Daydreamer
Let's Call it Quits
Ayane Selznick
Genre: Young Romance
Author's Note: While I was washing my face I remembered my Girl Scout days. We have to cook for ourselves and for our campmates while the others have to work with whatever our leader told them to do.
Konoha Summer Camp.
All students in Ninja Academy in Konoha are required to attend and participate in this activity. However those students are ranged from the starting year only which is in First Grade. Their Chuunin-sensei had taught them how to survive outside the villages as well as testing their endurance when they are stranded in some place they are not familiar.
When they are in the Academy there are no walls that separate the girls from the boys and vice versa. Since this is a camp and there are some private things from both gender, the Chuunin organizers decided to separate the little Kunoichis from the little Shinobis, not in all aspects though.
Thus the little pink blossom who wanted to be a good kunoichi is far away from the little aloof lion who wanted to surpass the strength of his almighty brother.
From hereon the story begins…
"Alright students!" The Chuunin organizer began as he called the attention of all the little ninja-wanna-be. "Today is the day that most of you have been waiting for. The Summer Camp!"
The other cheered wildly and the others excitedly when they heard the activity that they've been longing to have for so many days.
The Chuunin continued, "We have to separate the bunch of you from one another. The boys' tent will be over there, path to the river while the girls have to set their tents near the woods. You can ask both sides to help you with your chores but you have to go to your respective tents for bedtime."
He had explained everything they have to do for the camp to which everyone agreed but for the task of separating each gender from one another most had disagreed.
Why?
Because the girls wanted to share their tents with the almighty super popular, super genius, brother of the super ANBU captain Uchiha Itachi.
None other than…
Uchiha Sasuke.
Then out of nowhere, the blonde spiky lively boy with whisker marks on his face yelled, "BUT I WANNA SLEEP WITH SAKURA-CHAN!"
All the students looked at the origin of the voice and the target of his sentence. Little Sakura-chan bowed her head politely to avoid the looks she's been receiving from her classmates. The girls started murmuring things she wanted to hear but felt she shouldn't have to while the guys started teasing Naruto about getting someone else besides Sakura-chan.
"Na-ah Naruto-kun. I can't promise that. Girls have private things to do so as we, the boys. Most of the time, you might not able to sleep from each other's arguments throughout the night so it's better to separate you."
The Chuunin saw the pouted expressions of not one but half of the little ninja-wanna-be. He signed dramatically.
Kids…
He clapped his hands once again and called an order for them to start fixing their things.
All throughout that morning, they went through exasperating activities like object searching, ambush act, sparring, and any other teamwork games to which the Chuunins would like to hone. Most kids enjoyed the program, some got tired easily, some wanted to work out with some of their mistakes, some blamed one another and the rest is up to them.
Unlike any other students in the camp, Sasuke is the only person who hated being teamed up with other people. When it's time to search for group mates he is likely to be mobbed by girls and he couldn't easily select which ones he would like or forced to go with. He wanted to select guys with brains and skills (before you judge the little boy, no, he's not gay) so they could have a good performance, but most of the time he'd end up with Naruto, the loudmouth outcast kid and a girl – of which is changed base from given activity.
Sakura on the other hand always ended up with Ino, who seemed to act as an older sister protecting her younger sister, and Ino's friend. Sakura was too shy to ask anybody else since she was not yet taught by Ino on how to defend herself. However, she was a complete opposite of Uchiha Sasuke. Being hesitant and quiet she really was; she and the remaining members of the group almost failed some of the exercises. Ino's friend had blamed her a lot of times but Ino defended Sakura boldly by telling the other that Sakura is not to be blamed.
During their break time right after an exercise the kids are sent back to their camps to rest or eat or just do whatever they want until the Chuunin officials whistle to assemble them all. While they all walk towards their designated tents to get some water, Ino tugged Sakura's sleeves and pointed a place for them to talk.
Sakura shyly nodded and followed her best friend. Both girls walked on and passed by Sasuke who in turn glanced at them for a minute then resumed going back to his tent.
"Sakura-chan," Ino started when they have arrived near the riverbank which is kilometers away from their tents, "I can't always defend you from Nami. Honestly, I can really see how unsure you are to yourself. If you continue that, Nami will certainly ask for someone to take her place or worst we'll end up only the two of us in the group."
Sakura bowed her head guiltily and muttered, "I-I'm really sorry, Ino-chan, it's just that… just…"
Ino placed both her hands on her hips and dramatically tilted her head to the side when she butted in, "I'm not blaming you, Sakura-chan. What I really wanted was…" She walked towards Sakura and placed her hands on her best friend's shoulders. Sakura surprisingly raised her head as she was face to face with her best friend, "Teamwork… other words cooperation. Get it?"
Sakura turned mute for a while to think about Ino's advice. Ino knew what going on in Sakura's head so she just gave her a wide grin and tapped her shoulders to boost her morale.
"You can do it, Sakura-chan."
Sakura couldn't stop cheeks for flushing after getting scolded and advised at the same time. She smiled at her cheerful best friend and nodded as a promise.
"Good. So… let's go back to the camp, shall we?"
"Mm!"
Aside from being group mates, Naruto and Sasuke ended up as campmates for they have fixed their bed right next to each other. It was okay from Naruto since he chose to sleep in between Sasuke and Shikamaru. He can't lie down beside Kiba because they might end up wrestling each other during their sleep.
Sasuke was going to disapprove the arrangement for he was going to sleep next to the side of the tent; he will be simply squashed by Naruto who he knew was rolling side to side during sleep. But where else would he go to? He had been aloof the entire school year in the Academy so he's not that good about befriending other kids. He's been good all by himself.
So as they sat on their mats to rest and drink some water to replenish the drained out water from their bodies, they thought of taking a nap for a short while. Sasuke and Naruto as well as Chouji ended up sitting on their mats only to drink and eat. Chouji, the large kid, started munching all the potato chips he had on his bag. Naruto and Sasuke on the other hand were contented having water gushing inside their esophagus.
"How come your so quiet huh, Sasuke?" Naruto asked out of nowhere when he glanced at his teammate beside him.
Sasuke could only give him a raised brow and a small glance as he resumed drinking his water as if he heard nothing.
"You can use that hole in your mouth if you want to." It was a sarcastic way of giving an advice to a person who is really silent in nature so Sasuke casually ignored the blonde kid and went out of the tent.
"Hey, where are you going?" Naruto asked when he immediately packed his container in his bag so as to follow the raven haired kid.
"…outside."
After half an hour later, the Chuunin official called out all the children by whistling through his fingers. The children casually walked out of the tent and gathered in front of the Chuunin.
"You guys should know how to hurry up. Next time I called you out with that kind of phase I will give a punishment. Understood?"
"Hai, Sensei!"
"For today's activity, you have to cook for your group. Of course you should know the things that are needed for cooking. Assign one for each group to collect dried branches in the woods, then one for collecting water, and the other to prepare all your food. There will be no time limit for this activity because you will prepare random meals. Understood?"
"Hai, Sensei!"
"For those who will be collecting branches please do not go further in the woods or you'll get lost. Stay at parameters."
The Chuunins noticed how giddy all these children to prepare food for themselves. They were also glad that they were patient learning for their own responsibilities as a team leader, team follower and as an individual to which are essential for a ninja-wanna-be.
Ino acted as the team leader of their small group. She pulled two of her friends and talked about whose going to where. She looked at Sakura then Nami. She scrutinized each one of them and finally made up a decision.
"Okay, I'll go fetch us some water. Nami will have to stay here to prepare the food and Sakura…" Said person listen intently even though she knew what she's going to do, "You have to go to the woods and gather dried branches."
Nami doubted the division of labor so she suggested, "Sakura seems pretty much of the girly side so I think it's best for her to prepare and cook than going to the woods and collect heavy branches."
Sakura meekly sighed. Nami was damn right.
Being the best friend she is, Ino reasoned out, "I know that, but that's the main reason why I asked her to do it. Collecting and carrying them all is a lot of work but that'll help her in exercising. Unlike us Sakura was trained to do kitchen chores so let's make new tasks."
Nami was not offended by Ino's reason so she smiled widely and tapped Ino's shoulder. "You really are a good leader."
Ino smirked and said, "No, not really."
On the other side of the camp, Naruto asked Sasuke that he'll just get the water while the other male group mate (finally they become an all-male group) will prepare and cook since the two of them do not know how to cook. So the last task, collecting branches, was ended up as Sasuke's job.
Naruto immediately ran off towards the tent to get a larger container for water fetching. The other male member asked Sasuke to get branches quickly for them to start a fire. Sasuke walked off from the group with strings in his pockets.
Sakura ran towards the woods and started gathering long and thick dried branches. She would stoop and gently pick whichever branches she would grab then she'll put it in the other hand. When she had a lot of branches in her hands she thought of how she would carry all it back.
Oh no, they'll scatter if I carry these branches like this…
She looked sideways to find a vine or string to tie the thick luggage so it won't drop while she's on the way back. Sakura put all the branches on the ground and started her search.
At that moment, Sasuke walked towards the path of which he found a dozen of dried branches scattered everywhere. He bent down and collected them on the ground first then tied it with the string he kept in his pocket. When he was done, he noticed the pile of dried branches placed at the large roots of the tree.
That's a lot to carry. But it'll all drop on the way to the camp.
He shrugged his shoulders and picked up his luggage when he heard someone shriek from the deepest part of the woods.
What's that scream?
He dropped his bundle of branches and ran off towards the origin of the scream. In a matter of minutes he disappeared at the entrance to the woods, leaving two bundles of branches; one with strings the other properly placed beside the tree.
The little pink haired student was on her way to search for thick vines to tie up the bundle of branches she just collected. Collecting branches was way too easy but carrying them back will be a lot of work especially when you do not have the tool to gather them so as not to mess up all the way to the camp.
She didn't saw any vines at the entrance of the woods so she decided to go to inside the forest to find vines.
On the way there, she noticed a long and thick hanging vine on a not so high branch. She walked at the spot where she could tiptoe and reach the vine. Sakura was struggling for her balance as well as getting the vine at the same time but when she finally caught the thick vine, she immediately noticed the cold and soft surface. In addition, when she slowly gripped it, she noticed that it does not carry the feeling it was really a vine rather another thing that may turn her into great danger.
In a matter of seconds, she heard a hissing sound. Quickly letting go of the vine, she attempted to run away knowing what she got herself into. However, when she was going to take a step from the spot she was in, she noticed that there was something crawling on the ground. Knowing that there are also the things that she just noticed a while, she instinctively jumped away only to get herself on a bunch of cold blooded reptiles.
She sniffed and cried until she finally broke down and screamed.
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
Sakura had to close her eyes to avoid looking at the snakes she stumbled into. They have not bitten her yet but they were all hissing and crawling everywhere.
She was hysterical but she stayed still, unable to control her shiver. She had read from books and scrolls that snakes are venomous and dangerous. They could kill you with one bite as the poison will quickly go down your bloodstream that will make you sick and die depending on how much poison the snake will give you. Some would most likely wind their entire body to break your bones then swallow you whole in their mouth.
She knew the danger, she knew their way of killing people but she didn't know why they were all here!
Trembling in fear, she opened her eyes. Slowly stepped back without making any sound but she accidentally stepped on a branch that snapped loudly. The snakes heard it and followed the origin of the sound. Sakura ran recklessly but tripped on some roots scattered on the ground.
It hurt her foot. When she tried to stand up it will ache. She tried her best to ease the pain away but it hurts whenever she touches it. Having her senses alert, she found out that the snakes are coming towards her way.
She couldn't help but scream.
"HELLLLP!'
The snakes were all going to attack her when a dozen of kunais flew towards their heads that made them stop and loudly fall on the cold ground. Sakura stopped screaming and saw all the snakes who tried to bite her, recklessly refute to die. She took notice of kunais that stuck on their heads.
Somebody heard my scream!
She hastily stood up from the ground but her aching foot prevented her so she was tugged back by the gravity and forced her to wait for whoever saved her to pick her up.
This is really humiliating… Oh! What if it wasn't from the camp? What if there's a missing Nin here? I've got to get up now!
She forced herself to get up from the ground. But when her foot reacted with pain, she couldn't help but bit her lower lip to prevent from crying. Her hands tried to find something tangible and strong to use to get up.
Her right hand continued searching until a hand touched over hers. She shockingly went to look at who it was, tears spreading on her cheeks while she thought she was really helpless.
But she could not help but be more surprise to see who her savior was…
Uchiha Sasuke-kun…
His dark eyes trailed the animals that attempted to kill his classmate. They were all dead; he knew that they will not be able to attack once again. He was glad that he brought his brother's kunais set during for this camp. He had stolen it and his older brother will surely kill him later.
The Chuunins should at least be aware that some students don't follow their orders. But… He looked at the pink haired girl who was already looking at his eyes. Her eyes were full of emotions as he could see it but he didn't know which emotion was more dominating, maybe fear. I don't see that this one is the kind who breaks rules… she must have accidentally entered here.
Then for a moment he remembered that her foot was injured and that was the main reason why she was not able to get up and run. He went near to her and asked her if she was okay.
"Are you alright? Did they bite you?"
Sakura slowly shook her head saying that she's not okay and she was not bitten. Sasuke looked at her injured foot and seen the red and swell when she tripped earlier.
"Come, I'll help you up."
The little Uchiha placed little Sakura's arms over his shoulder while his other hand supported her lower back. Sakura bent her knees then pull herself up with the Sasuke's help but when she put force to her foot; she couldn't help but whimper in pain. Hearing her small whimper, Sasuke resolved to give her a piggy-back ride (or so everybody called it). He squatted with his back in front of the injured student and told her instructions.
"You can't walk like that. I'll just carry you until we reach the camp."
Sakura was about to decline the offer but if she walked with an injured foot, it'll take long to get back safely, especially when they'll trudge a slightly long path. She meekly nodded. Encircling her small arms around the little Uchiha's neck, Sasuke slowly get up pulling her legs with his forearms. He was careful not to touch the aching foot.
When Sasuke stood up he slightly arranged Sakura from his back and started walking towards the path to where they came from.
A Ninja student who carried a lot of branches on his arms walked towards the entrance to the woods. Recalling that it was not safe to go inside, he avoided getting himself in danger and passed by it. Then, he saw a tied bundle of branches on the ground near another bundle of twigs next to the tree.
"Who in the world would leave these?"
He did not get the two bundles; instead, he resumed thinking why would the carriers leave it in an obvious spot. He darted his eyes towards the entrance of the woods and gave a shocking conclusion.
"They entered the woods! I've gotta tell this to Sensei!"
And so he ran fast to the camp with his own twigs on his arms.
Sasuke's little footsteps were all Sakura could hear throughout the trip.
She knew at first hand that Sasuke was a silent type. She had observed him during their school days. He was never the kid who would go and play along with other kids after school. But she knew where he was heading after school – the small forest past the Uchiha state.
She wasn't stalking him it was simple coincidence.
(Flashback)
Their teacher asked them to look for flowers and arranged them like any other girls would always love to do. She did not know where to find flowers other than the Yamanaka flower shop but Ino told her that she would have plenty of selection in the forest, to where they originally pick the flowers.
So she went there that afternoon to pick some flowers.
But she was not alone there.
There at the forest ground was a little determined boy trying to hit all targets everywhere. She watched him jumped and flipped and threw kunais everywhere. She followed all the kunais with her green eyes and to her observation; he has to practice more because out of eight targets, he only got three.
Not bad at all…
When it's time for the gravity to pull him down, he fell at a wrong method. He yelled a child voice of "OW" and nursed his knee. Sakura noticed the tears on Sasuke's eyes but it never drop down. Sasuke was preventing them to go freely. And like every boy, they don't like seeing themselves crying over something. They thought that if they cry, they're weak.
Little Uchiha sniffed the pain and brushed off the tears in his eyes. Testing his leg if he could get up, he felt a stinging pain on his lower leg that made him yelled another "OW." Sakura was hiding behind a tree and even if she wanted to help him, she just could not.
Why?
She was completely hesitating. She did not like it when somebody sees her in the forest. And maybe, Sasuke thinks the same thing. He did not like somebody to see him in his state.
He might get angry when I approach him…
That was her initial thought. So she did not try to approach him. Sakura simply walked away with a guilt feeling of unable to help somebody who was in pain.
(End Flashback)
"I'm sorry…" She muttered out of the blue.
Sasuke heard her words but did not stop from walking. He doesn't have any idea why she was apologizing. She should be thankful than sorry, right?
Sakura was waiting for him to say something but it looks like the little Uchiha was clueless.
"I'm sorry…" She said once again. Maybe she was not in a condition to tell him the whole story.
But… was he really unaware that she was there the moment he fell?
After few minutes of silence, Sakura settled to be quiet as well; just like the old Sakura she had been. Then again, the Uchiha had a lot of surprises going on in his head that he felt Sakura jolted on his back.
"You were there." He said.
Sakura's hands held on tightly on Sasuke's shoulders. She was not hurting him in the process, she just felt like she was really guilty of not helping him in the first place especially when he knew that she was there that moment…
"I… I didn't know what to do…" She replied quite softly and it tickles Sasuke's ear when she breathed out the words. "No matter how much I wanted to help you, I just couldn't get out behind the tree… I just thought that…"
"…I'll get mad at you for seeing me there?" Little Sasuke continued when Sakura was unable to resume what she has to say.
Sakura knew that he knew what she was going to say anyway, so she nodded. It's true. That's why she ran off quickly and that time Sasuke saw her slowly disappearing from his sight.
"I knew that I wasn't alone in the forest. I ignored that presence but I feel ashamed because someone saw me in… that state."
Then out of nowhere they decided to keep in silence for a while. Sasuke was waiting for her to say something. He knew that Sakura wasn't the type of ignoring people. Her innocent kindness is very visible in her features but she was scared of him – scared that if she went there to help him, he wouldn't appreciate it. She didn't know anything about him, really.
"I hesitated… I'm sorry." She said once again.
Sasuke felt her forehead brushing at the back of his head. He breathed in her rose and candy scent, such sweet fragrance from a sweet creature.
It wasn't his intention to make her feel guilty when she was the person who started the conversation. It was okay from him. Before then, he did not mind the thoughts of all the children around him; from never-ending praise to that of negative responses. Somehow, the moment she opened up that topic to where he finally remembered that he saw her there… he knew and felt that he had to be sensitive to what other people think about him. Not that he usually care, but what if he unconsciously drove away those he liked and loved most?
Sasuke chuckled at some point where something finally dawned at him. Sakura on his back jolted yet again at his sudden actions.
"I'm not a lion that when you tried to help you will end up being hurt by himself." He turned his head to the side to glance at some pink tresses and added, "Besides, why would I attack someone who had a characteristic of that of flower?"
Sakura had her eyebrow raised and then turned to look at the side where Sasuke previously turned his head. Clueless, she asked him.
"Characteristic of a flower?"
Sasuke turned his head to face the path ahead and replied, "Your name is Haruno Sakura right? And you smell like one."
This made little Sakura blush.
Ino and Nami were done with their task but Nami was not entirely done especially when Sakura hasn't come back yet for the branches. Nami was starting to blame on the poor girl again but Ino decided to stay quiet until she hears Sakura's reason.
On the other side of the camp, Naruto and the other male student was also worried for Sasuke. Naruto knew that Sasuke wasn't the type to make his teammates wait. He's always on the go signal and aware of the time. Naruto also knew that Sasuke knew that without those branches they couldn't start cooking.
"Where is Uchiha? He's keeping us wait!" Their other male member angrily uttered while he walk back and forth in front of Naruto.
Naruto was sitting near the riverbank and engulfed himself into thinking.
"Maybe he entered the woods. I bet he got himself in danger! Let's go tell this to the Chuunins!"
Quickly he stood up and with his other teammate; they raced towards the tent of their Chuunin to report what happened.
Similarly, Sakura's group ran towards the Chuunin's tent to report their already delayed teammate.
Sasuke and Sakura arrived at the entrance of the woods. They saw the tied twigs and the untied ones.
"Were you looking for vines to tie your twigs over there?" Sasuke asked as he looked at the arranged twigs near his tied twigs.
"Yeah… But I ended up gripping the snake's tail." She sighed in embarrassment.
But Sasuke found it funny.
So he chuckled once again and walked towards the bundle of branches.
"I have a string here. I'll tie them up for you."
He walked near the bundle of which Sakura collected earlier. He inclined the injured girl at the tree trunk. Taking out the string he reserved for tomorrow's branch-collecting, he quickly wrapped it around at the branches.
"There." He said when he's done.
Sakura gave him a questioning stare and said, "How are we going to carry them all when you're carrying me on your back?"
"When I get you to the camp, I'll go back here and get these two." He said, brushing the imaginary dirt in his hands.
Sakura smiled at him and muttered meekly, "Thank you so much, Uchiha-kun."
He chuckled and said, "You don't have to call me by my family name. Just… Sasuke." He smiled and crouched again with his back towards Sakura. "Hop on."
Finally, Sakura chuckled at the sight. She just discovered the bright side of the little aloof Uchiha Sasuke.
When the children reported their missing teammates, the Chuunins gathered themselves to divide the organizers to find little Uchiha Sasuke and little Haruno Sakura in the woods. They disappeared quickly and left the other Chuunins behind to tell their teammates that they will be fine and those Chuunins will be able to find them.
Ino already had tears in her eyes when she tugged the sleeves of the female Chuunin.
"Is Sakura gonna be okay?" She asked with slight tremble of voice.
The female Chuunin knelt in front of the little Yamanaka girl and stroke her lemon yellow hair with affection to ease away the child's anxiety.
"Sakura-chan will be back here in a while. She'll be fine."
Ino sniffed and brushed away the tears that already formed at the end of each of her eyes. She looked at the smiling female Chuunin and suddenly felt a single hope in it. She looked at the exit of the camp where the supposedly entrance of the woods is and prayed for Sakura's safe return.
Sakura-chan…
"Sensei! Sensei!"
They all turned their heads towards the kid who just got back from collecting twigs. They noticed his shocked and worried expression as they started thinking worst scenarios that suddenly came up in their heads. He rushed towards the Chuunin with all his twigs still latched in his arms.
"There were… there were… there were students in the woods!" He finally said between heavy breathing.
The male Chuunin approached the kid and said, "Yes we already knew. Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura are reported missing a while ago. We've sent Chuunins to find them."
"They entered the other side of the woods, sir! It had a lot of snakes there!" He yelled that all children gasped in terror.
"Hush now." The Chuunin eased the already frightened student, "they won't be bitten or be eaten alive there."
Another yelling of joy and gladness engulfed the entire camp when they all saw a pair of Chuunins who went out a while ago came back escorting a young girl sitting at the back of the young boy. They got dirt and mud but they still have smiles in their faces. The little pink haired girl smiled shyly while the young boy had to lower his head to hide his already tomato-red face.
Ino and Nami, together with the female Chuunin, rushed towards them and asked if Sakura was okay as seeing she was being nursed by two Chuunins.
"I… just tripped…" Sakura muttered when she was taken away from Sasuke's back.
Now that the little Haruno is away from his back, he stretched backwards to regain the muscle stiffness. He was then mobbed by his other classmates and asked him what happened. Sasuke had to wave them off and said nothing.
"You made us worried sick! You gotta say something!" Naruto and Sasuke's male teammate demanded. Being Uchiha Sasuke, he refused to listen and head back towards the woods.
"Sasuke-kun! Where are you going?" Asked the Chuunin who quickly went to his front to stop him from going anywhere. After all this young man was reported missing, too. They have to check up on him first.
Sasuke sighed unwarily as he finally used his mouth to reason out, "We left our twigs back there. I'm going back to get it."
The Chuunin in charge of the camp ordered the other Chuunin to help the young Uchiha to get back the twigs while the medics will have to check up on Sakura who still had a sprained ankle.
Finally, their worries snapped away.
It was a new moon that evening. Stars were shining brightly after the days' exhausting and anxiety-filled activity. The cold river flows endlessly, reflecting the beautiful wonder of the sky. Sitting beside the river was a young kid with raven hair, cutting a piece of branch as if checking the sharpness of his kunai. He had no bonfire beside him for he was relying at the brightness of the moon and the twinkling of the stars. He had left his bed because he could not sleep. Most of the boys in their tent had gone asleep; one of them was Naruto, who was snorting rather loudly so he decided to get some fresh midnight air and let his mind be at peace.
While he scraped the branch into thin layers, he accidentally got his little thumb, too. Sasuke jerked in pain. It produced blood from his tiny wound and slowly it spurted out of his flesh. He who didn't know yet how to heal a wound quickly sucked his thumb to sip the blood.
"You're old enough to stop thumb-sucking." A little voice came out from the woods.
Sasuke wheeled his head towards the origin of the voice and there he saw little Sakura limping towards his place. He was shocked when said girl suddenly appeared at this godly hour in the same place. Unbeknownst to him, he still had his thumb in his mouth to which Sakura giggled even more.
Huh?
Finally recognized what he was doing, he quickly pulled out his thumb and hid it behind him.
"I wasn't thumb-sucking." He defended.
But this made Sakura giggled even more. Sasuke just turned his head away to avoid being embarrassed.
"I was just kidding." Sakura chirped as she limped towards a spot near Sasuke's. She slowly and carefully put herself on the ground and extended her two hands towards Sasuke's direction.
Sasuke on the other hand didn't get what she was asking so he just gave her questioning look straight to her eyes.
"Your thumb, its wounded let me heal it."
The little Uchiha hesitated for a moment but Sakura's soft smile convinced him that he can trust her with his wound. So he slowly extended the injured hand, particularly the thumb, to Sakura's soft creamy dainty hands. He watched as Sakura took a cloth from her pocket and dipped it on the river. She cleaned the wound and pressed the cloth to stop the bleeding. When she held his thumb with one hand, she took out a band aid and wrapped it around Sasuke's little thumb. Now that she's done, she proudly looked at her small repair.
"There."
Sasuke who had been watching her when she was tending to his wound looked at his thumb. He didn't feel any pain now. He smiled at his little thumb and looked at Sakura.
"Thanks." He said with a small blush creeping to his pale cheeks.
Sakura bowed politely and smiled softly to him while saying; "Let's call it quits."
Sasuke closed his eyes and slowly bent over Sakura so that their foreheads would touch together. Sakura who didn't do anything was as red as Sasuke when they arrived at the camp earlier.
"…Yeah, quits."
The End
Author's Note: FLUFFINESS! And yes, their little young here. 6-7 years old I guess. Hehehe. Hope you liked it! This is dedicated to my ff friends here! You know who you are! (hugs everybody).
