Shower Time?
I know, I know, I'm late as usual. But it's here right? I had planned for this chapter to be just the beginning of the mission but it wasn't' long enough (slaps face with hand) so I merged it with some of what was supposed to be the next chapter :)
::XxX::
"Sakura-san, are you all right?" Lee all but shouted in her ear.
Sakura rubbed the top of her head where she walked into a branch, not to mention that it had ants crawling all over it. Sakura inwardly cringed and ruffled out her bangs, "Yeah Lee, I'm fine." She reassured him.
The hyper boy stared at her for another second before nodding and jogging ahead. Sakura ignored the slightly narrowed gaze from Neji and carried on through the forest. She had been like this since they reached Sound's Eastern border, the back of her neck tingled and her eyes darted across every leaf and twig. She'd admit it, she was scared. Akatsuki were known to hang around hear, not that they were protecting Sound but just so they'd keep and eye on who's going where. Then kill them if they got too curious, or at least that's what Konoha's sources confirmed.
The mission was a simple one. Investigate a series of killings. Hope that it isn't Akatsuki.
Sakura's confidence was not very high at the moment, just two days ago she let Ino remind her that she once did love Sasuke and still did. Sakura shook her head furiously, he had tried to kill her on several occasions, attempted the exact same with Naruto and is possibly right now plotting against her village. It was too long ago, nearly six years ago, to still be feeling such things was ridiculous-
"Sakura, you are preoccupied with something else, may I ask what is more important than this mission?" A smooth voice came from beside her.
Sakura jumped but then mentally slapped herself, damn Hyuga with his considerate yet insulting questions.
"I'm just thinking of our resources for the mission, the shop keeper that is housing us was awfully eager, don't you think?" Sakura said, successfully nudging Neji's mind to forget her day dreaming.
"Yes, he was. It does not matter, if anything were to happen then the shop keeper will be informed not to do such things again." Neji's smooth reply came.
Sometimes Sakura wondered how Tenten could put up with him, the guy had no remorse for crying out loud!
"Cease the day dreaming." Neji threw in, turning and walking ahead.
Sakura scowled but straightened her back and caught up. No matter what was going on, she had to concentrate on this mission in particular. There had been several sightings of the Akatsuki in Sound's Northern border, this was a bit suspicious since they were known to move around a lot. If she were to complete this mission, she would be one step closer to moving out of her tiny apartment.
A small house appeared up ahead with a man pacing in front of it. When he caught sight of the trio he grinned and jogged inside. Sakura frowned and glanced at Neji who stared straight ahead, his hand slowly grasped a kunai in his pocket.
::XxX::
Sakura stomped up the stairs, taking on two steps at a time.
'Stupid innkeeper, I'm not a maid!' Sakura snarled in her mind. When her team had arrived she had volunteered to inform the innkeeper that they'd be staying for a couple of days and would pay in cash. He had assumed Sakura was brought along to do 'woman stuff' and clean up after the guys. Sakura's hand gripped the banister until splinters of wood showered her hand.
"Sakura-san, I have put your things in your room and fresh towels. You will want a shower, yes? I have put clean clothes in the bathroom." Lee informed her, fire burned in his eyes at the prospect of admiration from her.
"Thank you, Lee." She gritted and slammed the door to her room.
She needed a shower, a long, hot shower to push her annoyance away.
Sakura let the hot water run over her body as she massaged her hair, specks of dirt and grass toppled out of the pink strands. She sighed, showering had always made her feel so damn good. Rinsing all the soap suds from her, she turned off the water and stepped out of the cramped stall. Grabbing a towel from the floor, she dried herself and wrapped it around her torso. Suddenly, her ear twitched. Sakura walked to the bathroom door, her hand lightly gripping the handle, and swung the door open. There, under her bed sheets with a little face peeking out, was her cat.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura let out a relieved sigh and loosened the tight hold she had on the towel. Then remembering that Neji was in the next room Sakura slapped a hand over her mouth and winced as said person glided into her room.
"Sakura, what did you-"
"Nothing. I didn't say anything at all. Go, shoo, do...whatever." Sakura made waving motions with her hands to elaborate on the shoo-ing. When he didn't budge Sakura said, "I'm telling TenTen you were ogling me half-naked." Neji high-tailed out of her room like she'd predicted, giving her a warning glare in the process.
Sakura rushed to shut her room door then grabbed her cat and ran into the bathroom. She held him up in front of her and frowned in disapproval, the little rascal had followed her.
"You are one naughty kitty, Sasuke-kun." She chastised.
He at least had the decency to look guilty. Sakura sat on the corner of the bathtub and placed him on her lap, scratching behind his ears.
"Let's hope we don't run into the Akatsuki, if Sasuke's with them I don't think he'd like having a cat adopt his name." Sakura said while her cat began purring.
"He'd probably take a kunai to my neck again."
This time her cat froze in her lap, "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun. If he does then I'll...actually, anything I'd do would only get me killed."
The little fur ball began squirming in her lap so she let him hop down onto the tiled floor. He looked up at her with sad eyes and Sakura sighed, "Well then, enough talk of the 'teme'." Sakura stood up and dropped her towel.
::XxX::
When Sasuke had 'lived' in the Sound village he'd came across many pretty women. He'd turned his head away from them and walked in the opposite direction. But as Sakura had dropped her towel Sasuke thought for sure the warm sweat that had broken out across his body would have changed him back to human. He quickly averted his eyes as any man would do and he saw Sakura's small feet walk towards her clothes resting on a high shelf above the sink. The muscles in her legs became taught as she tried to reach them then she gave a sigh and relaxed down again.
"I can't believe I haven't grew an inch in a year, this is ridiculous." She huffed, "I'm going to have to ask Neji."
Sasuke's head snapped up then crashed back down again when a very naked Sakura turned around. What was she going to ask Neji? Get her clothes?
Sakura drew in a breath and shouted, "Neji! I can't reach the clothes Lee put on the top shelf!"
'She's naked,' Sasuke growled savagely in his mind.
Sakura bent down and collected her towel, gave him a pat on the head, then walked out into her room. Sasuke gingerly raised his head and his eyes landed on the top shelf where Sakura's clothing was. Just for a second, he could become human and knock them down but then Sakura would get suspicious. But maybe, just a slight nudge...
Sasuke turned the shower dial on with his nose, making sure the water ran smoothly so no sound could be heard. Then, like a man sweltering in the desert, he stuck his head under the flowing water. Instantly his body began to change, he grew to his normal height and his muscles stretched. He closed his eyes and rolled his shoulders to soothe away the ache in them. Then he remembered he had to be quick. With a glance at the half closed bathroom door, Sasuke reached up and tugged Sakura's fresh clothes. As soon as they hit the floor, Sasuke swiftly turned the shower water to the warm setting and once again stuck his head under.
Sakura flew into the bathroom, a kunai in her hand and a fierce expression upon her face. Her clothes were strewn across the floor and a light flow of water came from the shower. Sakura looked around slowly, the window was shut tightly, no one had gotten past her in her room. So she looked down to see Sasuke swishing his tail and his eyes fixed on the mirror above the sink. Maybe he had jumped up? Sakura gave a glare at the window and went over to check it was locked, just to be safe. It was, she scratched her head but bent down to collect her clothes.
"Thanks, Sasuke-kun." She whispered, a small smile playing on her lips.
::XxX::
"We'll keep moving until sun down, then find a place to rest for the night. The inn keeper gave me supplies so we should be fine for the next few days." Neji said, swinging his back pack over his shoulder. Sakura did the same, not liking the fact she had a cat snuggled on top of her supplies in her bag.
Sakura looked up at the sky and groaned, the clouds were a dark grey and the wind shoved her left side, nearly causing her to topple over. Her suspicion of the inn keeper had slightly diluted, nothing happened during the night that she was aware of and he had been relatively nice. Though she still didn't look away from him until her head was forced to turn 180 degrees.
Two hours of silence passed, jumping from tree to tree gave Sakura's mind time to register a major fact that her other team mates were missing. Uchiha Sasuke could be around this border, his updated sighting was 'somewhere near the sound border', not much to go on. But it made Sakura agitated and nervous. She had told her cat the truth, she really didn't know what she'd do if they were to run into him. If he were with other Akatsuki, there was no doubt in Sakura's mind that he'd kill her. She remembered a time when they protected each other...a very long time ago.
"We're a couple of miles from the Sound Border, stick together and stay in the trees." Neji's commanded.
Lee nodded and glanced back to check on Sakura, she gave him a nod and a smile. The boy's face went bright red and his foot caught on a branch. Sakura gasped as Lee went tumbling toward the ground with a thud.
"Lee-san!" Sakura shouted, "Are you okay?"
"J-just fine Saku-" Lee's face hit the ground again.
Sakura cleared the leaves that had gathered on Lee's face and channelled chakra into her hands. Without her noticing, Sasuke squeezed through the opening of her back pack, avoiding the ever watchful Neji, and sauntered away.
Sasuke stopped. His ears perked up and he narrowed his eyes. He'd sensed a sharp spike of chakra north east, but he relaxed a bit because Sakura was heading South. He knew that chakra...it was mutated and dirty, not at all like Sakura's warm, fiercely protective chakra. He sniffed the air and confirmed his suspicion. Kabuto was near. Last time he'd seen Kabuto, he'd tried to kill him.
'He wont get a second chance.'
Sensing that Sakura was at a far enough distance from Kabuto, Sasuke turned and made his way back to her. The ground beneath his feat felt...softer than it would if he were human. It was maybe the padding of his paws, Sasuke dimly wondered if it was soft on his fur...
No! He would not roll around in dirt like an animal!
"But you are an animal, Uchiha." A croaking voice said to him.
Sasuke's head swung around and his back instinctively arched. A vicious hiss was released before he had time to compose himself.
So, the hag returned?
She still had the smug smile on her face, never wavering even as Sasuke's cat form looked ready to pounce. Her thinning grey hair nearly covered her whole face but never hid the old eyes that must hold decades of jutsus. Sasuke burned to learn them, force her to tell him but he diluted the need , he needed to focus on his next moves.
If only he could get to water, there was a stream near by, a cold stream-
"Don't even think about it. I've never liked cats, but I do so like it when they screech. It is like music to my deafened ears, much like your owner's cries of sorrow."
She knows Sakura? Sasuke's lips pulled back for another hiss but the old crone continued.
"Don't worry, Sasuke. I'm not moving against the little fire-cracker...yet. It all depends on this silent lesson I am teaching you. Tell me, has it worked?"
Sasuke wanted nothing more than to trap her in a nightmare she would never wake up from!
"I guess not then," She gave a weary sigh, "Maybe I shall make the first move?"
First move...?
"Although, I do have a habit with pouncing when my prey is defenceless. So I shall wait."
Had she sounded almost aghast at the thought of waiting?
"Maybe I should send Kabuto your way." The hag blew on her nails.
"I liked that little thing you did with the towel. That was sweet of you, it was possibly the only good thing you've done for that poor girl. I can't wait until she finds out!" A bitter laugh screeched in Sasuke's ears. "She'll find out soon, very soon."
::XxX::
Sasuke watched with a dead-paned look on his face as Sakura's chakra moulded around her fist and struck the rogue ninja in the stomach, he flew a couple hundred feet away while retching at the same time. His gaze swung back to Sakura, her fist pulled back for another blow. He watched her dodge shurikens millimetres from her face and swiftly moving toward the ninja in the tiny pause between throwing shurikens. She was fast and her movements smooth but sometimes stiff as she got ready for a killer blow.
Her shoulder length hair wrapped around her face but she didn't let that stop her attack. She was fierce and serious when she fought. But he could see the minute look of worry when she couldn't spot one of her team members. Always making sure they were insight, that they were safe.
Sasuke sighed, Team Hebi were not considerate nor were they protective. They protected their own. A new scent hit him, he'd smelled it before but he couldn't place it. Then he looked back over to the ongoing fight and narrowed his eyes. Claw marks scored down Sakura's left arm and blood poured from the five wounds. Hiding claws under gloves, Sasuke growled, a coward's way out.
Sakura looked down at the wounds, looked up, and charged forward. Sasuke inwardly smirked at the rogue ninja's cry of pain.
The fight was over but Sasuke stayed hidden in the bushes. The boy named Lee was gathering their fallen supplies, Sakura healing her arm and the Hyuga fixing his hair...
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura whispered, only his cat ears would be able to hear it.
He emerged from the bushes and ran to her, keeping a close eye on her team mates. She gathered him into her lap and faced away from them. Sasuke could hear her slightly laboured breathing, he could see the tiny drop of sweat on her brow. She shouldn't be like that after a fight with rogue ninja, they were hardly anything to sweat over.
Then her hands started shaking, she tried to soothe her hand over his head but she gave up...like she was too tired. Sasuke frowned and looked down at her arm wound that was right next to his paw. He became worried, her pink eyelashes were slowly drooping so he nudged her face with his nose. She forced her eyes open and gave him a smile.
Sasuke jumped off her lap and bounded towards the Hyuga, he didn't care if the Hyuga had just found out about his existence. Neji's eyes widened when Sasuke scratched his leg then ran back to Sakura's slumped form. He caught on quickly and was beside Sakura in an instant.
"Sakura-san!" Neji urged, "Open your eyes!"
She managed no more than a mumble. What was worse, Sasuke could sense Kabuto's chakra getting closer.
Sasuke backed away from Sakura and her team mates surrounding her, he latched onto one of the back packs with his teeth and dragged it away so as no one could see him. He dug around for clothes inside the bag, once he'd retrieved them he made his way to the river he'd spotted.
::XxX::
Her throat was burning, as was her arm. She wouldn't be surprised if a bubble popped on her arm because it was that hot. She tried to groan but it came out as a wheeze, rogue ninja's were so...rogue. Poisoned claw tips? Who the hell uses poisoned claw tips?
A wet cloth was placed on her forehead and her tense shoulders relaxed. From what she could remember, Neji had carried her to another inn. They hadn't scheduled to stay in another inn so Sakura felt like a burden. Like she always was.
Her vision was blurry and her throat constricted, so to say thank you for the cloth she tugged on a piece of his clothing. Neji gave her hand a pat and walked out of the room she'd been placed in.
Sakura wasn't used to this position, being the one that had been injured. She was the medic, she took care of other people. Being like this made her feel helpless. Now she had to wait until her body fought the poison for her to recover and for the mission to carry on.
"I must inform Tsunade-sama of Sakura's injury, we do not know if the poison will travel through her body." Sakura heard the muffled talking behind the door, then she heard a fist punching the wall.
"Should we tell Uzumaki-san?" Lee asked.
"No, he'd get worried and rush to her aid. We cannot risk it, send word to Tsunade and if need be the mission will disband." The sound of footsteps quieted down until Sakura confirmed they had moved away from her door.
She tried to clench her fist in frustration but the action was futile, she was too weak. She closed her eyes, not that it made much difference since her sight was blurry and rendered her unable to see properly. Sleep soon consumed her like a tight hug.
Sakura's eyes flew open from her deep sleep and settled on a blurry outline of a person hovering over her. The wet cloth had disappeared from her head leaving little droplets of moisture that she wished she could brush away.
Suddenly, a hand was placed on her forehead, possibly checking her temperature. She could here the person's heavy breathing, like they had been running, and the shuffle of clothing as they sat cross legged. Sakura couldn't tell if it was Lee or Neji because of the blurriness, but damn did they have soft skin. She sighed and grabbed hold of their trouser leg as another wet cloth replaced the hand.
The person didn't pet her hand like Neji had, nor did they nearly suffocate her in a hug as Lee had done. Instead, a blurry hand reached out and lifted up a strand of her hair. She squeezed the fold of clothing she had in her hand and once again slept.
::XxX::
So...I am unfashionably late as usual but I bring a chapter as a peace offering. Review for the chapter or to curse my lateness