/Author's Note/
You are all evil. Too lazy to check my profile without me telling you…grumble, grumble. There's a pole up. I refuse to tell you what it's about, because you are all evil. But I will, however, tell you that it is important. So go vote. NOW! Please.
This is possibly the second to last chapter in this story. ENJOY, EVILS.
That will be all.
/Sasuke POV/
I lived a good life, given my many mistakes. I shouldn't have held a grudge against my own brother. I shouldn't have let that grudge drive me from the people that loved me. I shouldn't have run away to the Snake Lord. I shouldn't have let that snake drag my Sakura into my dark shadow of a life. I shouldn't have let her grow do close to me again; shouldn't have let myself grow closer to her, to love her.
But those same mistakes were my proudest moments. If I didn't hold that grudge, would I feel so relieved to know I was wrong? If I didn't let that grudge hold me back, would it feel so good to rejoin the living? If I didn't run to the snake, would Sakura have gotten so strong? If I didn't let Orochimaru drag Sakura back into my life, would I have spent my last days with her? If I didn't love her so much, would I accept my fate as it was?
The answer to all those questions was no.
With my chin high, I walked to the stage. The citizens were watching, along with the millions of ninja staring at me to see if I would run away. But no. I would face my maker proud and at my full six-ten. If it would pronounce Sakura faithful to Kohona and spare her life, my life was a small price.
Uritko smiled an evil smile at me as the rough rope was pulled around my neck. He held the other end of it, the side that would end my life, triumphantly. "It's almost time, Uchiha," he hissed out. "Your mommy and daddy are waiting; next comes your brother…"
I swallowed the need to blacken his eye.
He let the rope go. My air supply shortened, but didn't cut off. I had no doubt that Uritko would make this as slow and painful as possible.
"Sasuke-kun!"
That was Sakura. My head flipped to her soft, breathless sound. Ninja, strangers in fact, surrounded her. Some part of my brain noticed her brushed hair and clean clothes; that part sent a shot of relief through me, as sharp and intoxicating as liquor.
That sense was quickly shattered by the way kunai were thrown at her to stop her. She pulled them out—blood spewing from the wound for seconds before her self-preservation kicked in and healed her—and limped to me. Or tried to; the stranger ninja jumped her. "No!" I shouted as a ninja threw a kunai from the rooftops behind her, aiming for her spinal cord. Another aimed for her arm. "No!" The other aimed for her heart. "NO!"
I broke free of the charka-ridden rope. My record for speed was broken as those three kunai jumped off my back. The ninja backed off in fear, leaving Sakura safe from harm in front of me. "Sakura," I sighed. My voice was gravely and harsh.
/Sakura POV/
My eyes were lined with tears. I could only make out colors in front of me. There was only one color I was worried about and it was dark blue. I tried calling out to him again, but it came out in breathless whimpers. Ninja I didn't know surrounded me. One shot a kunai at my thigh; I felt the pinch and pulled it out. Blood squirted before I healed it. Other kunai fell to the ground. On a limp, I tried walking to Sasuke.
"No!" he growled. The curse on his neck spun. "No!" his black velvet voice repeated. The curse became larger and spread, glowing like the fire it resembled and dimming to black as the flames passed through his body horizontally. The black flame spread, turning his body brown. "NO!" he shouted again, braking free of the rope.
Within milliseconds, he stood before me, the rocklike wings of his third stage spread out. Three kunai fell to the dirt with a clank. I stared up at him in awe. Cursed or not, he was the most amazing person in the world. He saved me and in doing so he saved himself. "Sakura," Sasuke breathed. His voice was rough and rocky, like the sound of pebbles crushing together. It was music to my ears.
"Sasuke!" My arms flew around his hard neck. I crushed myself to him, finally able to breathe. "Sasuke!" Sasuke's arm fluttered to my waist, not landing. My nose dug deeper into his neck—working myself higher on my tiptoes. His neck was my safe hideaway. That was where I spent my happiest moments, hidden in his neck. "Sasuke!"
People parted from the way of the Hokage tower. I'd bet anything that it was the Elders, ready and willing to murder Sasuke. In doing so, they would have lost their favorite kunoichi, because I myself would follow him.
But I was wrong. Instead of the other six Elders, ten very pissed ninja stomped their way to us. Curiously, I pulled away from Sasuke and turned him to see them.
Tsunade was shouting. "You just don't know how to take—"
Naruto was shouting. "She said no! Don't you get—"
Ino was shouting. "I am ashamed to be a part of a village whose leaders don't know the meaning of—"
Kakashi was shouting. "Uritko!"
Kiba was shouting. "Akamaru—sic 'em!"
The commotion was overlapping. I only got bits and snippets. Now that Sasuke was safe, sound, and alive, I was feeling giddy. Giddy enough to realize there was something terribly wrong with this picture—other than Sasuke's cursed glory. Ten voices and ten people. Four of those voices, now angry and loud, belonged to the quietest people in Kohona. Hinata, Neji, Itachi, and Shikamaru were shouting! What had this world come to? A relieved laugh escaped my lips.
Lee's "youthful" green jumper hopped up and down. TenTen's panda-ear buns were being set loose in her anger.
Too busy watching the world turn upside-down, I didn't notice the murdering Uritko get punched until he landed unconscious by our feet. Sasuke growled and kicked him none-too-gently. I stood closer to Sasuke's side, where I was safe. His red eyes shinned and he pulled me closer.
Angered and fired up, Tsunade shouted to the bystanders, "Is that"—her chin pointed to out feet, where inches away the head Elder lay—"what you want to lead your village? A coward so loose with a hanging rope?" The villagers stood quite, bewildered. "Uritko was going to kill Uchiha Sasuke for bringing Sakura-chan back! For returning our kunoichi!" Murmurs ran through the crowd. Tsunade gave us the come here jester. Sasuke pulled me along.
"Haruno Sakura is perfectly fine, is in perfect health. Uchiha took fine care of her," she shouted, her voice strong. "He didn't leave her to die—he brought her back! Uchiha Sasuke is no longer a traitor!" Her face was red, her hazel eyes bright with anger. "And, yet, that unconscious fool wishes to kill him! What kind of leader is that?"
Sasuke pulled me closer.
"I may be Hokage, but their whishes are my commands. And I don't want to kill an ally; but they didn't care!" Tsunade's hand was placed valiantly on Sasuke's shoulder. "Fuck the Elders! Uchiha Sasuke is a Kohona ninja! A Kohona citizen!" I smiled as Naruto hooted. She walked closer, placed a hand over my shoulder, and smiled daringly. "Anyone who has a problem with it can answer to me. Or Naruto; or Sasuke; or, worse still, Sakura!" Tsunade shuffled us off the stage. Itachi was first to greet us, smiling a smirky smile idiotically. I pinched myself. I pinched myself, wincing slightly. I wasn't dreaming—Itachi was actually smiling!
"Foolish brother and your foolish death wish."
Naruto hugged me. "Sakura-chan!" I slapped at his arms, unable to breathe. He loosened his grip. "Sakura-chan, you're okay! Of course I never doubted you would be. But it feels good to have you in my arms!" he shouted. I smiled, letting him get it all out before saying:
"It was only two days, Naruto."
The blonde squeezed the air out of me. "Still!" Then he let go to hug Sasuke. I was passed down from Naruto's arms to Hinata's. I was only faintly aware of who's arms I was in. My eyes were on the super-Sasuke and the blonde that looked so small next to him. It wasn't that I was worried about what Sasuke would do—he wouldn't do anything—but more that he would leave. That the last two says were nothing more than a dream. That he would leave me. I felt my cheeks flame up with worry.
"Dobe," Sasuke greeted. I saw Naruto smile. His smile quickly turned to one of his awkward man-hugs. I smiled. Sasuke's rock-wings began to crumble.
The next pain of arms to have me were Shikamaru's. He put his nose in my hair. "You troublesome woman you made me give my cigarettes up. I should've known you'd come back on your own, with or without Kami's help," he muttered.
Shānnarō—Shika gave up smoking! My eyes were glued to Sasuke and Naruto, who were separated and talking; or, rather, Naruto talking and Sasuke rolling his red eyes. I smiled softly at three of my boys.
Ino was next. "My mission got in the way of my helping the search. It was only when I saw Sasuke being hung and you being attacked, Billboard Brow, that I knew. Just so you know, I just got back!" she complained to me. My smile deepened. "Kami, Forehead, you almost got yourself killed!" I didn't care about that. At least Sasuke didn't die. At least he was alive.
/Sasuke POV/
"Dobe," I greeted the blonde, my voice still stony with the curse. His cheeks spread into that never-changing goofy grin of his. Soon he had me, his arms folding awkwardly around the wings of rock I had. I tried shoving him off, only to see Sakura's pale face watching over the Hyūga heir's shoulder, flushed a scarlet to challenge the color of my eyes, her thick lovely lips pulled up into a heart-wrenching smile. I lost the strength to pull away. If it made her happy, this dobe could hug me all he wanted. I felt the wings crumble a bit.
There was something strange about this curse. I could never deel it coming on, never notice what got me mad enough to change, and yet when it was over, I felt all the new parts of my body.
"What happened?" Naruto's voice asked.
"Hn…"
"Why did you get mad? What happened?" he asked again.
"Hn…"
I could tell he noticed the leftover blood of the gash on Sakura's leg when he said, "Oh…" I nodded silently. "Well—I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to her!" I rolled my eyes. "But no one ver listens to the blondie! 'She's in good hands,' I told them; 'she's fine,' I tell them. But no! Never listen to Naruto!" My eyes rolled again. Once a baka always a baka. "Years—and anger, no doubt—changed you. But you're still an old softie!" He punched my arm, playful as ever. Naruto stumbled over, not expecting the gravely feel to my arm. I smirked. "And we've changed too! You've seen Sakura-chan! I bet she didn't call you 'Sasuke-kun' once!"
My red orbs rolled. "You're right. Not once. Three or four times, in fact," I muttered.
Naruto interupteed that talking to Yamanaka was giving Sakura with a whine, "Aw, Sakura-chan!" He stomped his foot on the ground stubbornly. Sakura laughed her loving laugh. I smirked and yanked her to me.
Where I got the courage, I'll never know. My mouth was at her ear, nibbling on it. Her pink hair covered my mouth. Her cheeks flushed. "I don't share, Sakura." Her blush deepened.
Tsunade, from places unknown (the tower, perhaps), appeared, grabbing my arm. Sakura smile and the curse shattered, returning me to humanity. "C'mon, Uchiha, you got citizenship papers to resign." Her hand reached to Sakura. "And you—good grace, thank Kami you're alive!" She squeezed the girl to her. "The relief!"
We were pulled to the tower office.
/Sakura POV/
Good naturedly, I watched as Sasuke signed the citizenship papers. I was surprised by the soft expression on his beautiful face. He was usually so impatient. He must've been very happy to be home. I'd vet he didn't know how much he missed his home.
The sun was higher in the sky, noon, in fact. The blazing ball of orange felt good only sickly pale skin. Two days of unnoticed starvation had done horrors to my skin. In stead of my pinkish-peach pale, it was grayish-white. Tsunade had made Shizune get me some sushi, so my pink tone was mixing and mingling with the sickly white.
I rolled my kelp-covered fish around my palms before swallowing it whole.
We had a small audience. Everyone had followed us inside, but only two had come inside the office. The rest of had either gone to cuss out the Elders or to the seldom-used waiting room. About half had gone to the cussing spree. Ino, Naruto, Lee and Kiba were in the Elders' office. I could hear them, shouting and cursing. Those four against six old guys were going to reek havoc. A sharp sound echoed in another room, like glass braking. I could imagine a wrinkly person slamming out a window. Neji, Hinata, and Shikamaru were waiting. There was nothing coming from them, other than soft heartbeats and low breathing that I couldn't hear. Kakashi and Itachi had stayed with us. In the background, they were silent shadows.
"And right here," Tsunade said, her fingers pointing to a place on a paper I couldn't see. Sasuke signed it in what was possibly illegible calligraphy. He never had good handwriting. It could've gotten better, though I saw no reason for it to get better. There was no need for Sasuke to use a brush, pen, pencil, or quill with Orochimaru. Unless the bisexual pervert had his top ninja doing deskwork. "All done!"
Tsunade smiled the smile she saved for new villagers and jōnin ninja who'd finished a mission. I guess he was sort of both. "Uchiha Sasuke," she said, formally, as she stood from the chair, toppling over piles of paperwork, which she ignored, "welcome back." Hazel eyes turned to me. I'd been smiling at every signature put and staying quite through it all. I smiled back. "Put me through endless worry, you did!" My smile turned sheepish.
"It wasn't exactly my fault…"
Tsunade grinned. "I know. I blame my ex-teammate. The snake… Speaking of which, isn't he angry with you?" Her eyes widened. "Aw, fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!"
My eyes widened in worry. "What?" Sasuke smirked. Almost as if he knew what had Tsunade cursing like a sailor.
"He's dead," said Sasuke simply.
Oh. That would certainly be the only worry. Gossip was slow spreading. Apparently, the Snake Lord had little to do with his many apprentices. Serves him right! The plans on Kohona and the Sand should've had him dead long ago. But the serpent kept slithering away to safer places. And then he had the graying balls to try and rape me! I should've killed him right then! But no; Sasuke depleted me. Only to have to save me, I guess. His was the first face I saw when I awoke. His and Kabuto's.
During my two days, I'd been with Jūgo and Sasuke most of the time. So, I wondered, who killed him?
Tsunade smiled widly. I'm sure that if Sasuke liked hugs, she would've hugged him. "Who? Why?" she asked, stealing the words right out of my stunned mouth.
Sasuke smirked. I grinned. I knew that smirk; I loved that smirk. I could've hugged him myself. Instead, I wrapped my arms around my body and shivered at Orochimaru's memory. No one needed to know about that, no one other than Sasuke-kun.
"The reason is my own," Sasuke muttered. What was the reason? I'd have to ask him when we were alone. If we ever were alone…
Tsunade nodded somberly. The last time I saw her this sober was when…when…well, never, really. What happened to my drunken sempai? I had a feeling this was a one-time thing.
Something strong wrapped around my waist possessively. I let out a little gasp and the arm pulled away. "I'm—" I put my arm 'round his and pulled it back around my waist.
It was my turn.
I stood up, oblivious to my company, and sat on his lap. It wasn't out of line, right? It was perfectly appropriate. It was totally in line. That was why his lap was so comfortable, why it felt like his lap was made for my body and my body only. That was why I Kakashi gasped. That was why I felt Itachi's smirk and Sasuke's—pleased, I hope—surprise.
Right?
There was nothing to do but move away. I was out of line. It was only after respect that he saved me from Orochimaru; only the fact that he had no goal anymore that he brought me back. They had nothing to do with me.
But before I could get even a millimeter off, I was pulled back on. Kakashi-sensei gasped a bit when Sasuke grabbed my had with both of his. My jade eyes, questioningly, turned to Tsunade, who was looking out the wall-window, trying to mind her own business, but eavesdropping anyway. Two warm lips, so unlike what most people thought of his personality, broke me from Tsunade's curious behavior. A smile broke through my lips when I saw Sasuke kiss my hand.
"Mine," he muttered. I blushed.
So it wasn't respect, or curiosity, or fact that drove both of us to the office today. It was love, to some extent. Or perhaps possessiveness. Either way, I didn't care. We were here, safe and sound, and Sasuke wasn't leaving me—or Naruto and Kakashi—again.
"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," I muttered.
A smirk overcame the lips that still showered my hand in kisses. "That was my line from the very beginning," he uttered, and I knew he was thinking of my pathetic pleas and utterly hopelessness that layered my words four years and two years ago.
"And now it's mine. Thank you, Sasuke-kun, for everything," I repeated.
He layered his face with fake annoyance. "Tch…" I grinned. Tsunade turned.
"So… On to political matters," the hazel eyed Hokage said. I groaned and tried—and failed—to squirm into my chair. Apparently, when he said he didn't share and that I was his, he meant he didn't share with anyone or anything and that I was his and no body, or thing, else's. "The Uchiha manor and village is yours to fill, yours and Itachi's," she sent a meaningful look to the elder Uchiha, "if he wants it. It's been cleaned."
Slowly, as if he wasn't really there, Sasuke nodded. His grip on my waist tightened and his legs under me stiffened at the thought of his family. I understood, to an extent. I would never know what it feels like to have my every loved one slashed out of my young grip by another cherished one. Itachi may had been forgiven but his deed had not been forgotten. "The Elders will give me crap about it, but…whatever. Mean old geezers," Tsunade continued. "That brings us to the villagers. I got them to doubt the Elders they love so much, but they may not be convinced.
"They'll want you under close guard by top ninja. That being said, your 'officers' "—her tone put air quotes on the world—"will be Team Seven. Every now and then, someone else might come." She sounded as if she already had this all planed out. "And that brings us to your renewed citizenship. The villagers won't like it," Tsunade stated simply, as if an obvious and renown fact. "Which means we'll be campaigning. Us against the Elders for the villagers' vote. We'll have to put you both"—she glanced at Itachi, me all but forgotten—"in a preferable light. As a living witness of the Uchihas' generosity, you"—her glance turned to me—"will have to speak.
"To appeal to the heartstrings, you two'll have to place your relationship in public," she said to Sasuke and me. Her eyes appraised our posture. Kakashi stifled a laugh. "Damsel in distress and all that."
I rubbed my forehead, "Politics hurt," I protested.
"Tell me about it!" Tsunade growled. She wagged a long, elegant finger at Kakashi. He stood next to us in seconds. "As the father, you'll have to explain how happy you are to have your baby back."
My green eyes felt stuck on Tsunade and Kakashi's faces. Kakashi's rectangle shape under his mask and Tsunade's wrinkleless heart-shaped face. Father? Kakashi? Why the hell did the two words sound exactly right? Still, I had to stutter, "My-my dad's dea-dead…" Sasuke's grip protectively stiffened.
Curious eyes searched Kakashi's facemask, looking for some hint. Finally the owner of the eyes asked, "You didn't tell her?"
One guilty black eye looked from me to the Hokage. "It didn't seem necessary at the time…," he murmured.
They gave me no hint as to what they were talking about. Sasuke did. "That was why he worried…" grumbled Sasuke.
That was all he said, and he made it click together. My biological parents were dead. But the rent stayed pained and my fridge strangely full. Every time I went shopping, I found out it wasn't needed. When I pained red, they gave me my money back. I always thought it was generosity that kept my paycheck in my hands, but it wasn't. Kakashi, whose living room I woke up in the day after Mom and Dad died, had adopted me. It was Kakashi's will that I hadn't been put in an orphanage.
My voice was small and high pitched when I said, "Oh…" Tsunade nodded, unconcerned. Kakashi, my…father, flashed me a guilty smile that was shown in the crinkle of his eye. He stood closer to me now.
"Anyhoo," Tsunade started again, "Kakashi'll have to thank Sasuke publicly."
"Can do," the silver-haired copy-nin said.
The Hokage nodded. "Furthermore," her uncharacteristically steady voice continued, "the Sand is currently without government. When that gets out, it'll ve an all-out civil war. Are you claiming it?"
Sasuke's voice was strong and sure. He shifted me from one knee to another. The movement was so slight it was barely noticeable. "Who is on the list for Hokage?"
Confused, Tsunade answered, "Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru, and Neji."
I flinched at Neji's name, now more than ever wishing I hadn't given myself to him. Maybe it was a Christmas party and maybe we were drunk, but I should've had the strength to not have fallen under control of my hormones. Neji wasn't good with alcohol.
"I'll give it up under one condition," he stated. I stole a peek at him. The planes of his face were at a perfect tanned edge; he meant business. "Naruto's the next Hokage."
I hated him so, so much. Every time I thought my love for him couldn't get any bigger of more pathetic, he went and did something like this. Something so compassionate and caring that it made the last four years seem like nothing but a bad nightmare. Went and fulfilled someone's dreams indirectly. Went and reminded me why I loved him so much. When and made me fall for him over and over again, tenfold.
"Sure. My pleasure. The baka's going to love you."
I smiled at Sasuke. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw me. He smirked his heart-melting smirk at me. I felt myself turn to putty in his arms.
"Dismissed," the Hokage said, her tone official. "Go away. I need my sake." She turned her chin to the door. "Shizune!" The atmosphere calmed and she sounded more like herself. "Politics are horrible things." Couldn't say I didn't agree. I stood off Sasuke's lap. I could not be happier to stretch my legs. Sasuke and Itachi, silent in the background, followed my lead. Kakashi had already speeded out the door.
The three ninja stood soon as we stepped out the door. Quiet, they waited for a verdict. Itachi gave it as Sasuke pulled me around the corner. "We're going away," his velvet tone said, "out of the public eye." Sasuke's forehead rested on mine. "I'm going to be selfish. No one gets to see, smell or talk to you today, other than me and Team Seven." His dark bangs fell to my face. His tanned lips touched mine. For a second, his lips were on mine, twisting, exploring, and he pulled away. I worried. Had I done something wrong? Then his lips crushed on mine, a force as inescapable as his chidori. My lips moved with his, needy. Sasuke's lips were so warm, so tasty. Like cinnamon, or vanilla, or chocolate—there was no way to describe his taste. Like his smell, it couldn't be pinned. Musky and sweet and sour, and just…him.
He pulled away for breath. From the breath he breathed in, he sighed, "I love you."
I blinked. Could I have heard right? Love? Sill shocked, I answered, "I love you, Sasuke-kun." I had no doubt in my mind that I would've given him the three words he wanted, whether I was dead or alive. Could he mean it? Could he love me?
I let myself believe it, for my own happiness.
Sasuke closed his eyes and smirked. "I've had you in my sight for three days and I'm still not tired of your face. What do you have to say for yourself?"
One of my eyebrows lifted and the other pushed down as I frowned. What kind of question was that? "I'm never tiered of yours," I told him.
He chuckled; it was a low, throaty sound. "You're Sakura. You're not supposed to," he muttered. I smiled. I was Sakura, the girl who was unconditionally and completely in love with Uchiha Sasuke; I wasn't supposed to get tiered of his face. And I didn't. "Itachi's staying at the manor tonight," Sasuke told me. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you leave me today, or any other day, for that matter. Kakashi'll want to babysit. Naruto's going to bother the shit out of us with retarded questions. It'll be Team Seven, reunited."
"Team Seven," I agreed.
/Author's Note/
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