frightened," he added.
Her expression didn't change.
Neither did she say anything.
So, he continued.
"I've met death before. It's not scary."
If she felt sympathetic, it did not cross her features.
But,
he wanted no pity.
Especially from her.
Death...
was enticing.
To say the least.
But she had other plans.
"Sasuke, since you've returned, unharmed..."
Pause.
Silence.
"...and since you are still an S-class criminal..."
He was listening.
Breath.
"You will go to prison for a month."
Silence.
She let him sink it in.
"After that, I will have decided your fate."
She sat up straight.
Slender fingers gestured for the ANBU.
"Take him to his confinement."
Nod.
The masked men pulled.
Sasuke was pushed out the door.
And Tsunade closed her eyes.
"You've killed her, as well as yourself...Sasuke."
A/N: Chapter 3 finished! Review please! Chapter 4 will be uploaded shortly. And again, Happy Holidays:)