Will of Fire
Chapter Twenty: In Joy and Sorrow
Sakura had thought facing the people who'd overheard every nasty word of her breakup with Kakashi would be the most awkward and uncomfortable situation of her life.
And then there was the four day journey back to the Fire Temple.
Temari came back with them. She would be taking command of a contingent of fifty Sand shinobi who would follow within a week, bringing much-needed supplies and weapons with them. Those fifty would remain to bolster defenses until the Leaf rebels fully mobilized to move on Konoha, and then another hundred would join them. Of course, the Kazekage's tactical wisdom was the real reason Temari left a week ahead of her command: he knew that if his sister was separated from Shikamaru again after only two days, she would be hell to live with.
Once again they traveled under the cool cover of darkness, sleeping during the day and eating their dried rations without a fire. Shikamaru and Temari kept to themselves, lost in each other's company. They walked shoulder to shoulder and huddled together when they settled camp to rest.
In contrast to the happily reunited couple, the tension between Kakashi and Sakura was a silent scream that no one could ignore. Kakashi kept his nose in a book all day or wandered off to scout ahead or conceal their trail. No doubt he would have gone ahead entirely if it wasn't necessary for them to stay together. He was so standoffish and brooding that no one wanted to talk to him anyway. He might as well have not been there, except for the continuous negative effect he had on Sakura.
If they thought his mood was bad, it paled in comparison to hers. Sakura went out of her way to avoid Kakashi, and tried to fake cheerfulness toward the others, but in the end it was more exhausting than simply acting how she felt. Every moment she wore a stilted smile and pretended nothing was wrong she feared she would lose it, burst into tears and humiliate herself further. And she'd be damned if she let Kakashi see her cry again.
Naruto tried way too hard to keep things positive and start conversations when no one felt like talking. He meant well, but he only made the problem more obvious. By the end of the second day, even his cheer deflated under the weight of the atmosphere. When at last the group reached the Fire Temple late on the fourth night, they couldn't wait to get away from each other.
Only when they got there, it was immediately apparent that something unusual was happening.
Shiko had informed Kakashi's ninken of their impending arrival and they hadn't heard anything in return that might indicate a problem. Yet the temple grounds were brightly lit in the middle of the night and everyone seemed to be awake and moving about, though with no sense of urgency or alarm. Then as they passed the prayer hall they saw that it was filled with monks. A quiet, steady chant of murmured sutras filtered out into the courtyard.
"The monks are never out at night," Naruto said, frowning. "What's going on around here?"
They found out when Tenzou was notified of their arrival and came to meet them. "The abbot was unable to get out of bed this morning," he explained.
"Is he sick?"
He shook his head. "Just old. It's his time. The monks all knew this was coming. They're holding a vigil and saying prayers to guide him to the next life. A lot of us are keeping the vigil with them."
Naruto nodded solemnly. "That's good. I will too. Master Shingen gave us shelter here when we had nowhere to go, and these monks have fought and died at our side as comrades. We have to support them like they've supported us." He suppressed a sigh. "Is there anything that needs my immediate attention?"
Tenzou's eyes traveled over the group, curious when they landed on Temari, narrowing perceptively when they shifted between Kakashi and Sakura. It was easy enough to read the mood in a group of people he knew so well. He let none of what he was thinking show. "No. Everything ran smoothly while you were gone."
"Good. See you in the morning then."
The travelers returned to the barracks, together only in the sense that they were all going to the same place. They dropped off their gear, and then, despite their weariness, they returned to the common areas to show their respect and wait out the night.
#
Ichirai Shingen passed just before dawn. In the gray early hours of morning, Hozo Inei became the new abbot of the Fire Temple in a private ceremony attended only by monks, as the uninitiated were not allowed to witness the sacred ritual. Later that same day, a public memorial service was held.
The monks cremated their dead in reverence to the spirit of fire that infused so many of their philosophies, and a funeral pyre had been erected for the ceremony. The sun at its zenith cast a bright white light over the world, nearly blinding in its brilliance. The jungle had fallen eerily quiet, as if nature itself had stilled, aware of the passing of a great life. Only the constant clicking song of the cicadas filled the air.
Sakura stood silently between Naruto and Sai, lost in her own melancholy as Hozo Inei's funeral oration drifted to her ears as if from a great distance. It was a strange feeling, as if her emotions had swelled so large her mind couldn't form words around them, as if she were empty and filled to bursting all at once.
When a person dies, they pass their Will of Fire to those left behind, and the inheritors of that spirit strive to honor it by living a good and noble life. People are never more aware of their own life than in the presence of death, and naturally wonder what will happen when their own time comes. And so the loss of a friend or loved one is a time not only to honor the life of the deceased, but also to reflect upon one's own life. A chance for clarity of purpose, to ensure that the body, mind and soul are all on the same path. And if not, a chance to realign them. .
For Sakura, it seemed an impossible task.
Was it awful of her to be feeling sorry for herself at a time like this? She was only thinking of this now because it had been the kind and wise Ichirai Shingen who had filled her with such positive hopeful feelings when she'd been plagued by doubts.
And now, standing here paying respect to his life, she felt guilty that she couldn't honor his advice.
At the edge of her sight she could see Kakashi's tall form, standing with Genma and Shizune instead of with his teammates. She didn't look at him directly, but she was as sharply aware of his presence as if he were standing right in front of her.
As Master Inei spoke of the wisdom and compassion of the departed abbot, Sakura recalled the insightful guidance he had given her.
'To those who have suffered great loss, nothing is more precious than a constant friend who will never abandon them. Their fear might make them push against intimacy like a wave pushes the shore, but often what they truly desire is for someone to stand their ground, even to push back.'
And yet she had walked out on Kakashi, screaming that she was through with him.
'He reached out to you and let you close for a reason, even if he does not know what it is. You may never know that reason, but you must make him know it.'
But she didn't have it in her to trail after Kakashi and try to make him remember why he'd fallen for her. He hadn't even forgotten; he'd just decided that it didn't matter. Her heart couldn't take the beating of constant rejection. Not again. She wasn't going to repeat the same futile struggle that had made such a mess of her life before. Not because she didn't have enough love, but because she had too much self-respect.
Sakura turned her eyes forward as Master Inei put the torch to the pyre, pushing all thoughts of herself and Kakashi out of her mind as she watched it go up in flames.
"You sure you want to do this?" Tenten asked Shizune as they faced off with each other. The weapons master unclipped a scroll from the back of her belt. "You're getting married in a couple days..."
"That's the beauty of being a medic," the older jounin answered. "Barring a severed limb, I can easily erase any unwanted blemishes I might get from kicking your ass." She pressed the catch on the metal stick in her hand and it snapped open into a full-length quarterstaff. Her overlong sleeves were rolled up to reveal the bracers of senbon she always wore.
Tenten laughed. "We'll see."
Sakura looked across at Hinata, and shrugged. She wasn't a fan of ego-banter. Though she used to toss jibes back and forth with Kakashi all the time; it just seemed to come naturally to them. But her days of sparring with that man were over. Hinata gave her a small smile in response, but said nothing. She also preferred to skip the trash-talking that always seemed to come before a fight. She raised her hands in the guarded stance of her clan's Jyuuken style.
When each kunoichi was positioned and ready, the four-way battle royale began.
Tenten unleashed a barrage of projectiles at Shizune, who deflected them with the rapid spinning of her staff. Then before Tenten could launch another attack, Shizune fired back with a wave of deadly accurate senbon. When they ran out of things to throw at each other, Tenten unsealed a hulking mace with wicked-looking spikes protruding from its head. Each time it clashed against Shizune's metal staff, sparks flew.
Hinata rushed at Sakura, wasting no time in trying to disable the chakra pathways that gave her such monstrous power. Sakura never used her full strength in a spar against comrades, but Hinata knew the other close-range fighter would still hit hard enough to crack a few ribs. Sakura was also aware that one jab in the wrong place from a Hyuuga would render her unable to use her chakra at all. Both women were fast and agile—you had to be when you specialized in hand to hand combat—and they slipped and darted around each other like two fighting mongooses. Both knew they had to block the other's attacks at all costs while still getting close enough to strike with their own. One could say they were badly matched…or that they were perfectly matched. Theirs was a contest of who could dodge and block faster, and hit fastest.
Tenten couldn't use chakra like Sakura and didn't have the strength to wield such a heavy weapon for long. She eventually abandoned it and returned to launching weapons from a distance, putting Shizune on the defensive once again. At one point Tenten got too close to Sakura, and Sakura took a swing at her. The weapons master leapt aside and launched a handful of kunai, but Sakura evaded and kept coming. Sakura got inside her range and after a brief spar, landed a solid blow on her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her. But before she could strike again, Hinata was behind her aiming a jab at her kidney. Sakura dove and rolled and hurled two kunai from each hand – two at Hinata and two at Tenten. While Tenten was distracted by Sakura, Shizune closed the distance between them and tried to sweep her feet out from under her. Tenten managed to dodge out of her reach, so next Shizune struck at Hinata from behind.
Of course that wouldn't work on the Byakugan user, but it did divert her attention just long enough for Sakura to close in and aim a punch between her shoulder blades. Hinata spun around just fast enough to receive only a glancing blow. She caught Sakura's wrist in her hand and pressed two fingers into the pressure point, disabling the chakra flow in that arm. Sakura growled and jerked herself free, leaping away to a safe distance. Hinata knew that she would be able to undo the blockage within moments, given her mastery of chakra, and didn't intend to lose the advantage she'd gained. But as she rushed Sakura she was again diverted, this time by a barrage of kunai and shuriken from Tenten. Hinata slipped into her sixty-four palms technique to deflect the attack.
The four kunoichi continued like that for some time, every woman for herself, each combatant taking advantage of any opportunity even if it was created by another. After a while a small crowd gathered to watch the impressive exhibition of agility and quick thinking. Many started cheering and shouting encouragement from the sidelines. Most of the onlookers were men, who probably weren't entirely objective in their appreciation.
There was no clear winner. Sakura had to hold back her strength, Tenten couldn't use exploding tags or particularly nasty weapons, Shizune couldn't use her poisons, and Hinata couldn't use any moves that might paralyze or cause permanent nerve damage. A shinobi's best techniques were always off-limits against friends. It was just a fun and exciting way to relieve stress, and when it was over the four exhausted women leaned on each other and laughed all the way to the bathhouse. After a relaxing soak, they headed to the dining hall to have lunch together.
They got there just in time to hear people cheering and clapping. When they took in the scene it became clear what the cheering was for: Shikamaru and Temari were standing beside their table, just at the end of releasing each other from an embrace. Apparently they'd just kissed in front of the entire rebel army, much to everyone's surprise—including their own by the looks on their faces. They seemed to be in that weird place between being happy for the support, and annoyed by the attention.
They looked at each other in an 'oh well' sort of way, and then beat a hasty retreat. More cheers and whoops escorted them out.
"What's that about?" Sakura remarked as they headed toward the food line. It wasn't like the aloof couple to display their relationship in public. For years they wouldn't even acknowledge being more than 'working partners,' let alone friends or anything closer.
They got an answer when Kiba and Lee ran up to them.
"Hey Shizune!" Kiba said, "Looks like you're not the only one getting hitched!"
"What!" they all exclaimed.
"Yeah," he grinned toothily, "we were sitting right by 'em so we heard everything. They put their food on the table and were about to sit down, when all the sudden Temari just looks at him and says 'let's get married.' Shikamaru looks back at her—the guy actually shrugs—and says 'okay.' Just like that!"
"And then they kissed!" sighed Lee. "It was very romantic!"
"I don't know about romantic," Tenten said, "but it's just like them to be so practical."
"I think it's romantic," Hinata chimed in quietly.
Lee looked at Shizune excitedly. "Shizune-san, perhaps it can be a double wedding!"
"No woman wants to piggyback another's wedding," Tenten interjected matter-of-factly. "And vice-versa." She gave her teammate a look, silently pointing out his social blunder.
"Besides," Shizune said. "They'll probably want their families to be there."
"Of course you are right," he said, nodding. "I just find such pockets of love and beauty blooming around us in these dark times to be so exciting!" He was clearly back to his usual levels of enthusiasm after recovering from a near-fatal injury. His determination and positivity were admirable, if a little over the top.
Sakura remained quiet throughout the conversation and their meal. She wasn't so selfish as to not be happy for her friends…but why did she have to pick the one guy not willing to commit? There was only one worse man to fall for around here, and she'd already wasted years on him.
Yet even as these thoughts entered her head, she found herself wondering when she'd become so cynical.
Later in the day she went around with Shizune, helping out with the final details for the wedding. Naruto had been right that everyone would be eager for a big affair. Yesterday a large group had gone to the village and brought back dozens of cases of traditional wedding food and special sweets that the villagers had been happy to make for them. Kurenai had even arranged to have formalwear made for the bride and groom by the village tailor. The monks were furnishing the music and the alcohol – and the venue of course. Today people were busy decorating, stringing up lanterns, braided vines and garlands of fragrant tropical flowers all over the common areas. The Sand contingent had arrived a week ago, and they were happy to help out as well. People were going all out, even people who didn't know Genma or Shizune personally. It was something to focus on other than war and strife, and everyone wanted to be a part of it. It had truly become a communal celebration.
As she assisted the bride-to-be and watched her friend glowing with happiness, Sakura thought again about the changes within herself. She was aware that she was slowly growing bitter and jaded, becoming so different from what she wanted to be. She used to be so optimistic and hopeful for the future. So full of dreams. Maybe part of that had been naiveté, but she had been a happy young girl nonetheless. She couldn't blame Kakashi for killing her youthful dreams of true love and perfect romance. She couldn't even blame Sasuke, really, because she didn't want to think he could still have that kind of power over her. Maybe it was something wrong with her, that she kept choosing the kind of men who were incapable of giving her what she needed, and yet found it impossible to feel passion for safe and genuine men like Naruto.
All she knew for sure was that this wasn't what she wanted for herself. She wanted to be happy and respected and loved.
At times she found herself wondering if she'd given up on Kakashi too quickly, if she should have pushed back harder against his resistance. But she always concluded that she was only second-guessing herself because she was lonely. She shouldn't have to convince him to give them a chance. Love can't be negotiated. Sakura wanted a man who would fight for her, a man who wanted her more than anything else in the world and wasn't afraid to acknowledge it. She wanted what Shizune had in Genma; he utterly adored her and was proud to say so. Sakura deserved that too, and she wouldn't settle for less.
And so what if she didn't have a great love life? She had great friends who would do almost anything for her, she was successful and respected in her career, and she was young and healthy. Right now there were certainly more important things to focus on—like the war and taking back their home. She felt bad for thinking so much about herself at a time like this. She had survived a broken heart before, years ago, when she thought it was the end of everything. She would survive this too. Life would return to normal soon enough.
That's what she told herself at first. But as days and then weeks passed, it never got any easier.
Word of what happened in Suna never spread; those involved weren't the gossipy sort. Yet there was talk anyway. Kakashi and Sakura were high-profile people, and there had been whispers about how they used to be together all the time, practically inseparable, and yet now they barely look at each other… You can't live around people trained since childhood to be exceptionally observant and expect them not to notice.
Every day was a trial for her. Every morning as she headed to the command briefing, she wondered if she would experience that same gut-clench when she caught that first glimpse silver hair. It hadn't failed yet. It was painful to see him, even more so to talk to him. Naruto had tried a few times to act as an intermediary in the hopes of patching things up, but it wasn't going to happen. Sakura focused almost single-mindedly on her work as head medic. Kakashi had retreated back into his old shell of lazy indifference and did as much work outside the temple grounds as he could reasonably do as second-in-command. But they still had to work together and interact nearly every day, and they had to be professional.
There were moments when she had tried to breach the chasm between them, when she made a quip or tried to kick up some of their old friendly banter. Kakashi wouldn't let her. Everything he did was designed to distance her.
In two days Sakura would face the toughest trial yet: standing with Kakashi as the representatives in place of family at their mutual friends' wedding.
The ceremony was held at sunset, when the heat of the day had lessened and the surrounding jungle grew quiet. The glowing lanterns floating everywhere in the flower-scented air had transformed the temple into an ethereal dreamscape.
Sakura and Kurenai had spent the afternoon getting Shizune ready and calming her anxiety. Kurenai had a couple extra yukata to lend, all simple and unadorned, and she was taller than Sakura, but it was better than nothing. They shared a fondness for red, and Sakura was quite pleased with her chosen loaner: a bright cherry-colored fabric with a deep crimson obi. Kurenai had also acquired makeup from somewhere, and they were surprised by how much fun they had doing their hair and dolling themselves up. They were shinobi twenty-four-seven and none of them were the high-maintenance type, but there was definitely something to be said for feeling like a woman now and then.
When the time came, they escorted Shizune to the pre-ceremony staging area adjacent to the prayer hall. The wedding would take place in the larger courtyard out front, which had been transformed into a beautiful torchlit pavilion.
Genma, Kakashi and Aoba were already waiting there. The look on Genma's face when he saw his bride was the stuff of every girl's dreams. Shizune was radiant in a simple white kimono embroidered with red hibiscus—to match the real ones in her hair. Genma was equally stunning in a deep green kimono so dark it looked almost black in the fading light, and his sandy brown hair was neatly combed for once and fell loose at his shoulders. They drew up to each other and couldn't stop themselves from touching. With trembling fingers Genma touched the flowers in her hair, trailed his fingertips down her cheek. For a moment it didn't seem like he could say anything.
"Is it against the rules if I kiss you right now?" he finally managed.
Shizune gave him a beaming smile. "I don't know," she said softly. "Since when are you a fan of rules?"
"You're right." He grinned and pulled her against him. "It's a crime to look that gorgeous and not be kissed."
As Sakura looked away from the smooching couple her eyes locked with Kakashi's. He looked much the same as he always did, just tidier, without the eyepatch and weapons. But there was something about the way he stood there looking at her that was so magnetically attractive she almost forgot herself and moved toward him. She managed to pass it off as a simple, casual step forward. Hardly a day went by when she didn't notice little things, like his scent or the smooth timbre of his voice, which still gave her a twinge of sheer desire. Many things had gone wrong between them, but they hadn't started in bed.
"You look beautiful," he said quietly.
Sakura smiled carefully, afraid to show too much. "Thank you." Searching for something to talk about, she glanced over at Genma, who was practically falling all over himself with nervous excitement, and laughed softly. "I didn't think he was capable of getting so anxious."
Kakashi looked over at his friend. "You should have seen him earlier. When he chewed through the last of his stir-sticks he went for a senbon. I had to remind him that Shizune probably wouldn't appreciate tasting metal when he kisses her."
Sakura had never seen Shizune as happy as she was today. "I don't think she cares much at this point."
That was where they ran out of easy things to say, and they found themselves staring at each other in uncertain silence.
Sakura would have given anything to know what he was thinking right then. She couldn't deny that there were times when she longed to catch him watching her, to feel him 'accidentally' brush against her, to hear even for a second something more than civil professionalism in his voice. But he'd shown no indication that he ever felt anything for her.
Until this moment.
His mismatched eyes searched her face. He opened his mouth and breathed in as if to speak, but then stopped himself. A hundred different things raced through her mind, a thousand scenarios played out in silence on nights when she lay awake in the dark, unable to sleep because she'd grown too used to his presence beside her.
Then the moment was gone, as one of the monks appeared and announced, "It's nearly time."
Sakura went over to Shizune and did some last minute straightening of her kimono while Kurenai made sure the flowers were still secure in her hair. Kakashi and Genma clasped hands and shared a smile that was a testament to their long, long friendship. Aoba kissed Shizune and gave Genma a brotherly hug. And then it was their cue. Kurenai and Aoba went first, and Kakashi and Sakura followed.
Kakashi held his arm out for her, Sakura slipped her hand through his elbow, and they started toward the courtyard. For half a minute she got to be close to him again, to feel his warmth and the strength of his arm against hers. Then they were separating and stepping off to the side to make room for the bride and groom.
Genma and Shizune walked to the altar, side by side as equal partners on their journey through life together.
After all the preparation and buildup for a wedding, the actual ceremony is surprisingly quick. Master Inei performed the marriage rite, and Genma and Shizune both grinned like fools the entire time. They sealed their vows with a kiss, and because it was Genma, he bent his new wife backwards with the dramatic flair of an old movie, earning whoops and whistles from the crowd. Everyone cheered and clapped some more and came forward to congratulate the newlyweds.
#
During the dinner there was a string of congratulatory speeches given by the couple's closest friends, and anyone else who wanted to toast to the newlyweds. Genma and Shizune gave the opening speech, thanking everyone for their support and participation in making it all happen, that it couldn't have been any better.
Sakura spoke next. "We all know Genma has no shame," she said, eliciting knowing laughs from the crowd. "And we all know Shizune is a little on the reserved side. From a distance they might seem like an odd couple, but I truly can't think of two people more suited to each other. They fill in the gaps of each other's strengths and weaknesses. And the best thing is they both know it." She grew more serious, holding Shizune's gaze with a small smile. "When Shizune and I were on the road together for two years, searching for our comrades, there were times when we nearly lost hope. But the one thing she never lost hope of was that Genma was alive somewhere, looking for her. She knew that one day she would find the man she loved and they would be together again. Her determination not only carried her forward, but gave me hope as well."
She'd made Shizune cry, and possibly Genma too, though his face was conspicuously hidden as he kissed her hair. Sakura's eyes were wet as well, and she wasn't finished. "And now we're here tonight, surrounded by friends and the people we love," she continued, speaking directly to Shizune now. She took a carefully controlled breath, willing herself not to lose it during her own speech. "Tsunade-shishou would be so happy and proud of you. She loved you like a daughter, and if she were here she would be the first one to drunkenly threaten bodily harm to your new husband if he ever hurts you." Several chuckles went round at that. "So I guess—though I'm not drunk yet—that falls to me. Genma—" she smiled at the grinning groom, "I know I'll never have to enforce that threat, but I'm obligated to make it anyway. I hope you know how lucky you are." She raised her cup.
"Every day," he returned, and they all drank to that.
Though he loathed public speaking and being in the spotlight, Kakashi stood next and said few words to his oldest friends. "I've known you both over twenty years, and I know what you've been through to get here. Two wars, multiple brushes with death, and over ten years of separation. It takes a special kind of courage to overcome so many obstacles. If anyone deserves to live happily ever after, it's you two."
The crowd cheered their agreement, and from across the room, Kakashi's eyes met Sakura's. He held her gaze for only a brief moment, before looking away and following through on his toast.
Sakura continued to watch him carefully as he drained his cup, sat down, and immediately poured another. She was pretty sure that wasn't his first—or second—and she wondered what was bothering him. There was a time when she could have just sat down next to him and asked, but not anymore. Now she could only guess. She knew him well enough to intuit the vague subtext to his brief speech. He'd been referencing himself, or at least drawing from his own experience, implying that he lacked emotional fortitude and therefore didn't deserve lasting happiness. Sakura already knew he thought that about himself. She'd experienced the ugly reality of that character flaw up close and personal. But if he was unhappy about the consequences of his choices…it was his own fault.
And she was sick of pining over him and stressing herself out. This was a celebration, and she needed to lighten up. She turned so that Kakashi wasn't in her line of sight anymore and focused on Aoba, who had stood up to speak next.
He looked more than a little uncomfortable. "You all know I'm not the best speaker," he began with a nervous laugh. "I tend to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, and it gets me into trouble more often than not." A few people snickered, because he was known for putting his foot in his mouth. Then his face grew serious, and the crowd fell silent. "It really shouldn't be me giving this speech…it should be Raidou. He always believed these two would end up together, even when it seemed like Shizune would never come back home to Konoha. For a long time I wasn't so sure, but he just couldn't imagine it any other way. I'm glad he was right, and I wish he was here to say 'I told you so.'" He choked up a little, and took a deep breath. He smiled at his teammates, but his eyes remained sad. "He'll always be with us though, supporting his teammates through all of our adventures."
Genma held up his cup, and in a voice was thick with emotion said, "To Raidou. And to all of our friends who are here with us in spirit."
Everyone echoed him and got emotional and emptied their cups. A few more people proposed toasts, and then finally, Naruto gave the closing speech.
"You guys have been through a lot," he said to the couple. "But you never stopped loving each other, never stopped hoping, and tonight is proof that it pays to never give up." He gazed out at the crowd of shinobi. "These are dark times, and it's easy to lose sight of what really matters. But because of this wedding, the past few weeks at this temple have been filled with joy and excitement for the future." He turned back to the couple. "Genma, Shizune-nee-chan…thank you for reminding us all of what we're really fighting for: our future. I hope yours is exactly what you want it to be." He turned back to the crowd, raised his cup and hollered, "Now let's party!"
They took his suggestion wholeheartedly. The reception became as rowdy and lively as only an army of shinobi could make it. Lots of drinking and gorging on delicious foods they didn't normally get to eat, combined with music, dancing, wild acrobatics, and other insane shenanigans.
Sakura watched the scene for a while, noticed a few things that surprised her, and a few that didn't. The biggest surprise: Sasuke was lurking back in a shadowy corner. She wouldn't have thought he would care about the wedding or that he would voluntarily come to a party. She recalled the things he'd said to her before she left for Suna, and wondered if he truly was trying to change. She'd been deliberately nasty to him that day, and it felt good at the time, but afterward she felt bad, petty—like kicking someone when they're already down. Maybe she should give him a chance.
Still, she wasn't quite ready to go talk to him just yet.
On the other side of the room she saw Sai and Hanabi sitting together at a table, close enough to be touching. Their heads were tilted toward each other as they talked, and then Hanabi said something that made Sai laugh. Then she spotted her other teammate, trying to avoid notice as he sneaked away hand in hand with Hinata.
Sakura's smile cracked and faltered. She was genuinely happy for all of her friends, but that didn't stop her from feeling that bitter twist of jealousy.
Aggravation flared inside her; she was so sick of feeling like this! That's it, she told herself. You are not allowed to sit alone and drink anymore. She searched for something or someone to distract her, and noticed that Aoba was also sitting by himself, watching amusedly as Genma dragged a laughing, protesting Shizune out to where the tables had been cleared away for a dance.
Sakura went over and stood next to him. "Don't you know it's a faux-pas to pour your own drinks?"
He looked up at her and smiled. "Oh yeah? You gonna pour for me?"
She took a seat on the bench. "I was the primary unofficial sake pourer for the Godaime Hokage, you know," she said airily. "That makes me an expert."
He gave her a mock bow. "I'm honored."
She reached for the wine jug and held it poised above his cup. "There's only one rule..."
"What's that?"
Sakura gave him her most charming smile. "You have to pour mine in return."
If he was surprised by her attention when they'd never really talked much before, he didn't show it. In fact he seemed quite pleased. He took her cup out of her hand and grinned. "Deal."
Hinata's first kiss had been with Kiba when they were fourteen. Dating and kissing and hooking up was all anyone their age ever talked about in those days, and they'd wanted to know what the big deal was. So one day at the training grounds, before Shino and Kurenai-sensei arrived, they decided to find out.
It had been wet, slippery, embarrassing, extremely brief, and nothing at all like how Naruto's kisses made her feel. Naruto took her breath away and filled her with a giddiness and a heat that made her knees weak.
She was glad she was currently leaning against the trunk of a tree, supported by his strong arms and pinned by his warm, solid weight. She clung to his shoulders, winding her fingers into his hair as he placed hot kisses against the skin of her throat. She hadn't fainted in years, but she was in danger of it now.
The temple gardens were quiet and dark except for the occasional winking of fireflies, and the air was filled with the scent of flowers. Naruto had wanted to get away for a while from the party and the constant attention—he was starting to learn that popularity and leadership had its drawbacks. They went for a walk, and somehow ended up here, kissing and groping in the dark. While at times she still found it hard to believe that Naruto wanted to kiss her and did so a lot, she had finally gotten used to having little intimate moments with a man.
Tonight it felt different, somehow. More intense, exhilarating in a dangerous sort of way, as if something totally new might come of it, as if it wasn't an act in and of itself but a prelude to something much, much more.
One of his hands was tangled in her hair—he loved touching and playing with her hair; she'd never had to brush it more often than she had in these past few weeks, but she loved that he loved it. His other hand eased upward along the curve of her waist, across her ribs, hesitating only a second before moving to cup her breast. Hinata was not shocked; she wanted him to touch her everywhere.
"Hinata," he murmured, breaking from her lips. His breath mingled with hers. "I want you."
"I'm already yours," she breathed, and kissed him again.
Naruto made this little growl-whimper sound whenever she did something he especially liked, and he did so now. His arms tightened around her and he pressed her more firmly against the tree with his body. Then he drew back a little and looked into her eyes. "I want you completely."
Hinata knew what he meant the first time. She wanted it too, had been thinking about it all night, actually. Still, she felt herself blushing as she breathlessly nodded her consent. Naruto smiled and kissed her so passionately it made her head spin. His roving hands grew more bold, insistent and greedy, as if he'd been restraining himself until now. His abandon seemed to unleash her own desires, and her hands wandered across the hard planes of his torso, exploring. His skin was unusually warm, but she had come to learn that was normal for him. She wondered what it would feel like when his bare skin was against her bare skin.
Naruto pulled back again, just barely, resting his forehead against hers. "Not here," he rasped. "I want it to be right."
"It's right if it's with you," she whispered distractedly. It didn't matter if they were in a tree or underwater. She'd loved him for years, and she just wanted to be with him. "I don't care…"
He smiled softly and cupped her face in his hands. "I care." He kissed her again, then grabbed her hands and led her out of the gardens.
Hinata wasn't aware of the walk back to the billets at all, so completely lost in the moment was she. Only when they were alone in her room and his hands were slipping under her shirt, touching her bare skin, was she back in her body.
Between heated kisses, with careful reverence, Naruto began to peel her clothes away. Hinata did the same, slowly unwrapping him like the greatest gift she'd ever received. She admittedly hadn't given much thought to what this moment would be like, and she certainly never dared to imagine it would be with this man. Now that she was here, she was surprised by her own lack of embarrassment.
No one had ever touched her this way before. She never would have guessed that the soft brush of a man's fingers across her stomach could make her heart race like this. That just his hot breath against her skin could make parts of her body tighten and ache. She wanted to touch him too, wanted to know what he felt like, tasted like, wanted to know how he would react if she did to him what he was doing to her. The cause-and-effect of lovemaking was an exciting and glorious revelation…and they were only at the beginning.
They sank down onto her bedroll together, and from that moment forward, Hinata's world became a completely different and much more beautiful place.
Sakura spun and laughed in a whirlwind of semi-intoxicated glee. Aoba was an enthusiastic dancer, and he'd been steering and twirling her around and between the other couples for the last several songs. Now they were so out of breath they could barely stand up straight. It didn't help that they were laughing so hard.
Finally he led her back to their table, his hand resting lightly between her shoulder blades. They sat down close together, their shoulders and thighs touching. He poured her another drink and started telling a joke.
Sakura had been halfheartedly flirting with him for the past couple hours. She found him only mildly attractive, but she was pleased to discover she genuinely liked him as a person, and she wondered why they hadn't become friends sooner, given how long they'd been acquainted. They were friends of friends who just never sat down and got to know each other. He was a laid-back guy with a good sense of humor. He was also everything Kakashi wasn't: outgoing, normal, and not terribly exciting.
Aoba was flirting with her as well, but without any real intent. He was wary of Kakashi; it was obvious by the way he occasionally glanced in the other man's direction. Sakura made a point not to look at Kakashi. It gave her a smug satisfaction that he was watching them and was clearly displeased, but it also made her angry. He'd made it perfectly clear that he didn't want to be with her, so it was none of his business what she did or with whom. He had no right to be offended. She was pretty sure she could incite a reaction out of him if she wanted to, but while it might prove a point, she wasn't about to hook up with anyone just to make Kakashi jealous.
Aoba was in the middle of delivering the punchline to his joke when there was a commotion at the other end of the room. The music abruptly stopped. Concerned murmurs rippled through the crowd. Someone had collapsed.
Sakura jumped up and ran over to the fallen man, pushing her way through his friends and bystanders. "Back up," she ordered. "Let me look at him." He was curled up in the fetal position, clutching his stomach and groaning in pain. She knelt beside him and put her hand on his abdomen—the skin was hot to the touch. She pushed a little chakra into him, determined the source of pain came from his stomach, and almost immediately a sensation of wrongness radiated out to her probing chakra, as if she had touched an open flame. She exhaled sharply, alarm spiking through her. "No," she whispered.
She whipped around at another cry of distress. Someone else was down. Shizune was moving toward him. Rapidly scanning the room, Sakura spotted several people looking ill or in pain, hunched over or ready to collapse.
Shikamaru hurried over, eyes falling to the sick man and then to her. "What's going on?"
Across the chaotic room Sakura and Shizune's eyes met, their expressions mirroring the same devastating conclusion.
"Poison," she announced with building dread. "It's in the food."
TBC