Author's Note: Alright. Just one thing. I got stuck near the end as far as changing things and all that. My proofreading still sucks. But you can just assume that they're all overreacting or whatever. I'm not going have anything bad happen to Sasuke, because I love him too much. Sorry if the ending's a bit rough, I was running out of ideas. I might go back and change it once a good idea comes to me. Anyway, due to a review I received for this story as well as a few for one of my others, I've disabled the anonymous reviewer thing. I've had it with them, because I can not respond to the flames and that annoys me. So, if you're an anonymous reviewer, I apologize. The flamers ruined it all for you. But if you happen to have an account on this site, please do log in a review, but do not flame, or I will remove it. Oh, and another thing: This is a SasuSaku fanfic. I put those main character things as Sakura and Sasuke for a reason. I also stated in the summary that the main pairing is SasuSaku, indicating that there are others. If you don't like the pairings I put in the story, or just don't like the way it's turning out or whatever your problem is, stop reading and click the back button. I've had enough with those kinds of reviews too. As you can probably see, I am pretty pissed. And by the way, does anyone even bother to read my little notes?
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would've crawled back to Konoha on his knees and begged for Sakura's forgiveness the chapter after he left the village. 'Nuff said. (I own my fanmade characters. That is all. I do not own anything else. I do not own anything in this chapter that does not belong to me.)
"Sakura, wait!" I had no intention of stopping. I had to get as far away from him as possible, as fast as possible. I couldn't even bare to look at him.
"GET AWAY!" I cried, running through tears, my heart breaking in my chest.
Sand gripped at my legs, wrapping around my waist, but the wetness of my tears rendered the sand useless. The pieces of sand fell to the stairs, there not having been much to begin with, but still enough to make a tight rope around me, able to pull me back to him. But he wouldn't do that. Gaara had a heart. He wouldn't pull me back against my will. At least…That's what I thought.
"AGGHHH!" I cried as the sand wrapped around my waist, holding my arms against my sides, and hauling me back up the stairs, carrying me through the air, my eyes burning with tears. I turned my head around, narrowing my eyes. "LET ME GO!"
"No until I explain myself first!" I struggled, as the sand carried me back to him, Sasuke's back mocking me in front of my eyes, a drop of silver falling from the sky above him. "Just wait a second!"
"Why should I? I have to go! Didn't you hear me?" I called back, crying violently now, not bothering to hold the sobs inside. Sasuke's heart throbbed in front of my eyes.
"I heard you already, Sakura! You have to let me explain!" I felt around my right thigh, feeling for my black holster that would normally be strapped to my leg, but my fingertips brushed against the hem of my dress and bare skin. I was helpless. At least until I got close.
"I don't want to hear your explanation! I want to go home! I want to leave!" I sobbed, my hands trembling as the sand pulled me closer to him. "I knew coming here was a bad idea."
"And right you are about that, my dear Sakura." I lifted my head up, the sand stopping in mid air, holding me still. "I told you Gaara left me to get with you."
"Matsuri!" Gaara exclaimed, surprised. Perhaps more so than I was. I had seen this coming. Well, that was a bit of a lie.
"You stay away from me, Matsuri." I snarled, blue fire lighting up around both of my fists, my green eyes flashing angrily.
"Whoa. Someone's in a bitchy mood." She pointed out dryly, leaning on the side of the wall. I snorted.
"Right back at you." I retorted, narrowing my jade eyes, Gaara's sand pulling me backwards, my head falling backwards slightly as I turned my face around, my jade eyes fierce. "Did you plan this? Did you have any part in this, Gaara?"
"Of course not! How could you suggest that?" I rolled my eyes, and snorted.
"Just eliminating all possibilities so that I have some peace of mind." I answered, turning back to Matsuri. Her black eyes shifted, as her entire form flashed out of existence to be replaced by Sasuke's, his back to me, the wind blowing his black bangs past his cold, expressionless eyes. "S-Sasuke…"
"Ha! I was right! You are too in love with Uchiha Sasuke to think straight!" Matsuri pointed out, jumping up into the air triumphantly. His heart throbbed in front of my eyes again. Tears fell to the floor.
"Stop it!" I cried, struggling once more, flailing around in the sand's grip, Gaara's chakra keeping a firm hold on me, barely allowing me to move. "Let me go, damn it!"
"Wait, Sakura! I haven't had the chance to explain yet!" Screw explanations. I had to get out of here. Sasuke's frozen black eyes flickered.
"Just let her go, Gaara. It's obvious she wants to run into Sasuke's arms and forget all of her problems. I told you she wouldn't fall for you. But you had to go and ruin the best thing that's ever happened to you for a girl who's already in love with someone else." Matsuri face palmed, and shook her head. "You're such an idiot, Gaara."
"Hey! Don't call him an idiot, bitch!" I interjected, tossing my head once. Matsuri turned to me, and smirked.
"Are you a part of this conversation, Ugly?" Matsuri asked, pointing at me. I snorted, and smirked.
"I am now. Aren't I the subject of this argument? I'm the loved one, right? I have a right to speak, Hideous." I shot back, Gaara's sand dropping me at the top of the stairs. I landed daintily, and turned to Gaara, my eyes cold. "I'm just as much at fault for this as you are, Gaara. I'm not mad at you. I should of seen this coming. But, as long as you remember who I am and how I feel, I would love to talk to you anytime."
"But that's just it, Sakura. That's the one problem I have with Sasuke." He replied, turning away, his eyes hurt. "He has you."
"There are plenty of girls out there better than me." I replied earnestly, smiling faintly. "You just have to keep looking."
"What if I don't want to?" He asked softly, my eyes widening. "What if I found the one I want to be with?"
I couldn't say anything to that. I didn't have anything to say to that. How could I, when he had just practically professed his love for me. Or rather confessed. For a lighter and simpler term. Sasuke's black eyes, his mocking back, they appeared in the sky behind Gaara once more, silently watching, waiting to see what I would do, how I would react. Gaara trembled in front of me. Matsuri laughed haughtily.
"What are you gonna do now, Sakura?" She asked, taking a few steps toward me. I tightened my hands into fists. Good question.
"I can't breathe…" I murmured, closing my eyes, tears sliding down the sides of my face. "I can't think…"
"That's because you love Sasuke too much. If you let him go to someone else, like me, then you wouldn't be so stretched thin." I narrowed my eyes, and pulled my right hand back, taking a deep breath.
"Let him go? HA!" I flung my fist forward as I turned around, my punch digging into the side of her face, blood flying out of her mouth.
"Sakura!" Gaara exclaimed. Sasuke blinked, a shooting star flashing across his lonely left iris as he watched me from the night sky.
"I'm not letting him go to you. Matsuri, you don't know anything about how to love a boy. Sasuke said it once before. You're a failure as a girlfriend, let alone a woman." I turned to Gaara, a tear sliding down the left side of my face. "As I am a failure as a friend. I'm sorry, Gaara. I didn't realize what I was doing. Forgive me for my selfishness."
"Sakura…" He breathed, his mint green eyes wide and throbbing. The onyx iris in the sky narrowed.
"I can't stay here. I've got to go." I murmured as a reply, taking off down the stairs a second time, or trying to, because a hand caught mine.
"Don't go yet." I shook my head, and pulled, tears falling again.
"Just let me go!" I exclaimed, my voice cold. "There's nothing for you to explain. I understand what you were trying to do, and that was my fault. I led you on. And I apologize. I just don't feel that way about you, Gaara. Matsuri's right. I'm in love with Uchiha Sasuke. And that's how it's going to be for as long as he has me. Sorry."
I ran down the stairs, tears flying out behind me as I ripped through the stairwell, not slowing down, or bothering to watch where my feet were going. All I knew was that I had to get out of there; couldn't turn back now. I whipped through the last flights, my feet moving like lightning, as I quieted my sobbing, the guard looking up at me as I flew out the door into the night, my tears hitting the back of my hands.
Freely running through the night now, the sounds of footsteps behind me, which I knew to be my friends Ino, Temari, Shikamaru, and Tenten, I was able to clear my mind. The feeling of Gaara's kiss burned on my lips, marking me as the sand on my forehead blew away into the wind, as I continued running, not caring where I was going. I just had to get away. I couldn't look back, I couldn't turn back. I had to keep moving forward.
My heart ached for Sasuke, my body craved his soft and warm embrace, my mind wished for his smooth and soothing voice, as I wrapped my arms around myself, crying harder now, knowing that I couldn't face him now, not after that. I couldn't bear locking eyes with him right now; for fear that I would go weak at the knees and fall into his arms like a damsel in distress.
Perhaps that's what I needed most at the moment. It was human to want comfort. Ever since we'd been going out, I'd never asked for comfort. I'd never asked to be held. I'd never asked to be cradled close to his heart like a little baby. I was still clean. I could go to him if I wished. I could ask for comfort. He wouldn't mind. But I had to tell him about Gaara's unexpected move. And that would be hard.
I found myself running through the hallway of the hospital, my feet moving as if having a will of their own, nurses and medics jumping out of the way of my sobbing face as I ran forward, barreling past room after room, only intent on making to one, and only one. My heart broke in my chest. My lips froze. My hand gripped onto the knob as I threw it open, Sasuke and Hinata turning toward the door in surprise.
"Sakura-san!" Hinata exclaimed, jumping slightly. Sasuke's eyes focused on the tears sliding down the sides of my face as I crossed the room.
"What's-Sakura!" I fell into him breathlessly, sobbing against his bandaged chest, Sasuke looking down at me out of surprise. "Sakura, what happened?"
I couldn't tell him. I couldn't bear to tell him. He'd snatch the warm right out from under me. His eyes would go as cold as they had been in that vision, emotionless, glaring down at me as if he hated me. He wouldn't ever smile at me again. He wouldn't ever hold me again. He wouldn't ever look at me again.
And so I clung to him, gripping him with my nails as tightly as I could, his hands on the sides of my rib cage, my sobbing ripping through the room, as I cried as hard as I could, longing for him to hold me close, to hold me as tightly as possible, but unable to ask for comfort. I couldn't ask him for something like that. It made me look weak. Just like my crying did. I held Sasuke as close to me as I could, my forehead resting on his beating heart, Hinata holding her hand over her mouth.
"S-Sakura-san…" She whispered, her pale eyes shaking. Sasuke looked down at me, blinking once.
"What happened Sakura?" I choked back a sob, shaking my head.
"Just hold me." I answered, my voice barely audible. "Please…"
"Sakura…" He breathed, widening his throbbing eyes. I didn't dare lift my eyes. His fingertips lightly ran across my back as he wrapped his arms around me, holding me closer, cradling me like a baby. "What happened to you?"
"I don't think this is the best time, Sasuke-kun. She's hurt." Hinata pointed out, rubbing my shoulder gently, as Sasuke buried his face into my hair lightly.
"Alright. I hear you." Sasuke replied, his voice soft and gentle as he comforted me, my tears dropping to the bed sheets.
I held onto him as tightly as I could, as if the wind blowing into the room from the window was trying to tear us apart, to pull him away from me. I couldn't let that happen. My one source of comfort, my one source of solace was right here, within my reach, closer than ever. Gradually, my sobbing subsided, the sound of Sasuke's quiet breathing pacifying me until I was exhausted from crying so hard. Sasuke noticed this change, and opened his eyes.
"Sakura, who did this to you?" He asked softly, Hinata sitting down on the bed beside me. I let my eyes flutter open, as I lifted my head up to face him directly. There was no coldness in his eyes. Just concern.
"Gaara…He…Kissed me and confessed how he felt about me. I led him on without even realizing it." I murmured, turning away to look out the window at the red moon, Sasuke's Sharingan eyes appearing in seconds, his face twisting in anger.
"He hurt you?" He asked, his voice icily calm, the sharp stain of his rage underlining his tone of voice. I shook my head, tears flying from my face.
"No. I hurt him." He blinked once.
"Then why are there knots along the sides of your waist and rib cage?" I widened my eyes, and let out a gasp from between my parted lips. He hurt me?
"Wha-What?" Sasuke's cold and enraged Sharingan eyes glowed viciously.
"See for yourself." I pressed my back into Sasuke's chest, and lifted up the hem of my dress, Hinata leaning forward to lend me a hand, her eyes widening at the sight of them.
Two ring shaped knots wrapped around my rib cage and waist, red and purpling as they began to bruise. I widened my eyes once more, my back falling limp against Sasuke's chest. I had no idea he was holding me that tightly. And my struggling had only made it worse. I didn't remember feeling any pain. I hadn't felt any pain at all.
"S-Sasuke, I…" I whispered, Hinata running her fingertips across them lightly, her Byakugan active.
"There's chakra flowing in them, and there's sand here…" Her voice trailed off, as she brushed the sand from the wounds. I gasped again. How had the sand gotten there? Sasuke's eyes flashed, darkening a shade.
"Sakura." I lifted my right hand, focusing chakra into it, green fire lighting up around it. I turned my head, and gasped at how dark his eyes had become. His face had turned to shadow. My eyes throbbed. He was furious.
"Sasuke, don't-" His eyes flashed once more.
"Sakura, he hurt you. How can you expect me to sit quietly after he turned his jutsu on you?" I could feel his anger pulsing from his voice, although it was scarily calm, despite the burning fire in his eyes.
"Sasuke, just let me handle it, alright? I don't want you getting yourself in trouble because of something I brought on myself." I pleaded, Hinata brushing the sand off the wounds I was starting to heal, her fingertips light and gentle. But the sharp pangs of pain still came. He had hurt me. Sasuke's eyes grew darker as his face twisted out of hate and rage.
"Why should I stand aside when you're sitting here in pain? I'm not standing for it, Sakura! That's not what teammates do!" He protested, grabbing my shoulders in his hands tightly. "How could you ask me that?"
"You don't understand! I'm the one at fault here, not Gaara! If you're going to take out your anger on someone, do it to me!" I cried, shutting my eyes under his increasingly dark gaze. Sasuke didn't falter.
"It doesn't matter if you led him on or not, he shouldn't have made a move on you without your permission, don't you understand that?" Sasuke shot back, his voice rising. I looked up at him, my eyes shaking as tears slid down the sides of my face.
"Sasuke…" Hinata jerked her head back, her Byakugan eyes widening.
"Sakura-san, Sasuke-kun, there's blood here! She's bleeding!" I turned my head, looking down at my wounds, the bruises now purple, flecked with ruby as blood began to appear. The shape to my back stiffened, his eyes growing cold.
"How in the…?" I muttered, running my fingers across the bruises, tracing them all the way around my body, pain in my right arm stopping me. Hinata gestured for me to take off my jacket, her eyes widening as bloody bruises appeared there too, as well as on my left arm.
"Sakura-san, what did he do to you, exactly?" Hinata asked, glancing up at me. I thought for a second.
"He just wrapped ropes of sand around my arms and ribs to stop me from leaving him…" I muttered, lifting a finger to my chin as I started thinking. "I think my struggling just made it worse."
"Now I'm really mad." I swung my head around, gasping as his Sharingan eyes started spinning, their color shifting from the already foboding red, to a brilliant crimson ruby, the flashing of fire in their depths craving blood.
"Wait Sasuke!" I cried, lifting my hands up to hold his face gently. A shadow fell over his face as his eyes grew darker, expectant. He didn't want me to stop him. "Please, just wait a second!"
"Sasuke-kun, it's not as bad as you think! She's only bleeding lightly! It's probably from the sand I was trying to brush off!" Hinata pleaded, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm only going to say this one more time, Sakura." Sasuke replied, his voice low but boiling with rage. "He hurt you."
"But that doesn't mean you should freak out and lose your temper like you are now!" I answered, his eyes stone cold under my glistening jade ones. The sight of my tears only angered him even more.
"You're crying. You shouldn't ever have to cry, Sakura." He murmured, closing his eyes. When he opened his eyes next, they were a soft, trembling black. "Why are you trying to stop me?"
"S-Sasuke…" I breathed out of surprise. His voice had shook. He was hurting. "I…"
"Hey jerkface, what's going on in…here…" Sasuke turned his face to the door, Hinata and I following suit, Naruto's blue eyes widening at the sight of my trembling hands on Sasuke's face, my tears that dropped to the floor. "S-Sakura…What happened to you?"
"N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered, turning away. Sasuke snorted, and blinked.
"Gaara kissed Sakura without her permission and turned his sand jutsu on her." Sasuke explained flatly, Naruto narrowing his eyes.
"There's no way. Gaara's a good person." Naruto answered, Sasuke glancing down at my wounds, his gaze cold. I looked away, watching the wind dance through the trees outside.
"See for yourself, loser." Naruto gasped as his eyes fell on my bleeding bruises. His chakra spiked up seconds later.
"Sakura…" I turned around, my eyes hard.
"Don't even think about going after him because of these! I just told Sasuke that I'll handle this, okay? It was my fault in the first place. If I hadn't of struggled, then they wouldn't be this bad." I answered, wiping at my eyes, shedding my tears from my right hand.
"But-" I lifted my fist and flung it forward, Naruto flinching and closing his eyes as my fist approached his nose. Chakra flew off the edges of it as I halted my right hand, just millimeters away from his nose.
"It doesn't matter. This is my mess that I have to fix, got it?" I told him gently, Naruto's eyes opening at the absence of pain, my soft and gentle smile causing his eyes to widen.
"Sakura…" I nodded once, and turned back to Sasuke, his dark onyx eyes burning. I bit my bottom lip, looking up at him hesitantly.
"Sasuke…I'm sorry I let him do it, okay? But this isn't the first this has happened." I started, Sasuke's eyes narrowing.
"I know. And I don't care." I widened my eyes, and flinched. "To be honest, this has happened to me before too."
"Did you do it yourself?" I asked, unsure if he knew what I was talking about. He snorted.
"I was just experimenting to see if these feelings I have were real or not, and I got my answer. Along with a black eye." He muttered back, sitting back slightly. Naruto laughed once.
"Who'd you experiment on?" He asked, anxious for the answer. Sasuke snorted in his direction.
"I don't owe you any explanations, loser." I cleared my throat.
"But you owe me one." I answered, Sasuke blinking. He sighed, and huffed once.
"It was Karin. She was the first person I saw after I started thinking about it." My temper flashed. I lifted my right fist up, my eyes going white, but then something stopped me. I had no right.
"Oh…I see…" I murmured, lowering my arm. "Well, did you find your answer?"
"Yeah. As I was pressing ice into my left eye." Sasuke muttered back, glancing back at me out of the corner of his eyes. "Did you?"
"I didn't do it for that reason, Sasuke. I did it because he looked like he needed comforting." I replied softly, averting my eyes. Sasuke sighed, and smirked for a split second.
"Then I guess you did lead him on. Unless…" He started, lifting his fingers to the right side of my face and turning my eyes back to his. "You have feelings for him?"
"No. I don't. I at least figured that out tonight." I answered honestly, lifting my eyes to his reluctantly. Sasuke poked my forehead.
"Then there's no harm done." He replied lazily, lying back on his pillows.
"You're forgiving me?" I asked, my eyes flashing toward him. He snorted, smirking.
"We both committed the same crime, basically, just for different reasons. What is there to forgive?" He asked, Naruto and Hinata's heads sliding toward mine, their eyes wide. I nodded, smirking back.
"Alright. Thank you." I replied, Sasuke sighing.
"Besides, you're my teammate. I have to forgive you in order for our teamwork to remain flawless. If the two of us are angry with each other, that'll hurt the team overall." Sasuke answered, looking up at the ceiling, his eyes flickering over to Naruto for a split second before returning to the ceiling. "And you and I both know that Naruto can't pull our weight, let alone his own all by himself."
"HEY!" Naruto jumped forward, lifting up his fists as he bristled. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"
"It's exactly as I said it, loser." Sasuke retorted, lightning flying between them. Hinata blinked as I face palmed. They were ridiculous.
"COME ON!" I looked up, and turned to the door, Naruto and Sasuke glancing away from each other, Hinata turned to the door with her Byakugan eyes.
"H-Hey! Let me go! Don't you know who I am?" Karin, appeared through the doorway, dragging what looked like Gaara by the hair on the top of his head, her ruby eyes furious.
"Do you think I care? You made a move on one of my friends! Who's taken, none the less!" She cried, gripping him harder, her red hair falling over her shoulders. "Now apologize or I'll let Uchiha handle you!"
"That-That's not fair!" Gaara cried, lifting his head up to face her, Karin's ruby eyes cold. Sasuke turned his Uchiha glare onto Gaara, his eyes glowing crimson ruby as the Sharingan flashed into existence, his anger potent.
"Get lost, unless you wanna die." Sasuke snarled through clenched teeth, Naruto lifting his fingers, albeit reluctantly. Gaara's eyes narrowed.
"Don't talk as if you could kill me, Uchiha Sasuke." Gaara replied calmly, taking the Kazekage tone with Sasuke. "You wouldn't dare create an international incident, now would you?"
"He's right, Sasuke. Just let me handle it, alright?" I added, pressing my right hand on his chest to hold him back. Hinata grabbed Naruto's arm, and blinked.
"Naruto-kun, just let Sakura deal with this, okay?" Hinata suggested, Naruto looking down at her with soft blue eyes. He wouldn't hurt her. Karin shoved Gaara's head down toward the ground, gritting her teeth.
"You've got some explaining to do, Kazekage-sama." She mocked, slapping her free hand up to her glasses. I stood up, and walked toward Gaara, Sasuke and Naruto watching carefully, waiting for one misstep on Gaara's part.
"Alright, Gaara. You can explain now." I pointed out, stopping in front of him. He lifted his head, as Karin pulled her hand away, taking a few steps to stand right alongside me.
"I'm sorry I kissed you without your permission, Sakura. It won't happen again." I narrowed my eyes, and knelt down in front of him.
"And I'm sorry for leading you on. I didn't mean to make it look like I had feelings for you when I already had feelings for someone else. That was wrong, and I didn't mean to hurt you like that." I apologized, rubbing his head tenderly. Karin knelt down beside me, glancing in my direction.
"And I suppose I have to apologize for hauling you here to beg for forgiveness by your hair. I'm not exactly good at apologies." She muttered, scratching the side of her face. I put my hand on her shoulder.
"S'okay, don't worry about it. It's just the thought that counts." Gaara's mint green eyes fell on the slight green glow under my dress.
"Are you hurt?" He asked, reaching toward the glow. I shifted backwards just as his fingertips brushed it on my right rib.
"Yeah. But it's not bad." Sasuke snorted behind me.
"Just two huge bruises and some bleeding, that's all." Gaara's eyes widened, as Sasuke swung his feet over the bed and stood up, holding his left wrist in his right hand, chirping birds erupting from his left hand. "Chidori."
"Sasuke, what did I tell you?" I cried, swinging my head around, tossing my head as I yelled back at him from over my shoulder. Sasuke just watched Gaara carefully, the blue light from the Chidori flashing across his Sharingan eyes like fire. "Let me handle this!"
"I'm gonna keep the Sharingan trained on you the entire time you're here, Sabaku Gaara." Sasuke started, taking another step forward, the lightning in his left hand flaring up brighter. "And if I see you do anything or find anything that I deem suspicious, or that might hurt Sakura, I won't hesitate."
"Sasuke, that's just…" Naruto whispered, watching Sasuke take a few more steps forward, Naruto's blue eyes wide. "You can't just jump to conclusions like this!"
"Just look at Sakura's wounds, Naruto. They're bleeding. She's being forced to use her medical ninjutsu to heal them. Doesn't that say anything to you?" Sasuke retorted, Naruto faltering. I blinked, and gulped. Sasuke was frightening when he was angry. "Go on Sakura. Deal with this."
"Sasuke…" His eyes flashed.
"Well?" His tone was bitter, the Chidori roaring with the force of his anger. "Didn't you tell me to stay out of it for the reason that you'd handle this on your own?"
"I know Sasuke, but…" I blinked, and turned back to Gaara, sighing. "Gaara, you hurt me. But I think my struggling made it all worse. I didn't feel anything before I started fighting to get away."
"I wasn't trying to hold you all that hard. I just didn't want you to get away from me at that time. I wanted to explain myself, why I did what I did. I didn't mean to hurt you, that wasn't my intention." Gaara replied, his mint green eyes sympathetic.
"Why then? Why did you do it?" I asked softly, my eyes trembling. He sighed, his face flushing slightly.
"Because I love you." The Chidori spoke for Sasuke, loud enough for everyone to understand what he was thinking. I smirked. So predictable. "I have since you first sat next to me that day when Sasuke hurt you that first day of school."
"That's why you told me that I'm beautiful when I smile, right?" I asked, my lips twitching upward. He nodded, mint green eyes downcast.
"Yeah. But I thought that you and Sasuke were just friends, not lovers. So I thought it was okay to you know, crush on you. Matsuri hadn't made her move at that time, and I was positive you were single, since that gym class it didn't look like you and Sasuke were together, technically." He started, glancing to his right. Karin and I exchanged glances. That was the day we'd had our fight. When Karin and I had become friends. We smiled at each other, as I forgot all about my distrust toward her. It wasn't important.
"That's true. Sasuke and I weren't together back then. But we kind of are now, I think. So why kiss me now, when you knew that?" I asked, turning back to Gaara. The Chidori chirped louder. Gaara glanced back at me.
"Because I thought that perhaps you might have feelings for me instead of Sasuke." I widened my eyes, then narrowed them.
"Were you not listening to me when I told you about Uchiha Itachi?" I demanded, my jade eyes growing harder suddenly. Sasuke flinched, the Chidori faltering slightly. Gaara sighed, and nodded.
"I was, but I wasn't sure if because of that, you were going to leave him out of fear of getting hurt again." I sighed, and shook my head, smirking slightly.
"Death isn't something to be afraid of. I've come face to face with it three times now. Konan first, then Megumi, then Itachi. I'm not afraid to die if it means I'm protecting something precious to me. If Itachi comes back, I'll beat him down as many times as I have to." I replied, smiling brightly, my jade eyes glowing. "Count on it."
"Sakura…" Sasuke's soft whisper drifted toward me, barely audible. I threw him a smile from over my shoulder, flipping my thumb on my right hand upward as I shut my left eye playfully.
"Oh relax, you big oaf. You know I mean that." I pointed out light-heartedly, Sasuke smiling faintly. I turned back to Gaara, and nodded once, my face becoming serious. "In the Shinobi world, those who break the rules and regulations are scum. But those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum."
Naruto and Sasuke's eyes widened. They knew where that had come from. They knew what it meant. And it was all true. Kakashi-sensei had inherited Uchiha Obito's Will of Fire through his Sharingan, and had passed it on to Sasuke, Naruto, and I. I could feel the strength of those words flowing through me, pulsing through my heart as my Will of Fire rose. I would stand by those words. Even at the end.
"Sakura…" Gaara murmured, his eyes shaking. "Those words…"
"Yes. They're Uchiha Obito's. I don't expect you to know who he was or what he did, but his memory is something precious to Cell 7. Those words are our words to live by. Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei and I would rather die than sell out our friends. That's why, when Uchiha Itachi comes back, I will fight him with everything I have." My eyes grew dark, as a shadow fell over my face. "He won't even make the slightest scratch on Sasuke's forehead. I'll see to that."
"Heh, you got that right, Sakura!" Naruto responded, pounding his left fist into his right one. "That weirdo isn't even gonna be able to stand up after I'm done with him!"
"Anyway, Gaara, my point is, do you honestly think I'm so shallow to leave someone just because I learned of one of their hardships?" I asked, blinking my green eyes once. He shook his head.
"I know you aren't, but…I couldn't help but hope." I narrowed my eyes. "I couldn't help but hope that you'd eventually fall for me…"
"Gaara, I told you already. There are plenty of girls out there who are nicer, and kinder than I am. You just have to keep looking. I'm not the one for you, alright?" I replied, my voice gentle. The Chidori's cries remained constant, Sasuke's flashing Sharingan eyes focusing directly upon Gaara's trembling form as he stood up.
"Regardless, I just wanted you to know how I felt about you, before you made your choice." My eyes widened, my lips parting.
"Choice?" He nodded once, his mint green eyes grave.
"Your heart is torn, is it not? You're enduring, at this very moment." I shook my head. Wrong.
"I've already chosen, Gaara. My heart remains whole." I answered, my tone cold. Gaara lifted his fingers, reaching for my wide forehead. I took a step back, Sasuke's Sharingan eyes flashing. He was like a hawk.
"I don't believe that. I can see it. Deep in your eyes, Sakura. You…Truly feel for me." I shook my head, taking another step back. Chakra flashed in his fingers, resonating with the chakra within my wounds that I sustained from his sand.
"What're you-?" He took two steps forward, his fingertips landing on my forehead, the chakra flashing brightly once. "Gaara, you better not be-"
"Yes. I am." He replied, his eyes narrowing. I gasped. He couldn't be planning to use that jutsu. He wasn't like Kankuro.
"Enough." Chidori roared beside my head, my eyes throbbing. "You so much as twitch a finger; I'll kill you."
"I am the Kazekage. You won't be killing me without a reason, Uchiha Sasuke. I don't intend to use it on her." Gaara replied smoothly, blinking once. "I was only checking to see if you were going to make good your threat, that's all."
"You…" Sasuke snarled, narrowing his angry Sharingan eyes. "I'm warning you, don't mess with me."
"Sasuke, cool it." Karin scolded for me, slapping her hand up to her glasses. "He just said that he isn't going to do anything."
"Shut up!" Karin jerked her head back, surprised.
"Sasuke…" He turned on her, his infuriated Sharingan eyes flaring brightly with the stain of his rage.
"I can see everything. I can see through every move this guy makes. What he just said, was a total lie. Nothing but a deception." Sasuke turned his eyes back to Gaara, gritting his teeth. "If you don't believe me, watch his chakra."
"Sasuke…" Karin's voice trailed off, Naruto stepping up beside her, putting his hand on her shoulder. Hinata followed, hanging back a little bit. "I…"
"Don't worry about it. We've all gotten railed by that jerk at least once in our lives." Naruto pointed out, smirking. Sasuke ignored him, my eyes flashing.
"Gaara, were you truly going to try to use the Puppet Master Jutsu on me just now? You are not Kankuro, so how would you be able to do it?" I asked, holding my left hand over my heart. "And how could you even think about doing something as horrible as forcing me to come with you?"
"I never intended to use that jutsu. I can't use it. I came up with one of my own. But not for that purpose." I narrowed my eyes, as he laid his hand over my forehead. "I wouldn't even dare try to control you, Sakura."
"Don't screw with me!" I slapped his hand away from my face, taking a step forward, and grabbing his collar tightly in my right hand. "What the hell is your purpose for remaining here? You've already explained yourself, so why are you still here? And don't even think about trying to lie to me! I'll see through it! No matter what you pull, I won't fall for it!"
"Sakura…" Gaara breathed as Sasuke's Chidori grew stronger, Sasuke taking one more step forward, holding his fingers up to Gaara's forehead, lightning crackling around them.
"You wanted to see if I would carry it out?" His eyes flashed as they opened. "Just watch."
"You wouldn't dare." Gaara's sand swirled at his feet, Sasuke and Gaara's chakras rising. Sasuke bit the side of his lip.
"I wouldn't?" His right hand grabbed me suddenly, pulling me backwards, as he drew his left hand back, narrowing his eyes. I opened my eyes as Sasuke started move his hand forward, fingers tense. "Guess again!"
"Sasuke!"
"Sasuke-kun!"
"YOU MORON!"
"NO! STOP! SASUKE!"
Sasuke's Chidori met with Gaara's sand shield in mid air, pieces of sand flying from the dent Sasuke's jab had created, falling to the floor with electricity crackling around them. Sasuke's feet slid forward, seeming to glide across the marble floor as Gaara stood still, his arms having crossed over his chest as his sand blocked the blow intended for him. My eyes shook as I lifted my upper body off the ground, my heart pounding. Sasuke's lip curled up.
"You haven't changed." He murmured, his tone mocking. "You're still annoying."
"How so, Uchiha Sasuke?" Gaara asked calmly, Naruto lifting his arm from its place protecting Karin. Hinata dropped to her knees beside me, helping me stay upright. "Expand on that train of thought."
"For one…" Sasuke started, pulling his right hand away from his left arm, Chidori crackling around his fingers on his right hand. My eyes widened. "Your ultimate defense is as dense as ever."
"That's why it can block your Chidori, Uchiha Sasuke." Gaara answered, his voice bored. "Is that all?"
"Take your self-indulgence somewhere else."
His right hand smashed through the sand, Chidori lightning up around it as it connected with the right side of Gaara's face according to my two hands, his mint green eyes flashing toward Sasuke's palm that shoved Gaara's face toward my left, toward the wall. The sand broke apart as the force of Sasuke's slap sent Gaara flying toward the wall, my hand coming up to hold my mouth shut, everyone's eyes widening.
"Sasuke, you…" I choked out, tears springing to my eyes. "You could get killed for that!"
"I warned him, Sakura." My eyes shook at the sound of Sasuke's voice. "I warned him not to mess with me."
"You don't have to worry, Sakura. I won't have him killed for that. In fact, I had that one coming." Gaara rose shakily, my head swinging toward him. "But you touch me one more time, and I will have you executed, mark my words."
"Just be grateful I didn't kill you with that one, Sabaku Gaara." Sasuke muttered back, the wind ruffling his black hair as he glared at Gaara. "I will not hold back next time."
"You idiot! Just back off and calm down, already!" Naruto cried as Gaara turned and walked out the door, Sasuke bristling as Gaara gave him a glare when he passed. "Do you not realize what you've done?"
"Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun's right. You're going to get killed!" I stepped up, holding my right fist at my side, bent at the elbow.
"I will never allow Gaara to kill Sasuke! Over my dead body." Sasuke turned around, his Sharingan eyes shaking.
"Sakura…" I narrowed my eyes at him, and slammed my glowing fist down on the top of his skull, sending him crashing to the floor.
"YOU IDIOT! YOU MORON! NOW I'LL HAVE TO SAVE YOUR ASS AGAIN!" I knelt down on the floor in front of him, his now onyx eyes glaring up at me. "What the hell were you thinking just now, slapping him like that?"
"I was protecting something precious to me." I stopped in my tracks. It was true. Gaara couldn't kill him for that. Sasuke was safe, unless he made another misstep. I relaxed.
"I see. But don't ever do that again, you hear me?" I answered, rubbing his head gently. Sasuke lifted himself up, and nodded, smiling slightly.
"I guess. Now can everyone clear out? I'm tired." He complained, Karin, Naruto, Hinata, and I flinching as he stood up, taking a step toward his bed. I turned to the door, everyone starting to walk out, grumbling as they went. "Sakura, you can stick around."
"Eh?" I turned around, Sasuke's hands coming up to hold my face as he kissed me gently, stepping closer. My lips trembled against his, but when I relaxed, I kissed him back.
"We didn't get to spend any time together tonight, Sakura." I smiled, and nodded once.
"That's right. Transformers is over there on the counter." Sasuke shook his head, brushing my hair out of my face gently.
"I'm not in the mood for a movie." He replied simply, sighing. "I want to try out this new power I've acquired."
"What power?" I asked, my eyebrow lifting up. He smirked, his eyes bright. I flushed bright pink, pinker than my hair. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"