Disclaimer:

I don't not own Naruto

The idea for Toshio's kusanagi was from Lia113

Reviewers:

Tiger Priestess~ Thanks for the suggestions!

Musalih~ Thanks! Glad that you love it!

C.A.M.E.O.1~ yeah, Toshio is has emotional baggage…

KairiBloom~ Thanks for the review!

Lia113~ Thanks so much! Great sword idea for Toshio. I have given you credit, and plan to do so for more of your helpful ideas (muahaha)! Thanks!!!

A/N:

Ok, so some of you don't like Toshio, and that's fine. Yes, he is not very good with trust and he is insecure, but I'll explain further when we get farther into the story…..I think. Like I said, I make this up as I go along. No plan. No ideas…opinions and ideas welcomed!

Sorry for not updating in forever! Finals happened, then I went to Vegas for x-mas…but now I'm back and writing. Reviews make me write more and faster, but let me know if you're liking things please! Bad reviews/critiques are also helpful so I can fix stuff!

Chapter 7

Curiosity

Sakura watched with a strange fascination as Toshio's and Sasuke's unblockable kusanagis countered each other. Their sword fight was more like a dance; the choreography practiced to perfection. The silver from the lethal weapons moved so fast you could hardly keep track. Everyone could tell death was in the air.

Sakura and the rest of her team weren't sure how to join in. Toshio and Sasuke looked to be equally matched, but she knew Sasuke didn't have as much stamina as Toshio. He had already battled ANBU today, so he had to be wearing down.

Orders from Tsunade were direct. 'Uchiha Sasuke needs to be captured, but taken alive. Under no circumstances should you [Sakura] become directly involved. Naruto will be kept away and busy. You have a brief window of time; I'm counting on you. Lady Hokage,' read the scroll. Sakura had already become directly involved, so she would have to bribe Tsunade with an expensive bottle of sake.

The melody of clashing metal brought her back to the present. She racked her brain for some way of hindering Sasuke, giving Toshio the advantage. Before Sakura reached a decision, the stench of blood filled the air. Sakura froze.

A deep grunt of pain came from Sasuke as the blood spread across the left side of his ribs. Sakura could tell the wound wasn't too deep now, but it might tear. Damn, things were escalating.

"Kiba," Sakura commanded, "take Masaki and distract Sasuke. Don't let Toshio kill him. Our orders from Lady Tsunade are clear."

Kiba nodded and jumped onto Akamaru's back with Masaki following behind.

Sakura turned to Hideo. "Hide in the shadows, and if you see a chance to knock him unconscious, take it!" Sakura didn't like asking Hideo to do something he didn't favor.

The power of becoming one with the shadows was an uncommon tactic, but one that had been passed down through Hideo's family. The only problem was that the shadows were seductive. Shadows respected the shadow users, but they also loved them in a creepy stalker way. If a shadow user entered the shadows and gave in to the shadow's seduction, they could become lost within it, and lost to the world.

Hideo was afraid of his power, but had always managed to succeed. His grandfather hadn't been so lucky.

Sakura's face must have given away her hesitation because Hideo smiled, saying, "I'll be fine Sakura-chan." He ran into the shadows, never hesitating. Sakura could no longer see him, but that was the whole idea.

She turned back to the fight to see that Toshio had gained the advantage. He had a shallow cut on his cheek bone and a few nicks on his toned arms. His ANBU issued chest plate was unmarred, a good sign.

More blood flew from Toshio's body. In the seconds that Toshio took to recover from the deep blow to his side, Sasuke raised his kusanagi to deal a lethal strike. The blade came down by inches when it was hit and knocked a couple feet away by Sakura's shurikens. Sasuke turned to her with hatred boiling in his onyx eyes. In that moment, Hideo came from the shadows and aimed for a vulnerable chakra point to knock him unconscious.

Sakura watched in horror as Sasuke's black eyes, still holding hers, bled red. Sasuke easily evaded Hideo and instead grabbed his arm, pulling it straight across the space in front of him, and brought his knee up, breaking the bone with a loud snap.

Sakura had more shurikens out and spinning towards Sasuke before Hideo hit the ground. She had already pulled on her gloves, and as Sasuke dodged more than a dozen of her shurikens, she followed with an impressive set of kicks and punches. The first that landed sent Sasuke through two trees. She paused, waiting for the limp form to get up.

When the figure didn't move, she chanced a glance at Hideo who was lying on the ground, holding his arm, and staring openmouthed at Sakura. She threw a worried glance to Toshio to see him being restrained by Kiba. Blood from his side was flowing freely.

"Toshio, go get yourself healed. And take Hideo with you. I can handle Sasuke."

Kiba let Toshio go and helped him onto Akamaru's back. Masaki helped Hideo up and were about to take off when a smoke bomb went off, masking everyone.

"Kiba, Masaki, get them out of here…" she yelled but was abruptly cut off when one of her own shurikens landed in her thigh. She inhaled deeply against the pain. Not missing a beat, she hit the ground with a chakra filled fist. The ground fissured and erupted in the general area the shuriken had been thrown from. The smoke started to fade.

She knew she had made a mistake before the cold touch of Sasuke's blade kissed her throat. Once again, he was behind her. Once flick of his wrist and her life would be at an end.

"Face me Sakura," he commanded icily.

She turned slowly. His eyes were crimson and full of confusion. Seeing the red mark upon his cheek where her hit had landed made her smirk.

Sasuke sneered, and with lightning speed dropped his sword from her neck, grabbed a handful of her hair, and brought his lips to hers.

Sakura's mind fought against the physical invasion of his kiss, but her heart had other plans. She wrapped one arm around his neck and grabbed a handful of his hair with the other. Logic told her she was a gullible idiot, letting the man who injured more than a dozen of her fellow ANBU rile her. Though, her heart and body couldn't get over how good his mouth felt against hers. How well his tongue cleverly snuck into her mouth. How perfectly his muscled body molded against hers as he bent.

Only a sharp pain from the shuriken lodged in her thigh reminded Sakura of the real world. Sasuke mistook her gasp of pain for pleasure as he paused to smirk at her.

Sakura saw her chance. "Sorry," she whispered as she pressed his chakra point that knocked him unconscious. He crumpled to the ground. Sakura pulled the shuriken from her thigh and held a hand over the wound. Green chakra closed it quickly.

Two ANBU landed behind her. "Put him into a cell quickly," Sakura ordered.

Sakura turned and began walking towards the hospital when she felt the chakra signature of her old sensei.

"You're late Kakashi," she said casually.

"Are you going to include that last part in your report to the Hokage?" he asked with a perverted smile beneath his mask.

"I don't know what you're referring to." Sakura could hear Kakashi chuckling as she continued walking.

"Congratulations on your team's success Sakura," said Tsunade proudly.

"Thank you shishou," replied Sakura. Her mind wouldn't stop replaying each intimate encounter recently.

"You've healed Toshio and splinted Hideo's arm, but I'm surprised you haven't healed Uchiha Sauke yet."

"Ah, well…."

"No need to explain yourself Sakura. I'd be angry with him as well if he had injured two of my teammates. Though, someone does need to heal him. Hinata has been tasked with keeping Naruto oblivious to Sasuke's arrival. I cannot take the time to attend to him myself either. Also, I am pretty sure no one else would survive if he decided to escape," Tsunade carried on nonchantly, "which is why I am assigning you with his recovery. I'd like a full report on his overall health by the end of the day."

"Of course." She began walking towards the door, but stopped as an idea bloomed in her mind. "Shishou," she said, turning to her sensei, "may I choose someone to accompany me?"

Tsunade looked like she was about to question why, but spied the faint blush upon her cheeks. She nodded her reply and watched with interest as Sakura walked briskly from the office.

A/N: I am sorry but I couldn't resist putting a kissing scene in there! I really am trying to keep Sasuke in character though, which is why all of his kisses are sorta forceful. I don't think he'd be all sweet and fluffy when he is in the process of denying his feelings (hehe). Thanks for reading, and I'll try to get the next one up soon, but classes start again Monday, so who knows. Not nearly as long as last time though.