Remember!: I do not own Naruto or its characters.
Enjoy!
Gomen for any errors! D:
Still passing holding his pensive look, Neji continued to walk slowly to Tsunade's office. From what he could tell there wasn't much urgency to get to her; they both seemed quiet fond of each other. His mind went back to how the girl, Sakura apparently, was tightly holding on to his arm.
Usually anyone, usually a girl, tried to hold him or any part of him, he would immediately shove them off. To him close contact was a distraction, that's how it had always been. Itachi was the same. But now, a girl, living nonetheless, managed to get passed the barrier the Uchiha had set up around himself for the past thirteen years that he's known of him.
He knew he was close to Tsunade's office by the way the pavement became smooth, no longer was he stepping small pebbles that were constantly spread across the ground. His eyes still lingered on the ground.
The girl is living, his inner voice kept repeating over and over. Yes, that was why he was going straight to Tsuande she would know the consequences of this. After all, the girls whole body was here, not just her spirit, if it was just that then there wouldn't be much of a problem since spirits cross over to different worlds constantly, especially when they're sleeping However right now, Sakura is awake. The fact that she was even in one piece right now was surprising to him. The speed from which a Reaper is transferred into the world of the living and back is to fast for any particles to actually stay put.
Spirit's molecules are constantly moving allowing them to assume the position of an intangible ghost. So even when the Uchiha became a solid human for that day, he would still be able to convert back into a spirit afterwards, his forehead creased in a frown; not even Shikamaru understood that whole concept, but it was still true.
Finally reaching the office of Tsunade, Neji straightened up before quickening his steps into the small building.
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While the Hyuga had a perfect idea of where to find his person, Shikamaru Nara had no clue.
Kakashi wasn't one who would stay around in his house all day or night he should say. Well yeah during the day he would sleep off after just an hour of reading his favorite book; anyone here can pretty much guess the contents of the small orange book. But, to ease his mind he had went over to the older man's house to confirm that it was vacant. Now the more annoying task of finding him.
He let out a tired sigh; he would prefer to be Naruto right now, at least he knew where Itachi was going to come back from and didn't have to look for him. Then again, he wouldn't want to be the one that has to face Itachi's wrath when he found out about this.
For now the boy had this eyes constantly flickering around every corner he passed. The grey haired man usually was able to sense whenever someone was looking for him, and usually would appear right behind them the next second. Shikamaru was prepared for that, or he thought he was.
Turning right, he never expected to bump right into Kakashi's chest as he stood over him.
Sharing the same lame stare he sighed, "Sasuke did do something didn't he?"
Shaking off the small amount of fear that came to him the teen nodded, "I wouldn't really say it's bad though, I mean," his brows crease into a frown, "Unless it poses a problem later on."
Kakashi let out another sigh and motioned for the Nara boy to lead the way back to the Uchiha's house, "Now explain, what exactly happened?"
"A girl followed, or tagged along with Sasuke as he was returning," he said simply.
"Returning? So he did leave with Naruto's watch," he said trying to hide the fact that he had already suspected such things from Sasuke.
Shikamaru nodded, "Yup," He noticed how Kakashi wore a frown on his face and his gaze was directed on the ground, "Has something like this happened before?"
He wasn't really expecting a response, so it shocked him a little when he nodded slowly, "About thirty years ago," he said glumly, "She's probably dead by now," he muttered almost to himself.
Not knowing really how to respond to that the boy continued to look forward. Along the way he would eventually glance to the side and see the man still looking a bit lost his own head.
Hmmm…
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Naruto continued to stare sleepily at the transferring site where Itachi had gone through, Any second now, he kept repeating over and over again in his head. Even if Itachi's watch was messing up, he doubted that it would take this long for him to fix it. He rolled onto his back, already feeling too bored with the waiting. He rather be moving than just sitting there.
He twiddled with his thumbs for a bit, thumb wrestling with himself, then counting how long he can last without blinking,
At the ten count he finally had enough, "This is unbearable!" he complained.
"What is?" He heard a deep voice from above him say.
Looking up he met the shadowed face of Itachi Uchiha. And just one glance at him, you can tell that he wasn't in the most pleasant of moods.
"Heh, what up Itachi," he tried to force a grin on his face, "What took you so long?"
Itachi glared, "Where's my brother?" he replied ignoring his question.
"He should be at your house, he just told me to wait for you."
He gave the blonde a stiff nod and went on his way; Naruto quickly scurried to his feet and followed after the still glaring Uchiha.
"Did you inform Tsunade of the problem?" He said, still looking forward.
Naruto nodded, "And Kakashi hopefully they'll already be there."
Itachi nodded to himself, "Did Sasuke tell you to inform them?"
"Yeah."
"At least he knows when something is an actual problem."
"He knows that already," he muttered, "You should him better than anyone. And if you do you should know that he never meant for anything to really happen."
"I wouldn't have minded if all this happened," he said his eyes never taking a glance at the boy beside him, "But then I found out what could happen to him," his fists clenched tightly together, "I won't let my brother's soul be damned to hell."
Naruto stared in admiration at the Uchiha beside him. He didn't need to proven to that Itachi did care about his younger brother; anyone who was in Erolith for at least a month would be able to tell that, they were almost inseparable. Well they were until all this happened.
"At what cost though?"
At this Itachi finally turned to face Naruto, "What do you mean?"
"You're smart Itachi," he said with a grin, "You could tell that Sasuke was happy with Sakura down there. And as far as I'm concerned Sasuke's not really a kid anymore, he can take care of himself," He lifted his own head to meet Itachi's stare, "Tsunade gave him a week at most in the World of the Living; you gave him a day."
Itachi's downcast his eyes to the ground, he knew since the beginning that he might have overreacted with the days that he would've been allowed to be in the world of the living.
"So you expect me to just let my brother wander freely among the living until he has about a minute left before he's dragged to hell?" he said bitterly.
"Not too close to the line," Naruto replied facing forward, "At least a day or two before he has to come back though seems reasonable."
Itachi let out a humorless chuckle, "And that would fix everything right?"
"Please," Naruto laughed, "I'm not even that much of an idiot to believe that… but it's a start."
He let out an exhausted sigh, "Let me fix this problem before I try to give my brother more freedom."
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"There's still a chance, Karin," the orange masked man spoke to her.
She stood still as hell's demons continued to skin her, her pulsing muscles and veins out in the open, "Explain."
"I can only exit hell and into other worlds if something that's not supposed to be in that world is," he explained taking a seat on the burning rocks that covered the ground.
"You've told me that already," she said impatiently as the demons went on to remove her remaining layers of muscle, "How is that going to get me close to my Sasuke-kun!"
The man chuckled, "Listen and you will see," he touched the oozing blood that was constantly escaping her body, "I'm more able to get out of hell during the Night, since those Reapers are out in the human world, as well as some of these demons that exist here. When Sasuke was kept in the human world it gave me a better gateway in that world, but he wasn't there fully, just his spirit that had solidified."
"And? Is Sasuke back into the Human world again?" she asked with the demons now pealing the remaining flesh on her head, leaving behind a bloody skull.
"Even better," he said smiling under his mask, "It appears a living girl has entered the realm of the Reapers," he examined the thick blood on his fingers, "Her spirit and body is in that world, giving me more than enough str-"
"Wait!" he interrupted, "A girl? Why would a girl be there?" she almost screeched.
His smile under his mask increase, which was apparent in his voice, "It seems that your little Sasuke-kun has gotten himself a new admirer."
If she had her muscles she would be glaring madly at the man before her, but her hate was easily seen through her eyes, "Who is she?" she shouted.
"Don't really see how it matters, you don't know her."
"I don't care!" she screeched, "No one is going to get close to my – listen – my Sasuke-kun!"
His one visible eye that showed how much it amused him to see the red-head fuming, "I could care less of who is near my nephew," his eyes went back to his still blood stained fingers, "I just need a way to get close to the older one."
"Well then this is perfect then isn't it?" she said, slowly gathering her flesh into her bone arm, "Now that the girl is in Erolith, I can get rid of her and you can get Itachi, it all works."
He didn't respond to that, the only reason he need the lunatic's help was so she could provide a distraction for the others while he went to get his prized nephew.
It was just a matter of time.
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"Sakura please," Sasuke held his head in frustration.
"Why don't you want me to say anything?" she mumbled softly against his hand that was still lightly over her mouth.
He backed away from her pleading eyes, "Its not… appropriate… at all," he muttered.
Her face fell in a frown, "What do you mean?"
There was no way to explain this without getting personal, "I'm… not right for you, Sakura," her eyes saddened at those words, "I'm not from your time, I'm dead. That night, you weren't supposed to see me. After that I wasn't supposed to have you in my head," he admitted, slowly sinking to the ground beside his bed.
"Sasu-"
"Even more wrong," he quickly interrupted, "when I found out who your dad was, you could only imagine how turned over my head was when I found out your dad was my best friend in high school," he didn't bother looking up when he heard her gasp, the shock was obvious.
"How long… have you…" she started not knowing how to phrase it.
"Been dead?" he finished, "For twenty years, Sakura," he said his lips playing with a humorless smirk, "You see what I'm telling you now? It would've never worked out."
She stayed silent so he continued, "You need to go with someone you can see all the time," his hands clenched even tighter together, "Like that Kiba or Gaara that you're friends with, really anyone livin-"
"Stop it," she said suddenly.
Sasuke didn't bother looking up; he could already clearly see her furious face turned towards him. He didn't mean anything he said, except for the fact that she did need someone of her own time, someone who was alive when she was, not someone that would've been her Uncle Sasuke if he had been alive.
"Stop saying stuff like that, it won't change anything," her voice was determined, "Even if you're my father's best friend… that's not important!" she yelled at him, her eyes tightly closed.
"Its very much important!" he countered back, his head still bowed down, "That breaks more rules than being dead and…"
"Stop using that as an excuse Sasuke!" she finally shouted, causing his eyes to widened despite them still facing the ground, "I don't care that you're dead," she spoke softly, "I don't care that you're way older than me, technically, and I really don't care that you're my dad's best friend," she finally opening her eyes, revealing her glossy green orbs, "Are you that afraid to be with me."
Was it fear? He hadn't really been in a relationship that he could remember. He didn't like people living or those that were in Erolith, but then she came; it made him curious. Nothing had really gotten his attention his whole stay here in Reaper realm. But she, Sakura Haruno, had suddenly appeared in his afterlife, corrupted his whole mind with constant images of her smiling face, her glowing green eyes… it got on his nerves, but in a good way. Her blushing face whenever he got too close to her, it was just something about her. But then, he knew it would never work out. Her being able to see him was all by chance, a chance that had actually put her in danger. There was a reason why reapers were supposed to kill whoever they were assigned to. Anyone else who they made contact with was to be blessed by dropping a piece of their hair on top of their head; it ensured that no Demon would come near them. After all they left their presence behind.
And that's what scared him the most that she would've gotten hurt because of him.
Slowly he raised his head meeting her patient gaze, "Maybe even more."
Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't want to take seriously that last phrase, there was no reason why he should be afraid, if anything she should be afraid to be with him; all she wanted was to be with him. But once her eyes meet his, she saw the sincerity of his words, those glossy black pools in the center of his slightly widened eyes. His eyes showed his fear, but it wasn't more for him; it was fear for her.
Her face relaxed as she felt sympathy towards Sasuke, he worried about her; that was the only thing wrong here…
Taking slow steps towards him, his eyes following her, she gently put her arms around his neck, pushing his head to the crook of her neck. She felt him stiffen slightly before hesitantly returning her warm embrace.
Ira: Ok so my excuse this time is that... i am... sick.
Sasuke: Its disgusting. -.-
Ira: Yes thank you! ugh, no sympathy.
Sasuke: Whatever... Where's Sakura again?
Ira: She's hugging you stupid don't you remember?
Sasuke: *looks around him* the heck! why! *examines her closely* Why isn't she speaking?
Ira: Let's face it, in real life we all like her better this way.
Sasuke: Ah... Review to Get. Her. Off. Me!