Sakura shivered, wrapping a scraggly blanket around herself. The shirt she wore was soaked through and her bare legs were as cold as ice. She curled into a small ball, rubbing her goose bumped legs furiously, trying to warm them up. Tobirama was stooped by the hori-gotatsu attempting to light the charcoal in the pit, the match refusing to spark into life in his slick wet hands. His hair was plastered to his face, dripping softly on the floor.
"So who was out there with you?" Sakura finally managed to work up the courage to ask.
She'd not spoken to him since he'd extracted her from the tangle of ropes she'd managed to get caught in. It had been really very nice of him to try and make using the bathroom easier for her (and to think of her privacy), it was a shame he hadn't accounted for her innate clumsiness and propensity for embarrassing disaster. By the time he'd freed her from the rope web, torrents of rain were flooding down from the angry skies above. They'd gotten rather "damp" on their return journey back to his quarters.
"My brother."
"You have a brother?" She asked automatically, cursing herself after it slipped out her mouth – such a redundant question.
"Mm." He replied unhelpfully – obviously paying little head to her query.
"Where is he now?"
Tobirama paused as the charcoal finally lit, appreciatively holding his hands close to the heat for a moment, slowly rubbing them together. He straightened and threw a large cover over the structure and set about arranging two neat piles of blankets of either side. He then moved back over to her, long legs striding across the room with his feline grace.
"I… sent him home." He said finally, rubbing his head and frowning at some private thought.
"Oh."
Sakura didn't pry. Tobirama wasn't the sharing type really and she supposed since she had nothing to tell him, he wasn't exactly obliged to fill her in on his own personal life.
"Would you like me to move you closer to the heat?" Tobirama asked her politely. Sakura was slightly taken aback that he'd asked, she'd grown used to him hauling her about without permission. She nodded shyly, grateful for his thoughtfulness.
He relocated her to the hori-gotatsu and lay her carefully near the edge of the pit, he started to tuck the blanket over her. His large hands were gentle and tentative as he ensured she was comfortable. When his fingers accidently prodded her sodden shirt he recoiled slightly, scowling.
"You should probably change. You'll get ill in that thing." He spat the last word distastefully. She defensively fingered the shirt she'd been given. Sakura had actually grown quite fond of it, despite its original owner exuding such malice after he'd given it to her.
"If I take it off, you're not going to throw my shirt away are you?" She suspiciously asked.
He ignored her question and gave her a handful of berries from a small pot that he'd filled on his earlier excursion. She crammed them all into her mouth at once, munching happily despite his scandalized tutting.
"You can wear my spare one." Tobirama informed her authoritatively. Sakura chose to take his order as a nice gesture, too cold and wet to chide him about his arrogant attitude.
"That'd be nice, thank you."
After rummaging in his pack, he pulled a large dark green top out and proffered it to her. She took the warm thick material gratefully and began to pull the Uchiha's damp shirt off. Sakura paused as she noticed Tobirama freeze awkwardly in her peripheral vision. She waited patiently for him to recover and turn away jerkily, kindly electing not to comment on his scarlet face.
"One minute you're stripping me and the next you're a blushing maid." She shook her head exasperated by his odd behaviour.
Peeling off the Uchiha shirt and pulling on Tobirama's warm one, Sakura sighed happily. She snuggled into the scratchy fabric, which hung awkwardly on her small frame. The sleeves dangled comically, making her look like a child playing dress up. She flapped arm experimentally like a baby bird trying to take off and giggled to herself.
"I'm decent." She informed him.
Tobirama turned back around and regarded her flapping arm apathetically. He dodged her flailing limb and cautiously picked up her sodden discarded garment, regarding it with distinct suspicion. He held it away from his body, at arms' length as if it carried some terrible disease.
"Don't you dare throw that away." She warned him, shaking her finger accusingly at him through the floppy sleeve.
"But you can have my shirt." Tobirama reasoned stubbornly.
"You'll want this one back eventually. And even if you let me keep it, I'll need more than one shirt. That'll be fine when it dries out."
He glowered at the offending item but compliantly strung it up with his ninja wire to dry in the farthest corner of the room.
"It's not diseased you know." Sakura sniggered.
He muttered something darkly under his breath and shuffled back over to her. Tucking his legs under the blanket he sat himself down on the opposite side of the table to her. She watched him politely nibble on a few berries of his own.
"Aren't you going to get changed?" She asked.
"I don't have anything else dry."
"Well take this back, I'll be fine wrapped in a blanket. You can't stay in those wet clothes."
Sakura was sure she could see a pink tinge creep onto his pale cheeks. Tobirama mulishly stared at floor, dripping slightly.
"That would be inappropriate."
"Oh come on," She rolled her eyes, this man and his double standards… "I'll be covered up, it'll probably cover more of me than your shirt does."
"I'm not even cold." He told her obstinately.
She looked at him scathingly but his face was set with idiotic determination.
"Well take your clothes off at least."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You'll freeze in those, take them off and wear the blanket until you dry."
He remained where he was, scowling at anything but her. His hands played with the edges of the blanket nervously.
"Come on Tobi, you'll get ill."
"You will address me as Tobirama. And I'll be fine." He barked, his fidgeting becoming more of a compulsive twitch.
Sakura laughed but covered her mouth as he shot an evil look in her direction. She chided herself - she had to remember he wasn't good at being the source of amusement; he had a sensitive ego. Sakura tried to pretend she hadn't heard his derisive tone (and that she hadn't found it funny) and blinked pleadingly up at him, hoping her eyelashes looked somewhat enchanting. She attempted to look saccharine in an effort to make him see sense.
"But Tobi, why don't you at least take your shirt off, it's not good to get a cold chest. I'm worried you'll get ill."
His eyebrow twitched upward and his jaw set rigidly. He subconsciously twisted the blanket in his fingers.
Sakura sighed dramatically, sugary-sweet obviously didn't work on boys like him. She changed her tone, eyes pointedly staring at his hands.
"What you afraid to show a little skin?"
When he realised he was wringing the cloth like a stressed house-wife he dropped it as if it were hot and petulantly crossed his arms, stuffing his hands firmly into his armpits. If she hadn't known him, she'd say he was almost pouting.
"I won't look whilst you undress, I promise." She winked up at him from her sprawling position on the floor.
Tobirama remained pigheadedly mute but Sakura continued to badger him, making little jibes about his prudishness and hypocriticalness, until he eventually began to undo the straps of his armour. He wrenched it over his head and wriggled out of his wet shirt. Crankily he stood, strode across the room and hung it as far away from the Uchiha shirt as possible.
Sakura broke her promise to him, she did look as he undressed… well, stared…
"Mmm…" She was having a fun evening.
He tore back to the side of the pit and stood across from her, eyes flashing dangerously - challenging her to laugh. The lithe muscles in his shoulders were tensed in irritation and his body was deliciously slick with rain. Sakura appreciatively took in his naked torso, letting her gaze linger cockily, as she gave him a slow once over.
"Don't like it when it's you getting this look, do you?" Sakura smirked to herself, revelling as she watched his face turn from very annoyed to slightly uncomfortable.
"Will you shut up now?" He snapped heatedly. But there had been too long a delay between her last words and his – his annoyed utterance had little effect but to make her raise her own eyebrow and smirk smugly.
Sakura watched the fury bubble up inside him and nonplussed, she grinned at him cheekily but pretended to zip up her mouth to appease him. She managed to withhold her incredulous comments as he re-armoured himself despite his lack of under shirt – the poor lamb had looked a little self-conscious as her eyes had travelled across his chest and Sakura felt a bit bad for teasing him.
Plonking himself down and pulling the blanket over his body, Tobirama turned away from her, facing the outer wall of his room. His armour squeaked as he tried to settle in a comfortable position. Sakura let him sulk, he'd had a long day after all. She allowed herself enjoy the heat from the charcoal as it warmed Sakura's chilly body. Appreciatively the girl nuzzled into the blankets he'd laid down for pleasant temperature made her dozy and her thoughts muzzy.
It was a cool night, wind rustled through the trees. The world was deceptively calm, Sakura could feel the tension in the air, heavy like smog. She was restless, she knew tonight was the night he'd finally make a move.
She waited, lurking on the empty streets, hoping that she was wrong.
Her heart dropped as she heard footsteps approaching, moving toward the main gate.
Sakura loitered in the tree line until she was sure it was him. Moving out from the shadows she stood in his path.
Her eyes automatically travelled to the backpack he wore, confirming her worst fears.
His dark figure continued to approach, unfazed by her appearance. He stopped a few feet in front of her, obsidian eyes regarding her coldly.
"Why are you prowling around here in the middle of the night?" His deep voice sounded mildly irritated but not surprised.
"I knew you'd come this way… If you were to leave… So I just waited here…" She swallowed nervously.
"Get out of here and go back to sleep…"
He'd never had a problem telling her what to do or pushing her away.
Closing his dark eyes, he resumed his steady pace, walking past her as if what he was about to do wasn't a big deal.
Sakura felt her lip tremble, tears hopelessly spilt from her eyes. She wished they wouldn't. He hated it when she was weak.
She turned, unable to let him just leave and abandon them like they meant nothing to him.
Sakura knew the boy was hurting and she could help, if he'd just open up to her.
"Why won't you say anything to me? Why do you always keep so quiet? You never say a single word to me…"
"I told you: I don't need your help." He cut her off sharply, he tone low and dangerous "Don't try to look after me…"
His words stung but he had come to a halt. Sakura smiled bitterly, trying to figure out what she could do to make him understand; to let him know they'd always be there for him. That she'd always be there for him… even if he didn't want it.
"No matter what, you just always hate me don't you…?" She winced at her own words, just because she could recognize and accept the truth of them didn't mean it didn't hurt her to say them out loud "You remember don't you?"
He was silent but he remained stationary, listening.
"When we became genins, the day when our three-man team was first decided. The first time we were by ourselves you were so mad at me…"
Memories of her humiliation and his anger, clouded her mind. She'd been so confused and so ashamed, scolded by the boy who meant everything to her for running her mouth thoughtlessly. It was funny, when he'd told her she was annoying, it'd broken her heart at the time but now it was one of her fondest memories of him.
The boy broke their silence, wiping her sad smile from her tear streaked face.
"I don't remember that."
Her stomach turned, she felt sick. Of course he wouldn't remember, just another example of how little she meant to him. Just another time she irritated him amongst hundreds much like it. Sakura tried to shrug it off, ploughing onwards with her attempt to make him stay. She tried to laugh breezily but it sounded closer to sobbing.
"Yeah, I guess you're right… That's all in the past huh?"
She didn't expect him to answer and he didn't.
"That's when it all began though. You, me, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei… We did all sorts of missions, just the four of us. It was painful and difficult at times, even with that though… I still enjoyed it."
His silence was oppressive. Sakura kept going, hoping he was taking it all in and reconsidering his choice to leave.
"I know all about your past Sasuke" The name rolled off her tongue as if she'd said it a thousand times. "Even if you get revenge, it won't bring anyone happiness. Not even you, Sasuke… nor me…"
"I already know."
She jumped, her heart hammered. Perhaps she'd been wrong. He'd never really leave them would he? They were a family, they needed each other.
"I'm different from you all…"
Sakura shot up. Her wound on her side flared agonisingly and she gasped in pain, dropping back onto the blankets. The dream had been awful. Sure she'd just been talking and for once she hadn't been attacked or hurt but it had been awful none the less. She felt uneasy and sick, her stomach churned unpleasantly.
"I really hope that wasn't a memory… I feel like shit."
Something about the boy's dark eyes spoke to her. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread that clung to her like a thick slime that she couldn't scrub away.
Sakura lay on her back, staring unseeingly at the ceiling in the pitch black room. Her skin was sticky with perspiration, though she wasn't hot. Pathetically she sniffled, trying to get a hold of her tumultuous emotions.
From the other side of the hori-gotatsu Tobirama's armour rattled softly. It took her a moment to realise the sound was caused by his shivering. She growled, forgetting her nightmares; the stupid man was so incredibly obstinate. He should have just done as she said. Attempting to block the sound out, she stuffed the top of the blanket around her head.
She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to fall back asleep. Behind her eyelids, images of the raven haired boy played in her mind his cold eyes regarding her apathetically. She groaned, not only was the dream keeping her awake but the gentle clanking of tremoring metal still managed to permeate her blanket barrier.
"Stupid stubborn fool." Sakura muttered to herself.
Unable to tolerate the annoying rattle and ignoring her painful side, she turned herself over and began to crawl over to Tobirama. His teeth chattered in his sleep and he was snoring quietly. Sakura lifted the blanket that covered him and he awoke with a start. She could just about make out his blearily blinking eyes in the darkness.
"What are you doing?" He mumbled sleepily, sounding surprised but not angry.
"Shut up." She told him crankily as she crawled under the blanket with him. If he wasn't going to help himself, she'd share her body heat to stop that infernal clatter of metal. His trousers were still soggy from the rain and she hissed when his cold armour touched her bare thigh as she scrambled in.
She maneuverer his upper arm, holding it out the way as she settled her head on his other bicep, using it as a pillow. His skin was cool under her cheek and Sakura wondered how he'd even managed to sleep being so chilly. When she had made herself as comfy as she could, she wrapped the free arm around her waist, cuddling his wrist against her chest. Despite the unpleasant dampness of his trousers, she reached down and pulled his knees under her bottom as if she were sat on them. Tobirama's limbs were stiff and resistant to manipulate but he didn't comment, he just reluctantly allowed her to mould him around herself.
"There, now maybe you'll stop shivering like a wet dog." She scolded.
"I wasn't aware I was." He replied quietly, warm breath tickling her neck.
"Well you were. And if you had any sense you'd take that stupid metal off." Sakura retorted snappily.
"Hmm…" He mumbled, the sound reverberated through his armour and into her back, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention.
"You haven't got any sense though, have you? Stupid prude." She goaded, only to be met by stunned silence.
For a long while he lay rigidly behind her. She angrily wriggled around a bit but eventually settled into a comfortable position. She spent the next hour mostly dozing, feeling strangely contented by his presence. It gave her something else to think about instead of her disturbing dream. Sakura's breathing evened out becoming slower, more sleep like as she grew used to his proximity. As she was about to drop off, she felt him relax behind her.
She nearly jumped out of her skin as he tentatively nuzzled his face against the nape of her neck, his broad chest heaving with a hefty sigh.
Hashirama glanced up from the scroll he was reading as his old house keeper bustled into his tent, folded clothes piled high in her arms. He hurriedly pulled himself to his feet and attempted to take the unstable tower of garments from her but she evaded him with a swiftness that should have only been reserved for shinobi.
"Oh no you don't. Your hands are filthy! I only just washed these!" She scolded, frowning at him from behind the stack.
"But Runa-san, I was only trying to help…"
"Stop your whining, you're a grown man. Now get out my way so I can put these away."
He stepped aside to allow the tiny woman access to his travel chests. Hashirama, attempted to flick one open with his foot to help her out but she booted him in the shin, opening it herself.
"Don't need your help. I'm not an invalid."
His eyes watered and he winced, rubbing his sore leg. Her skills were unfathomable, fastest kick in the country. He watched her, perfectly balancing the precarious load in one hand whilst stooping to open the ludicrously heavy lid of his wooden trunk with the other – all the while her eyes shooting daggers at him. The woman had the poise of a sage and was as merciless as an assassin, she would have been formidable if she'd turned her attentions to the ninja world. Luckily for the shinobi-kind she'd kept to the more traditional occupation of housekeeping.
"Where's young Tobirama-kun then?" She inquired when she was done reverentially arranging his freshly cleaned clothes in the trunk.
"Ahhh Runa-san, he may be some time…" Hashirama grinned.
Images of his little brother's wonderfully embarrassed face filled his mind. Tobirama had turned such a delightful shade of fuchsia when his lady friend had called out to him. It was so unlike his baby brother to pay any attention to women and to be caught in the act – oh Hashirama had been so thrilled to have been able to bear witness to such an event. Really, the whole incident made up for how worried Hashirama had been when Tobirama hadn't appeared back at camp, even though he had been expected days ago. He chortled merrily to himself, pleased as punch.
"Why? What's he doing?" Runa's unimpressed voice questioned, the lid of the trunk snapped shut as she turned on him with suspicious eyes.
"Oh Runa-san, you'll be so pleased…" He trailed off wiggling hid eyebrows conspiratorially.
"Don't be so cryptic, you're not smart enough to carry it off."
He hung his head dejectedly and made a face at the elderly woman. She stared back unmoved by his hurt expression, her wrinkled mouth set in a hard line. It was like staring into the face of his perpetually unenthusiastic brother - Tobirama's mannerisms very much took after the old bat's.
"You're so cruel, Runa-san."
"That is as maybe, but you are rather thick. What's he doing then?"
"He's with a female friend." Hashirama admitted, ignoring her jibe and smiling from ear to ear.
"Ohhh?" This seemed to interest Runa somewhat "And who is this female friend of his?"
"I don't know actually, didn't see her."
"Well is he bringing her back here?"
"Well…" He paused, rubbing the back of head sheepishly "I don't know, I didn't ask."
"Were they alone?"
"I'm not sure, I didn't ask…."
"When will he be returning?"
He didn't answer, mouth flapping uselessly as she scowled at him, tapping her foot on the ground.
"Does he even know where we're camping?"
Tobirama shook his head and opened his mouth to explain his genius plan but she held up a finger to silence him.
"You really are thick." Runa informed him and bustled out of the tent before Hashirama could recount his brother's cruel dismissal of his wood clone or his incredibly romantic idea to lead the two lovers safely back to their new camp site.
Hey sorry, had some terrible trouble uploading this, the lines all went crazy. Something wrong with my word document...
Anywhoo, firstly I'd like to apologise for the lack of description - I've read some wonderful stories recently dripping with imagery and details of their clothing but I'm trying to write more in the style of the characters and unfortunately neither Tubs nor Saks (at least in this story) care about clothes or looks particularly (well they obviously don't mind admiring each other's torsos).
Erm some authors I've noticed recommend songs that inspire them. The album that got me writing is The Crane Wife by the Decemberists. Very folk taleish.
So you guys like Hashirama then? And don't worry I've written some Madara stuff but it might be a while until he arrives back on the scene.
Some questions:
1) Would you like a romance between our two heroes?
2) Would you like another person to be interested in Sakura? (N.B. There will be SasuSaku references from her past memories)
3) I will be featuring manga spoilers in dream sequences, do you want me to put a warning on the page? This may be a problem because some events will drive Sakura's decisions later but I can try to delay them until as late as possible.
4) I'm going to include a wise old sage, what animal do you recommend? (Humorous suggestions are very much appreciated).
Thank you for all being wonderful and reading, reviewing, faving and following. Got the most reviews ever for the last chapter and it made me soooooo happy!