Disclaimer- I own nothing! (but tomorrow, I will own a Harry Potter book!)
A/N- I know almost EVERYONE has done this, and don't ask what made me think of it (I suppose it was when I got to thinking about DH tomorrow, thought about Harry, and thought of green eyes.) I know it's annoying to read these, it always makes me irritated when I click on one and hope it's good, which is why I'm writing it. So, uhm, enjoy!
Song recommendation to listen to while reading this-- The Hardest Thing by 98 Degrees. Or perhaps A Different Kind of Pain by Cold. Every time I hear those songs it makes me think of episode 109.
His footsteps echoed in his ears, slow and deliberate, as he walked towards the end of the road in his hometown, Konoha. His eyes were closed, and because he was the master of denial, he refused to acknowledge the fact that, maybe somewhere deep down, it was because he didn't want to watch those gates loom over his head and know he was leaving it all behind, he was leaving them behind; however, Fate, that bitch, had other plans.
Sakura stood right by the gates, turning the corner and looking at him with solemn green eyes. Sasuke inwardly cursed; was it seriously too much to ask to be able to leave without someone trying to stop him?
Perhaps she wasn't, though; her eyes had widened at the sight of the bag on his back. Then again, what the hell was she doing out so late? Che, idiot girl. Didn't she know that she could be hurt or something?
The Uchiha valiantly ignored that little emotion stirring in him that demanded that he protect her, even if she wasn't in trouble, just as he had been doing all along. She had to learn to protect herself; he wouldn't always be there to do so, and was proving it by walking away.
"What are you doing here, walking around at this time of night?" He asked calmly. Sakura glanced downwards.
"Because in order to leave the village, you have to take this road." Ah. So she did know his intent.
Sasuke mentally sighed, then began to walk around the konoichi. "Go home and sleep." He told her, though he knew that she wouldn't.
"Why?" It came so softly that Sasuke almost didn't hear it, but he did. That didn't mean that he stopped walking, though. "Why won't you tell me anything? Why do you always stay silent? Why won't you say anything to me?"
"Why do I have to tell you anything?" Sasuke shot back sharply, aiming to hurt her, as he always had. "It's none of your business." Oh, how hard he tried to convince himself of that. "Stop concerning yourself about what I do."
"You've…" Sakura paused, and Sasuke waited for her to continue. He had stopped when he replied back to her questions, and knew that now, this was the least he could do for her, listen to her, even though she was wasting his time. He would give her these last few moments before he left, because that was all he had left to give his female teammate. "You've always hated me, huh?"
For a moment, Sasuke was surprised, and wanted to turn back, shake her, and demand if she was stupid. Then he realized that he had never made her believe anything else; he made her think that he did, in fact, hate her, and for a moment could feel the guilt swelling up inside him, an emotion he could count on one hand how many times he felt, before he stomped on it. No. Now was not the time to show her that he was sorry, dammit. He was sorry, because of what she thought and how he would never dissuade her belief that he did care about her. Perhaps a little too much.
"Do you remember the day we became genin, and when our three-member team was first chosen?"
Unfortunately, he did. The memory of kissing that moron wasn't one he could forget, though he tried. He tried VERY hard.
"The day you and I were here alone, you got mad at me, remember?"
Sakura had been a big fangirl in those days, and obviously hadn't known about the Uchiha massacre. He remembered that he was angry with her. That was also when he first called her annoying. He didn't feel bad for hurting her, because if she hadn't, then she would still probably be a fangirl.
He was cutting his bonds; he shouldn't remember, but he did. That didn't mean she had to know.
"I don't remember." He told her coldly, and he heard her inhale sharply before letting out a shaky laugh, and from the sound of it, he knew she was crying.
You always seem to hurt her, whispered the traitorous part of his mind. You know that you're the only one to make her cry anymore.
He did know it, and he knew that leaving her was perhaps maybe the worst pain she would feel. He was hurting her, for one last time; the biggest hurt, in fact, and he knew it; however, not Sakura, not even Naruto could stop him from what he wanted. Sasuke had always been stubborn that way.
"Makes sense. That happened a long time ago." Her voice was high, cheerful. Fake. He hated that tone, because it meant that she was sad, unhappy. And it was his doing.
"But that's the day when everything started… You and I… and also Naruto and Kakashi-sensei."
The bell test. How could he have forgotten? No, he didn't. That was also the day that he found himself buried neck-deep in the ground. It was also the day he waited for Sakura to wake (something he STILL didn't know why he did) and the day when he exposed to her more than he had ever told someone else. That was something else he didn't know why he did.
"The four of us completed a number of missions together. They were tough… and a lot of work, but… Above all… It was fun!" Sakura took a breath, almost as if trying to ready herself.
"I know about your clan, but revenge…That won't make anybody happy."
What was she talking about? Killing Itachi would make him happy. Why couldn't that stupid girl understand that Team Seven HAD affected him? That there was another reason why he was leaving to find Itachi? It was because Itachi had taken away his family once, and he wasn't about to let him do so again.
"No one," she whispered, and the sky grew dark: clouds were floating across the full moon. "Neither you…nor I." There it was again, that same, sharp feeling in his gut. He was hurting her.
"Just as I thought." He murmured, shoving back those feelings. He had to push her away, or else he'd never be able to leave. She'd make him stay, and he had to go. Sakura made a sound in the back of her throat, and he knew that she had turned her head towards him, even with his back turned to her. "I'm different from you guys. I walk a different path from you guys."
They were light, and he was dark. Some part of him murmured that he didn't want to taint them with his darkness. Naruto had darkness inside of him, but both of his teammates…everything about them was light…happiness. He couldn't do that to them.
"I've tried to think that it was my path to do the things we've done up till now."
Liarliarliarliar-
"The four of us did things together, but my heart decided on revenge in the end."
You're such a liar, Sasuke-kun.
It wasn't that he wanted to leave, because he didn't. He DIDN'T want to go; he needed to go.
"That's my purpose in life. I can't become like you or Naruto."
A step sounded; Sakura had stepped closer to him, and shouted, "Are you going to choose to be alone again?!" Yes. "On that day, you taught me that solitude is painful." It is, but I need to leave. "I understand that so well right now. I have a family, and I have friends, but if you're gone…" She took another step, "to me…it'll be the same as being alone."
He could hear her crying, and damn did it hurt him more than any other time he had made her cry.
The image of their Team Seven picture flashed before his eyes before he tried to convince her on why he was leaving. He wished her didn't care about Sakura, because if he still hated her, as he had in the beginning, then he would've simply continued walking away. Damn her.
"From here on a new path will open for all of us."
"I…I love you so much!" Sasuke's back stiffened.
You're an asshole. His mind snarled at him.
"If you stay with me, I promise that you won't regret it!" She was desperate now, he could tell. Her voice was imploring him to stay, and he wanted to give in. He wanted to turn back around and say okay, that he didn't want to leave. But he couldn't have Itachi come back to the village. He had already tried to kill Naruto once, who's to say he would fail again the second time? Lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place.
"Every day will be fun. We'll definitely be happy. I'll do anything for you. So…" Sakura choked on a sob. "Please! Stay here! I'll help you with your revenge! I'll do something! So please stay here…"
The clouds shifted again, and suddenly it was light.
"If you can't stay…" Sasuke's eyes narrowed. What was she up to? She wasn't…she wasn't letting him go, was she…? His stomach jerked uncomfortably at the thought. "Take me with you."
His eyes, once narrowed, now widened, and he had to force his body not to turn around and scream, "No!" Take her with him?! Was she crazy?! Would she…would she really give up that much for him?
Don't you dare even think about it, Uchiha Sasuke, his conscience hissed. Take her to Orochimaru? He'll rip her apart!
He could hear her crying, and turned around, a smirk on his face. Sasuke looked directly into her eyes, and there he saw it: she was telling the truth. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and this was especially true for Sakura.
She loved him. She wanted to make him happy, even if it meant betraying the village that she was born in; she loved HIM more than her village.
I'm sorry.
"You really are annoying." Is what he said instead. Because she was; just not in the way she thought he meant. She was annoying because he cared about her more than he cared about himself. The only woman that he valued above her was his mother, and for him, that said a lot.
He turned, and started to walk away. "Don't leave!" Sakura yelled, and began to run towards him. "If you do, I'll scream!"
Before she could blink, he was behind her. So close that he could smell her (some perfume she used, he supposed. It smelled like jasmine.) For a few moments, there was nothing but the sound of the wind.
"Sakura…" He began, wondering how he could form into words what he was feeling. Did he love her? No, he didn't. Did he care for her more than a teammate, more than a friend? Yes. Instead, he settled for the only thing he could think of.
"Thank you."
His hand moved up and struck her in the back of the neck, and Sakura began to fall.
"Sasuke…kun…" She whispered, before he caught her around the middle, and picked her up bridal-style.
Maybe in another life, another time, he could've picked her up this way, but for a different reason; however, it was now, and this was the only time he would hold her this intimately. He held her closer almost unconsciously, feeling her body warmth against him.
Sasuke looked around and spotted a bench. Heading over, he laid her on it, then gazed down at her tear-stricken face. Almost as though someone else controlled his body, he leaned down, pressing his cold lips against Sakura's, trying to convey all the promises that he was sorry he would never be able to give her.
Some small part of him hoped that she would remember it, these last few moments with him where a piece of him stayed here, in Konoha, with Naruto, with Kakashi, and with her.
Pulling away, he surveyed her, then used the rough and calloused pad of his thumb to brush away the tears that still rolled down her face, almost like he tried to brush away his guilt.
Giving her one more stare, fixing her face into his mind's eye, he began to walk away.
Even though a part of him hoped that she would remember this moment, a larger part, the more sensible part didn't. She deserved happiness, and that was something he would never be able to give her. And so, he closed his eyes, just as he passed the gates. Away from Konoha. Away from them.
A/N- Anyone who's read Phobia will notice that I did the ending the same. Sorry, that's just how I think Sasuke feels. Speaking of which, I feel so sad now, since I've been sitting here, typing this up and listening to sad music. Urgh, I need a Funny Bone. (Both literally and figuratively. Funny Bones are a type of junk food, with peanut butter in the middle. Yummy.) Anyway, review and tell me what you thought of it, please?
Oh, and who's totally psyched for DH tomorrow? I know I am! Though I'll have to wait until 8 o'clock at night to read it, unless 7-11 has it when we stop there are 6 in the morning, cause we're going to Dorney Park. If they do, you know I'm gonna pounce all over my father and demand that he buy me it.