-10-

Complicated

It has been two days since the Team 7 returned from their mission.

Sakura's life hasn't changed at all, except maybe for one thing: throughout these two days, she hasn't seen Sasuke anywhere around. The kunoichi continued to think of all kinds of explanations, starting from Sasuke's want to be alone, and ending with her own fault. Oh, come on! Of course he wants to be away from everyone else. I would. If my brother betrayed me, I would like to stay alone for as long as possible. So, that's that. Sakura smiled warmly. She was swiping the dust from the counter, making it shiny. A soft humming could be heard coming from her rosy lips and slightly overtaking a melody of slow jazz in the parlor. It didn't go through unnoticed by Hinata.

"Sakura, are you humming?" she asked, a playful smile shining on her lips. Sakura stopped at the words "Just to hold me and tell me you'll be here to love me today" and looked confusingly at Hinata. Then, a light laughter left her mouth.

"As a matter of fact I am" she said, still laughing a little. Hinata giggled.

"Sakura, it looks like you're in love" she said and by whirling around on her heel, Hinata returned to the kitchen.

The pink-haired kunoichi was left standing with a great surprise written all over her face. During the same two days, Sakura had been teaching Hinata remedies of chocolate and the Hyuuga did extremely well. In addition to that, the blue-haired kunoichi figured out Sakura's emotions and feeling perfectly. This only made the two closer to each other. However, the fact that was just stated by Hinata disturbed Sakura greatly. The "L" Word. I can't be…in love. I mean, I can't. I know what this will end like. This feeling is forbidden for me. And I should just live with that. Besides. Sakura's last thought crept into her mind as a new customer came through the door. If everything I've counted is correct, I should be leaving this village in early summer. Then again, it could be earlier. No matter. I will leave no matter which case.

She handed a small box to the man and took the money, thanking with a smile. When the customer left, Sakura's gaze suddenly fixed on a corner of the sky, visible through the showcase of the parlor: the rain was already showering the street and people were rushing to find a shelter. Another thing, which caused a shiver running through Sakura's spine, was a slight and distant rumble of thunder. Oh no! Not again!

-x-

Sasuke was tossing and turning in his bed…for already a second night. Thoughts of his brother, of Hebi, of Naruto, of Akatsuki, of Madara, of Sakura…all of this didn't give him peace, no matter how hard he tried to push the thoughts and images away.

A lightening flashed, followed by thunder after few moments. Sasuke sat up in his bed and looked through the window: a wall of rain was hiding the entire view. The shinobi cursed, anger and irritability mixing inside of him. Sasuke needed something…something calming, something warm and inviting…something slightly intoxicating…something…or someone…

-x-

Sakura was sitting in her bed, arms wrapped around legs and head put on knees. Only a slight light of a little glassed stove-heater illuminated her fragile lines, which were only covered with silky red night-gown. A flash of lightening and a rumble of thunder made the kunoichi to shrivel up and shut her eyes.

Sakura could barely resist a want to go to Sasuke's place again and just stay there for another night, but…she knew perfectly well she couldn't. She didn't want to bother him, didn't want to intervene with his solitude she knew he was seeking.

The rumble ended and Sakura relaxed a little. She kept her eyes shut though; secretly hoping for sleep to come while another rumble came. Sakura knew it was completely in vain.

"Can't sleep again, huh?" a low throaty voice flew from a direction of the window and reached the kunoichi's ears. She tore her eyes open and they collided with onyx look.

"Sasuke?" she widened her eyes at him. The shinobi walked out to the light and Sakura could see him dripping wet: from his hair, to a black cloak – rain water was slowly dripping on the floor.

"You're all soaked" she said and stood up, walking through the door and into bathroom. Sakura came back with a towel.

"Here" she handed it to him. Sasuke took the towel and by removing his cloak, dried his raven hair.

Another clap of thunder made Sakura shiver and hug herself, as if trying to prevent cold spreading through her body.

"Thought so" Sasuke said as the thunder subsided. Sakura looked up at him…and saw a clear insomnia and weariness on his face and in his eyes.

"Same with you" she said with a soft smile and walked to the bed, sitting back on it. The kunoichi stretched her legs across it, her arms hugging her waist protectively. Sasuke sat beside her, their shoulders now almost touching. Sakura looked at his tired face and barely refused a…reflex to touch it and make that weary and sad expression go away.

"What's bothering you?" she asked with soothing voice. Sasuke didn't answer at first, only looked at slightly burning fire, a reflection of it mirroring on his distant eyes. The kunoichi wasn't even expecting him to answer, so it was a great surprise that he did:

"My parents and my entire clan were killed when I was six. I still remember the image of my brother standing in front of my parent's dead bodies. Every since then, all I could think of was revenge. However, after enduring all my training at Orochimaru and when it finally came to the point where my revenge could be carried out…I couldn't do it" he leaned his head backwards, hitting the wall and now looking at the darkened ceiling "At first, I was convinced that my decision was right: Itachi didn't kill my parents, it was only a genjutsu of another clansman, the leader of Akatsuki. But two days ago, when Itachi betrayed me…I don't seem to know what is what anymore. I don't see his reasons"

A thunder rumbled again. Sakura's shiver has already turned to one, barely seen by an eye. She looked at the shinobi for a while, then lifted a finger to her pink locks and started playing with them, her eyes fixed on the ground.

"You know, I came to believe that every person has his or her own reasons for doing things. And it doesn't matter if it is good or bad for us. But strangely, those reasons can be understood only by people, who are making them up. Itachi is no exception"

"Hn. Probably" Sasuke turned his head to her and Sakura could see a tired smirk playing on his lips.

"Why are you smirking at me?" she asked, a frown collaborating with a soft smile on her face.

"I'm just wondering…whether you know why Akatsuki is hunting you. Maybe there will be some reasons hidden"

Sakura's smile faded, her eyes turned a little sad. Another clap of thunder came and subsided, but this time the kunoichi didn't even shiver. Her grip around her waist, however, tightened.

"I could bet from anything it's because of my father" she said, with a little shadow of a grief audible in her voice "after all, he was one of the best medical ninjas they had. Even better than Kabuto. Who knows, maybe Madara had decided that I'm just like him" the last assumption had much of irony in it. Sakura lifted her gaze to Sasuke again, sadness playing in them "what do you think?"

"Hn. If what you say is true, then you're in serious trouble" he said, a little smirk, mixed with sarcasm echoing in his words. Sakura's smile instantly returned to her face.

"No kidding? And will you be there to protect me?" she asked provokingly.

"Strange. I thought you could take care of yourself quite well" another smirk left Sasuke's lips and eyes. He was gifted by another smile of Sakura.

A silence fell between them. Only a pounding of the rain and soft sparkling of the fire were audible in the room. For a moment there, it seemed like even thundering has subsided and drifted away.

Sasuke's thoughts, moments ago storming about Itachi and other darker sides of his life, disappeared. All he could feel was a complete peace and tranquility. Why did he feel this way Sasuke couldn't realize, but…he would bet from anything it's because of Sakura. Yes, definitely because of her. He, after all, was driven away to a real, dreamless sleep by only seeing her naked silhouette…

Her perfect silhouette…

Sasuke's onyx eyes turned a little to the pink-haired kunoichi beside him and his gaze traveled her body, inspecting it…and also feeling his hidden earnings being fulfilled. Pretty and you could say cute face, framed with cotton pink hair. Graceful neck, leading into fragile, yet strong shoulders and down…to full creamy breasts – god, isn't she wearing anything under this?! – then perfect belly and long, creamy legs…also perfect.

Everything…everything about her seemed perfect to him now.

But.

Stop right there, man! She's a wanderer. You can never know when she'll decide to leave this place and if you go on in the same manner, she will take a part of you with her. You don't want that to happen, do you? Remember Naruto? Remember your parents? Remember Itachi, for crying out loud! They all made you feel pain. And this will not happen again. That is, IF you can survive this night. Sure you can. Just because Suigetsu thinks you should fall for somebody, doesn't mean you have to go ahead and do it.

Sasuke turned his look away from Sakura, feeling like he won't resist the want to just…touch her. Or more. This was getting so complicated.

Another clap of thunder came from all of the sudden and very close to the house. Sakura automatically and with a gasp attached herself to Sasuke's shoulder, seeking protection there. And the Uchiha had his own reflexes: he wrapped his arm around Sakura's waist and pulled her nearer, allowing her to lean upon himself. The thunder didn't go away for couple of minutes. Sakura had her eyes shut and her entire fragile figure cuddled to Sasuke's strong frame. As the thunder subsided again, the kunoichi relaxed a little, but didn't push herself away from Sasuke's protection.

"You're a wanderer as well, aren't you?" Sakura suddenly asked in a whisper. Sasuke didn't answer at first. There, she did it again: figured him out like he was an open book. Better than he himself would actually.

"I suppose" he said "I am. I still cannot settle down easily. Nor lead a normal life. Same as you"

Sakura lifted her head to him. Her eyes were filled with some sort of sweet emotion, which Sasuke (with his low experience in feeling something) could only describe as honey. It was viscous, heady and intoxicating…and lustful. The woman stretched out her hand and touched his face, stroking through his jaw line. Here goes "I don't have to fall for somebody". This last thought crept into Sasuke's mind, before it was taken away by an incredible wish to see what that honey tasted like. And before Sakura could say something else, he just bent his head and pressed his lips onto hers.

First thing that came into Sasuke's mind was: soft. Then, when their tongues intervened with one another – tasty. Later Sasuke found that everything about her was soft and tasty…like chocolate.

Addicting…

Another clap of thunder.

-x-

Hinata was sitting in her bed, a little light illuminating her room from a night-table. She was reading an old book she took with her as she left the Hyuuga mansion. Since then, she had been living here, in this little house just at the edge of the village. And Hinata loved it here.

A clap of thunder shook the place, but the kunoichi didn't even lift her eyes from the text. It was way after midnight, but Hinata couldn't fall asleep: she somehow enjoyed every second of her freedom and didn't want to waste it with something like sleeping.

She turned the page.

It was the only sound besides rain and thunder that would be audible in the room. Everything else was silent and slumberous, until…

Knock knock.

Hinata lifted her lavender eyes from the book and activated the Byakkugan. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips. No wonder, since behind the door a certain blonde-haired shinobi was standing in the rain. Hinata quickly put the book away and hid her strapped shoulders under dark blue nightgown. Blessed be the Byakkugan. She quickly ran to the door and by nervously inhaling some air, she opened them. The kunoichi was greeted by a wide and a little silly smile.

"Uh, hey, Hinata-chan" Naruto said "sorry for such a late visit, but I saw a light in your window and just, well, thought it might be ok to come around"

"It is ok, Naruto-kun" she retreated a little from the door to let him in "why are you not sleeping?" she asked, a rosy blush playing in her white cheeks.

"The thunder woke me up" Naruto giggled, shaking the water away from his head "and why are you up so late?"

"Oh, well, I was just reading and, I guess, I forgot about time" Hinata gave him a shy smile. Naruto removed his long dark cloak and they both sat on bed. The kunoichi watched Naruto's suddenly serious and worried face, and couldn't help but ask:

"Is there something wrong, Naruto-kun?" the shinobi beside her scoffed silently.

"I don't know. It's probably nothing. But still, I feel that something's off. Terribly off"

"Is it because of Kakashi-sensei?"

"Probably" Naruto smiled sadly "I know that he's a good ninja and he has the Sharingan. And his team is also the elite of their class. But still, some sort of uneasiness is all around"

Hinata looked at the man in front of her and couldn't realize when he managed to become one. Many years passed though and both, Naruto and Hinata, weren't the same as they used to be. Naruto, still being the same hyperactive knucklehead, also was a Jounin class ninja. And with that many responsibilities came. Hinata, finally released from her golden prison, now was free to do whatever she wanted. Including showing her true feelings. And having the ability to do so.

The kunoichi smiled lightly and stretched out her hand. With one graceful move of a finger she took away one drop of the rain from Naruto's eye lashes, which was threatening to fall down. Or even roll down like a tear. The shinobi looked at her with a great surprise and a blush.

"You've always believed in your sensei, Naruto-kun. I see no reason to stop right now" she said with a soft smile. Naruto's deep blue eyes were disturbing her with their sudden attachment to her own. However, Hinata managed to hold his look back and respond with caring and understanding one.

"Hey, how come you know more about this than I do?" Naruto asked with a little joke in his voice. Hinata blushed a little.

"I'm just assuming" she said and was about to remove another raindrop, this time from one spike of his blonde hair. Naruto, however, stopped her hand in the midway: stopped it gently and intervened his fingers with hers. Both blushed furiously. Both laughed a little from their own shyness.

"You've changed" he said, looking at Hinata's eyes, which showed no fear, only endless kindness and understanding.

"So have you" she said silently, moving closer to Naruto and putting her head on his strong shoulder "but I guess time never stops, does it?"

"No" Naruto answered, blushing even more, but slowly relaxing from Hinata's warm touch "it doesn't. Believe it"

Another clap of thunder.

-x-

Sakura and Sasuke were lying in bed, both naked and panting heavily, sweat rolling down their skin. Sasuke rammed his forehead into Sakura's shoulder, breathing in her intoxicating smell of lavender and sweat. The woman under him let out a small laugh, reminding more of a moan of a cat. She sunk her hand into Sasuke's raven hair and stroked it down, feeling the heat under her palm. The shinobi found her lips again and lightly kissed them, ramming his forehead into hers.

It was nothing Sasuke had experienced before. The feeling of Sakura so close…no, literally being inside of her felt like a heaven. Her smell, her looks, her warmth, her body…her, her, her, her…she was poisonous, he knew that. But he would rather die in an embrace of such pleasurable poison than never discovering it at all. And here he said he'd survive this night. What a joke that was.

Sakura never felt this happiness before. And lust. And pleasure. And many other things she has just discovered. And now she knew she'd never regret coming to this village. Now she could even agree with Hinata (from most part at least): Sakura was really head-over-heels for this guy. Otherwise she would never even be here…with him, beside him…under him.

Another distant clap of thunder.

Sakura stroke her finger through the middle of Sasuke's forehead and down his nose.

"Both wanderers, huh?" she resumed their previous conversation. The shinobi smirked, hir breath touching Sakura's lips.

"That's right. And we have to keep this reputation up, right?" again a laughter like cat's came from Sakura's smiling lips.

"No one has to know about it, do they?" Sasuke smirked.

"Deal"

-x-

The storm has left Konoha at the same night, but it went right towards the Bird country. Thunder was taking over the sky, while the rain was connecting it with the earth by one, dark, grey wall. The wind was making even giant trees to bend to its will. And through this entire world's mania, four dark silhouettes were standing in the middle of the field, a little further away from the leaning forest. One was standing in front of other, which was kneeling. The other two were at both sides of the kneeling one. As the wind subsides for a few moments, the standing one asked:

"Are you giving up?" the kneeling one lifted it's head.

"You know the answer, Madara"

"You're impossible" the man in front of him sighed "looks like you're leaving me with no other choice"

The wind and thunder came again, breaking the gloomy conversation. After a while the nature subsided again, allowing to for the two to continue.

"What do you mean?" the kneeling man asked, looking firmly with his different-colored eyes.

"What I mean, Hatake Kakashi, is that you're about to be used. Used and then disposed of. Just like those three rats I allowed to escape" Madara chuckled a little. Kakashi cursed inside his mind. His team, Gai, Kurenai and Shikamaru, had made their way back to Konoha with vital information about the hideout of Akatsuki. And who knew that Madara himself would show up and destroy all of their plans.

"Sasuke-kun and his dearest friends had been giving me too much trouble. It's time I corner them…with your help"

"Go to hell, Madara" Kakashi said with anger.

"Only after you"

-x-

A hooded and cloaked figure was watching the entire scene from a distance. Although the man couldn't hear what the people were talking about, he could clearly figure out the situation…and it was bad.

Konoha's in real trouble. If even a shinobi like Kakashi has been caught…Akatsuki is getting way stronger and at much higher pace than before. Madara. That bastard doesn't know when to stop. Those Bijuu will kill him one day. What are his plans I wonder. Probably to invade and take over Konoha. He knows the village is weak. And Sakura's there as well. I should have known Madara will try to retrieve at least bits of Itsuki-san. And she managed to meet up with another Uchiha, who might be even more dangerous. I have to warn her and get her out of there as soon as possible. Before it's too late.

Hideki turned away from the scene, where now two dark silhouettes were dragging an unconscious one to unknown direction. He hopped on a black horse and urged it to go.

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A/N: ok, maybe I should've put this chapter on instead of that one shot for the V-day…oh well, too late now, lolz. Hope you liked this, anyway. I somehow notice that I never manage to start the action properly. And I REALLY should. The FF is full of cheesy love stories already, lolz. Well, thanks for reading and supporting. See ya next time!