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CHAPTER 8:
To Experience Another's Anger and the Seeds of Suspicion
Startled, Sakura stiffened at the familiar voice, and turned around to calmly meet Sasuke's gaze.
"Yes?" she stammered.
"Kakashi sent me to tell you we're about to head out," he reported. "Just wanted to let you know. What are you doing?"
Sakura shook her head as she walked across the room. "Nothing. Come on, let's go," she said and Sasuke stood aside, so she could pass him.
As she walked down the hall, square shouldered, Sasuke's gaze trailed after her. That memory flashed in Sasuke's mind and replayed.
FLASHBACK TIME: A few hours before Sakura awoke, after the battle.
When they finally got to Tazuna's house, after discussing with his daughter, she lead them to the extra rooms and let them put Sakura and Kakashi in a different room, so she could treat their injuries. Sasuke and Naruto would have offered to help, but there wasn't much they could do. The didn't know what to do.
Several minutes later, Tsunami reported to them that Kakashi had a sprained ankle and that he just needs rest, but Sakura was a different case. The wound on her shoulder would need more time to heal, and because of the gash on her shoulder, she had lost a lot of blood. Tsunami told them that she would only be able to clean the wound with rubbing alcohol before it could get infected, but other than that, she couldn't do anything else.
As Tsunami went to gather her supplies, Sasuke left Naruto snoring in the living room to check on Sakura. Quietly entering her room, Sasuke made his way to the far side of the room, where Sakura's futon laid. He kneeled down at her side and gazed down at her peaceful face. Then his dark eyes trailed down from her pale face to her shoulder. His gaze blank gaze turned into a hard glare as he looked upon the bandaged wound.
Sakura's hurt and it's all my fault, he thought angrily. He clenched his hands on his lap into tight fists, gritting his teeth. He was furious at himself. First he stumbled and almost died. Second, he let Sakura sacrifice herself for him and become she critically injured. Lastly, he felt weak and reckless!
And Uchihas are not weak or reckless.
He continued to glare down at her bandaged shoulder, glaring even harder when he noticed the blood starting to seep through and stain the gauze, a scarlet splotch slowly growing bigger and bigger. Where was Miss Tsunami?
But how could Sakura defeat Zabuza?
Now the thought of Sakura's newly found strength invaded Sasuke's mind.
Sasuke had seen the way she had fought and he still was in shock. Sakura was stronger, smarter, more logical, more mature. She hadn't bothered to ask him out in weeks! It just didn't make sense to him.
The Old Sakura, the one he knew in the Academy, was bubbly, confident, and easily angered. The Old Sakura was innocent. She hadn't been corrupted to the harsh truth that is reality. She never felt the stinging of an injury, the hurt of betrayal from someone you trusted, the pain of loosing someone you loved. That Sakura was full of pure light, she was like spring.
And he liked that.
This, New Sakura though, was like the winter, dark clouds hiding the sky. New Sakura was quieter, mysterious, and logical. She didn't whine, she acted on instinct and put herself to work. She was actually being…
A great shinobi.
She was still confident, but unlike Old Sakura, New Sakura was harder to read, like she put up walls so no one knew what she was thinking. Actually, he couldn't tell what she was thinking at all.
Sometimes Sasuke thought she knew more than he did. She seemed to understand things that kids at their age didn't.
Sakura shifted and mumbled incoherently, making him stiffen and turn away. When she continued to mumble words to the point that some of them sounded clear, curiously, Sasuke leaned in closer to her. He strained his ears to her what she was saying.
Sakura frowned, her brow furrowed. She muttered, "Stop it...why you bastard...your fault...ruined...life...caused...death...I'll kill you.."
Sakura's eyes snapped open, and before Sasuke could react, he was knocked over on his back and slammed down onto the wooden floor, with Sakura pinning his legs down with her knees and his shoulders with her hands.
Shocked, he looked up at her face, and his eyes widened, pupils dilated.
Sakura's face looked unrecognizable. Usually her face was impassive, hard to read, but right now, there was pure animosity burning in her now empty green eyes, her mouth in a snarl.
It was like she was possessed.
"This is all your fault," she growled. "It's all because of you! You ruined everything! You hurt him, me, everyone! We did everything to get you back, but you kept pushing us away! And you never told me why! Every time I confessed, you never gave me a clear answer! For an Uchiha, you're pretty blind! Why can't you see? Revenge isn't always the answer!"
Sasuke's eyes widened. Revenge?
Almost gently, Sakura's hands moved from his shoulders to wrap around his neck. She grinned, as if what she was doing was normal, like it was nothing.
"All I have to do, is kill you, and everything would be just fine," she whispered.
She pressed her thumbs down, putting pressure on his trachea. He silently gasped for breath, struggling to breath. He was petrified, scared, but he couldn't move. He didn't push her away, he was just frozen in place.
Why won't I move?
Seeing him struggle to breath made Sakura gave a quiet maniacal chuckle, her grin growing bigger and the anger in her eyes more defined.
"If only this could be easy," she cried, tears brimming from the corners of her eyes. "If I had proof that they would believe me, that I'm fro-"
Suddenly, Sakura gasped, flinching in pain before she fell back into the futon. Realizing what had happened, Sasuke scrambled to back away, taking deep breaths.
He watched her for a moment as she continued spazzing, until after about a few seconds later, she stopped. Her breathing became even, her body flat flat on her back and still.
Cautiously, Sasuke crept towards Sakura, holding his breath as stopped to sit at her side.
He noted Sakura's hair was elegantly splayed out on waves, her mouth slightly parted. Her red shirt had rode up, exposing her smooth flat stomach.
Sasuke felt his face grow warm and shook the details out of his head.
He felt so confused. Who's fault? Ruined what? Caused who's death? Kill who?
Who the hell was Sakura dreaming about? Her words echoed in his mind.
For an Uchiha, you're pretty blind...for an Uchiha, you're pretty blind...for Uchiha...you're blind...
Who was this Uchiha she was talking about?
Sasuke's eyes widened, pupils dilated. Could she be talking about-
Sasuke shook his head. It couldn't be. He would never come back, and even if he had, what was his connection with Sakura?
Then who was the Uchiha she was talking about?
Sasuke frowned. Could he, himself, have done something to her to make her like this? To make her turn into New Sakura?
He shook his head again. Impossible! He hardly noticed her until he met her at the Academy.
He scowled. He didn't know, but whatever happened before the day before they graduated the Academy, it sure as hell changed the way Sakura looked at the world.
Sasuke looked up thoughtfully. I could sure use that strength.
Then his eyes widened in realization.
Could Sakura be stronger than m—
"Sasuke-san?"
Startled, he stiffened at his name before calmly turning to the door to see Tsunami standing at the threshold, a curious look on her face.
"Can I come in?" she asked.
Sasuke nodded, grunting in permission. She quietly entered the room, and sat next to Sakura across from him, putting down a bowl of water and fresh gauze next to her. She reached out and pulled down the blankets from Sakura's body.
Sasuke immediately noted that Sakura was still wearing the same clothes, creased and muddy with pieces of grass here and there.
Tsunami noticed Sasuke's weariness on Sakura-san's current state. He was studying the pink haired girl's form so intently, it looked as if the clothes would catch on fire from the intensity of his gaze.
She waited for a moment before she finally spoke up. "I couldn't find any spare clothes for her," she explained, looking down at Sakura's peaceful face. "I went through her bag to look for an extra pair of clothes, there was but they were also dirty, most of her stuff caked with mud and dirt. I would have asked for permission, but considering the circumstances I thought I'd just go through her things quickly. I also would have lent her my clothes, but they were too big and I gave my old clothes away to other children when I had Inari."
Must have been from the fight, Sasuke realizing how Sakura's clothes got dirty.
He only nodded to her before he calmly stood up and left the room, leaving the door open. Tsunami was worried for a moment, scared that she had said something to make him upset, but it was replaced with confusion when he came back with a bundle of neatly folded clothes in his hands. After Sasuke took his seat again, he held out the clothes to Tsunami, waiting for her to take them with a calm face.
When she laid the close next to her, she looked back at him curiously. He noticed her curious gaze and turned his face away from her, fixing his gaze on Sakura's face. He felt his neck go warm. He said, "She could wear that. It'll probably be a little loose, but she will manage."
Tsunami stared at the young boy, eyes wide with surprise. She swore she saw his neck go pink. Was the Uchiha...blushing?
Tsunami knew she had a hard time seeing things. When she was younger, she needed glasses, but she was always good at noting the romantic, emotional gestures, like a glowing piece in the middle of a picture. Like this for example. She could clearly see the intense emotion he held in his eyes to his pink haired teammate. She smiled gently before bringing a hand up to cover a chuckle.
Sasuke turned back to her and frowned. "What's so funny?" he questioned irritatedly.
She shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just wondering when were you gonna leave unless...You're still here to help me change Sakura-san's clothes?" she asked, smiling mischievously.
For a short moment, Sasuke stared at Tsunami blankly. Then the warmth from his neck quickly spread to his face and he ducked his head down, bolting up and quickly leaving the room.
She giggled. She was sure now. That boy had never felt the way he does now for a girl. She looked at Sakura.
Looks like she's his first.
She sighed. Time to change her into that black sleeveless shirt and white knee length shorts now.
END OF FLASHBACK
Sasuke shook the memory out of his head before gazing down the hall where Sakura had walked off.
What is she hiding? Can I really trust her?
"Oi, Sasuke!"
Sasuke stiffened before he saw Sakura appear at the end of the hall again.
She frowned. "I thought you were sent to fetch me. Now I'm the one who has to get you," she teased. "Hurry up and come downstairs."
"Hn."
And with that, they left Tazuna's house to meet in the forest.
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