"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered through silent whispers, as she was crying herself to sleep. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cry. I promised myself to be strong when I see you again. But I'm crying in front of you now. I'm sorry I annoyed you again." Such words Sasuke never got to hear, but her sad blank eyes haunted him to no extent.
Sasuke was just sitting on the ground, his back on a tree. He had been that way since Madara left. He kept zoning out to a carpet of pink resting on his chest. He was a bit relieved that Sakura had fallen asleep, her back resting on one of his knees, his arms protectively wrapped around her. He didn't care that they were in a very intimate position. He would even pull her closer to him every time the earlier events kept playing in his head.
He wasn't quite sure, though. Should he be relieved to have her sleeping safely in his arms, knowing he was the reason why she's suffering now? But somehow, feeling her heart beat synchronously with his calmed him even just a little bit.
True, his entire being yearned Madara's blood after he learned what he did to her. He was vengeful as he was scared at the same time, knowing it would be Madara he should be fighting against next – but of course he didn't admit it, being scared. The plans of assassinating Danzo had long since left his mind. He had easily diverted his target all at once. For her.
Tomorrow, they'd look for Uzumaki Naruto. Where to start searching, he didn't know. What to do when he'd meet Naruto, he honestly didn't know. All that he knew was to get back Sakura's eyesight and speech in whatever means necessary.
He absent-mindedly fixed his coat that was wrapped around both of them, and rested his finger on the soft strands of pink he has dreamt of a thousand times before. Yes. He has dreamt of her each night since he became a missing-nin, but each time he woke up, he had no recollection of them. All he could recall was a blurry episode of wind and petals. That's the reason why Sasuke didn't want to be disturbed when sleeping.
His mind was forced to drift back to Naruto. The first person he had felt secure since his brother. He wouldn't be able to kill him, would he? Sure, he has threatened him before, meant every word of killing him on a whim during their first reunion at Orochimaru's lair. But they were just empty words. But will he be able to do it? For Sakura's sake? Would she hate him all the more if he actually killed Naruto just to get back what was rightfully hers?
Sasuke snorted at himself for thinking such pointless questions. Of course, Sakura would kill him if he killed Naruto. She would rather live a martyr, blind and mute, than have the two closest people in her life fight again. He remembered the time when he and Naruto fought at the hospital roof ages ago. The look on Sakura's young face was of both dread and sorrow. He wondered what her reaction would be if she witnessed their more lethal battle at the Valley of the End. She might really take in their Chidori and Rasengan just to prevent it from hitting the other two.
Tsk. Sakura. You idiot. He mused. He continued playing with her hair, until he fell asleep holding her. Tomorrow would be another day. Another day of knowing the unknown. He's mostly scared for Sakura, than worrying what would happen to him.
By dawn, every one else was on their feet, ready to turn back and proceed with the new mission. All except for Sakura, who dumbly sat there. She tried to make herself useful, but every time she did so, she'd find herself stumbling on a puny rock, or bump into a tree, or kissing somebody else's feet.
It was difficult for her, of course. The moment she woke up, every thing was pitch dark. She tried to move herself to sit up and realized that she was almost kissing somebody else's broad shoulders; her hands were all over his almost exposed chest. She was about to scream in confusion and harassment, only to remember some asshole stole her voice. She realized it was Sasuke who she held to all night when the owner of the broad shoulders spoke in an Uchiha manner.
Surprisingly, in every thing she tried to do: eat, fix her pack, even combing her hair and stretching her dead legs, Sasuke was always there to do it for her. He didn't need to say anything – not that he was actually saying anything – but she somehow felt, and probably smelled his scent (A/N: Sakura prolly has Kiba-listic nose now that she's blind, or she just memorized what an Uchiha Sasuke smelled like *fangirling*), that it was him helping her eat, combing her hair and assisting her to stand.
She didn't know if he did all those actions that only a personal nurse would do because he pitied her or because he felt responsible for her current state. Either way, Sakura was determined not to show any signs of weakness. Not again. Yes, it was very painful for her, especially knowing that the possibilities of getting back her eyesight and her speech were slim. She wasn't used to any of these. Also, the timing couldn't be more convenient as having it coincide with the Fourth Shinobi War.
Being weak wasn't an option. She didn't want to be yet another burden for Sasuke and his team. She didn't want to be hidden inside Mount Hokage with other villagers during an enemy attack. She wanted to prove herself worthy of being the Fifth Hokage's prized pupil, wanted to be a distinguished shinobi protecting her friends and her homeland, and somehow she wanted to show Sasuke how much she had grown from that pathetic twelve-year-old girl to an independent and confident kunoichi.
But without her eyesight, how could she defend anybody, much less herself? Without her speech, how can she be a good senpai to her medic staff? If only Tsunade-sama was awake and well, she might be able to do something about her situation, if not completely fix her back. But only one thing she knew she could do. She would not cry and wallow in self-pity again. Last night's fit was enough. It's time to move on and fight.
But fight who? Sasuke was determined to capture Naruto. And she wouldn't allow that to happen.
"Sakura," she was startled when Sasuke took her hand and helped her up. She felt him wound her arms around his shoulders and was about to pull her knees up when she realized what he was doing. She pushed him away, preventing the piggy-back ride that was bound to happen.
There could never be more ironic than all the things that kept happening to her. It was as if gods and fate were mocking her. Must she have more intimate encounters with him every other minute? It was as if losing her eyes and her voice box wasn't enough that every deity known to exist just had to push her to push herself towards Uchiha Sasuke.
She couldn't trust herself right now, now that she was vulnerable more than ever. These gods didn't have to give her any more emotional complications.
"What?" Sasuke was surprised by her actions. She was mouthing "Juugo" indicating that she'd want Juugo to carry her instead. But Sasuke didn't seem to understand as he kept on pulling her hands around him. Stubbornly, Sakura kept pushing him away.
"What is it, Sakura?"
Juugo's name was still trying to be heard from her lips.
"What's wrong with Sakura, Sasuke?" Suigetsu approached them. Sakura mouthed Juugo's name again.
"Juugo? Why? What do you need him for, Sakura-chan?" Hearing his name, Juugo was already beside her.
"You called, Sakura?" In an instant, Sakura reached for his hand and pulled him down, enough for her to climb on to his back.
Once ready, the team started travelling back to the Iron Country in the hopes that Naruto was still there. It was good, though, that Sakura couldn't see as Sasuke couldn't hide the pain and confusion from the rejection he got from her. But his other teammates saw it etched across his face. Team Taka moved in disturbing silence.
The team had covered a pretty far enough distance. Only then did Juugo felt Sakura relax on his back. He deemed that she wasn't comfortable in the manner of traveling, and of course, wasn't comfortable in her new situation. Juugo felt a bit sorry for her. He, of all people, knew no one deserved such cruelty. He may have experienced a lot more amount of ruthlessness from Orochimaru's inhumane experiments, but Sakura's was still depressing enough.
He understood her. And her cries last night could not summon any animosity in him, but only sympathy. What he didn't understand was why she didn't want Sasuke to carry her. Was she angry at him? Did she blame him to what happened to her? Was she still mad at Sasuke for not stopping Juugo's riot yesterday? Or was it something else?
"Uhm, Sakura-chan," he felt her move her head to show her attention. "Why do you have to call for me to carry you? Is there something going on between you and Sasuke? Are you avoiding him?"
He saw her distant eyes widen. And it only confused him. He sighed.
"Sakura-chan, I hope you're not mad at him. He cares for you. I haven't seen him checked up on any of us the way he always made sure you're okay. He didn't give us the same attention he has been giving you."
Sakura's arms stiffened around him. Juugo chuckled.
"He still cares for his old team, Sakura. His cold actions may show otherwise, but trust me he still does." Sakura smiled softly and rested her head on Juugo's shoulders. "So, just cut him some slack, okay? He'll try his best to get your sight and voice from Madara."
I didn't mean to be so off around Sasuke. I was only protecting myself.
"And if ever his arrogance annoys you again, just tell me, ne? We'll punch him together," he laughed, attempting to keep the atmosphere light. Sakura looked up at him and grinned.
As if on cue, Sasuke made a call for lunch and the group immediately descended to the ground below. Juugo slowly landed and crouched a bit, allowing Sakura to touch the ground. In a matter of seconds, a hand was held out to hers to aid her in steadying herself. She was lead to a tree and was assisted to sit down.
Sakura knew it was Sasuke. She gripped the hand when she felt that he was about to go. She held up another to signal him to wait.
"What is it?" She reached for her pack and blindly looked for her scroll and a pen. She took it out. Sasuke sat beside her, knowing she intended to say something. Sakura started jotting down letters she couldn't see.
"I'm not." Sasuke said, defensively, after reading random letters that he made out as Stop babysitting me.
Yes, you are.
"What do you want me to do? How are you supposed to move around?"
Sakura was silent. He did have a point.
But you don't have to do everything for me.
"I'm not trying to."
Don't go after Naruto. Let's start looking for Danzo, instead. That's the plan anyway.
She heard her grunt before answering "No."
I don't want you making Naruto suffer any more than he already had. Please.
Sasuke didn't comment. He was just sitting there. If Sakura could see, she would have witnessed Sasuke's torn face. Easily, her heart would've run to him. But luckily for her, and her pride, she couldn't.
He was about to leave when she caught his wrist again, and pulled her back to where he sat.
Train me.
"What?" Sakura pointed at the paper, insisting on what she wrote last.
"What do you need training for?"
I have to be there for Naruto.
"Are you planning on fighting me again, then?"
She hesitated. I have to be strong for Naruto. Stopped. Exhaled. Resumed. I have to be strong for both of you.
"Why?"
Because! Because I don't want to see the two of you hurt each other again. Naruto would be devastated to see you thrusting your katana at him like the last time. I don't want another fight.
"Sakura…"
She turned to face him, her hands cupped for his face but Sasuke just took it in his.
"Please. Train me. I beg you." She mouthed. Her empty emerald eyes were almost teary, but determined. There was no way Sasuke could resist her. He didn't know what was going on in her head, but he didn't have any other choice.
"Okay. I will."
She beamed and said, "Thank you." to which, Sasuke returned her smile, something Sakura longed to see again, but failed.
"Would you like to start now?" he offered, reluctantly. Of course, she nodded with sheer enthusiasm like a child being offered of sweets. He found her actions endearing, yet fragile. He couldn't help but smile again.
Sakura. You idiot. What have you done? Indeed, what did Sakura do to him for making him as vulnerable as she was now? But what he couldn't understand was her actions earlier.
Why push him away?
He stood up and pulled the hands he was still holding, and aided her to stand.
"I just have one more question before I train you." She nodded.
"Are you angry at me?" Her eyebrows met to indicate confusion, and then she shook her head.
"Are you just avoiding me, then?"
She paled.
That answered his question.
"Hn." He just shrugged it off, pretending it didn't matter to him. It doesn't. "Come on, help me look for food." He ordered, as if no conversation passed between them, trying to be cool and forgetting about his questions.
Physically, at least.
But, Sasuke had bombarded his mind with a lot of it. Why ask me to let her in when she was moving the other way? Why did she join me to Oto when all she wanted to do was avoid me? What the hell was that rejection all about? And why the fuck do I even care, anyway?
He chose not to answer that, much less linger on it any more than necessary.
He led her through the thick forest, took out his Chokutō blade and cut a small branch sturdy enough to be Sakura's walking stick. He removed unruly twigs that were protruding on it. He took her hand and gave her the stick.
"You can start your training now. Let's walk." He saw that smirk in her face as she straightened her back and stuck her nose in the air. That girl had some amazing pride. Any normal human being would give it time to familiarize oneself to such change. But she didn't. She didn't have time to mope. In fact, she didn't waste any time at all in keeping herself all worked up.
She did change. For the better.
And she's damn too proud of it.
Sakura closed her eyes, breathed in a lungful of air and exhaled. Her still-low chakra was already pumping up through her veins, ready to sense her surroundings. As soon as she opened her eyes, her legs moved independently as if they have a mind of their own.
She was moving forward with ease, feeling Sasuke's presence not far away from her, ready to pull her up if she stumbled. The stick seemed like some accessory that she didn't need. This wasn't so hard. She had this kind of training with the Hokage before, and it was a rigorous one. But of course, her speed wasn't as fast as her normal walking.
Smiling at herself, she reached for a shuriken and playfully aimed it at Sasuke, who caught it at the last minute.
"Hey!" but she just flashed a big grin.
"Showoff!" and he returned the weapon back to her.
Sakura narrowed her eyes at his remark and mouthed "Jealous?"
"Hn." That overrated Uchiha Sasuke response earned him a punch to the chest.
"Since you're already good at walking, why not hunt for rabbits for lunch?" Her eyes widened at his proposition, and then shrugged to accept the challenge.
The two walked a little bit futher. Sakura was cancelling the sounds of Sasuke's footsteps behind her and the birds chirping overhead. Her hearing heightened and was on a look-out for any rustle of leaves or other movement.
"Oi. Walk straight. You look stupid crouching that low."
Sakura twitched and stood from her previous squatting position, and turned to glare at the direction where the oh-so-mighty Uchiha stood oh-so-mightily.
Jeez. I wish I had my voice so I can tell that loser what stupid looks like.
"What?"
Jeez. I wish I had my voice so I can tell that loser how arrogant he is. Acting so cool like that… You're so full of yourself!
Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.
Sakura swished her fingers and darted her kunai to her right, where the sounds were coming from.
"Hn." Sasuke moved to where the kunai landed, which was behind the bushes fifty meters from where they were standing.
"Impressive, Haruno Sakura," he spoke, in a manner that really sounded like a true sensei. "Your throw was precise even with the distance." She beamed, because she was proud of her achievement, and because Sasuke gave her his first compliment.
"Now how would you like your frog to be cooked? Medium-rare or well-done?" Sasuke raised the knife with a bullfrog stabbed in the middle of its chest.
Sakura fumed. How could he manage to give out such anticipated praises and quickly take them back? He was unbelievable!
The jerk approached Sakura and replaced the kunai plus bull frog in her hand, and then his hand ruffled her hair like what Kakashi used to do.
"Not bad for your first catch, ne, Sakura-chan?"
Unbelievable!
Before Sakura finished twitching and fuming, and before she could throw the frog out of the kunai and held the knife out to his neck, Sasuke flung her to his back and fled deeper into the forest all in just a blink of an eye.
"I'm already hungry. Let's just pick out cherries and tomatoes."
She didn't have time to resist, nor was she in the mood to feel uncomfortable. She was still pissed off by the way he was mocking her. In turn, she stuck out the kunai that was still dug into the frog's chest and impishly rubbed it in his other cheek, opposite to where her head was near.
"Sakura! Stop it!" But she continued. "I'm serious or I'll drop you."
You wouldn't dare. So she continued rubbing it, and he continued moving his head to evade it. Of course he couldn't get her hands off of his face as his hands were occupied with her knees.
She was twinkly at his irritation. In defense, he could only pinch the back of her knees to make her stop. Surprised, she kicked his knees back, making one knee lock that he almost fell to the ground.
Sakura now made the poor dead frog face him and let the poor dead frog kiss the prince, all over his cheek, his forehead and his lips. Sasuke gave a forceful push away from the stupid frog, just in time for Sakura to move her head to give him a sly smirk.
And you know what happened next. A kiss happened next, and then the kunai plus bull frog fell to the ground from a certain surprised hand. But it was not a kiss that you get to see in the movies where the boy passionately kissed the girl. It wasn't even a kiss, in Sakura's opinion. It was nothing more than an accident where half of her lips coincidentally landed on the other half of his lips because some stupid jerk suddenly decided to turn his stupid face – like, he didn't even have any considerations to check if her head turned as well, given that she was fucking blind. It was nothing. As she had rationalized to herself.
It was Uchiha Sasuke who moved away first. In silence. Not saying a word, and not even a hn. And that was a good thing. Sakura tried to mask her flushed face with something, anything, but failed. So she just acted as if nothing happened. She was blind, after all. That may not have been his lips. Let's just say that was just his cheek. She didn't see what happened. So, nothing happened.
Who mistakes lips for a cheek, you idiot? Even that poor dead frog knows – knew (it's dead) – the difference!
He was carefully eyeing her at the corner of his eyes that the muscles around it were getting strained. Of course, he didn't miss the sudden tinge of reddish-pink on her cheeks not too long ago. And the sudden increase in size of her blind eyes that did not fail to show emotions, despite being blank on the outside.
He had to turn away. Or he would also be haunted by those soft cherry lips, in addition to the pink swaying hair, those large meadows spread across her eyes, and that tiny voice he has now been missing for exactly fifteen hours and fifty-four minutes.
Again, it was a good thing Sakura was blind, as Sasuke could easily blush, for the first time in his life, and get away with it.
When exactly did it start, the random dreams and the bittersweet longing, he didn't know.
This wasn't what Sasuke had planned. He had prevented this long before it has flared out in the open.
He went away. Clearly, he had. And all bonds he once held onto were left with Sakura when he knocked her out at the gates of Konoha. Any other bonds that followed him were strictly and savagely cut off into pieces by his Fuuma Shuriken, and these pieces were later burnt to nothingness by his Katon Jutsu.
For three years, he learned how to be cold, in its truest meaning. Well, he may not have been able to kill the people Orochimaru asked him to murder – as he didn't want to eliminate those who weren't directly involved with him. But still, he was able to build walls of ice as high as the sky and as mighty as a fortress, in walls where his hatred spawned like fire and manifolded exponentially.
Yet it seemed that what the mind had forgotten, the body, the heart would always remember. Or was it the other way around? Fuck it. That doesn't really matter. What Sasuke knew, his mind or his body or his heart or whatnot was indeed remembering something, and it had his foot inhumed in deep shit – with the other one nearly getting buried with it.
And given the inevitable events that transpired in the past few days, it seemed that he'd be stuck in there for quite a while.
"Why can't we go after them?!" Naruto had asked for the fifty-thousandth time. Sai understood where his teammate was coming from. He himself had been worrying over Sakura since she had been separated. But really, Naruto didn't need to be an ass and chafe everybody else.
"Naruto," Captain Yamato reprimanded for the fifty-thousandth time. "Konoha needed us more. And Sakura can handle herself well than any of us could imagine; you should know that by now."
"Che! But they're going after Danzo!!!"
"And whatever reasons they may have to do that, Sakura wouldn't want you to go after them. She said so herself!"
Sai continued walking, trying to block out the irritating rants from Naruto. He wondered how Kakashi so coolly and easily able to ignore the commotion, and was even able to walk straight without so much as blink from his orange book.
Sigh. Time. It took an awfully lot of time for Kakashi to get used to Naruto's loud mouth and constant whimpering. But Naruto was a complete opposite of the mysterious Uchiha Sasuke that he only got to meet for a short time, but was able to know a lot about over time.
Naruto was goofy, childish and could almost get along with every body else. Sasuke was downright serious, a genius – whereas Naruto had an intellect of a snail, and full of hatred. However large the difference may had been, it was inevitable that their bonds had been great, that Naruto was willing to spend his life getting his friend, his brother back to Konoha. Another thing Sai couldn't understand, or at least fully so. He could only try to empathize by remembering the bond he himself had made with his own brother.
They were only yards away from the gates, the marker being fully visible from where they were. And still, Naruto has stubbornly stopped walking and shouted: "I will not enter those gates without Sakura with me!"
Tsk. Embarrassing. He looked like some child who would cry and mope in the sandbox when his parents wouldn't want to buy him ice cream or a balloon. He certainly didn't look like the hero he made Konoha believed in after defeating Pain, just a few days ago.
Maybe Yamato was equally embarrassed at the sight of Naruto's tantrums, because the ANBU had left Naruto in his waterworks and continued walking through the main entrance, as the rest of them.
"N-n-naruto… k-kun?"
Naruto looked up, amid finishing the sentence: "I will not enter those gates without Sakura with me!" and found a certain girl, who had confessed her love – who was not Sakura – to him in the middle of a battlefield, blushing too much to the extent that one couldn't see her face any more.
"A-aaah… H-hinata-chan," Naruto stuttered and blushed in return.
"W-welcome back, N-n-naruto-k-kun."
"Ahehehe," he grinned, sheepishly. "Yes, I'm back."
"Uhn. Uhh, w-would you, would you like to eat r-ramen?"
The magic word did the trick, as usual – and Sai and Yamato cursed to themselves, why they didn't think of that. Of course, Kakashi knew about mentioning ramen to an impossible Naruto, but he was just too busy enjoying the climax – what ever kind of climax that the book offered – to bother with them.
"Hinata-chan! Let's go! Kakashi-sensei will treat us to Ichiraku! I'll order pork ramen, with lots and lots of miso!" But the instant Kakashi heard his name, he looked back at Naruto over his shoulders and just waved a goodbye, and then disappeared in a poof.
"Eh?! Kakashi-sensei!!! What about you, Yamato-taichou?" But the captain just gave him The Face that made Naruto stop insisting and shiver uncontrollably. He was about to call Sai, but he was interrupted by the smiling moron who just said: "Go grow a dick."
"WHY YOU!!! I DON'T NEED TO GROW A DICK!!! I ALREADY HAVE A DICK, YOU STUPID –"
THUD.
"Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan! Wake up! Taichou! Bastard! Hinata is deeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaad!"
"How is she, Shizune?"
"Kakashi-san!" Shizune whirled to face the acting Hokage. "Not so good. There were no changes in her chakra reserves. Neither are there any signs of her waking up. But every thing else is stable."
Kakashi just nodded.
"That means you'd have to do her dirty work a little bit longer."
He nodded again, more somberly than the last.
"Where's Sakura? Were you able to do the mission?"
He was silent for a while, not sure what to tell her yet. "The mission failed. Sakura is at Suna right now."
"What's she doing there?"
"Medical mission."
"Medical mission? Why? Is something wrong?" Stupid Hokage-assistant. What to say? What to say?
"No. Don't worry. Gaara requested her assistance to train a few of their medical team, in preparation for war."
"I see. So, Kakashi-sama, what are you planning to do?"
"Don't call me that. I'm not Hokage, and I will not be accepting the position any time soon." Or ever.
"Fine. Kakashi-san, what do you plan to do with Naruto?"
"Let him do what he's best at, of course."
Thinking. "Uhhh. Which is?" Shizune was imagining Naruto slurping a large hot bowl of ramen, and then calling Tsunade all sorts of foul words.
"Training, Shizune. Training."
"But, you know it'll be bad for him. You can't risk him doing another Wind Rasengan like that again."
"I know that. He'd just have to do it in Sage Mode."
"Kakashi-san –"
"I won't let him just sit in the sidelines. And he won't allow that either. Besides, it's not like I'll let the Akatsuki get him."
Shizune could only exhale the unsaid words. Knowing Naruto, he'd rather die than be kept hidden from the fight scenes.
"Oh, have you seen the elders?"
"No. Why?"
"I need to know something." Kakashi then bowed to bid his exit, and disappeared into thick clouds of smoke. He headed to the Hokage Tower, where the elders were most likely spending their free times.
There are a lot of things needed to do. He needed to order the ANBU Black Ops to locate Uchiha Madara; reconstruct evacuation points; and reorganize all ninjas for regrouping. Shikamaru should be here by now. He needed to check what that genius had planned.
But there's something bothering him that he needed answers so badly. He turned to his right, towards the quarters where the Konoha Council resides.
"Hatake Kakashi. What are you doing here?"
"Utatane Koharu-sama. I was just looking for you."
"I can see that. Shouldn't you be fixing the mess your Fifth Hokage has caused?"
"With all due respect, Utatane-sama, but I'd have to disagree. Godaime-sama was the reason why this village is still on its heels."
The elder female just snorted and shook his head. "You young people do not understand war. We should know better, shouldn't we? If Tsunade-hime had just listened to us, this wouldn't have happened."
Kakashi wasn't in the mood to argue – or was he ever. It'd be best to get over what he needed to do and get out of this repressive place.
"There's something I wanted to ask you."
"What is it about?"
"The Uchiha Massacre. And I want you to tell me the truth."
The silence in the forest was suddenly broken by loud howls and cries. The crimson blanket of the sunset gave out an even hellish red glow from a distance.
"Sasuke-kun," Karin warned her Captain, and Sasuke in turn nodded, as if he immediately understood what she meant.
"Let's go down and walk stealthily. We need to mask our chakra. We don't know who are responsible for that attack," he ordered and the rest obeyed.
He heard Sakura fumbled with her walking stick and started walking after she got down from Juugo's back. He took her hand to lead her away. "Come with me. Can you hide your chakra?"
Sakura nodded and mouthed, "What's wrong?"
Sasuke was able to understand her as his Sharingan was activated the moment they landed.
"The village is under attack. We don't know who's behind it yet."
"Where are we?"
"About 10 miles away from the border of Fire."
"Konoha?!"
"Yes. Juugo said Naruto has been travelling back to Konoha. Karin also verified this."
Sakura sighed. Sasuke wasn't also as zealous as Sakura should be on the idea of going back. He had planned to attack Konoha before in pursuit of eliminating the Council of Elders responsible for his clan's demise. But with the new objective, he didn't know how to react, much less feel about it. But he needed to do what he had to do.
After walking a bit further, they stumbled into a man almost a year or two older than him, and on his back sat a kid maybe not older than ten. He cursed inwardly for having been found. This was the downside of cloaking their chakra – their senses were drowned.
"Nii-chan," the child squeaked in fear. His brother bowed low to the group.
"Please, spare us." The team continued to walk, passing by the brothers, only wondering what might have happened earlier.
"Haruno-san? Haruno Sakura-san?" The elder brother called out as soon as he stood up.
Almost instantly, the team turned back to the stranger, and Sakura could only knit her eyebrows eager to know who called out to her.
"What do you want? How'd you know Sakura?" Sasuke demanded.
"Oh, please. Help us. A monster attacked us. We don't know why, but it just came from nowhere. Sakura-san, please. There were barely any survivors left. We need you to heal the injured. My wife is badly wounded."
Sasuke saw Sakura straighten up, and was ready to follow the man begging for her. Her dedication was raised to high heavens just at the mention of the word HEAL.
But he tugged her back to him. "Sakura."
"Sasuke, I have to help them," he read her lips say.
Unwillingly, he exhaled and instructed, "The three of you, go on ahead to Konoha. At all cost, don't let anyone see you. Karin, sense for his presence. We'll meet up with you as soon as we're done here."
"But, Sasuke! We can stay with you!" Karin protested.
"No, we need to take advantage of the darkness to survey Konoha. We'll go in by midnight. So do as I say!"
Karin grunted, irritated at the fact that the two will be alone, again, together, before facing her other teammates and sprinting off to Konoha.
"Sakura-san, thank you."
"Sakura-nee-chan! Don't you remember me?"
"Lead us to the village, now."
"Okay."
"Nee, Sakura-nee-chan!"
"Uh, sir, is there something wrong with Haruno-san?" the older brother asked.
"No, but she has lost her eyesight, and her voice."
"I see."
"Who are you, by the way?"
"I'm Syaoran, and this is my foolish little brother Yuui."
Foolish little brother.
"Sakura-san stayed with us a few years ago during her training with the Hokage. She is a very prominent medic. She was able to heal the people who were sick of an epidemic disease. And even trained a few apprentice of her own here."
Sasuke just nodded.
"We're here." Syaoran took Sakura's hands and she followed him towards his wife. "I trust you can make her okay. It's Sakura, Haruno-san. You remember her, don't you?"
Sakura's own eyes looked up to Syaoran, tears gleaming on the rim, and gave him that sad smile. But later nodded her head and gripped the other's shoulders.
"Don't worry, Syaoran-kun, I'll take care of her." Syaoran might not have understood what she said, but her face said it all, and more.
Sasuke watched her gather up chakra into her palm, silently praying that the effects of Tsukuyomi had already dissolved. Knowing her, she might overdo the curing and wore herself out. Hell, her own wounds hadn't been healed up yet!
She was doing it with ease, quite impressive. But she had huffed with exhaustion several times and had difficulty looking for other wounds. Seeing this, Sasuke went to her side and guided her hand to the patient's other wounds. It didn't take long as he expected.
"Syaoran-kun, Sakura will be okay. She may still have painful wounds, since she was struck hard. And it may take weeks before she can fully recover. I'm sorry, but that was all I could do."
It was Sasuke who relayed the message to the man, of course leaving out the part where she was sorry that that was all she could do. Stupid Sakura, she had drained her chakra and energy and then she was sorry she couldn't do as much? She had saved the girl; that was more than enough.
"Sakura-nee-chan!!! Thank you so so so much!" Yuui ran towards Sakura and hugged her; she had almost stumbled to the floor due to the impact. But she hugged him back like a little girl hugging a stuffed toy.
"Mmmmmmm… Yuui, I missed you so much," Sasuke read her say.
"Nee-chan! Why aren't you talking to me?"
"That's because someone stole her voice," said Syaoran, who was now holding the other Sakura in his hands.
"Ha?! Like in the stories Sakura-chan has told me?! But why?!"
Sakura now stood up, Yuui still wrapped in her neck, not willing to let go anytime, and faced where Syaoran's voice were coming from.
"Syaoran-kun, where are the others?"
"Where are the others, you say? Are you sure you can still do it?"
"Yes," she nodded. "Please lead me to them now." She was tugging him, while still holding Yuui. Syaoran had that uncertain look on his face. He looked over at Sasuke to somehow ask for permission, but he only had that grim face while looking at Sakura.
"Ok, Sakura-san. But please don't exhaust yourself too much." Sakura smiled.
They went outside and there were bodies everywhere. Dead or alive, one cannot really tell. But Sasuke couldn't feel any chakra that signified life. Syaoran was surveilling for any survivors, and was almost drenched in despair when they had circled the area twice, until a pack of 6 people came out from the bushes.
"Syaoran! Syaoran! Thank god you're alive!"
"Fai-san! Kurogane-san!"
"We cannot save most of the villagers. The monster was too fast it was a miracle that we were able to run," a tall blond male with deep blue eyes said.
"How is Sakura-chan?"
"She's fine now. Sakura-san from the Leaf Village saved her. But we couldn't find any survivors."
"Sakura-san?" a burly man with black hair asked and his eyes were directed to the pink kunoichi who had Yuui almost hanging in her neck. "You're the medic that Tsunade-hime has sent to us, right?"
She nodded.
"She has gone blind and mute, so she couldn't see us and talk to us. But thanks to them we're okay."
"Is any one of them hurt?" Sakura tugged Syaoran's sleeves and asked him with no sound. Syaoran looked over to Sasuke for translations.
"Yes, Sakura-san. Himawari-chan here has twisted her ankle." Kurogane said, and Sakura instantly walked towards Kurogane's voice, handed Yuui to Sasuke and was lead to Himawari.
It was only a small fracture that healing it didn't take too much energy and chakra, Sasuke was thankful for that.
She was done in just a few minutes and was mouthing words that went: "Himawari-chan, you shouldn't be tiring that foot for a while or the pain won't go away in a couple of weeks. And, Fai-san, Kurogane-san, Syaoran-kun, I deem that there are nothing left for you here. If you'd like, you can go to Konoha tomorrow and maybe our village can offer you something, or at least a temporary shelter before you can get back on to you knees." Of which, Sasuke again relayed to the others.
"Thank you very much for your help, Sakura-chan, Mister Shinobi-san," Fai said with a bright smile that rendered the tragedy to distant memories.
"Oni-chan," Yuui said while playing with Sasuke's hair, much to his discomfort. "Oni-chan, are you also a ninja like Sakura-nee-chan?"
"Yes," he answered as the group was now walking towards the center of the village, trying to salvage whatever they can salvage. "Yes, I am."
This was getting awkward. If Sakura could see him right now, or any other person who knew the Uchiha Sasuke, they would think he'd gone soft. He looked like a frigging friendly person, or even a father!
He wanted to put the child down, but he was holding on to Sasuke's neck rather tightly. And no one seemed to think of taking Yuui from him.
"Who is stronger? You or Nee-chan?"
He swallowed a chortle. Thought about the answer for a while and uttered, "Me, of course."
And on that note, a stick had landed violently on his head, making him wince in front of the kid, who laughed at his unexpected reaction in return.
"Nee-chan! Is he really stronger than you?"
Sakura shook her head in disagreement, raised her fist and said, "Even an Uchiha Sasuke couldn't match up to these hands!"
"She said even a beautiful and powerful kunoichi like her couldn't match up with an Uchiha Sasuke." As expected, the fist hit his abdomen, hoping that his wounds she just healed wouldn't open up again. Yuui, who was laughing childishly, tightened his arms around Sasuke more as the latter crouched at the attack.
"Ni-chan, you shouldn't tease Nee-chan like that. You don't want to feel the wrath of her boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" Sasuke irked at the sudden shift of his voice, and he arched an eyebrow at the boy.
"Uhn. The genius who topped their class that Shizune-nee-san was –" Sakura took Yuui from him and shooed him away to Syaoran and the others.
"Nee-chan!"
"Go!" Sakura ordered, and then turned to glare at the amusedly smirking Uchiha Sasuke. Again, good thing she couldn't see.
"What?" The glare intensified.
"Seriously, what's up with you?"
"Don't flatter yourself."
"I'm not! I can't believe you're telling every one else that I'm your boyfriend." Sakura raised her fists again, and shook it threateningly at Sasuke.
"That wasn't you! That was Neji-kun Shizune-sempai was talking about. And it was her spreading it not me!"
"And since when did that Hyuuga been part of our class?"
Her face was twitching so hard and was changing colors too fast. The fist was coming closer, but Sasuke caught it in his palms.
"You should stop throwing punches like that. It doesn't fit your pink hair."
"Why you!" the other fist landed in his other palm, instead. He pulled her closer to him a bit. Her eyes widened again, and her face was never redder than before. She tried to release her fists from his grip, but he was unintentionally squeezing it tightly. He also unintentionally looked down at her green, green, green eyes wishing to know what she was thinking.
They stayed like that for a while. Looking at each other's eyes, or maybe that was just Sasuke.
"Oi! Oni-chan! What are you doing to her?" The moment was ruined by a suddenly irritating voice that was none other than Yuui's. "Don't kiss her! She already has a boyfriend! But he just went away to a far, far place."
Sakura's body stiffened and she cringed at Yuui's outburst. "I'm not going to kiss her, idiot," he said rather softly, not sure if Yuui heard it. His eyes didn't leave her eyes, and his palms rounded her fists with more force. "But I'd like to meet him sometime."
Her eyebrows met in confusion, and then she lowered her head to hide her face. But Sasuke unconsciously raised it back using his hand where her fist was still held.
"Oni-chaaan! I told you, don't kiss her!!! You don't want that boyfriend to fry you with fire that comes from his mouth!" Yuui was pushing Sasuke away from her. Left with no choice, he let go of the fossilized Sakura and just turned his attention to the suddenly interesting kid.
"You seem to know a lot about this boyfriend."
"Uhn. Shizune-san always told me that story before. But Nee-chan hated it and always went away to cry. But I think she just missed him. I think whoever took her eyes and tongue should be scared now because her boyfriend will be very angry."
Sakura closed her eyes, shaking in frustration. This was embarrassing. Very, very embarrassing. She wished the monster that destroyed the village would come back and take her away from this place, this situation. Stupid loud-mouthed kid.
She pumped her chakra and started sensing her surroundings. She took Yuui away from Sasuke, carried him and sprinted carefully away from him.
"Can you please stop talking?" she said, but the boy didn't understand it.
"Nee-chan! Put me down. I didn't mean to make you cry again. I'm sorry. It's just because Oni-chan is going to kiss you, and I know you don't want to kiss anyone but your boyfriend."
Can't this kid learn to shut up?! And I'm not even crying!
They caught up with the others, who were already trying to clean up the place, piling up dead bodies with their heavy hearts. Sakura could feel the grief in the air, and she hoped she didn't rush into the plaza with little Yuui able to witness the scene. She held his head and hid it in her neck, attempting to block whatever gore that could traumatize the little kid.
She felt Sasuke landed beside her and pulled her closer, leading her towards the survivors.
"Sakura-san! Mister!"
"Sasuke."
"Ah, yes. Sasuke-san. I thank you for everything you have done." Syaoran bowed in gratitude. "I know you have other matters to attend to. You have done so much for us."
"Sasuke-kun?!" Yuui's head pooped out from Sakura's censoring hands. But she pushed his head back down, knowing all too well what the boy's going to say next.
"Aah. Syaoran, I'd like to ask what type of monster attacked this village."
"I really can't describe it too well," he said, musingly. "It looked like a giant red monkey, but with horns."
Sakura gasped. "Are there tails?" And Sasuke repeated her question.
"Yes. Yes, there are."
"How many are there?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe four or five?"
Sasuke nodded. They might be thinking of the same thing. That the Akatsuki were already starting the Fourth Shinobi World War. They were using the bijuu to plant fear and panic. Or they could also be giving out threats to Konoha who hid the Kyuubi. But Sasuke hoped it wasn't because Madara was just reminding him to do his job well.
"I think you should go now. We'll be fine."
"Konoha. Tomorrow. Okay?" Sakura said to Syaoran.
"Yes. Thank you, Sakura-san. Sasuke-san." And he took Yuui from Sakura after hugging the boy. "Take care."
The two turned after giving their goodbyes – mostly Sakura's goodbyes to the remaining group.
"Syaoran-nii-chan, that's Sasuke-kun? That's him, isn't it?"
"Yes. That's what he said his name is."
"Sasuke-kun was the name of the person Shizune-nee-chan was telling me about," Yuui gasped. "Oi, Sasuke-nii-chan! Sasuke-kun! You're Nee-chan's boyfriend? Oi! I'm sorry about earlier!"
But Sakura just continued walking, almost running, pretending to be deaf on Yuui's remark. She didn't turn to check on Sasuke's reaction, nor did she see Syaoran's smile.
Sasuke caught up with her and pulled her. He was about to carry her on his back again, but she resisted, again.
"Don't be so dramatic. We have to go."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not being dramatic. I can travel on my own."
"No, you can't. You don't have much chakra left, and you might just bump into trees." She still wasn't moving. Stupid!
So, in a flash, he carried her and flung her to his shoulder and took off. Blood rushed down her upside-downed face and she was pounding on his back to make him stop. Well, as expected, he didn't. Jerkface waited a few kilomenters – five kilometers, she estimated – before halting and steadying her to stand. One kilometer – or maybe another ten meters – more, she swore she could be vomiting blood.
"Sakura." He whispered, his hands on her shoulders, framing her, while she continued to pound his chest and shouted: "You stupid Sharingan user. Are you trying to kill me? My head was about to blow up with blood! Asshole."
"Sakura." It was only then that Sakura stopped what she was doing and finally realized the heavy, scary, deadly seriousness in his voice.
She blindly stared up at him, confusion filling her face. But he didn't utter another word. He just stood there staring back. Sasuke knew he looked stupid that way. But he took this rare opportunity to look stupid, now when he knew things would soon go back to where they used to be.
And everything would be another memory he needed to carefully shelf to that drawer he carefully tried to keep away from his heart.
She painfully, painfully, painfully distracted him. But at the same time wonderfully made him feel human. Again.
He couldn't understand it. For a genius like him, it's odd that there were things he couldn't comprehend.
"Sasuke… kun…" she asked, but he didn't mind her.
He just stood there.
Staring back.
Unable to comprehend why.
If he could stop time, he would. A hundredfold over, he would.
If he could just stop thinking about his hatred. God, he would. Over and over again, he would.
…
…
Wait.
She did that, didn't she? She just did that to him and he fucking let her. And how she did it, he'd never get to live long enough to know.
Her hands travelled to his face, cupping, looking. Just the mere feel of her soft warm touch broke him. Painfully breaking down every fortress he had ever painfully built.
He could easily push her away with just a shove. But he didn't. Couldn't. Each cell telling him to fall back. It was inevitable. Something bound to have always happened.
Hitsuzen.
Her hands found his eyes and covered them with these small fingers that could easily destroy the ground they're both standing on.
But he didn't like the view. It was black. Black yet warm. Warm and comfortable. Yet black.
He released her shoulders and took in her hands to his to drown himself with a likely view.
"Stop staring at me."
"I'm not." She just frowned.
"Shut it. I could feel you." He was silent. Staring again.
"What are you thinking of?" Silence.
"I miss your voice."
"Eh?!"
She blushed. He chuckled.
"I would give anything to hear you nag and curse at me." She scowled at him.
"…and hear you laugh again." The scowl disappeared.
"Sasu… ke…" He couldn't describe her face. It was torn with confusion or sadness or was she scared? He couldn't decide which emotion represented her at the moment.
"Why?" she asked.
He honestly didn't know the answer to that. "Because Naruto needs someone to stop him from doing something stupid, and to stop him from talking too much."
"Oh." She lowered her head. Silence dawned on them again.
He reached out for her chin to raise her head to face him.
"What are you thinking about?" She just gave out a loud sigh and shook her head.
"I don't want to go home just yet."
"Hn." Neither did he.
"Oi. Sasuke-kun. I said I don't want to go home."
"You have to." Sasuke put his hand on her head and patted it like she was a little kid. Sakura pushed him.
And unexpectedly, Sasuke grabbed her and hugged her in one arm. He could feel Sakura stiffened at the gesture.
It felt good. God, he felt good. Holding her like that as if no harm could ever come upon her.
But Sakura didn't quite feel the same. She was scared.
Things had been happening too soon. And she still hadn't moved on from the last heartbreak he caused three years ago. She didn't need another one to top it all.
She knew that this intimate connection would only mean one thing.
Separation.
For good.
Sakura had long predicted this. And it was really breaking her into myriad pieces. She didn't need this.
But it was inevitable.
To get hurt by the same man twice. And what's worse, she's not letting go anytime soon.
"Come on, let's go." He released her and was about to spun around to carry her on his back again. But she caught his wrist to stop him, and he turned around – waiting for another rejection to carry her.
"Sasuke-kun… can we walk?" I don't want this night to end.
His lips tugged and formed a sweet soft smile, another one that Sakura had failed to see.
He took her wrist that held his, and slid her hands to lock with her fingers. They started walking. In silence. Sasuke was walking in an awfully slower-than-usual pace. And it wasn't because he was tired of using the Sharingan too much, or because his companion was blind. He knew that it was because he didn't want to reach the dreaded destination and lose her again the second time.
After walking for half kilometer, she stopped.
"What's wrong?"
"You'll train me, okay?" Confused.
"Aah."
"Promise me, Sasuke-kun. You'll train me." He didn't know where this was going, but –
"Yes. Sakura, I'll train you."
Hatake Kakashi just sat on his desk in deep thought. He has been like that since he got home. He didn't even bother to open the lights when he arrived. Everything was pitch dark, as he liked it, as dark as his current thoughts were.
It was past midnight, but he wasn't sleepy. The information he acquired from the Council killed him on the inside. One would think he really was dead, as he wasn't blinking and his breathing was minimal.
He couldn't believe that the council really did order Uchiha Itachi to murder his clan. No wonder Sasuke was going after Danzo.
Sasuke. He thought of his previous student. He could only imagine what he must've felt when he heard the news. That the man he had hated all his life was the same person who was only looking after him.
He prayed for the Sandaime's soul for secretly protecting Sasuke all those years. Until death, Sarutobi Hiruzen had kept his promise to Itachi.
No wonder Sasuke had been everywhere wreaking havoc anywhere he went to. That moment, he let Sasuke off the hook from his own ideals about revenge. He himself wanted to kill Danzo as revenge for the Uchiha clan.
Obito. His heart ached. Uchiha Obito gave his eyes as his dying wish, wishing he'd be Kakashi's eyes… But why did he fail to see everything else? He failed to protect Rin, failed to at least salvage a bit of Obito's family.
Sharingan wasn't everything, he realized. It was a curse. And anyone who had it drowned themselves in darkness. The eye that could see through everything could only see darkness.
His anger towards the Konoha Council never died down after hours of pondering. He would never get used to this. That order had destroyed two lives: Uchiha Sasuke's and Uchiha Itachi's. No, it destroyed more than that. Naruto's, Sakura's, his.
His senses suddenly alerted him. There was something off in his apartment. He closed his eyes to feel around. And then from being stiff, he relaxed.
"Sasuke. Sakura. You can come out now." Almost like a blur, Sasuke was already standing in front of him, his hands holding Sakura's. His eyes shifted immediately away from the unexpected contact. Whatever happened in that forest… it was intriguing to no end.
"I didn't expect you here."
"Kakashi, I need your help."
"Iya, Sasuke –" Sasuke couldn't help but wince at his endearment. He sounded like the teacher they had years and years ago. Cool, laidback, carefee. "- I couldn't recall you asking for help from anyone."
"Shut up," Sakura elbowed him at his bluntness. Hmmmm. More intriguing. "You'd be jumping up and down wanting to help after you hear me out."
"Okay. What is it? And can't Sakura-chan tell me the news? Your voice is so cold, I don't like it."
"Sakura's voice and her vision were taken away by Uchiha Madara. It was in exchange for the Kyuubi inside Naruto."
Kakashi stiffened. Not knowing what to respond.
"I need yours and Naruto's help to defeat Madara."
A/N: Sorry for the long wait... i hate this chapter... i don't know how to write it... it was difficult writing it, that's why... i know this chapter didn't make any sense... so bash me, ok? i'm giving you permissions...
Oh, yeah...
Hitsuzen(必然?), meaning inevitability, destiny, or fate, as being the driving force in the world. (Wikipedia)
Ichihara Yuuko, from xxxHolic, would always say: There is no such this as coincidence; there is only Hitsuzen...
i just have to include Syaoran and Sakura, and Fai and Kuro-chan and Yuui and Himawari (from Tsubasa Chronicles and xxxHolic) into this chapter... i hope you don't mind... I'm still hang-up on TRC, having it ended too soon for my wanting...
Enjoy...
reviews, please...
