Chapter 14: If you mean a delicious desert, then of course.
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They don't know those things I know
Who they are and what they'll be
They don't see the things I see
~Cinephile
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It had been a long day for Naruto, after seeing Kakashi off to the Labs safely he had teleported straight to the Netherworld. From a human perspective, the Netherworld it was distorted, buildings were curved, slim, twisted peculiarly in odd angles and strange looking, and as the laws of physics didn't mean a thing here as people would cross a bridge on it's underside. The Netherworld, in short, could also be described as an Escher painting but without the black and white, just a circus full of colours. The sky was green during the daytime and swirls of dark cloudy pinks at night time, the street lamps were lit with an electric blue flame. It was also a haven for those who worked in Limbo as he could see the place was very busy metropolis at the moment.
That was until he reached his street and noticed it was a little quieter than the rest of the area, he also couldn't help but notice the stares at him. Now he was used to seeing people stare at him, because of his famous father and all, but these stares did not hold admiration their eyes but curiosity and agitation. The only time he ever saw those looks was when—
Sakura-chan's here. He immediately concluded, and rushed down the street his apartment building. What is she doing up sos oon?
When finally he reached his apartment he could hear both Sasuke and Sakura talking inside. He opened the door in a hurry and saw Sakura rubbing the sides of her forehead. Both Sasuke and Sakura were standing between the living area and the kitchen area.
"Sakura-chan! What are you doing out the infirmary?" Naruto yelled.
"Naruto, keep it down!" Sakura growled, "My head's hurting here."
"Okay, sorry, but why?" Naruto said.
"Heal fast when unconscious, remember?" Sakura said.
Naruto's eyebrows shot up into his hairline from her words before he gingerly relaxed, albeit still a little wary about the whole thing. "Oh, okay then," Naruto said, his voice giving away how unconvinced he was. "But why are you here and not at home resting?"
"Tsunade wants her to sleep here for the night, so that every reaper in the vicinity will sense that she is okay." Sasuke answered for her, his concerned eyes never leaving her form.
"Yeah meanwhile, I'm getting a headache from the backlash of it" Sakura said and looked at Naruto pitifully, "Asprin?"
"Bathroom mirror cupboard, second shelf" Naruto answered.
They both watched the rosette get up and head straight to the bathroom, on her quest for the pain killers. Once she was out of sight Sasuke glanced back at Naruto with a curious look.
"Backlash?" Sasuke asked, not quite understanding it.
"Yeah, Sakura-chan can sense emotions," Naruto explained, "Not yours or mine, because we're her friends, but those who generally don't want her around or alive. It's a self preservation thing I think. She can block it out but here that power in amplified to the max."
"Is that why she hates it here?" Sasuke asked.
"Not entirely. She used to live here. In fact, down the hall from me." Naruto said, pointing to which side of the building her old apartment was. "Before, anyone that would meet her would instantly like her. She was everyone's sweetheart. She was happy." Naruto smiled softly at the memory before it dropped as a more horrible one surfaced. "Then shit hit the fan and she had to move cause no matter how hard she fucking tried all these bastards think that she should—"
"Naruto, you've ran out." Sakura said as she came back into the room, holding the empty bottle momentarily before chucking it into the nearby bin.
She never saw the face changed into his more cheerful one, or appeared to have heard the conversation.
"Why don't you get Springtime to block them out?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, summoning my weapon in a place where they are already scared of me, that'll help." Sakura drawled.
"Hey, it worked before." Naruto shrugged.
"And I received a fine afterwards." Sakura said.
"After repeated use" Naruto pointed out. "You're only going to be using it just for tonight and then you can go home tomorrow."
"I'm already in enough trouble for using a holy grenade as it is" Sakura grunted.
"That leads me to my question, why did you use it?" Naruto asked.
"It was the guy who kidnapping all the missing reapers. I just got out of Hell, I was heading home and I was exhausted." Sakura said "He nearly overpowered me. If I hadn't used the Holy Grenade I wouldn't be here speaking to you."
"Bastard must have sensed your low energy" Naruto said and thought for a moment. "Actually now that I think about it, most of the kidnappings were when the reapers had just got off the clock."
"Naruto, I don't think he could sense my energy level." Sakura said. "He went easy on me first before upped his game continuously until he let aura go…" her stomach heaved at the memory of the reaper kidnapper aura. "…erugh, just the thought of that aura is making me sick."
"What was it like?" Naruto asked.
"Like fighting in an invested sewage backflow full of rotting corpses," Sakura said.
"Nice" Sasuke sarcastically grunted while Naruto pulled a face.
"He suppressed it first but I could smell him, and after spending so much time in Hell I know he's a not a demon." Sakura said. "He's a Hellspawn."
"Hellspawn?" Sasuke said.
"That's impossible, no Hellspawn gets passed me" Naruto said with conviction. "Not without me knowing it."
"But you are not always down there Naruto and who's to say that thing wasn't getting out by other means?" Sakura said.
"The Ring Masters would never break the Original Satan's Law." Naruto said. "Not if they want ultimate pain for a thousand years."
"It's not the Ring Masters" Sakura said. "I would have sensed their demonic signature the moment they stepped on Earth and it's not any of their minions either. But somehow this bastard is or was getting through to Earth and I have a feeling it might have hitchhiked on a teleporting demons stream and kept it open." And then pulled a face. "Ah crap, I'm going to have to talk to Karin."
"What's a Hellspawn?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto and Sakura glanced at Sasuke in surprise before remembering he was still new to this world.
"It's a 'unique' creature from Hell. Once every twenty-five years a pit of Hellfire spews out a species of creatures, the demons kill them off in fear the new species would take over. Only one or two survives and that's only because they were smart enough to make a run for it." Sakura explained. "They can range from the most cataclysmic monster of all time to something humanoid that eats souls."
They all froze at Sakura's final words and stared at one another as they shared one awful thought.
"Or eats reapers perhaps?" Sasuke said.
A look of disgust and horror crossed their faces when those words were uttered.
"That would explain why there is nothing left." Naruto said "Or ever found, and Kakashi-sensei did mention the only thing useful about reapers is the blood, the flesh is useless in rituals. But nothing in cookery."
"I was going to be eaten" Sakura nearly shrieked. "I was going to be an h'orderves! How dare that Freddy Krueger wannabe try to make me his dinner!"
"Calm down" Sasuke said. "Besides, I don't think 'Sakura' is on the menu anymore after you gave him quite the indigestion."
Sakura growled as her eyes narrowed into slits "Oh I'm going to give him more than just indigestion if I ever see him again!"
"We both will" Naruto said with a nod, "No one makes Sakura-chan food!"
"Hn." Sasuke grunted in agreement.
The men then watched her face saddens as she thought about the other reapers. "The others really had no chance, didn't they?"
"You never know Sakura-chan, maybe they are still alive. Maybe food isn't what he was after." Naruto said, trying to find the brighter side. "Maybe being trained by Kakashi-sensei is what had saved your life."
"Well, you are right; they weren't trained by Kakashi-sensei" Sakura smiled.
"The porn reader is why you survived?" Sasuke drawled, a little doubtful.
Sakura turned towards Sasuke with a look.
"That 'porn reader' as you so eloquently put it was taught by Minato, Naruto's father, who sealed the last tailed demon in Hell thousands of years ago. Aka The Kyuubi." Sakura explained. "Kakashi was literally taught by the Best and in turn so have we, and currently now you."
"Ah." Sasuke said and glanced at Naruto "So that's why the Kyuubi don't like you."
"Oh no, it's not because of that. He was pissed at my Dad for a long time." Naruto said, as he looked back Sasuke with a smirk so devilish he could been mistaken for the Kyuubi himself. "No, what I did was I shaved off the fur on his lower back and wrote 'I'm not overcompensating, I just love dic—"
"NARUTO!" Sakura shouted dismay, interrupting him.
The blonde reaper cracked up laughing, remembering vividly how pissed off the nine tail demon when he woke and found it on his back. It was weeks later that the fur finally grew over the writing and he had no doubt the ink was off but still the nine tails was always angry whenever he saw Naruto.
"So, Sakura and I nearly lost our lives to a psychotic giant fox in Hell because some idiot pulled a stupid prank on it that a simple minded three year old can come up with?" Sasuke said in disgust.
He then found a metallic spatula wielded in a threaten manner in front of his face and a pissed off blonde holding it from behind in a blink of an eye.
"Teme, you take that back it was a marvellous prank."
"Can't take back what's true"
"Guys!" Sakura shouted in irritation, the last of her patience dwindling. "I'm too tired for this crap! Can we please go back to being civilised here?"
On reflex, Naruto shifted away from the rosette reaper, he never liked that tone of her voice, memories of her super monstrous punches to his head reminded him of what she was like when she did lose her temper. But she never got that way without reason. "Sorry Sakura-chan, I know it's been a long night for you." Naruto said, being sympathetic.
"No, I'm sorry Naruto, sensing too many agitated people is making me feel on edge" Sakura said, pinching the bridge of her nose to calm her mind and shut others out. "So where's Kakashi-sensei? Sasuke told me that you guys went to see my neighbourhood to find clues about this Hellspawn."
"He went to Deidara's Labs in Limbo, we found some of its blood on the scene and so we're having it analysed." Naruto said. "See if we can find a signature and locate it if it's still alive or find a trail that'll lead to the missing reapers if they are still alive."
"That thing could bleed?" Sakura said with a concern.
"Seems it can, why?" Naruto asked.
"Better call the Labs and tell them to be careful, you don't know what properties that blood has." Sakura said.
"I'm sure they will be, Kakashi-sensei always makes sure that anything that is handled by him is treated with up most care." Naruto smiled reassuringly, he then pointed to the TV "So, up for a movie? I'm sure you're allowed to at least unwind before going to bed. You can have Sasuke-teme's bed."
"I don't mind sharing" Sasuke smirked.
Sakura, who was used to Sasuke annoying flirty side, rolled her eyes, while Naruto's face dropped in disgust and uttered. "On second thought, you can have my bed. The bedroom door has a lock on it."
"Thanks Naruto, but I think I'll take the couch." Sakura said, "Don't know what infestation you've got there lurking in your room."
"Hey look at how tidy this apartment is; it's all nice and sparkly clean!" Naruto pointed out. "And it reflects how my room is, thank you very much!"
"Yeah, cause of 'neat freak' over here" Sakura said, gestured at Sasuke. "Is the one cleaning it"
"Actually, to be fair on the Dobe, I haven't been cleaning and nor have I seen a single cleaner come to his home." Sasuke said, causing Sakura to look at him in surprise. "He's been doing it himself."
It was in that moment did Sakura turned back to Naruto and gave him a one sided smirk, a knowing look. "Awe Naruto, and here I thought you liked your mess, your 'work of art' as you like to call it" and took a long deep breath. "And on a regular basis, my-my have youbeen a busy boy."
"Sakura-chan, don't tell anyone." Naruto said, suddenly sweating buckets when he caught on to what she was saying.
"Calm down Naruto, I'm sure your mother would approve of this change of pace" Sakura said "Now about that movie…"
It had to be around midnight in Limbo while Tsunade finally had the time to relax. A bottle of sake in one hand and many other empty ones on her desk, and she was still fricken sober. She released a deep breath before taking another swig of the bottled contents, emptying it, and placed it on the desk… to then route around for another bottle in her desk draws.
Never in her immortal life did she ever think that when she took up this job she'd be this stressed out of her mind. Even when she raised Sakura, that was a piece of cake compared to what she'd been through today, and that girl was very stubborn as a child, putting it mildly. The phone call to her father didn't help the situation, not that a phone call to the pain in butt ever would but certainly made her day more troublesome than it was worth.
"Ah-hah!" Tsunade cheered happily once she located a full bottle of sake to drown her irritation and pulled it out of the draw.
Only to frown when she noticed an onyx coloured book that the bottle had been resting on. It may have been an old book but it was still in pristine condition. A delicate eyebrow rose at the sight of it. The ancient text on the front read 'The Order of Limbo', an old book that generally told you how to run Limbo. It had been given to her by the Shinigami. The Death God.
He'd probably be royally pissed if he saw how things are going here, she thought with distain before closing the draw again.
There was a knock on the door, usually Shizune would buzz to tell her who it was but Tsunade gave her the rest of the day off, considering Shizune went straight to 'happy hour' from today. She waved her hand and was surprised to see Kakashi there, alone.
"Where's Naruto?" Tsunade asked.
"Gone home Tsunade-sama." Kakashi said as he entered her office.
She waved her hand again to close the door and then wave vertically up so a seat could appear out of the floor. Kakashi immediately took the seat and sat down with his legs crossed and hands relaxed in his pockets. He ignored the many sake bottles on her desk, including the one that was in her hand. He knew it had been a rough day for her.
"And left you alone?"
"Only when we reached the Labs, then he went home"
She leaned forward, her hands clasped together. "The Labs, you found something?"
"Blood. His."
He watched as her head cocked to the side with slight trepidation. "You sure?"
"Black Blood." Kakashi said. "Not many creatures have that."
"Sakura says he's a Hellspawn" Tsunade said.
"Not many of those either." He commented with a frown before his face became neutral again. "But Lab technician knows not to play around with it. Black Blood is always dangerous to handle."
"Hmph, I should hope they do know." Tsunade said and offered him a bottle "Drink?"
He reached out and took the bottle from her hands, opening it, before taking a good gulp of the stuff before handing it back to her. It had been a long day for him too. Finding leads, analysing information they gathered, trying to ignore much of Naruto's yammering about meaningless stuff and then rushing to the infirmary when he got the phone call about Sakura.
"Thanks." He replied, as he licked the last of the sake essence off his lips. "How's Sakura doing?"
"She's healed up and at Naruto's place as we speak" Tsunade replied, relaxing back into her chair.
"That's fast." Kakashi said, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Apparently she heals quicker when unconscious" Tsunade said and sighed heavily. "I fear for her future."
"It hasn't happened yet" Kakashi said.
"You haven't seen anything?" Tsunade asked, with a little hope in voice.
"If anything, her roommate is a blessing in disguise." Kakashi said.
"Urgh, I really wish that thing would shrivel up and die. I can sense it every time Sakura gets a little reckless, how it likes to influence her." Tsunade said and took a mouthful of sake before continuing after a little sigh of refreshment. "But I guess you're right, better that than the other option. Did you find anything else at the sight?"
"It seems to me that our assailant wasn't prepared for Sakura's skills at first, which is probably why when it started on the street it ended up on the roof." Kakashi said.
"Number one rule of fighting; never let yourself be cornered" Tsunade muttered to herself. "Go on."
"I believe that he also has incredibly sharp claws that can be extended judging from the many scratch marks on the scene."
"You were able to trail their movements"
"Yes, and found the last known place our assailant was before he disappeared."
"You couldn't find any pieces of him?"
"Holy grenades tend to obliterate every last piece of evil"
"But it was fast, you sure you couldn't find any trace of it?"
"Either it was able to teleport before the explosion, which is highly unlikely due to the speed they must have been going at and thus wouldn't be aware of an incoming holy grenade or it had been killed."
"Kakashi, this may sound ridiculous but I want to make sure that this threat is completely gone. We don't know if he had been doing this alone or working in a group."
"Not ridiculous, I too would do everything in my power to make sure the threat has gone." He tilted his head to the side. "Especially for a precious person."
She grunted. "Does that make me an over protective mother?"
"I think you've been the mother that she's always needed, and very lucky to be raised by you."
"You're only saying that because I'm your boss"
"I tell no lies to my boss."
"Is that so? Well then, is it true that you once dance on a table, drunkenly mind you, to get a certain lady's attention?"
Kakashi twitched. "I'm going to kill Asuma."
Sleep didn't come to Sakura easily when she rested her head on her pillow. She and Sasuke had managed to get back to the human world once Naruto fell asleep on the couch. He was never one to watch sappy chic-flicks, as they never held his attention for long. The room that Sasuke had allocated for her was a large spacious guest room that she believed none of his family members ever stayed in if the smell had anything to do with it. In fact, it seemed to be a room that was hardly ever used in the first place much to her amusement. The bed was comfortable, the pillows soft and plump, the sheets smelt and felt wonderful against her naked skin. But still she felt restless.
Her eyes snapped open when she realised something.
Sasuke wasn't asleep either.
Was he possibly working late?
Stupid human.
Grunting in irritation she pushed herself off the bed and stretched her arms, her shoulders made a cracking sound as she did so. She frowned at that, things like that should have been all healed up long before. Internally shaking her head at the thought, she pushed the covers away before pushing herself onto her feet and headed to the door, grabbing a spare shirt out of wardrobe as she went. The rosette reaper managed to button up before she even reached the door and then stop dead still when she felt another presence, specifically at the front door. Her eyes narrowed as she felt Sasuke aura approaching it with caution.
What idiot would be at the front door this time? Do I even want to know?
Oh for the love of… go investigate already!
The pinkette opened the door and closed it behind her as she began her walk down the quiet hallway, summoning Springtime in tanto form as she did so.
You honestly thought I wouldn't?
You know me, I hate hesitation.
Hesitation allows people to think a little more clearly.
Bah! Waste of time. Act now, think later.
…Thank god you're not a role model for teenagers, you'd be a nightmare for parents all around the world.
Ha. Ha. I'm in hysterics Bubblegum.
She paused at the edge of the wall where the stairs were located right next to it. Listening to the sound of Sasuke's footsteps, it was clear to her he wasn't able to sense her presence. Slowly, she leaned forward and only paused when she could see, just with one eye, the front door. The rosette reaper watched Sasuke striding towards the front door barefooted in a loose white shirt and grey jogging bottoms and opened the door as soon as he reached it.
Sakura frowned.
There at the door was what Sakura would call the pop tart, bubblegum, princess version of Ino. Yes, Ino. The blonde woman was slightly shorter than Sakura but it was disguised from the black four inch heels she was wearing. Bronzed coloured eyes, summer tanned skin, very well endowed in the chest area if the hot pink v-neck shaped short dress couldn't spell it out enough for you and a stick thin body.
I wanna kill it. Can we kill it?
Can't kill humans.
You're a reaper, remember?
I send those to the afterlife, I don't kill.
Pansy!
"Sasuke, you've been ignoring my calls" she heard the woman spoke, and cringed at the sound.
Ear plugs, please, I beg you.
Shut up, trying to listen here.
I don't want to listen to shrieking kitties being murdered, unless I'm the one killing them!
SHUT UP!
"Mina, I have a guest, leave." Sasuke said with his voice was soft but neutral.
"Hmm, never stopped us before" the woman said and walked in anyway.
Sakura watched as Sasuke crossed his arms, finally able to see his face more clearly and was surprised that he was so calm, but a distinct exasperation could be seen in his eyes. She observed how the newcomer paid no interest as she sauntered up to Sasuke with eyes that made Sakura look on in disgust. The woman pressed up against him, her hands touching the front of his hips.
"Don't you want to play with me?" she cooed.
She must be great at giving head, who the fuck would want to hear that scream?
Sakura's face dropped from the sound of Hakumei's voice. Is this something that you know that I don't want to know?
Awe, little blossom-chan does not know what head is?
You dare tell me and I will go to Deidara and shut you up for a week!
Tch, fine.
"Mina, I do not have time for this, leave." Sasuke said, looking more than annoyed now.
"Can't you make a little bit of time for me?" Mina said, and bit her lip enticingly. "I can make it oh so nice."
Sakura tensed at that, realising she could possible have the worse night sleep ever if she didn't act soon. And Sakura hated it when she couldn't shut irritating sounds out when she was trying to sleep. "That's it. No more." Dismissed Springtime in her hand and made a move to intervene.
Woah, stop!
She did, reluctantly.
Why? I don't want to hear them two going at it!
Nor do I bubblegum, but you can't go in gun-hoe with an attitude like that. Think, this is Sasuke, why would he have a female guest that is not related to him, here? His home? Where no one would see her?
…Please tell me you are not saying what I think you are saying of what I should do.
Well, how else are you going to get rid of the girl without a certain degree of violence that I like so much?
Sasuke was just about to push Mina away from him when he felt someone else pressed up against him from behind. Strong yet very soft delicate arms encircled him till the equally strong yet very soft delicate hands touched his abdomen. He had remained very still when he felt the pressure of someone holding him, especially when he saw Mina immediately backed away from him when she saw the feminine arms.
"Baby, is she an old friend of yours?" came a familiar voice purred from behind him.
He looked over his right shoulder, to see Sakura with seductive emerald eyes and a sinful smile to boot. He caught on quick to her act, if it hadn't been for the situation he was in he would have thought she had lost her marbles. Sakura then glanced over his shoulder and back at Mina, who was now directly glaring at her. Sasuke twisted around so they were face to face, his arms now around her too, trying to ignore how warm she was and keeping his hands in appropriate areas. Their side profile could be seen by Mina, to her great irritation she could see that Sakura seemed to be only in a shirt. His shirt she summarised, something Sasuke took note of as well.
"She was just leaving" Sasuke said
"Oh?" Sakura said, rest her head against Sasuke's chest like a lover would, her face towards Mina. "But it's very late. Shouldn't we let her have a room?" Her eyes looked up and down at Mina's attire. "It's awfully chilly outside for something like that." She then glanced back up at him with a naughty look "Good thing I have you to keep me warm all night long."
"Hn" his smirk equally as provocative, his eyes just glued on her face. Anywhere else on her and he knew he would pay for it later, well as long as she didn't know of course.
"Let me get this straight" Mina said, trying to hide her frustration miserably. "You, of all people, are in a relationship with her?" her eyes glaring at Sasuke. "A redheaded tart?"
Sakura should get an Oscar for her performance so far, particularly when Mina called her a 'tart'. She 'looked' surprised to be called a tart when in reality she wanted to lung at the woman and run hot pokers down her gullet. Sasuke, sensing this, quickly pulled Sakura into a 'tighter' hug to stop her going after Mina and, for effect, gave said woman a cold look he mastered over the years from living with his family.
"Do I look like a tart to you honey?" Sakura asked, her voice taking on innocence.
"If you mean a woman that looks like a slut then of course not, the only one I'm seeing is the one that's not in my arms." Sasuke said then added saucily as he looked back Sakura with a dark sexy look. "But if you mean a delicious desert then of course, you are incredibly sweet and…tasty."
Acting or not, Sakura couldn't help but swallow at his words, she even felt Hakumei shiver in pleasure from the look alone. No wonder she felt pity for any woman that Sasuke set his eyes on, they just weren't safe from him. Sasuke who had noticed her reaction let his smirk deepened, knowing the effect he was having on her.
Without looking away he purred. "Now Mina, leave, I'm about to have secondhelpings."
They both heard the blonde shriek in disgust before turning on her heel and slammed the door behind her as she left. The noise brought Sakura back to reality and quickly got out of his hold, thankful that he allowed it. She took a step back from him and crossed her arms. "I've got half a mind to kill you...and the other half agrees." Sakura growled, immediately slipping back into her old defences.
No, I kind of like to kill him way after I had my way with him.
SHUT UP!
Temper!
He rolled his eyes heavenward, as if asking patience. "Do you honestly expect me to arrange a booty call under this house while you're here?" he said as he gestured around his home with both of his hands.
"Who knows with you Sasuke." Sakura said.
"Hn. If you must know, I thought she was the take away I ordered." Sasuke said.
Sakura wanted to scoff. "Why would you be ordering take away at this time of night?"
"I don't know, friend almost getting kidnapped and I'm investigating the whole reapers being kidnapped, I have no idea why I get hungry when I'm working late at night."
There was a knock on the door, Sasuke immediately walked up to the front door and peeped through the peephole. He then opened the door and there to Sakura's surprise was the delivery man. She glanced at the clock on the wall and was even more surprised at the time. During all that, Sasuke pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket, gave it to the delivery man and took the white bags off him. Sakura only looked back at him when the door closed again.
"Hungry?" Sasuke said with a smug look of 'I told you so'.
"No" Sakura grunted. Then her traitorous stomach growled in protest. "…Yes"
Sasuke continued to smirk at her. "Very good, but, uh, you may want to put some trousers on," he said, then his eyes couldn't help but wonder to her legs. "Unless you really want 'second helpings'."
Realising that she forgot she was still half naked in front of him, she blushed heavily and tried to think angry thoughts to keep her mind off it. She then turned towards the stairs and marched up them, making sure the hem of the shirt was pressed down to stop Sasuke from seeing anything more. Of course she didn't have to as Sasuke was too busy laughing at her predicament.
Yeah, there just had to be some deity that liked screwing her over.
It was a full ten minutes when Sakura reunited with Sasuke in his office, wearing thick, black jogging bottoms under one of her old faded red shirt and a pair of red socks. As if to make sure the statement was clear enough to say 'avert your eyes now, or welcome death'. Sasuke just ignored it with smirk that pretty much wanted to burst into laughter again. She walked towards the couch opposite to his with the coffee table in between them and the take away placed on top. The white bags were full of containers with such delicacies at the brim, which weighed the coffee table down so much the legs nearly caved at such pressure.
"Knock it off deadboy" Sakura growled and grabbed a container of sweet and sour pork out of one of the bags.
"But Sakura, I never knew blushing pink was your colour." Sasuke teased.
She stared at him with a blank look but Sasuke couldn't help but notice the sweet and sour pork container in her grasp began to produce more steam than usual. That then started to bubble mysteriously.
"I said. Knock. It. Off" Sakura growled, pronouncing each word clearly with a hard edge.
"You know, you have the same problem as my brother." Sasuke said, clearly ignoring the ominous aura around her. "You get incredibly cantankerous when hungry."
Her eyes narrowed at him. "I do not get grouchy when I'm—" she paused when she looked down at the food container in her hand and rolled her eyes in irritation in realisation "Never mind."
She reached out and grabbed a fork to dig into her now pipinghot food, never once burning her tongue due to her extreme durability of temperatures in Hell. After a few bites her speed increased as she ate her food, becoming very aware that Sasuke had been right as she felt herself calm down. Little did Sakura know Sasuke had the incentive to order enough for two as he felt she was awake too while he had been working away in his office.
"This very good" Sakura said, after a couple more mouthfuls of sweetened pork. "Where did you get it from?"
"Down town" Sasuke replied grabbing his own container of food, chicken chow mein and began to eat.
Sakura blanched at him. "It's quarter pass four in the morning though!"
"A lot of wealthy people live around here, so there's always someone in the apartment above the restaurant. You pay extra for the inconvenience but it's worth it." Sasuke explained.
"One human cooked all of this?"
Sasuke chuckled at her, amused at her naïveté. "No, a bunch of chefs, once he realised who I was and how much I ordered, he woke the rest of his colleagues up and they went to business."
"Gosh" Sakura murmured and looked down at her food. "I guess there is an upside of having a lot of money."
"Hn."
She then asked something that had been bugging her since she came down stairs again. "Do you always get late night visitors?"
"My security system is very good, so no."
"Mina, seemed to be able to get in."
"She must have slipped in the same time the delivery guy came through, only she took the shortcut."
"Shortcut?"
"Straight through the flowerbed and possibly the new grass" He sighed, "My grounds keeper is going to have a fit tomorrow."
"What on Earth was she doing hanging around outside for anyway?"
"She must have seen the lights on, because she wouldn't stop calling me. I had to turn the phone off."
"Aren't you just tired of women throwing themselves at you?"
"Those women I try to avoid, more than ever since what had happened with Clarice."
"Ah, lady with the crazy husband shooting at you. What happened to them?"
Sasuke blinked at her; surprised she didn't know as he knew she lived in the human world and would read the newspapers or at least watch the news here. It appeared she didn't. "He's been arrested and sent to jail for attempted murder and she's still married to him."
"You don't seem too thrilled about it"
"The man did not attempt to murder me, he did murder me and the only one that knows that is you."
"Technically, you sort of died in five different ways Sasuke, don't know what exactly killed you but yeah being shot over board by him didn't help." Sakura said and continued after she took another bite. "And I can't exactly take up the witness stand because how am I going to explain why I was there in the first place when I wasn't even listed as either guest or crew member?"
"Hn."
"That leads me to my next question"
"Hn?"
"What is it about you that bring these women back? You practically just drop them once you've had them."
"I can show you if you like." He said with a smirk.
"Broken bones are what you'll get if you try." She sing-song back as she smiled sweetly.
"Then it'll be a mystery to you." Sasuke said with a shrug. "Dumpling?"
"Wha-?" She said, taken aback.
"The dumplings in front of you, are you going to try them?"
She glanced at them momentarily, then back him. "I'll try them later. Thank you for the food."
"You and my brother really do have the same problem." Sasuke said with a small smile and added when he saw her looking confused at him. "You both get very irritable when you haven't eaten for a while, even when you don't realise it at all. It can be a little scary being in the same room him when he's hungry, especially in the morning it's at its worse."
"Hmm, what a pair we'd make." Sakura replied was a sarcastic grin.
Sasuke shuddered visibly on purpose in a jokey manner, something he was unused to but couldn't help it. "Your children would be the death us all."
He knew she knew it was a joke but he saw a strange look that passed her eyes, even if it was there for a second, before it disappeared into a force smile. She glanced back at her food and continued to eat like nothing had passed by and Sasuke wasn't sure if it was okay for her to act like that.
"I don't know. Children that like to keep a full tummy would be beneficial to a parent's 'peace of mind'. Even if their wallets grow empty despite it" Sakura said after finishing her first container and went onto her second.
"Even if it leads to obesity?"
Sakura chuckled silently and shook her head at him. "I was never a fat child and I believe your brother wasn't either, so our metaphorical 'children' wouldn't be. Besides, doesn't he have a fiancé that takes care of him?"
"Yes, but sometimes I don't understand what he sees in her." Sasuke grunted.
She paused in mid bite, looking very sombre that moment. "Love makes you blind" and carried on eating.
"Try stupid." He said as he stabbed his fork into a piece of food.
"You think he's stupid for falling for her?" an eyebrow raised at his statement; nonjudgmental but curious.
"Yes"
She leaned slightly to her right, thinking things through carefully as spoke to him. "Have you asked him why her?"
"Many times and he always give me the same answer" he looked very bothered by it.
"Then perhaps you should ask her instead."
"She doesn't like to stay in the same room with me alone."
Her face dropped at that. "…You didn't 'come on' to her, now did you?"
He gave her a deadpanned look as he grunted "There are many things I like to mess Itachi about with but I'm not suicidal."
"So you would have if it wasn't for her being his girl?"
"She's not my type"
"Is that why you don't understand why Itachi is marrying her?"
"No"
"Then maybe you should just leave it as it is. If your brother wants to marry her then it's his business and no one else's" she said as she relaxed again, hoping he would taking her advice.
He cocked his head. "Hn. Tell that to my parents."
"Are they getting involved?"
"You know when I said Itachi is like a god in my parents, specifically my family's eyes?"
"Um, yeah, I remember, what about it?"
"Well, they want everything perfect for him so they've taken over the wedding plans. My brother and his fiancé wanted it small, somewhere quiet and outside, cause that's how they met apparently. It's now a huge bonanza at this famous cathedral and almost ninety percent of the guest the Bride and Groom don't even know."
"They should elope."
"Elope?"
"Yes, I know I would if my family was that much of control freaks."
"But it would cause a scandal, piss my family off."
"…So? As far as I can see, Itachi has two options: one, go ahead with a wedding that he'll hate and forever have this 'control' over him his family has that his bride will eventually hate herself. Or two, have the wedding he wants with his fiancé and showing her how much he cares just about her. And if you're the one that suggests it to him, not only will you piss your parents off, Itachi may find of new kind of respect for you."
"Do you always try to simplify people's problems?"
"More like a habit when being friends with Naruto and Ino," Sakura smiled "I have to simplify everything for them."
"I'll tell them the next time I see them" Sasuke smiled back.
"You will not, Naruto already knows this and Ino is the type to kill the messenger." She paused for moment as if to contemplate her words. "Actually, yeah go ahead."
Sasuke shook his head at her "Hn".
Sakura smiled at him as she finished her second container and went for the dumplings.
"Oh by the way Sasuke, you tell anyone of the incident of me wearing your blue shirt and I'll—."
"Relax Sakura, this will stay between you and me."
"…Thank you."
Hi guys, no I'm not back for good, just dropped this chapter in to show you that, yes, I'm still alive and, no, I haven't abandoned you. However, due to uni and other important stuff in my life I'm very busy girl, I just can't ignore those things just so I can write a chapter. Sorry but Fanfiction is a hobby.
Big shout out to: meantimegirl, Jayayes10, SasuSakuKawaii, Kaydreams, crimson-lust03, Kimiko-Kirsty, nightwish635, tsuchiya-sama, DarkAngelRakell, .Saku.x, delirious0ne, Reignashii, 7HeartAndSoul7, autumn4real, MichiiHaru-Chan, waterblossemangel13, , ShanaLCrowley, Neko-Graphic, falalahlalala, purpleflames, rainbow spell, LadyMartel4000, JaJa-Princess, Akatsuki Sakura Uchiha, Lady Rini, C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only, LadyPassionofHate, gemaima11, and finally Mizz Hime-Sama! You guys are just…wow. Especially those have infinite amount of patience with me.
Thanks for supporting this story and me so far guys. I'll update when I can.