Hola all!
First I wanna say thank you for all 17 comments. I very much appreciate every single one! I'm gonna start doing shout outs now! Secondly, don't be intimidated by the length, there's just a lot more talking and less telling is , forgive me for any mistakes and please tell me about any improvements I could make alongside your favorite part so I can incorporate more of it.
Finally,
I do not own Naruto but I can dream
Fireworks
"Kill me!" a helpless voice screamed at the top of its lungs through the darkness.
"Kiiiilllll Meeeeee!" another roar filled out the space.
Sakura jumped out of her bed and landed in a crouch. She slowly stood to recognize her surroundings only to find void, blackness and naught.
"Nooooo!"
Sakura swirled around to find a door where her bed was. A lone, metal, door and on the other side something was trying to get out. It was banging on the door, kicking it, throwing itself against it.
"Hu-hu-who's"
"HELP MEEE!" the voice screamed so loud Sakura brought her hands over her ears. The roar didn't stop, it kept growing and screaming. At wits end, Sakura reached for the metal nob and as soon as she grasped it, the screaming halted to whimper.
"Please…please help me…I've been here so long." It cried.
Sakura hopped away from the door immediately recognizing the voice.
"Who are you?" she asked anxiously.
"Please help me." The voice whimpered again.
Slowly Sakura reached for the knob for a second time and grasped it as gently as she could. Suddenly a wave of fear engulfed her. She couldn't move, wouldn't breathe as she felt someone's warm breath on the back of her neck.
"What are you doing Sakura?" the familiar monotone sent terrified chills down her spine and churned her stomach.
"Sas-Sasuke," she whispered, "I'm-I," she stuttered, never mind the tears that were threatening to fall, her worst fear was right behind her!
"Go ahead Sakura," his cold hand covered hers on the door knob, "open the door."
He turned the door knob and waited for her to pull.
"Sasuke…w-what" the kunoichi couldn't help but stutter.
"Open. The door." He spoke with an authoritive buff.
Out of pure shock and fear, she took one shallow breath and slowly pulled the door open.
…
There was nothing there as Sakura stared inside recognizing the table, the dampness, the filth on the walls, and even the door was starting to look more familiar, until with a sharp shove he pushed her in.
"No..." she fell forward onto her knees almost into the table but she stopped herself quick enough to see his evil smirk before the door slammed her face and knocked her back. Immediately the screaming, roaring, and pleading began.
….
She realized where it was coming from
….
Herself
"SASUKEEEE!"
Screaming and tangled in her bed sheets, Sakura found herself on the floor like a panicking fish out of water. Her pulse was as high as the Hokage tower, her eyes were red and her head just hurt. She looked around the room; everything was still in its place except for some pillows here and there. Seikatsu's old crib by the window, the dresser in front of the bed against the wall, nightstands on either side of the bed; she had knocked over the lamp on one of the nightstands but it didn't bother her while the moonlight spilt in from the window.
"I-it was a nightmare?"
There was no one there to answer her but the light of the moon and her shaky breath. Finally she detangled herself from the sheets and stood to pick up her lamp and rest it back on the nightstand next to the bed. She threw all the pillows back on her bed and did the same for the sheets with a sigh.
"How long has it been God?" she asked the night sky at her window, "almost three years since they found me…and Seikatsu." She left her room for the child's only to find him gone but quickly remembered where he was with a sigh. She returned to her room and plopped on to her bed.
She remembered the day she brought the child home with her. It was nothing like the movies, the baby kept crying, breast feeding was painful, didn't get full night's sleep until another four months later and diapers were the worst. However much she hated it she wouldn't trade it for the world because while it was difficult she grew to love him.
With that said, she didn't know what to make of the dream; she thought she was doing a good job of working through it. She hadn't had one breakdown after that harsh but rejuvenating three days Tsunade forced her on. She was stronger now, she saw the bigger picture, and she felt ready to leave the past where it was.
So why this now?
Is it Suigetsu?
"I can't keep blaming this on him even with what he's done…I must forgive him sometime…I have to let this go for Seikatsu's sake." She spoke to the ceiling.
Can't sleep.
She sat back up just staring into nothing for several minutes before she stood up, got dressed in loose fitting dark pjs. Then she opened her window welcoming the cool breeze that drifted in. The kunoichi looked down at the ground for a while thinking about the past before jumping down and landing bare foot on the dirt surface. She ran in no general direction or had no idea where she wanted to go but anywhere was better than home, she just wanted some fresh air. She ran down the road of lined apartment buildings, the dark ally of the closed shops, past the quiet landscape of the training grounds and continued from there until she heard someone behind her. She stopped in the middle of a clearing of trees.
"Who's there?" she asked firmly as the whispers of the trees clashing with the wind filled the silence.
"Good evening Haruno san." The protege landed in the clearing and rose to his feet along with the sound of the dancing leaves.
"Neji?" she turned to face him, "what are you doing out this late?"
"My reasoning comes second to yours…in sleepwear."
Her face tinted with pink as she remembered what she had decided to run out in, "And following me?" she glared trying to go along with it.
"Patrolling the area," he motioned to his uniform.
"Oh, well…I couldn't sleep." She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one foot.
"So you come out in your nightclothes?" he raised a brown brow.
"Shut up Hyuuga I'm not finished!"
"If it's one of your tendencies then I will continue my shift." He began to turn no longer interested in her reasoning.
"I had a nightmare…of Sasuke."
…
Neji stood for a moment then looked back at the kunoichi as if she had said something ridiculous.
"He came back," she hugged herself as if it were cold, "and locked me in the same room I was held in." he could hear in her voice how haunted she felt.
"Haruno san…go home and sleep." He turned his back to her to miss the results of his harsh tone, "You'll be diminishing the fear with that action…the Uchiha traitor has not been detected anywhere around Konoha, so you are fretting over nothing."
He went on to continue his shift leaving Sakura alone to think. She looked up at the sky to the moon and stars and whispered to her God for comfort before running back to Konoha. She had done this before and in most occasions she ended up with her best friend. However she was feeling different this time so she took a different way. She passed by the playground Seikatsu liked to play at, passed tall buildings attached to shops below, and over the parenting school they had reported to so many times this month. Finally she came to a door that opened before she could knock.
"Need something Pin…ky?" he lifts an eyebrow at her apparel, "wait, what the hell? Is it my birthday already?'
"Move you pervert," she pushed him in along with herself and closed the door, "where's Seikatsu?" she was looking around his small living room.
"In his bed sleep," he locked the door.
"He's sleeping?" she looked uneasy.
"Yeah, hey Pinky what's"
"Nothing." She cut him off as she let out a relieved breath and sat on the couch.
"Sure…so are you going to do this often 'cause this is going to be an issue." He crossed his arms.
"…it's nothing…I just,"
"Did Pinky have a bad dream?" he teased not knowing that he had struck a chord.
"Shut up!" she yelled firmly earning Suigetsu's rare concern. He took a step toward her but she hopped to the other side of the couch as if fearful.
"Everything alright Lady?" she didn't answer as she stared into space, "Sakura?"
"I'm sorry." She said suddenly getting up, "I-I was just worried about Seikatsu is all…I woke up and he was gone." She laughed it off but Suigetsu knew there was something else there.
"You're sure?"
"Yeah!" she shouted with a smile.
"Positive?" he raised another brow.
"Yes what's so strange about checking on Seikatsu? I do it all the time."
"In your pjs?"
"You and the arrogant Hyuuga can shut it!" it slipped.
"Hyuuga?" he thought about where he had heard that name, "Ah, Neji Hyuuga yeah he's got some stick up his ass…wait why are you guys hanging out at this time and in your pjs no le-" he stopped mid-sentence as the widest most slyest grin spread across his face.
"It's not what you think I just ran into him is all." She crossed her arms and looked away.
"Riiiight and you just-uh happen to be in your pjs too yup this looks completely innocent." He supposed sarcastically.
"Whatever I'm not that kind of woman!" her face was growing pinker by the moment.
"I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, plenty of women need a little love every now and then." He continued to tease.
"Suigetsu you're such a prick!" she glared, "I'm going home sense nothing is out of the ordinary over here…you're still an ass."
"Tell the prick I said hi" he sneered before she left through the sliding glass door.
The Hyuuga, hn? No wonder he's so against this citizenship thing. He turned to check on Seikatsu.
Next morning at the Hokage's office, three ANBU stood still in their report. Tsunade frowned deeply as she digested the news.
"You're sure it's him?"
"Hai, the various burn marks on the body we found proves so. He is in Konoha along with two others. Also he refers to the recent prisoner we have." The cat mask bowed.
"Damn" she read the note over.
You have something of mine, I ask you to release it to me before midnight tonight.
Uchiha Sasuke
"That little brat thinks he can just come in and demand anything he wants." She snarled, "Tighten security around the border and send for Neji Hyuuga at once!"
"Hai!"
"Hokage sama." The stoic ninja bowed deeply until Tsunade spoke.
"I have a mission for you in addition to Suigetsu and Seikatsu,"
"In addition?"
"As you are training Suigetsu and keeping watch over Seikatsu; stay as close to Sakura as she'll allow you."
"Allow me? Hokage sama what is the purpose of this particular mission?"
"Protect Sakura Haruno from Sasuke Uchiha."
"The Uchuha?"
So that's why
"Hyuuga pay attention."
"Hai!"
"Sasuke has requested we release Suigetsu from our hold. We don't know if he knows about Sakura and Seikatsu or if he is the one trying to kidnap the child but just in case, we want close watch over both of them. Do you understand Hyuuga? Sakura must not find out about this. Your main objective from here on is to protect Sakura and Seikatsu Haruno, put Suigetsu at a minimum I have Naruto watching out for him primarily."
"Hai Hokage sama," He bowed once more before leaving. As he walked out of the Hokage tower he thought about all of the variables
"I wonder…did the Uchiha have something to do with Sakura san's dream?" he shook his head, "Why does this female attract so much attention…Keeping such close tabs on her will be tricky enough without raising her suspicions. It will be best to keep the Uchiha trader's intrusion away from her."
"Hey forehead chan."
"Hm?"
"Isn't Seikatsu's birthday right around the corner?"
"A week away now." The mother stretched out on the blanket that was spread out on the green grass. She looked into the blue void above as she pondered the situation around her. A few friends had a free day to spend amongst one another and as always Sakura brought Seikatsu. However Suigetsu's presents was not only new but sensitive especially in Naruto's case.
"So what are we gonna do this year?" Ino inquired.
"I don't know, maybe we'll have a little party for him. I was thinking about inviting the kids from our parenting class. He gets along really well with most of them." She sat up and looked across the green open field to the individual trees spread across the way. She noticed a particular lone tree with Suigetsu and Seikatsu under it. She couldn't see what they were doing but they had seemed to be busy with something.
"How is Seikatsu with him?"
Sakura thought about it before smiling back at the blonde, "He sees that idiot as his hero. They do everything together including trouble."
"Oh"
"Don't worry I'm not sad about it…it's kind of a relief I don't have to worry about raising him alone anymore," she stood, "plus I can always blame it on him when Katsu does something wrong."
"Sakura chaaaaan!" Naruto called from a distance behind them, "we're gonna show Seikatsu some sparing techniques! Bring him over!"
"I told you I don't want him to-"
"Light'n up Pinky!" Suigetsu all but ran over to the sparing site.
With a sigh Sakura and Ino joined the crew while they sorted who was going to fight who. There was Hinata, Kiba, Sai, and Naruto at a picnic planned to 'welcome' Suigetsu into the group. However he distanced himself from all of them in favor of solitude.
"About time you made it over here." Kiba muttered towards Suigetsu who was carrying the tot on his shoulders again. Suigetsu said nothing he just stared at them all in anticipation.
"Suigetsu" Naruto spoke seriously as he stepped in front of him, "…I'm being honest when I say I didn't like you at first…you helped Sasuke avoid us…you hurt Sakura and kill for fun…but you've changed." The blonde grinned soberly offering a hand, "If I can forgive Sasuke three times…I can forgive you this once."
He didn't know if it showed on his face but Suigetsu was surprised. Never has he been invited or forgiven so simply excluding Sasuke who left him for dead this time around. He was puzzled when Sakura stepped up and took his hand to mold it around Naruto's into a hand shake which the jinchuuriki initiated slowly. It took a second but Suigetsu responded with a slow hand shake gradually grinning underneath.
"About time!" Kiba said again "sense we're being pals and all, can we have a friendly spar?" he dared the liquid ninja.
"Hm" he smirked as he set the child down ruffling his hair "make sure you're watching kid, you might learn something." Suigetsu stood to accept the challenge.
"Wait a minute!" it was Sakura.
"Oh come one Pinky can't I have a little fun?" he whined.
"A little fun? I couldn't care less about your fun as long as it's not in front of Seikatsu!"
"So says the woman of the night." He scoffed.
"Wait," Ino's hungry ears perked up, "what is he talking about?"
"Oh, she didn't tell you about-"
"Shut up! I told you I just ran into him is all!" the kunoichi was turning pink again.
"That's not all you did into him." He muttered back.
"WHAT" the whole group came together on this one.
"Sakura what is he talking about!" Naruto yelled within the circle.
"More importantly who!" Ino supported.
"Nobody! Guys calm down! How could you believe him over me and how does that make any sense?" she was flustered now.
"You're blushing." Kiba accused, "wow Sakura I wouldn't of thought."
"Thought what!" the mother was fuming now.
"WHO IS IT! INO MUST KNOW!"
"Yeah Sakura, who's the lucky guy! He's not right for you if you're ashamed of him!" Naruto cried comically.
"Aren't you gonna tell them Pinky? Should I?" Suigetsu's grin was growing.
"TELL US!" the three crowded around the liquid ninja pushing Sakura out of the circle. At this point the kunoichi gave up. She settled for a quiet conversation with Hinata who was entertaining Seikatsu as Sai sketched the landscape.
"What seems to be the problem Sakura chan why is everyone all worked up?" the heiress spoke softly rocking the child in arms.
"idiots." She grumbled.
"OH MY GOD! WITH NEJI!" they could here Ino scream.
"…WHAT?" Sakura turned a whole new shade of red as she found herself back with the group, "I DID NO SUCH THING!"
"I knew it!" Kiba laughed "that guy has been acting a little wired lately."
Nartuo could be found on the ground on his face both stunned and distraught. Slowly he stood and took both of Sakura's hands as he sniffled "Sakura chan…I will be happy for you."
"w-what?" Sakura couldn't believe it, "Naruto it's a misunder-"
"I apologize for being late." Neji approached them from behind.
"HYUUGA YOU GOTTA LOT OF 'SPLAININ TO DO!" Ino was in his face yelling accusations about Sakura and honor and dishonor.
Before he could respond or even make sense of the situation Naruto pushed her aside and took his hands with teary eyes "Congratulations man…I-I'm happy for you…" the blonde let his hands drop as if he couldn't take it anymore and walked away.
Neji raised an eyebrow to Kiba who gave him a manly pat on the shoulder "didn't know you had it in you Hyuuga…didn't even know you were straight." He laughed.
Finally he had had enough
…
"SILENCE!" the whole crowd stopped to look at Neji, "now…will someone tell me what happened?"
At this final question Suigetsu broke out into laughter he couldn't believe how hard these fools had fallen for his trick. Ultimately he was on the floor holding his stomach in painful amusement.
"I think what happened is," Sai came into view, "the S-class criminal claimed that you had [insert favorite insult here] Sakura san. This in turn caused the whole group to make other assumption…for example Ino thought you were taking advantage of her, Naruto thinks you're going to marry her and Kiba thinks you're attracted to females."
"…"
"I'm sorry Neji." Sakura apologized "I told that idiot that I ran into you last night and he took it for something else."
"…"
"Neji?"
"I heard you." He was just puzzled.
"So you really aren't dating then?" Suigetsu was looking up at them both now on his belly.
"I told you we weren't!"
"Of course not." Neji quietly agreed.
"Oh…Ok then." He stood and dusts himself off as if nothing ever happened.
"I hate you."
"Heart you too Pinky."
With this Sakura stormed off on her own leaving everyone in humiliation or utter awe. She was surrounded by busy shops and lunch café's when Neji had caught up to her.
"Following me again?"
"Hardly, I simply choose your company over … theirs."
"Tell me about it! I mean- you and me?" she shook her head; "you don't even like girls."
He stopped walking.
"Neji?" she looked back.
"What compels you to think such a thing…did you ever consider that I am more focused?"
"Right Hyuuga, call it what you want. It's not like you're defending yourself." She went to continue her walk.
"That's not an accurate theory."
"Neji, skeletons are best berried when you pull them out of the closet. Who could argue with that?"
"Haruno san I am not gay."
"Right."
"What does she want this time?" Suigetsu whined on the way to the Hokage's office.
"Lady Tsunade didn't say." Ino informed him as they reached the door.
"gah…this guy."
"Come in." Tsunade yelled from the other side.
"Yeah, yeah." He entered with his mini right behind him.
"Ino would you take Seikatsu for a moment?"
"Hai." She dipped to take the child and closed the door behind her.
"Let me guess, no making fun of Sakura"
"No…Suigetsu have you noticed anything strange these last few days?"
"No." he adjusted to her seriousness.
"Nothing at all?" she sat up in her chair.
"Nothing."
"I see." She sat silent for several seconds scrutinizing Suigetsu, "your citizenship is being put on hold," she held up a hand to stop his oncoming rant "it seems your team hasn't forgotten about you."
"What?" he said disbelievingly.
"Sasuke Uchiha has requested I deliver you by midnight tonight." she said calmly.
"That bastard! Now he comes to get me? Now after almost two flippin months?" he yelled.
"Some team right?"
…
"I'm not going…I'm not leaving with them." He slammed his hands on the desk and looked her in the eyes "now continue whatever little process I have to go through so I can kick his ass myself." He hissed.
She chuckled, "make sure you don't tell Sakura and don't mind the extra company around Seikatsu, they're there for a reason."
"Can I go now?"
"You may." She moved on to the many papers on her desk.
For some reason Ino was nowhere to be found with his son when he left and was later informed that he had been taken back to his mother. So he went back to his own place to relax and reflect on the decision made or more on what his old team was doing here after so long. He unlocked his door and walked in tossing the keys on the couch until he heard an 'ow'.
"What the hell are you doing here Karin?" he glared.
"Chill out prick I came to save you for Sasuke sama!" she stood from the couch.
"Sasuke sama huh? And exactly where is he?"
"On the edge of Konoha we had to split up and keep moving otherwise they'll find us now let's go I'm tired of being here!"
"How long have you been waiting?"
"Days! Now come on! What's wrong with you? I'd thought you'd be itching to get out of here by now!"
"Surprise [insert favorite insult here] I'm not leaving." He smiled as he fell back on his couch comfortably.
"W-what do you mean? What about_"
"I'm not so into the end of the world anymore it's a little too dramatic…not my taste. Besides the guy always took away my fun and claimed it for his own."
"Seriously Suigetsu what did they do to you?"
"Nothing."
It's what I did to her.
"You're such an ass for betraying us like this!"
"…Get. Out." He scowled.
"Fine! Prick!" and with that she left out of the sliding glass door.
"So much for midnight."
The rest of the day was a blur as the sun went half way down to mark late afternoon. Suigetsu was looking over books and scrolls about Konoha and its people on his red couch.
"Knock knock puddle dude!" Came Naruto's voice on the other side of the door.
"This guy" Suigetsu smirked at the thought. He left the material on the table while he went to answer the door for the energetic ninja.
"Whoa, Sakura really fixed this place up," Naruto looked around.
"Yeah, it's alright." Suigetsu stepped aside to let him in deciding against his usual solitude.
Gotta start somewhere if I'm going to live here.
Naruto stood in the middle of the room still impressed with the style and calm of the atmosphere. He finally looked back at Suigetsu with a smile.
"What?" the father raised a brow.
"You're really making yourself at home." Naruto gestured to the books on the table.
"Yeah well it's much more entertaining here than in the woods with chicken ass somewhere." He looked away "besides Seikatsu's gonna need someone to teach him how to be a man not a mama's boy."
"She does the best she can" Naruto took a seat at the island table, "but what I was here for was to see if you knew about the summer festival tonight."
"Is there sake?"
"Possibly."
"Baba!" a small thump came to the door "It Katsu baba!"
"You're famous today." Naruto grinned as Suigetsu opened the door to his son dressed in a navy blue yukata with his hair combed down neatly. He almost paused when he saw Sakura also in a yukata that was white with magenta lines and dots forming flowers and leaves all around it, she had her hair up in a bun with a few loose strands for originality.
"Sakura chan!" Naruto yelled from inside.
"Naruto? What are you doing here?"
"Just making sure puddle dude here knew about the summer festival. I see you're all ready."
"Yeah, um I was going to invite him along but if you're going to be drunkards together then never mind." She crossed her arms in a huff.
"Don't get offended Pinky come in," he groaned and closed the door after her.
"I have a plan!" Naruto started, "why don't you and Seikatsu go spend some time with the games and clowns and stuff and I'll make sure he makes it for the finale. Suigetsu?"
"Sounds fair."
"You don't have to come with us if you don't want to," Sakura murmured.
"Games baba!" Seikatsu looked up at his father with hopeful eyes.
"…Alright, games then." He ruffled the boy's hair.
"Stop messing with his hair!" Sakura yelled rushing with a brush from nowhere.
"Relax I think it looks better this way, right?"
"Wight!" the tot smiled.
"You guys." Sakura shook her head, "Well it won't be long, he hasn't had a nap all day and it's getting late. So the most we'll do is get dinner, play a few games and see how he feels after that. He normally never makes it to the fireworks."
"That works." Naruto chimed in "it's the after party you really wanna be at, when all the little kids are sleeping."
"Whatever," Sakura picked the tot up with effort, "you're getting heavier Seikatsu. Soon I won't be able to pick you up." She kissed his forehead.
"Let's get going then." Suigetsu ruffled the boy's head again.
"Nah uh, you're not hanging around me looking like that!"
"Whatever lady my apparel is fine!"
"For missions!"
"Every day with you is a mission!"
"Now, now kids," Naruto stood between them, "Sakura's right, you should dress for the occasion, we in Konoha are best at lookin' good."
"So we're going to get you some new clothes," it wasn't a question and she proved it by taking both water boy's by the hand dragging them along, "lock the door behind you Naruto."
The blonde could only grin as he saw the family leave quickly. He then frowned for the reason why he was so buddy- buddy with the liquid ninja all the sudden.
"He didn't go when he had the chance…Maybe it'll be alright after all."
It wasn't hard finding a place for yukata's, all you had to do was follow the sound of firecrackers, drums, symbols and happy people. The liquid ninja was stunned at how crowded the streets were over a summer festival but he was still interested in all the neat things they had to offer. Sakura wasted no time in finding the proper stand for Suigetsu or the right yukata for that matter. She had found a white one with vertical blue lines. She didn't even ask if he liked it, she just pushed him behind the curtain provided.
"Make sure you brush your hair too!"
"Bush hair baba!"
"Its fine the way it is!"
"Suigetsu-"
"You can change my clothes, take my sword but leave my hair alone!" he stepped out to a puzzled Sakura who had her brow raised over how sensitive he was about his hair. The child clapped to show his liking of the new outfit though.
"That's better." The mother finally smiled along with the child in arms. It wasn't anything special but he blended in better now, at least he got to keep his sandals.
"Whatever." He made a habit of saying that when he was embarrassed or annoyed Sakura noticed.
"Games now baba," Seikatsu's eyes widened in anticipation.
"Lady?"
"Yeah, this way." She turned to the crowd of people in the busy street.
On each side of the street there were trinkets and clothing being sold, snacks and sweets being eaten and in some areas they passed, dancing. But what caught his eye more than everything around him were the families enjoying the event together, friends drinking and having a good time, and mischievous children lighting firecrackers under long kimonos, everyone was with someone doing something regardless of whatever challenges life had for them the next day.
"Hm."
"What?" Sakura yelled over the noise.
"Nothing." He shouted back.
Finally they came to a clearing wear booths of many games were all set up. Seikatsu wiggled his way out of Sakura's arms and ran toward one of the booths to start.
"C'mon baba! Games!"
Suigetsu smiled at the little tot and thought about how much he's improved these past weeks. He still needed a little help with sentences but when he ran, the booger sprint. He had to do more than power walk to keep track of the child.
"Baba!" he whined now.
"Coming, coming" he walked to join him at the first booth.
"Be the first to get the rings around the bottles for a toy little one." It was a woman with a light red yukata on. She had long black hair and looked to be in her golden age.
"Baba" he looked up at his father with the cutest grin he could manage.
"That's him asking." Sakura came from behind him to his side, "I don't know where he gets it from but he thinks he's cute enough to get anything with that smile."
"Does he?"
"He does" she said passively with a straight face.
"Got it from me."
"Baba!" he was whining again.
"Ok, we'll give it a try." Suigetsu picked him up and the woman gave him the rings. He missed the first one, almost got the second, missed the third and was stopped at the fourth.
"Katsu take your time honey." Sakura took his hand and helped him toss it over the bottle in the middle, "yay Seikatsu did it!"
"I did it baba!" the child raised his hands in the air.
Suigetsu just smiled and gave a short nod of approval to his mini. The old woman gave the tot a black teddy bear as a prize.
"What do we say" Sakura sung.
"Dank you!"
"You're welcome dear, what a sweet boy you two have." She smiled at both parents.
"Thank you." Sakura blushed.
"hmp." Suigetsu settled for looking away but the woman could see the faint pink on his cheeks. As soon as Suigetsu put the tot down he sprint to the next game in which Sakura helped him each time until Suigetsu started to complain about handicapping him. Nonetheless, they all enjoyed, sweets, dinner, games and even a little dance. In the end Seikatsu was resting in his mother's arms despite the noise all around them.
"You're taking 'em home?" they walked side by side.
"Mm I was hoping he would make it to the fireworks this time…maybe next year I guess." Sakura sighed disappointedly.
"Did you want to see the fireworks Pinky." He was looking off to the side as if he didn't care.
"I can see them fine from the house." She smiled to herself.
"Well…I want to see them. Shame, some ambassador you are" he complained lightly.
"What-never mind." She concluded that he'd never seen fireworks before and maybe he really was a little bit curious, "I know a great place."
Later, on top a roof, right on the ledge, Sakura rocked Seikatsu left and right next to Suigetsu who watched the different colors explode in the sky. With his eyes wide and head looking straight up at the colorful sky, he seemed more fascinated than she'd ever seen him. Little did she know he was looking over everything, the people, the fireworks, the joy, it could all be his to experience here as well. No book or scroll could describe what a place Konoha really was, or rather the true experience it carried.
"I don't understand." He blurted out.
"Hm?"
"Why did Sasuke leave this…?"
Her heart sank at the mention, "…I don't understand either. Revenge just does that to people."
…
…
" I'm sorry."
"Wha?"
"For…annoying the hell out of you." He chuckled and she smiled.
"It's alright; I wasn't exactly the welcome wagon anyway."
Because of what I did to you, he thought
But that apology was for another time. Instead he watched the fireworks silently with her discovering many more reasons why the ninjas fight like they do for Konoha.
"I'll be by tomorrow. I want to show Seikatsu how to control his ninjustu." Suigetsu was waving goodbye. Sakura nodded in the distance and turned to go home.
When he made it to his house closing the door behind him he froze when the lights came on.
"It's passed midnight Suigetsu."
"And"
"I arranged for you to be released…Karin came for you as well."
"First off, why the hell would you send someone I hate and second where do you get off leaving me for almost two months?" He crossed his arms, a habit learned from Sakura.
"You've gotten sensitive Suigetsu." The Uchiha was lounging on the couch coolly taking note of his old teammates clothing, "and comfortable…I'm confused it's almost as if this is your new home."
"Listen snake bastard the third," he took a deep breath, "I have more important things to do here, things that will support my cause."
"You really are leaving Taka…We'll see how long this lasts." Sasuke stood, "I'll be here for three days Suigetsu. After that you and I will be enemies."
"Sasuke we already are."
"Hmp," with that the Uchiha disappeared.
Somewhat pissed off at his former best teammate, he quietly thought the situation through pulling all his contemplations together: the clothes, the apartment, they were material things Suigetsu wouldn't normally care about. So what else could be keeping him here? He knew Konoha had ample watch over him so it couldn't be the people, if anything he should hate them all the more for trapping him here like a prisoner…that was it.
"They're not treating him like a prisoner, he's cooperating."
He stopped in front of what was Sakura's apartment building. She was one of the first people he watched when he first arrived. She seemed to be in better spirits compared to the last time he saw her.
"Hm."
He took a small leap into the air and appeared in a child's room. He saw it the last time he snuck in but it was empty then. Now there was breathing coming from the crib. A small peak and his eyes brows came up.
Interesting
You could probably tell I ran out of juice here :P I hope you liked it anyway. Thanks all!
Chaos~