A few days had passed since the assessment. Lee wasn't as energetic as usual. Hanako tried to understand as best as she could. She just couldn't. Lee worked harder than anyone else to become a ninja. It was everything he ever wanted and the. He was told he couldn't be one unless he took a surgery that was a coin toss to if he lived or not. To say the least he was devasted and scared. Hanako didn't know how to cheer him up. She had done a few easy missions with Neji and Tenten. They were the usual standard d and c rank missions. Sometimes they'd show up with her and talk to Lee but it was harder than they knew what to do.
"See you tomorrow Lee." Hanako waved at him. She was exhausted. She had heard of the fight between Nii and Sasuke. She heard from the staff, they had ruined the water towers. She figured she talked to her brother at home so she went to look for Sasuke. He wasn't at his apartment or the old Uchiha compound.. She looked for him in all the tall places and finally found him sitting in a big ole tree. "I've been looking for you forever." Hanako called out to him. He looked up and there she was walking towards him.
"What do you want?" He asked angrily. His face showed his annoyance.
"Why did you fight Nii?" Hanako asked. Straight to the point as always. Sasuke let down his guard. When she was like this it was best to get it over with.
"I wanted to fight him.. to.. forget it." He snarled not wanting to admit anything. Hanako watched him. She knew what this tantrum meant
"You felt inferior." Hanako answered. Sasuke looked at her in shock and then smiled. "You acted this way with me back at academy."
"Yeah.. I did, didn't I?" Sasuke murmured thinking about academy. "You always just know somehow." He looked at her. A ghost of a smile on his lips. Sometimes he felt he could understand her but other times he had no idea what was going through her head. He looked at her. He noticed she had toned up and was slightly tanner than before. Her hair grew a bit. So did other parts of her. Sasuke turned away blushing for a moment. She was a ninja. His friend. Someone he admired sometimes. He looked back at her and stared into her eyes. She always had this look like she was aloof and yet she could penetrate into people's inner self. It was a talent and she used it well.
"We're best friends. It would be weird if I didn't know." Hanako told him. She shook her head and crossed her arms. "Of all the people, it had to be Nii?" Hanako asked exasperated. He and him always fighting. Sasuke just hmphed. He didn't want to talk so Hanako wasn't going to force him. Then they both sensed something and Sasuke had wires tie him to the tree he was on. He glared at the silver haired sensei.
"Do you mind if I talk to him for a moment?" Kakashi-sensei asked. Hanako shook her head and she walked to the other side of the tree. Kakashi started to lecture him. Hanako wanted to giggle. Sasuke was being lectured. She listened in to some parts. It was about his revenge. Hanako knew what happened. His older brother, Itachi, had killed all their brethren. He had left Sasuke an orphan and alone. His hatred was understandable. She would hunt down the person who killed her Nii. If Sasuke had tried to kill him Hanako was certain she would hunt him down. Nii was her number one and without him she would be lost.
"What if I were to kill the one you love most?!" Sasuke asked harshly. Hanako shook her head. He needed time to heal but the way he was going wasn't helping him.
Kakashi's was shocking but it made sense. All his loved ones were dead so it didn't matter yet here he was protecting the village. He was worthy of respect Hanako knew. "Chidori is a power given to you because you have found things important to you. That power is not something to be used against your friends or for revenge. You yourself should know what that power should be used for. Think hard on if you can or cannot hold true to what I've said." He then left. The wires loosened around Sasuke and he was free. Hanako returned and his face was in turmoil. She didn't say anything and sat with him while he thought about his life.
Sasuke was thinking about Sakura and Naruto and Hanako. He couldn't deny that they were important. Even Naruto with his stupid personality and dumb face. He had learned chidori and tried to use it on him. Hanako's brother. Her beloved family. He could have killed her only family member in his fit of rage. That shook him to his core. He almost killed her only family member. He would have been her Itachi. He sighed. It was confusing. He looked at her she was off in her own thoughts too. He wondered if she ever thought of him just because. His heart clenched. He hated this. He grabbed her hand. Hanako jump at the sudden contact and looked at him questioningly. One look at his face and she didn't pull away. Something in her screamed he needed this and she complied. That's what friends were for. He held her hand. He wanted this contact.
They noticed four shapes coming down at them and stood up instinctively. Sasuke was in front of her glaring at them all. "Who the hell are you?"
The one with multiple arms answered first. "The four sounds. East gate's Kidomaru."
The big guy answered next, "The same. South gate's Jirobo."
The silver haired one spoke, "The same. West gate's Sakon."
The only female answered, "The same. North gate's Tayuya."
They then attacked and Sasuke defended against all of them. Hanako watched amazed. He threw one at the tree and she ducked. They used the substitution jutsu and all of them were logs. They stood looking at them. "You caught me at a bad time. If you want more, I won't hold back." He glared at them.
"Heh. Stop yapping like a wimpy dog. Come on. I'll make a nice melody from your broken bones." Sakon said. He motioned for Sasuke to attack him. Sasuke jumped he grabbed the wire from Kakashi's visit and used it against him. He caught Sakon's legs and prevented him from moving. "My legs.. those strings!" He noticed. Sasuke swung his leg at him and Sakon deflected. Sasuke had it right now. Sakon grabbed his foot and arm. Sasuke swung his other leg and he grabbed it too. Hanako was worried now. He threw a punch and instead Sakon threw him back at the tree and Hanako caught him before he smashed into the tree.
"You messed up the melody." Sakon groaned at her. Sasuke picked himself up. He wondered where the attack came from. They quickly noticed the brown one coming after them. He shot webs from his mouth and it caught Sasuke's arms and he swung Sasuke like a doll. The big one punched him and Sasuke flew.
"Sasuke!" Hanako yelled. She tried to go help but Tayuya block her path. She aimed a punch at her and she caught her fist.
"Who the fuck do you fucking think you are?!" She shouted at Hanako. Hanako blinked as she hardly heard people curse like that. "Kabuto said not to lay a finger on you but I'm fucking close to beating the living daylights on you." Hanako froze. Kabuto? She gathered her wits quickly and swung her leg at her and Tayuya cursed even more while Hanako escaped and tried to help Sasuke. Sakon was holding Sasuke by his leg.
"Let go of Sasuke!" Hanako shouted and did the shadow clone. They threw each other and dive bombed Sakon. But before any of them could reach, Jirobo blocked their attacks and threw her.
"Shit you stinky fatass! Kabuto is going to kill us! Didn't you hear that we weren't suppose to harm her! Fuck! That's his fucking student!" Tayuya shouted at him. Hanako groaned and picked herself up. Why weren't they hurt? Hanako did some hand signs and brought out the chakra scalpel. She would slice them down if she had to. But she got caught by a spiderweb and was stuck to the tree. What the hell. "If you stay in this shitty village, you'll always be weak like everyone else. Playing family games with your comrades will only make you rot. Come with us. If you do, Lord Orochimaru will give you strength." Tayuya told Sasuke. Hanako hung forgotten. Sakon threw Sasuke again and they cornered him.
"Say it clearly. Don't waste my time. Are you coming with us or not? If we force you to come with us there is no meaning. Lord Orochimaru is so troublesome. Such a weakling. I just want to kill him." Sakon spoke. Black marks started to appear on Sasuke and Hanako gasped. Did the seal stop working?
"Come and try." Sasuke growled. He charged at them. The others were shocked.
"The curse seal." Sakon muttered. Sasuke charged, only to be deflected. What shook Hanako was the fact was he had the curse mark too. "You're not the only one Lord Orochimaru has his eyes set on." He shocked them both. "It looks like you have no control of the curse seal yet. If you release it for an extended period of time then bit by bit the curse seal will consume over your body. You are in the first stages, so the process is still very slow. Once it has completely consumed you, you will lose your sense of self forever." Hanako gasped. It was worse than she thought. She shivered.
"In exchange for power we have become Lord Orochimaru's servants. We have already lost our freedom. In order to receive something then you must sacrifice something in return. What is your purpose. Will your forget your goal and spend the rest of your life with your friends in this cozy village, licking your wounds?" Tayuya asked.
"I will tell you about Itachi. Never forget your purpose. This village is just a hindrance for you. Cut ties with your useless acquaintances. This is the only way you will become stronger. Don't forget your purpose." They told him. Sasuke watched as they left. Hanako shivered. She was still considered Kabuto's student? She was bleeding in the mouth. It had a bitter taste. Sasuke looked into his palm. She could feel the rage. Nothing she said would get through him.
"I need help." She called out. He jumped. Shocked that she was here. He got up and cut her loose. Hanako jumped down and stretched. They ignored her for the most part. Hanako saw the rage in his eyes. She sighed. She gave him a hug that he didn't return. He stiffened instead. She hugged him tightly, until she was satisfied. She looked him over while he was silent. In his thoughts. She healed his fractures and cuts. He never said a word. Neither did she. There were no words for what had just happened.
"Are you leaving now?" She asked and he nodded. Hanako looked away. He was going to leave. Was this really the right path? Would he be happy? She didn't know.
Together they walked to his apartment. She sat in his chair while he packed his basic stuff. She looked around. This was probably going to be the last time she was here. He noticed a picture of his teammates. He put down the picture frame of his team. Then they left. It was silence between them. Hanako noticed Sakura down the path and hid. Sasuke looked and understood what was going on. He approached her.
"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" He asked.
"Everyone who leaves will have to pass this road." She replied.
"You should go back to bed." He then walked passed her. Hanako knew it wouldn't be that easy. Yet she was cheering for Sakura. Maybe she could stop him.
"I was always making you angry. Do you still remember when we became genin? It was like a dream. The three of us formed a group together. The first time I talked to Sasuke alone, you got mad at me. Do you remember?" Sakura asked.
Sasuke stood still. "I don't remember that." Sakura looked shocked like she had been slapped.
"Haha.. I thought so too. It was so long ago. But ever since that day, Sasuke and I and Naruto and Kakashi-sensei.. the four of us have completed many missions. It was tiring and difficult but more than anything.. it made me happy." She spoke calmly. Hanako looked in shock. Sasuke had been a decent teammate? She smiled. Sakura really cared for him. She did say she was in love with Sasuke. "I know about what happened to Sasuke's family.. but a thing like revenge can never bring anyone happiness. It will not bring Sasuke happiness!" She caught her voice.
"Like I thought.. I am not like the rest of you. We have different paths that we must walk. When the four of us were completing our missions, I had thought that was my path. But after everything.. my heart tells me I am an avenger. This is why I am alive. I will never be like you or Naruto." He looked at her. Tears were flowing down Sakura's eyes. Hanako could only watch. Was this being a good friend? Accepting him? Or trying to persuade him. She didn't know..
"Sasuke do you plan on being alone again? You were the one who told me about pain and loneliness! Right now I feel that pain too.. even though I have friends and family but without Sasuke in my life.. to me.. I.. I will still be lonely." She cried. Hanako watched. This was new. Was this a confession that she had read about?
"These are just the new steps we must take on our individual paths."
"I love you! I love you so much I can't stand it! If Sasuke and I were together, I swear I won't let you regret it. We'll live happily everyday! We'll definitely find happiness together. I am willing to do anything for you! Please stay! I'm begging you. I'd kill for you.. anything you want me to do, I will do it for you! Please.. stay here together with me.. if that's not possible.. take me with you." Sakura broke down sobbing. Hanako blushed. She shouldn't have heard that confession. She didn't expect anything like that. But she congratulated Sakura on her guts. She heard it took a lot to confess.
"You really are annoying." Sasuke said. Hanako almost fell out the tree. She was going to lecture Sasuke about this later.. then she sobered up. He was leaving.
"Don't go! If you take one more step, I'll scream!" Sasuke stopped and Sakura thought she did it only to feel a small whack on her neck.
"Thank you.. Sakura." Sasuke whispered. Hanako left her hiding space and joined up with him. He was putting Sakura on the bench.
"Is this really okay with you?" Hanako asked. He looked at her in pain. Many thoughts swirled around him.
"Come with me. I need you. You're a medic and I'll need your skills when I go after Itachi." He begged. Hanako shook her head. Her heart clenched.
"I can't. Nii needs me. I need him. I want nothing to do with Lord Orochimaru and Kabuto-sensei." She softly spoke. Sasuke turned away. He sighed.
"then when I leave, will you come with me?" He looked her in the eyes.
"When you go after Itachi? You won't be with Lord Orochimaru?" She asked. He nodded. She sighed. "Yes. I'll study more to help out." She told him. He smiled his broken smiled then he leaned in and kissed her. Hanako was in shock. Her brain stopped working when his lips touched hers. He let go. He saw the panic in her face and smirked. So even Hanako got flustered.
"That's a promise between friends." He told her. Hanako looked at him and then calmed down. So this was a promise and not anything else with meaning?
"Wouldn't a pinky have worked then?"
"This is more serious. I'll come for you when the time comes." He told her.
"Can you bring me news of Asato?" She asked and he nodded. He walked off and Hanako watched him leave. Her fingertips kept touching her lips. Do most friends kiss one another? She didn't want to ask, His lips had been soft and she felt hot. Was it hot or was it just her? Did this make her a pervert?! Hanako slapped her cheeks. This was a promise between friends. It meant she had to study more to not get behind.
Sasuke smirked. He smiled at the memory. He had never seen her face get that red before. He thought she looked a bit cute. Different. His last memory of the leaf village. He sighed. She would probably believe that kiss had no meaning except that promise. He liked her. He had always liked her from the very beginning. She had been different from the start and that made him realize that not all girls were lame. He shook his head. Now was the time for his new path, he would find her later and bring news of her old teammate.
Hanako got home. It was a tiresome day. Sasuke had just left. She knew her brother would go after him. Her Nii adored Sasuke. She didn't know how to tell him. She didn't want to tell him. She only wished she had made the right decision.
It's me again bring more chapters into your life when I should be sleeping. Lolz. Honestly I had a really awful day and I wanted to cheer myself up and so I did. It's just.. I dunno. I do have a SO but its not working out anymore and he cheated on me which is the reason why it's not working out. He said he's sorry but I can't trust him anymore and I'm just torn. I had loved this guy for years and he.. I dunno... it's just icky. I have a final tomorrow so good night! I hope you guys are well!
R&R