41. Redemption Pt.3.
Sakura opened her eyes slowly to the touch of something slithering across the skin of her inner wrist. She opened her eyes and she wasn't surprised to see that Itachi was sitting on the bed beside her.
Fingers gliding above where the cloth bound her.
She sighed but stared at him.
"I'm sorry...if I scared you but this is me, I wish I could say that I'm not a little crazy...or I've never gotten a little blood on my hands but I do things...I say things...I want things and I've never been good at giving up things that I want. Ever since I was a little kid, I've had everything I loved torn away from me...peace was sleeping to me, dreaming and even then...there was room for the nightmares to crawl into bed with me...slip through the cracks of my mind...they still do find me..."
He explained reverently in a gentle tone, avoiding her eyes and staring at his fingers touching her wrist.
She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
"...the moment I found you, I saw you...I felt like I would never have another nightmare but instead I've caused the biggest one..."
He began to undo the cloth.
"Your free..."
The cloth slid from her heated, livid flesh and Sakura's eyes snapped opened just as he sat up from the bed and walked towards the door to open it.
Is...is this some sorta game...
She frowned at him in bewilderment, not sure what he was plotting to do to her but she wasn't in the mood to have her hope of leaving shot down so she just laid there for a hesitant moment.
Trying to see his eyes but they were obscured by his heavy brows and strands of silky black hair.
"Go...you can take the car...we're not that far from Konoha if you want to return to your family."
She sat up slowly, heart racing, mind running along side it.
Is he...
"What about the bomb...you'd just let m-"
"Before I left with you today I tipped off the police department regarding the threat with a letter. The ball is in their court whether or not they listened to my tip...I've done all that I could do to protect the city, it's out of my hands."
Sakura's eyes widened at the knowledge of what he had done.
"You warned them."
The corner of his lip quirked up and he shrugged carelessly.
"I'm not as bad as I look..."
Sakura smiled at him and sighed.
"So you think that there's a good chance that everything is okay?"
Itachi shook his head.
"I don't know...Sakura but sitting here talking to me isn't going to confirm your thoughts, if, it's Konoha you want to do...I'll respect that...I'll let you go because I know your afraid of me...you said it to me a long time ago in a letter, that you couldn't handle our feelings. You have always run away from me...even when you accepted me, your heart is scared to death because you think I'll tire of you like everyone else...correct me if I'm wrong..."
Sakura's heart quivered and a shaky breath came from her lips.
"...Sasuke...he's unpredictable, you like him because he clings to you...you know that if you keep him guessing he'll keep coming back but you don't know that with me, you think that your going to do something that disinterests me and I'd turn my back on you or get bored of you...neglect you like your parents, like some of your friends."
He smiled.
"You want to keep me in your heart and at the same time it's hard because you think I'm going to double-cross you and abandon you...you're a scarred human being...more scared than I thought...stop hiding from me, you don't need to put on a show or get drunk to talk to me. I know, it's really hard to hear me confess all of these things to you...what I've done but you're the only person I can be myself with...and I don't regret telling you anything, doing this...I'd do it over and over again because I love you...and I never knew the meaning of love until I knew what it was like to be hungry for someone for half my life..."
He knocked on the open door with his knuckles.
"So I will let you go..."
Sakura slid to the edge of the bed feeling like a baited cat, a moment later she stood up and held herself around the waist and than began to walk towards the door, which seemed so far away.
For a moment she thought he'd close it but then the thought of him doing it didn't form in her mind because she couldn't imagine him being that cruel.
Itachi wasn't cruel, she could never recall a moment where he came off to her that way and why she would even think of it was beyond her.
Once she was close enough to touch him at the door she paused and he leaned forward to place a set of keys into the palm of her hand.
He placed a shy kiss on her cheek, unsure if she'd allow the exchange. A tear fell from her eyes as he grabbed the side of her face and caressed the other cheek.
His breath was flaming against her face and his lips traced their way to her ear.
"itsu kaerimasu ka..." he whispered to her. Sakura drowned in the feeling of his fingers, his voice, the emotion she felt in that single question.
Her body swayed into her arms and she bit her lips but the tears came regardless.
I can't just...walk away...
Love didn't just vanish even thought someone was being obnoxious. She knew she told Itachi she hated him but she was just speaking out of anger, speaking from being surprised and hurt and confused.
After sleeping off the aggravation and realizing that there may be hope for the town she had a clear conscious, a clean out look on everything that's occurred and she realized that she really couldn't hate him.
Itachi had this way about him that mystified her. The feeling of both his hands being on her, turning her body towards him and being the dominant person just made her feel so tired. Her heart was tugging around in her chest and just one look into her eyes and the storm had settled...
His face was obscured by night but his fingers grabbed her damp cheeks and his fingers slid and got caught in her hair.
It was time she told the truth.
She swallowed hard.
"I'm scared..." she whispered, her fingers reached up and touched the back of his hands, she stared at him and listened to his uneven breath.
"I would never hurt you..." he chided, taking a step back into the room and coaxing her back. Sakura followed his motion, body swaying tiredly along with his.
"I know." She whispered.
"So what's there to be scared about?" he asked.
"Everything..." she answered feeling his sinews contract through his garment as he swiftly jolted her up into his arms, her breath exploding from her chest, wild with love and fear.
Itachi spun her around slowly, his forehead pressed against her's.
"Stop thinking, stop worrying and just let me show you how good everything can feel...ok..." he said with enough self assurance to aid the most unprofitable salesman.
Sakura's body trembled deliciously under the heat of his skillful fingers and she closed her eyes and held onto him tight as he began to walk them back towards the bed.
His muscular arms held her together and made her realize how crazy it was to doubt anything that he had ever said to her. He had always been there for her, since she had began to talk to him. She may have had Ino as her best friend but she had never talked to Ino about half the things she had mentioned to Itachi. Itachi knew her fears, Itachi knew her secrets...things that she'd never spill to anyone. She told him her most intimate thoughts and shared the most beautiful fantasies with him.
I love you...
Yes, he had done things. He had betrayed his city, killed men and done everything that would be considered wrong and yet it was the only way to survive, the only way to insure that he would make it back home.
"You did everything to get to me..." she whispered with realization.
He nodded against her.
"Of course...you are mine."
His hold was so tight and comforting that she felt pieced together, strong and the greatest she had ever felt in years. Healed.
Holding onto him tightly, trying to calm the hopping beneath her flesh she smiled tiredly.
"Misete...Itachi.."
42. Redemption Pt.4.
Sakura,
A plan has been laid out in front of me and I can see it very clearly.
From beginning to end.
Are you with me...to the end?
Ha, I guess I know, that you are.
Your the only thing in my life that isn't moot, that isn't a lie.
What we have, it's not something that will just fade and wilt away with time.
It's eternal.
That kind of thing that lasts until we run out of breath.
I believe in that, it's the only thing that gives me enough courage to walk away now.
I haven't lived with you long enough to complain but it will still be hell, to leave you when you were
finally in my arms.
Tonight was great, I showed you everything you needed to see...and I hope you know that it was all very
genuine.
I meant every word I said, every kiss I gave. I'm just sorry that leaving will probably cancel all of that out.
My life is a complete fuckery at best. Ha. I wonder what I did to piss god off.
I don't want to leave but...it's what I have to do, to keep you safe.
My betrayal will have it's price to pay and I'll pay them, as long as they don't result in me loosing you.
I just hope you can forgive me and know that things will get better, the next time I see you...everything will be right, everything will be ok.
I promise.
恋
Ps- Give Sasuke the letter attached, you may read it if you wish to but I wouldn't advise it. Just know that our family is a very complicated matter.
-A.R..
Otouto,
I'm not going to beat around the bush.
Your going to hear a lot of shit about me, on the news...speculations.
Your free to believe anything you like, your free to hate me like the world probably will but
your smarter than the average bear ;) I'm sure you know who set me up.
Dad.
He's not dead Otouto.
Far from turning raw six feet under like we all thought.
He's been digging his way into Konoha for years now because of that General, Danzo.
He's crooked, he and dad are working together on some shit project.
I haven't figured out all of the pieces to the puzzle but I'm beginning to realize we're all in a lot of shit, he's out to get us, mom...you and I.
Ino told me about the car accident, it's subtle but I just know he used Danzo to try and kill you.
This mother fucker Danzo, he's tracking me. He followed Sakura and I, he's just waiting for the opportunity but I'm not going to give him one.
I have to leave here, I have to take his focus off the city and bring it to me.
In the game of war you have to make sacrifices so, I'm willing, to sacrifice myself to atone for everything.
I don't mind dying if I know that it was for all of the right reasons.
So I'm going. I don't know where but it has to be far.
I'm not sure if Dad will follow but I know that his dirty little bitch will.
That being said,
Sakura.
Do me a favor.
Keep her safe.
It's the last thing I want to do, put her in the hands of a man that she may be developing feelings for but your my brother.
I trust you to do the right thing or is that giving you too much cred?
I know it is but Sakura isn't a child she's capable of making her own decisions.
I want to be with her but I also know that I can't be selfish and ask her to wait for me.
So be real.
If your really going to pursue her, do it, don't fuck around with her and use her as some pin cushion for your dick.
Take responsibility and take care of her because I saw the way you looked at her.
I know...that look.
I've seen you look at someone like that and I've seen that person be torn away from you...
So, if your going to try and steal her from me.
At least play your cards right or else I'll take her away from you over and over again.
Let me give you some very valuable advice about Sakura, don't make her mad too often.
...and don't get too comfortable with her because I'll be back.
Count on that.
Meanwhile, keep an eye out for dad. Now that I betrayed him and the Akatuski have probably been caught he'll be out to mess with you and Kaa. Check on her Sasuke, now that I'm gone you have to take care of Kaa-san just like Uncle Fugaku would have wanted.
You know he loved her...he lost his life because of that.
Well, just try to be dependable.
This is too big to just ignore. I'm holding you accountable while I'm gone...I know you don't give a fuck about marginally anything in this letter but mom and Sakura, so I know you'll do the right thing.
This is the only favor I've ever asked you, while your favors are astronomical...just remember who's money took you out of the streets and gave you a chance.
It's not something I'd brag about but to prove a point I'll do it.
I burned your USB drive but I've taken the liberty of buying you another.
Your welcome
Goodbye for now.
-I.U
She was half awake when he left.
She lay still in bed and watched the back of him as he slipped from beneath the covers with a tired sigh. He pulled himself to the edge of the bed.
Long dark hair curling down his back , strong broad shoulders hunched.
The light from the screen of a cellphone made her eyes burn but she only winced and continued to stare in quiet.
A moment later the phone gave a very jingly kids tune, Itachi stared at it, he didn't answer it for at least an entire minute before he placed the phone to his ear.
Sakura trembled, the silky bed sheet slid over her heated flesh as she inched closer towards the conversation, eyes wrenched.
"...Father...nice to see that your alive and well...but Tobi, you could've chosen a better name. A name like Tobi, is foolish for a man who's soul is as scorned as yours.."
He said with humor, fingers raking through the silk of his hair.
Sakura could imagine a smile on his face.
She stared recklessly at his back, she could see the slight traces of scratches on his back and a few tattoos on his shoulder and lower back.
She could also make out some of the scars, war wounds.
Father?...
"...it's awfully brave to send people to do your dirty work especially since you can't guarantee them life insurance..."
he spoke gently, patiently, he looked over his shoulder at Sakura and she snapped her eyes closed just slightly enough to look like she was out cold.
She could see his face and a moment later his fingers were on her forehead, pushing a stray hair off her forehead and then caressing her cheeks.
He laughed about something his father said, Sakura could hear a deep buzz on the other end.
"...well, he's not as skillful as you'd hope, he may be a general but that doesn't make him street smart. I know he's outside in that car, waiting, what did you send him to do...kill us?"
He was quiet for a moment, Sakura could barely hear him breathing.
"...you should call him off, he's more of an asset to you alive...than dead..."
Itachi's fingers paused on her cheek and then he let out an exhausted breath.
"...I'm serious." He said and the severity to his voice was very transparent.
"...so, I guess your mission came to an abrupt end...without Akatsuki to do all of the dirty work for you, you have no henchmen to carry out your plan of revenge...grow up father...aren't you a bit too old to be greedy...well, I won't be around to see that...your pathetic...I'm not afraid of you anymore, I'm a man now, more of a man than you could ever show me."
Sakura could see him smirk sadly, his eyes were closed.
He nodded.
"I'm going on a little trip...good, I'll have his company...and hopefully yours...so, are you going to stay in Konoha, they're going to figure you out...I never told them who you were, I only pointed them in the right direction...hmm...come get me...leave them out of this, your real issue is because of me...I'm not your son, remember...I'm your brothers...well, I'm patient, I can wait.."
What did I just hear...what...so his father isn't his father...or is Sasuke's father not his father...so, Itachi's father...is Sasuke's father's brother...
So Mikoto...
Itachi discontinued the call after that, Sakura laid there in complete confusion and worry that there was something beneath the surface of that conversation.
There are things that I don't even know...I feel so, in the dark..
She tried to stay up to see what would happen next but sleep enveloped her with it's warmth and security. Her body and mind were in a haze of exhaustion and she didn't feel the need to fight it.
I'll play good cop, bad cop tomorrow...
There were too many things to think about and her mind felt used. Thinking about all of things that could have happened to Konoha again.
Luckily Ino had drove away her pessimistic thoughts with a simple text that clearly stated that Itachi's plan had worked, Konoha had been spared..
Those fucking terrorist tried to kill us but guess what KAKASHI and team seven threw some D's on those bitches. Man, are you watching this, they're going to get hard time! I mean what the fuck were they thinking.
Oh ya I forgot you don't watch the news. You were completely oblivious to the end of the world...typical Sakura. Are you sleeping, I called you a hella times, I wanted to confess how much I was going to miss you but I guess there's no need for that now well, I have to go have a talk with Shikamaru.
I've come to the conclusion that, I'm getting a divorce...
-Maddam Pigglet
43. Truce.
She couldn't find it in herself to cry anymore or think about him, being gone, with his face all over the news as a wanted man it was in her best interest to pretend she had never known him but it was hard to pretend that he didn't mean anything to her.
He is that one person for me...
It had been a month later and she and Ino were cuddled up on Ino's living room sofa watching the news.
It had been too late but neither of them could sleep, both of their eyes were wide watching Itachi's face amongst those of the Akatsuki, most of them had been detained and shipped to an island prison for the most wanted.
"He didn't do anything.." Sakura whispered and Ino sighed sorrowfully.
"I know." She whispered to her best friend in sympathy. "...sometimes the news makes things worse than what they seem...and plus they only know what their sources tell them, you know how people like to gossip...remember the news did blame the Hokage for vandalizing mount faces.."
Sakura laughed at that, she had never heard of that one.
"Ino it's the Hokage mountain and why the hell would he go through all of the hassle to vandalize his own mountain. That doesn't even make sense.."
"You haven't met our Hokage...I don't see how he got the gig...if he can be Hokage anyone can.."
Sakura couldn't stifle her laughter.
"They'll never choose you, your too bossy..."
I know the divorce is supposed to be bad but I'm sorta happy for Shika
"Just what this place needs, a blond bombshell who's not afraid to tell everyone where to fuck themselves!"
Sakura shook her head and smiled at the comfort of her best friend.
For the past month in a half she had been living with Ino waiting for the pain to subside, it was fading, quicker than the second she awoke to the empty bed but it wasn't leaving her fast enough.
She sighed.
"Will he, ever come back?"
Ino contemplated that for a moment, rubbing Sakura's shoulder and shrugging slightly.
"Itachi...he's like his father Fugaku, along with being a very sexy man..."
Sakura cleared her throat.
"...he was a very honest man, he was very passionate and strong. Itachi has his traits so if he says he'll be back, he'll be back. Wanted or not...the Uchiha's have no regards for the law...that's where Itachi is more like Sasuke's father, Madara...he's one of those men beyond saving...but I've never known him myself, only the things that Mikoto used to tell me. He terrorized that women. I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, too bad he's dead and gone.."
or not..
The conversation sparked Sakura's interest, the mention of the famous Madara Uchiha. The man who had managed to go unmentioned in the capture of the Akatsuki.
None of the members told on him, so, he was out and about Konoha like a free man, no consequences befell him.
Like a demon who escaped hell to unleash chaos amongst mankind.
"What did he do to her..."
"Well, he tried to make her get rid of Itachi...when he realized he wasn't be the father...but Mikoto refused, so, he took it upon himself to inflict a miscarriage. She wouldn't tell me the ways that he tried and honestly I don't think I could bare to listen. It makes me sick that men like that exist in this world. I understand that he was upset but that's going to far...trying to kill the baby. What did the kid do to you?"
Sakura only nodded.
That's fucking awful..
"He treated Itachi like an orphan...despite Mikoto's wishes for him to grow to love Itachi as his own Madara used him, planted thoughts in his mind, told him his mother was a whore...he was just the worlds worse dad." Ino sighed.
"...but he never wanted Fugaku to spend time with Itachi, he tore them apart even though Itachi wasn't his. He hated his brother and the crazy fuck killed his brother...right in front of Itachi...it's like snapped."
Sakura tried to ignore the image of young Itachi watching the grotesque scene of his father being murdered by his brother.
She wondered if he cried or if he had already developed a bone for violence and the incident meant nothing to him.
She shivered and shook her head.
"That's insane..."
"But true none the less...that boy, he's been through so much...both of them have been, Sasuke's father was a flaming psycho."
"Clearly...no wonder Sasuke's so...the way he is.."
"He's trying, I hear he has a job now...from Shikamaru."
"Hmm...think it has something to do with Itachi's letter...I wish I would have read it..."
"I dunno, I just hope he doesn't get lazy this time with it, he's no longer getting Itachi's death checks...the military discontinued them since they know he's in one piece and roaming some part of the land of fire...hopefully this will start a flame of motivation under his ass." She paused. "..well it already has since he's got a job...I'm kinda proud."
Sakura only stared at the television and closed her eyes.
"Me too..."
She spoke softly thinking of his face when she delivered Itachi's letter beneath his door. She hadn't been meaning to make a face to face encounter. It had been the last thing on her mind but he opened the door, letter in his hand.
His hair was uniquely unruly and his breath smelt like an ashtray. He leaned his shoulder against the door frame and wagged the note.
"What grade are we in...second, is this a valentines day card?" he asked with a suave grin putting it to his nose.
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"It's not from me.."
"Mhhm, let me guess it's from your invisible friend..."
"I'm not in the mood to stroke your fragile ego...I've delivered what your brother asked and now I'm leaving."
Sakura just sighed and turned away from him but he reached out and caught her hand in a hard grasp where their palms melted into each others.
Sakura's stomach felt like it had been filled to the rim with wasps, the feeling stung her.
"My brother, you know, you never mentioned you two were an item, that would've been a very good thing to bring up...so, where is he now?" he inquired with amusement.
Sakura stayed turned toward the elevator in his apartment. She shook her head.
"He's long gone..."
Sasuke was quiet for a few seconds and then he let her loose, Sakura continued her trek down the hall to the elevator, she heard Sasuke's door close behind her and she wondered if he had even bothered to read it or just tossed it out.
She wondered how Sasuke felt about his brother.
Did he even care?
"Sakura(insert your middle name here) Haruno!"
Ino shouted snapping her back into the present.
The blond women, who had now officially been two months pregnant extended her hands skyward and grimaced.
"I have to bleed the lizard, teamwork?"
She needed help getting up.
Sakura only rolled her eyes and stood up.
"Why can't you say pee-pee or twinkle...bleeding a lizard is something I'd expect from Kiba..."
Ino smiled.
"...which is where I got it from. I love that boy!"
"Hmmm, so when do you and Shika finalize the divorce?"
"When Nara isn't too lazy to sign the papers.."
"Did you ever think that he's just not signing them because he doesn't want to?"
"Nope, who'd do a stupid thing like that, he's clearly miserable with me."
Sakura assisted her friend, pulling her up by her hands, leaning backwards slightly and laughing.
"Maybe he wants to work this thing out." Sakura explained.
"Eww.." Ino feigned disgust and pointed her index finger at her tongue.
"Well, that's not an option for me...there's no turning back, I've already cheated and called him every name out of the books of books. I can't imagine living in a house where I've called the man a bitch dick bagged sloth!"
Sakura furrowed a brow.
"Seriously, I'm surprised he wasn't laughing...where do you come up with these things."
"He did laugh and then I shot a wine class at him and the thing I regret is the wine that I missed out on...such a waste of a fine delicacy on Shikamaru's ass...bleh."
Sakura only watched her stalk off towards the bathroom, the pink haired women shook her head and snatched up one of the cushion pillows on the sofa.
She hugged it to her and closed her eyes just as there was a knock on Ino's door.
"WE'RE CLOSED!" Ino shouted from the stall.
Sakura hopped onto her socked feet and rolled her eyes.
"I'm coming.."
She walked towards the door and yanked it open.
Her face went from cherry to utter confusion in a matter of two seconds.
"Sasuke..."
He was towering over her, wearing a white button down T-shirt with faded genes. His hair was barely in a ponytail and he was holding up a brown greasy bag of take out.
"Red."
Silence wavered between them for a moment before Sasuke rolled his eyes and they both pointed.
"Stalking me again!...wait...no your stalking me!"
They both said in union.
"Stalking you...I've said it once and I'll be glad to say it again...your not the hottest chick I've ever seen, what's with your forehead today?"
Sakura frowned, clasping a hand over her forehead and growling with fury, in a matter of minutes he had managed to push her buttons and she couldn't stand how smug he looked about it.
He seemed to like getting a rise out of her.
He leaned in to grab her chin.
"..your cute when your mad..." he said softly to her and Sakura jerked her chin away, Sasuke brushed past her and into the house recklessly.
"I didn't invite you in..."
"I'm not a vampire my awesomeness cant be contained by some invitation, you know me better than that."
"I barely know you..."
"It's not like your trying to learn."
"It's not like your trying to teach me..."
She almost gasped at her confession, that she wanted to know more about him. She should've been running away from him and yet there was this thing, like elastic that kept pulling them together.
Sasuke placed the bag down on the counter in the kitchen and began to unbutton his shirt to reveal a ripple of his abdomen and muscular physique.
Sakura rolled her eyes and Sasuke only smirked.
"Well, I guess we'll have to change that...what are you doing tomorrow?"
"Not you."
He scoffed out a laugh.
"I beg to differ."
"I'm going to work.."
"Great, I'll give you a ride."
"I prefer the bus, no thanks."
"Run all you want.."
"I'm not running, I'm taking the bus." She replied curtly, scowling at him.
He shrugged off her leer with the strangest content look on his face.
"I must admit, I miss that little stare right there...it feels like your mind fucking me."
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Your delusional..."
He didn't answer, he only scratched at the top of his head and popped his lips menacingly.
"Figured you'd be over here...brought you and Ino some things to eat and some movies."
"How thoughtful...which one of us are you trying to fuck."
He smiled.
"Do you really want my answer or are you just trying to entertain me...your doing a good job at that."
"So are you staying over?"
"No, I've got things to do...it's seven in the morning and I'm awake to see it, it's pretty remarkable."
Ino strolled out of the room and ran for what she thought would be Sasuke but instead she found the bag and murdered it of it's contents.
Sasuke gave her some space and Sakura approached the table cautiously. As if Ino was a suspicious animal lurking in the kitchen.
The food contained a series of very unhealthy and fattening foods.
Greasy and purely sickening.
Sakura felt extremely light headed watching Ino began to devourer it and the smell was very nauseating. Sakura placed a palm on her clammy forehead and felt her stomach flop around undecidedly.
She closed her eyes and could only hear half of Ino and Sasuke's bickering about all of the foods he could have bought. Sasuke insulted Ino with a few curses that may have started a fight with any women.
Vertigo touched her hazy brain and retched and clasped her mouth and her forehead at the same time.
Maybe I should try to eat something...no...no that doesn't sound like a smart idea...dammit...it must've been something I ate...or a morning bug..
Something fowl plagued her gullet and she retched again.
Oh god I am my cat, hacking up a hair ball...
"Ino...can I use your bathroom.." She muffled.
Ino stared up at her friend.
"Number one or two?"
"INO!"
Both Sasuke and Ino laughed.
"Ya...you look...pale...are y-"
Sakura darted for the bathroom, stumbling over her feet and then falling to her knees just in time for the flow of fowl spirits to plow out of her mouth.
She hicked in pain and cringed when another wave hit her and rocked her body.
I always wait so late to eat...maybe I should eat after this..
This pattern continued for over thirty minutes. After a moment Sakura lay shivering on the linoleum ground, her eyes half closed.
The cool temperature of the tiles made her hot skin feel better.
The two voices outside got quiet and then she heard someone enter the bathroom and a moment later Sasuke crouched down in front of her, he pushed a dark green coffee mug that said, 'Ninja dese Nuts' on it into her limp hand.
"Ino concocted some kind of green shit...says it'll make your stomach feel better, I dunno how true that is...she's blond. I wouldn't drink it."
Sakura could only nod and grin weakly, she waited for Sasuke to walk away but he slid himself down, laying on his back with a sigh, his hair touched her lips and she could feel the heat roll off his body.
His dark eyes side glanced towards her and then he closed his eyes.
A soothing quiet swept over her body and she took a deep breath, hoping nothing would come from that.
"Truce..." she whispered.
For a moment he didn't respond but then he nodded his head, dark thick lashes sweeping up, his eyes opening to stare at the ceiling.
"Hn, Truce.."
44. Tugging Hearts.
Am I seeing this right...
There has to be some sort of mistake...some explanation, a defect in the results because there is no way...
That I can deal with this.
New Years Eve.
"Did you fall in the toilet?"
"I wish..."
It was that.
"You wish you fell in the toilet?...open the door and we can accomplish anything."
The nob began to jiggle. Sakura stared at it for a moment and then it stoppled, a man breathed against the door, for a long moment he didn't speak.
"Am I violating the fine print of our contract to stay bff's?"
Sakura chuckled, she had found out five months ago that Sasuke had a twisted sense of humor. He was pretty silly when he wanted to be, on most day his humor was subtle but on day's like today he was Mr. Brightside.
It's a decent change.
Sakura was glad to have his humor, though sometimes it really got under her skin how he didn't seem to take most things seriously. The sarcastic jokes were his way of coping with his reality.
She recalled herself being that way when she was younger. She was sarcastic twenty-four seven so being around him and understanding him for a change made her realize that she and Sasuke had more in common than she realized, maybe more than she and Itachi.
"Well you are relatively close to the door..." She said softly.
"That's too bad, I'm not leaving you to your own devices, your a fucking trainwrek , you've had about twenty near death experiences in one day according to the wicked blond bitch of the west. I'm getting paid to rescue your ass by the way."
Sakura laughed at his name for Ino and rolled her eyes.
"Stop calling her that, she's already mad that you've got Kiba saying that...it's rude."
"Rude is the new truth, and I'm nothing if not truthful so, open the door so I can get a good laugh at your titanic sinking, don't be shy...I've seen it all before..."
"Sasuke...I'm not stuck in the toilet, I'm just having women issues..."
He coughed and sighed.
"Yeah, that's my que to pretend you didn't just say that...I'll be in the living room.."
"Kay."
Sakura stared at the door for a moment, certain that he had gone after her explanation. She sighed with relief and her phone began to buzz.
She flinched in alarm but scrambled to fish it out of her pocket.
Once she found it she answered it quickly.
Her speculation of who it was had been confirmed.
"Sakura."
"Yeah ten, it's...it's me..."
She called out with way too many breaths, subconsciously she had began to paste around the small bathroom in Sasuke's apartment.
"Where are you, there's an annoying buzzing noise in the background."
"With Sasuke...Ino recruited him as my bodyguard since Mikoto went missing. They're both driving me crazy."
"Well, can you blame there, Itachi's father..."
"His uncle." Sakura cut in.
"Whatever...he kidnapped his own wife, there's no telling if he knows who you are...he might be plotting to do something to you."
Sakura laughed.
"That's ridiculous, clearly I mean nothing to Itachi...he left, so why would he waste his time on me."
"From what I hear from Ino, he was PRI-TY crazy about you and he only left to lure his father away from Konoha."
"So much for that plan..."
"Well, maybe he'll be back sooner than you think."
Sakura heart fell into a tremor and she shook her head.
"That'll be devastating."
Tenten only gave a small 'hmmph' of little thought, she seemed preoccupied with something. Sakura could hear the sound of nails on a computer keyboard.
"My blood...from the test?"
"Hmm yes, I was just sorting that little conundrum out...I'm getting into the files as we speak."
Sakura nodded profusely, nervousness giving her body excessive jitters.
"I wanna know but than again I don't..."
"Why not, it's a gift."
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Maybe it would have been at one point but as of now, I'm not so sure about that."
"What do you mean?"
She asked popping a bubble.
Sakura began to crack the bathroom door open ever so slightly to peek out the door. She spotted Sasuke standing in the living room.
He was wearing a grey hoodie, the hat over his head and on top of his hat was the silliest gaudy 2012 new year hat she had ever seen. Ino had placed it on his head an hour ago and Sasuke hadn't removed it since than.
I don't even think he realizes it's on his head.
The younger Uchiha man had a bottle of sparkling cider tucked under one of his arms and in the other there was a bottle of water.
He was staring at his cellphone and rubbing at his chin peculiarly.
"This year has tore me apart and put me back together. It's shown me how to move on and taught me how to open my heart to new things...new people."
"Awww...I love you too peachie head...mwwwah, mwwwah your going to make me cry."
Sakura grinned and smiled at Sasuke and all of his familiar mannerisms she began to realize he owned.
The bobbing of his legs told her that he either impatient or pissed off or...he was about to do something very rash at heart.
He twisted his lips in a grimace when he was deep into thought.
He popped his lips before some sort of curse or insult came out of his dirty mouth and once that happened usually he shut off and behaved in a manner where he was incapable of being reached.
He yelled at her when he was worried, he pushed her away when she was getting to close to him.
He drank because he wasn't happy with his life, he drank because it made him vulnerable and he could feel all of the things he had tucked away when he was sober.
To him, drinking made him human.
It was the only cure for him to be himself and not have to remember it in the morning.
Sakura sighed at all of the knowledge she had gained in a matter of five months. She knew that the only thing that had brought them this close was the fact that Mikoto had been missing for nearly the entire year.
Sasuke, although he never mentioned it, was worried to pieces. He discussed the investigation with the police but Sakura wasn't stupid, she knew that he was doing his own private work on the matter, working with someone but she wasn't sure who.
She had heard him speaking on the phone while he babysat her, during her breaks at the hospital.
She wasn't going to delve into his affairs but he could afford to be more discreet.
"I love you too but...I was talking about Sasuke.."
She could feel Tenten's eyes rolling and she grinned.
"I know your not a big fan of him."
"I'm team Itachi dammit..." she grumbled.
Sakura only sighed.
"He's out of the running...unobtainable.."
"So your just over him like that...even with this whole crises lurking over your head."
"It's not a crises...and I never said I was over him."
"Last famous words...hold your horses I'm almost to your files chika."
"Please hurry, Sasuke's going to chidori down the door..."
"What the fuck is a chidori?"
"I don't know Kakashi made it up."
"Figures, it sounded too bad ass to come from you."
"Whatever."
Sasuke looked towards the bathroom door and caught her peeking, he wasn't surprised he only pointed at the clock with the bottle of cyder.
She nodded.
"I'm coming.." She whispered.
"Hn." was all he said, watching her close the door.
Tenten suddenly went dead silent.
"So you took the at home test, what did it say this time?"
"It said addition.."
Tenten sighed.
"...that's weird but the last time it said it was negative right?"
"Yeah.."
"Hmmm..." she mused. "...have you had sex with Sasuke...in the past five months after having sex with his brother, Itachi."
Sakura frowned.
"...no..."
"You sounded unsure about that."
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Only because your judging me..."
"What, no way...but seriously...please tell me your not falling for Sasuke.."
"I'm not falling for Sasuke...it's just really nice having a guy around."
"He's a fucking asshole..."
"To you."
"No to damn near everyone, he told your mom her food tasted like raw feet and ass.."
Sakura sighed.
"Tenten, I'm not falling for Sasuke, he's like my bodyguard for whatever reason...if you can find me a new bodyguard I'd gladly cut my ties."
"Kakashi is as good a body guard as anyone and who's to say that Madara is still lurking around Konoha, the police are all over this case."
"Nobody know's what he looks like, the mans been wearing a Spalding mass for the last sixty years, he's probably changed his identity by now."
"I guess...so I'm in your file, I'm one click away from the blood test results...are you sure you wanna do this."
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"I don't have a lot of other options...I'll chicken out if I wait any longer." her palms were sweaty and she shook them a little and continued her paste in circles.
"You could just wait until proof shows up...Physically."
Sakura cringed.
"No thanks...just...tell me now...oh and Ten thank you for staying after work to help me with this, I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Crash and burn baby, crash and burn.." She joked and then sighed. "...are you ready..."
"Errrm...on three."
"On three..."
Sakura turned her wrist over to look at the watch her mother had bought her.
11:58 pm...
"Ten..."
"One.." Tenten began.
"Two.." Sakura whispered.
"Three." Both women said.
Sakura could barely hear the loudest explosion of the century go screaming into the air.
Monitoring her watch, the moment came quick, the results even quicker.
The lights from the multicolored fireworks danced around in the bathroom and in her eyes as she watched them with a sinking realization.
Her heart stammered and she could barely swallow.
She wasn't sure if she was stunned or relief.
The strangest feeling touched her heart and made it feel europhic. Her chest swelled up and she gasped in a hoarse cry covering her lips.
She stopped hearing anything Tenten had began to say to her.
She closed her eyes and a little memory of Itachi crossed her mind with a bitter taste, that seemed to put a strain on her heart.
She remembered watching him the morning they woke up together. He was standing out on the balcony staring out at the starry sky.
The gift that he gave her, her chain dangled from his finger tips and he tampered with it absentmindedly before shoving it into the back of his pant pockets.
She reached for it on her neck, the tiny weight and promise of the little trinket had always made her feel a little closer to him and now that it was gone.
She felt alone.
As though she had imagined the Uchiwa hanging from her neck.
She touched the bare skin of her hot throat and bald up her fist with a small shiver.
Why did you do that...now, I have-...I..
She wasn't sure how long she stayed on the floor in the bathroom, lost in a war that she was beginning to realize he heart would never win.
She felt to numb to cry, too unbelieving of the card that she was dealt and expected to handle in such sort notice.
Once she was finally certain that she needed to get away from Sasuke she stood up and walked to the door. Sasuke was lifting his fist to knock at the door just at that time of her opening it.
He paused, disheveled head of hair no longer bound by the hoodie and that foolish hat was crooked on his head.
He examined her quickly and then dropped his hands.
"You missed it."
She sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"No your not." he said simply a moment later.
"Your violating our deal."
He shrugged.
"Only the minor details, I haven't done much damage...yet."
He stared at her, dark eyes seemed to fog up just slightly with an fathomless expression.
His fingers crossed the short distance between them to touch her hand and then from there, they ran up her arms, and then in a feather light way the glided back down and gripped her small waist.
Sakura looked into his tormented eyes and became very unaware of his intent.
"I have a good horror story for you..." he whispered with a sharp teethed grin.
Getting a firm grasp on her hips and then luring her out into the living room patiently.
Sakura followed him, hoping to give him a benefit of a doubt, that this would actually be a story and not some kind of way to lure her into bed.
She didn't plan to be lured but she didn't plan to get into a scuffle with him either, not when they were beginning to see eye to eye.
Sasuke favored his brother in the dark, those eyes weren't quite as captivating but the emotions that made themselves known through his eyes weren't far off.
She was trapped.
Slowly, patiently and with more candor than she could ever give him credit for he handled her he treated her in a way that his brother probably would have, except, the look in his eyes...it was indescribable.
Sakura's breath came out in a shudder.
Her skin pricked with nervousness and when Sasuke began to twist them around gently, again and again, as if they were dancing to some sort of tune.
"...what's it about?" She asked looking at his face, there was a ring of red around his eye-lids. He had been sleepless for as long as she knew him.
She wondered what he spent his nights doing because he looked like he suffered from some type of insomnia.
Sasuke pulled her into his arms and she took the next step, wrapping her arms around his neck gingerly, face against his chest.
He sighed exhaustively.
"Once upon a fucking time..." he began softly leading her around in circles and swirls. "...there was an invisible little kid...the kid, he lived in this fucked up universe where...no one could hear him, he knew that he was speaking but no one gave a rat's ass about a damn thing he said..."
he paused.
"...so, as time began to pass, he stopped speaking, he never said a word to anyone...he only watched the people around him. He was...neglected, forgotten, stepped on and living that way became his life...so when he was older, he moved out of his home, he was pulled into the streets by the only man who had ever heard him speak. The kid was a fucking moron, this man...he got the kid hooked on some magic, special water and shit the kid had never tasted before. With these things...he could speak...he could tell everyone to suck his dick and he could have anyone he ever wanted but he was still the same...even though he had changed..."
he let loose a heavy breath.
"...you never really change, the shit that you do just goes away for a little while...anyway...this man that the kid put his trust in began to use the kid. Made the kid sell the magic to other people, made the kid do all of the dirty work, he manipulated him...cut him up mentally and threatened to leave the kid. The kid knew this man as his only guardian...he didn't want to loose the man, so he went along with every piece of shit he suggested. The man wound up fucking that boys life up...the boy had been in hell day after day and he was thinking that his life wasn't worth a thing, the boy got addicted to those things that he was put through...the sex, the drugs...the drinks...he drowned in it and thought he'd never be rescued and then one day...out of no where...he met this fucking sexy ass girl...and she pulled him out of his misery...she made him a better person. He...fell hard for her, he had never loved anyone like this girl...she was beautiful inside out..."
He stopped speaking for a nice long fifteen minutes and he paused momentarily. Sakura's breath became intense and Sasuke's hold tightened around her, he shivered and then began to move them around once more.
"...so, the boy...he clawed his way out of the hole he had dug himself into and he got his act together because he finally had a voice, he finally had someone to share his thoughts with...but just as quickly as he had found that happiness, it was torn away from him...in the blink of an eye...he had lost the very thing that made him change."
"...she...she died?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Shot...it the head..."
"What...who...who would do that?"
"The boy...he was faded to hell...tripping on a vein full of skag and running from the dealer whom he had stolen a few bags of blow from. She broke into his house, she didn't have her key that night. He didn't know it was her...he sho-"
A breath shot out of him and he swallowed hard.
"...she's dead.."
Sakura could hear the distress in his voice and she had already began to realize that this was his nightmare, the thing that kept him up every night.
She wasn't sure how to react.
She hugged him and closed her eyes. In that moment a barrage of thoughts were going through her mind and then Sasuke was pulling her face in towards his and she could only think of one thing that would take his mind off the pain he was feeling.
"I'm pregnant." She whispered softly and he froze.
45. Epilogue.
Hi,
I am twwwol yeahs owld poppop.
Howl owld are yew?
This is me, Ino now...
Hey, soooo, when are you coming to visit or call...there's a lot going on
a lot of moving parts and events you should know about. Particularly
events involving your brother and the love of your life.
Does that not mean anything to you anymore?
Your mom is still missing and your Uncle, this guy must be under ground or the king of fucking hide and
seek...wtf.
Anyway I love you and I hope your finding some piece of mind because your going to
need it if you plan to come back here.
You are not going to like what you see...oh and btw Izami doesn't go
anywhere without that little furry weasel stuffed animal you sent her.
I mean, the little rat creeps me the hell out but I guess
Like father, like daughter.
You lil creepers.
-Izami Uchiha & Ino Yamanaka
Izami,
Two years, huh, turning into a big girl...so fast, almost, too fast.
Thank you Izami for putting me to shame. :}
I'm twenty-five. Two-five.
I think your old enough to beat me in a run with those little legs of yours, you look tough.
Your beautiful, just like your mother, that's all I could have ever hoped for.
Hope to see you again...I'll never forget my time with you when I was home.
I know it sucks that we are keeping secrets from mommy but ,Iz, it has to be that
way...until I can sort things out.
I know your excited, well I am too. Every day that I think about what I've made...
it just blows my mind, how great you are.
So, do poppop a favor, your mom, she'll come around but for right now it's just you and me and aunt-Ino
in on this little secret. Ok?
I love you sweetie, always know that and there's never going to be a father more
happier than me to have both your letters and your drawings to wake up to everyday.
Be good, look after Kaa and I'll see you soon Iz.
Cross my heart.
-I.U
Ino,
Thanks for the heads up.
I really appreciate what your doing for Iz and I,
your fuckin perfect and I could never thank you enough
for letting me know about my little girl.
It just goes over my head that I'm a father. I've always thought about it but
it looked like it would never be in my cards to raise a kid and then...BAM.
You're calling me on the phone and in the background there's a bunch of screaming...
and voices and then there's Izami's first cry.
I never wanted to be somewhere so bad in my life, I wanted to be there but I couldn't.
I don't know when I can visit but I do know that I can call this Friday.
:} Of course she's just like me, my juice was stronger. :p Uchiha blood is always dominant.
Raki the weasel...I thought it was pretty clever.
I'm on Madara's trail, it's just going to take a little patients, he's all over the place trying to get off
the police trail, the maniac fucker thought it would be a good idea to fuck with police files.
He definitely has a resourceful accomplice.
Danzo, deceased...wrong place, wrong time, wrong...very wrong, move.
Trying to eliminate me is not something I'd advise you to do, unless your confident that
you can take me out...completely, unfortunately he used up his nine lives...
Well, I gotta jet, there's some things I need to get done before I clock out.
Love you too.
Ps- How's is she...? What kind of events? 0_0
-I.U
