A/N: I'm glad I could update this soon. I really enjoy writing this.
I don't have much else to say, except, enjoy.
Chapter Stats
Rating: PG-13 for mild sexual content
Pairings: SasuSaku, slight NaruSaku
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Chapter Eleven: Weakness
You know that sinking feeling you get when you're falling asleep, and you're just about there, but suddenly something startles you and the ground is sucked out from under you? Your heart drops and you have the urge to flail around and try to catch yourself from falling, even though you haven't left your place on the bed. And when the feeling of descent passes, you're left with a sense of disorientation.
That feeling?
That's what I felt like when Sakura confirmed my greatest fear.
"You… still love… Sasuke?" Naruto said breathlessly. His arms, which had been waving in the air just moments before, hung uselessly at his sides. He slouched back into the cushions of the couch, eyes wide and features shocked.
"I do, Naruto…" Sakura kept a serious gaze on the blonde boy. "I love him with all of my heart… and I guess I always have."
"I…" The shock slowly faded into an expression of sadistic amusement. "I could never keep up with that teme…"
Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Sakura bit her lip. "Naruto… I'm so sorry…"
He only laughed harshly. "I knew this was going to happen someday." He turned his head to look at her for the first time since her confession. "Does he love you too? I bet he does…"
"Naruto…" I have to hold back the tears… "That's why I'm going to allow him to die."
The boy shook his head, but his face still showed a twisted emotion. "Why would you do that? You two are in love…"
"He's done so much wrong… and for doing this to you…" A tear rolled down her cheek unnoticed. "…I should be put to death too…"
"No, teme always wins. Why would you break his winning streak? Nobody ever does that…"
Is he delirious?"Naruto… I want to know what you think I should do, as my best friend." His face did not soften. "If you want me to stay with you, I will. I care about you…"
The hard expression finally shattered when the Kyuubi vessel broke down into tears. Sakura, now crying herself, pulled him into her embrace, letting him sob into her shoulder.
How could I do this to everyone?
"S-sakura…" he murmured through his sniveling. "I want you… to be happy…"
Her tears dried up soon enough, but he still cried.
"No, Naruto… what's important is your happiness, for once." She stroked his back with a shaking hand. "Don't… don't worry about me. If you're happy, I'm happy."
He looked up at her with watery blue eyes. "You're lying… Sakura-chan."
"No--"
"Please… be with Sasuke."
I'm not so sure what I should be feeling right now… but the only feeling coursing through my veins right now… is something like anger.
As this boy sobs in front of me, telling me to leave him for his best friend, refusing to stand up for himself even when prompted to… I want to scream. I want to yell at him, tell him to fight for me… keep me…
I'm tired of being handled with care… like I'm a weakling…
Sasuke can give me this roughness… this sense of danger… Naruto can't. He won't.
"I can take care of myself, Naruto," she said, an edge apparent in her suddenly strong voice. She pulled away from him. "I'm making the decision myself. I'm putting Uchiha Sasuke to death, and when that's done I'll work things out with you."
He watched her with wide eyes. "Now, let's go to bed. We have a busy day ahead of us."
Naruto complied silently.
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It was three AM, and Sakura's blood was pumping. Assuming the blonde was asleep, she hurriedly dressed herself, threw on a midnight black cloak that once belonged to the last Uchiha, and departed stealthily.
Naruto felt another wave of sorrow flood over him.
Sakura… where are you going so late?
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I can live without him. I don't need him.
I'll just keep telling myself that.
As she approached the Hokage tower, its top obscured by night and bottom glowing only with two feeble flames, a feverish feeling began to swim through her veins.
I don't know what to do...
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SNORE.
Sasuke massaged his temples, thanking the darkness for obscuring his current condition as he lie on his back in the dirty cell.
I love her… I really do love her… I've never felt like this before. It's… strange.
SNORE.
I wish that I could start over and be a normal guy… and have a normal relationship: take her out to dinner, buy her flowers…
These things that Naruto can do for her that I never can offer…
I only hope that—
SNORE!
I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!
He sat up and furiously thrust a hand through the bars of his cell and aimed a finger at the cell beside him.
"I NEED SILENCE, BASTARD!" He shot a particularly violent streak of Chidori current at his snoring jail-mate, who immediately went quiet.
"I hope you're dead over there, for your own sake!" he hissed.
"Sasuke… quiet…" A fine voice from the black abyss startled the Uchiha, who had been so deeply lost in his thoughts that he had not picked up on her chakra.
"Sakura?" Sasuke activated his Sharingan and was able to see the kunoichi clearly. "What are you doing here?"
"Shh… keep your voice down…" A black cloak with the Uchiha symbol embroidered on the front adorned her figure.
"Why are you here so late?" he whispered.
Click.
"Sakura, what are you doing?"
The cell door screeched open and closed again, and he could see her stumbling around, searching for him.
"Go home to Naruto, Sakura…"
She used his voice to guide her, and she came closer and closer.
"He can give you anything you want…"
Still, she didn't stop.
"He can make you hap--" Sasuke was cut off by the impact of her body into his. She sat on his legs, straddling them.
"No, only you can do that…" A soft hand stroked his pitch black hair.
His eyes were wide in surprise at her sudden boldness, though she couldn't see it in the dark. "Sakura…"
He could hear her chuckle lightly. "You're the last person I would have expected to treat me like I'm fragile." Her movement ceased and nails dug into his scalp. "I'm not fragile anymore, Sasuke-kun."
She pushed her body up against his, making sure every inch touched as she pushed him down onto the floor. The Uchiha didn't struggle.
"Please… don't hold back tonight…"
Her lips smashed against his in a bruising kiss of tongue, teeth, and claws.
Love me dangerously…
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Tsunade was abruptly awoken by a loud knock at her door. She jerked her head off of her desk and snapped her eyes open, only to wince them shut again.
Goddamnit!
"What the hell!" she growled. "It's early yet!"
"T-tsunade-sama! It… it's of the utmost importance!" Shizune's voice announced loudly through the door.
The Hokage got to her feet, staggered to the office door, and slammed it open. "Ugh! What?"
Shizune looked traumatized. "There's something you need to see…"
Tsunade leaned lazily on the doorframe. "Well?"
Her assistant shook her head. "You have to see this for yourself."
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Tsunade was led down through a few flights of stairs and into a familiar dank jail room. Shizune walked dazedly to the third cell down and gestured towards it while keeping her gaze averted.
Uchiha Sasuke's
cell? What now?
The bars of the cell were covered by a spread-out jet black cloak, a familiar fan symbol gracing its center, that had been hung from the inside of the cell as to hide away the contents.
The Godaime hesitantly unlocked the cell door and leaned around the bars.
The sight of Sasuke and Sakura's sleeping, stark naked forms, with Sasuke leaning against the wall with his legs up and Sakura against his chest, her arms wrapped around his neck and his wrapped around her back, greeted her tired eyes. Clothes belonging to both ninja, some shredded, were strewn about the small room every which way, some even making it to the toilet. Blood was spattered on the walls and floor, one such place appearing to be in the shape of handprints.
"Shishou…"
Tsunade jumped in surprise, and whirled her sight back to the lovers, who were both looking at her with half-lidded eyes.
"I've made my decision…" Sakura murmured, her head turned and leaning against Sasuke's neck.
She gazed at her student with almost condescending eyes. "And?"
"Sasuke-kun is to be put to death."
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A/N: You don't know what's going to happen next. I promise. : )
