Chapter Eight

"This doesn't feel right," Naruto whispered behind his ANBU mask from where he's hidden, watching the people gathering below waiting for the Chunnin exam to start. "Something is off."

Sakura eyed him silently and didn't question her friend. Everyone learned to trust Naruto's instinct and he wasn't wrong. Though the four were to remain silent as death in regards to their status as ANBUs, Naruto couldn't stand it. A man who would be the next in line for the Hokage's title is the same man who, for the life of him, can not sit still or keep his mouth shut when required.

She smiled. She knew he would never change.

"Teme, do you feel it?"

"You do understand the whole point of us hiding and keeping quiet is so we can't be seen, Dobe?" There's an annoyed edge in Sasuke's tone but Sakura can hear the smirk in his voice.

Naruto rested his weight against his knees from where he's crouching but Sakura's critical eyes can tell he was keeping it still from twitching. "Just answer the damn question."

She can feel Sasuke looking at her.

Sasori.

"He's under the Kazekage's care," she whispered, emerald eyes narrowed."He didn't show any signs of preparing to cause any trouble."

"That's a little unfair, Sakura-chan. Aren't you getting a little too close with him?"

She faced the blonde sharply and he winced. Her mask hid her expression well but they all can read her. She felt a tap on her shoulder and their silent fourth member finally spoke, "He's not wrong, Ugly."

"I've been careful, and he was too," she replied to them, her voice firm.

"You got him to trust you," Sasuke stated knowingly.

"Yes."

"Do you trust him?"

"I trust that he's not the one who killed all those civilians." That got the three men's attention. They knew there's more from her answer and Naruto was eager to know.

"There's more to the kid? We were right," the blonde said. Sakura decided to stay quiet and for once, they respected her decision. She knew they're not surprised. "So...remember when I said something feels off? It wasn't Sasori."

Sasuke scoffed. "Then what?"

Sakura's eyes widened just as Naruto answered, "Where's Tsunade-baachan and Gaara? They haven't shown up once."

An explosion was heard from within the building where everyone had gathered and the four ANBUs appeared inside, hidden from view. Sakura noticed the ceiling as she rushed up. With chakra infused fists, she smashed it away before it could bury the people below. Her teammates followed as they all stayed above, watching.

"No," Sasuke demanded to stop Sakura from leaving to help. She knew better than to argue with her captain. The explosion had been great once the dust cleared but there's plenty of shinobis around to help the injured. No fatality.

"This place was cleared earlier," Sai said, his eyes roaming. He got his answer immediately as he turned to Sasuke. "We're missing a few teams."

"This was a distraction?" Naruto stood up quickly. "There are other ANBUs around, surely they would have noticed anyone leaving the build-"

A bigger explosion is heard from the stadium and they wasted no time getting there. That's when they saw it, the reason for the attack. None of the Kages were around yet to protect them.

The explosion took everyone's attention, leaving behind all the Daimyos of every village valuable. Some Daimyos were war veterans, able to take care of themselves but they could not go against shinobis.

They were the ones being targeted.

A few senseis with their students were attacking them. Sasuke tackled one while Naruto and Sai took care of the others. Sakura was quicker, she was able to read exactly who they were trying to kill.

The Wind Daimyo.

All the attacks that happened on his land was a warning. She was horrified to believe a Sensei would train their students to murder.

Can she hurt mere genins?

One genin threw a bomb as it reached the Wind Daimyo before Sakura could stop him and an explosion erupted. Her hands glowed as she touched the boy's hand, stopping every vein in his body from working before he could throw another. His own Sensei came to help.

Sakura was livid.

"A sensei is supposed to teach and protect. Not train their students to be murderers!" she growled.

She punched the Sensei so hard, her chakra running into his system, making sure he'll feel every pain and torture of his broken body.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked him, her voice carried through the screams. Suna wasn't the only one at fault, many teams from other villages had attacked as well as if they were in a secret cult.

The sensei's screams turned to hysterical laughter. "To need support by fools. Daimyos are a hindrance."

She smashed him hard into the ground until the man couldn't speak anymore. A familiar chuckle was heard within the dust where the Wind Daimyo was before and she froze.

"And they said no one should have any fear for medic nins."

The wind Damiyo was saved. He was lifted in the air with chakra strings out of harm's way before being placed on the ground. The man had fainted from all the excitement. The owner of those strings watched her with his lazy grey-chestnut eyes.

Not a child any longer, Sasori stood tall before her and he grinned as she removed her mask.

"They obviously had never gone against you," Sasori added.

Sakura didn't even notice another genin had attacked her as she merely slapped him away like a bug. Sasori didn't lose any eye contact either when his strings grabbed a few bombs and shrugged them over his shoulder as it exploded behind him.

"Sasori…" she finally called out his name.

He raised an eyebrow. "Surprised?"

"No."

"Just as I expected."

His strings stopped her from coming near when she rushed in to attack but he couldn't hold her down. Sakura isn't an ANBU because of just connections alone.

She spun in the air, ripping them before advancing. The skin of his face burned from her touch as he dodged, a log came to take another of her fiery attacks and it crunched to tiny pieces. He tied her hands together and grabbed her, pushing her against the broken wall.

"I'm not here as an enemy, Sakura," he declared, his voice dropping near her ears. He's so close and her heart stopped for a second.

She smiled. "You lied to me."

He didn't expect that reply. "What?"

Her forehead smashed into his nose as she easily freed herself. Grabbing a fistful of his shirt, she smashed him so deep into the concrete walls until he's nearly buried in it. Sakura is aware the fight was over. The riot had stopped and all those responsible were caught. Everyone was watching them and no one dared go near them.

Not when seeing how willing Sakura is ready to rip Sasori in two. Who wants to be a part of that? Apparently, even Naruto had a hard time speaking up but he's willing to try.

"Saku-" Naurto started but Gaara stopped him, shaking his head when he's near. The blonde will ask about his friend's swollen face later.

Sakura's emerald eyes burned. "Those dreams. Your childhood. Did you show them to me on purpose to make me a fool to believe them?"

Sasori glared at her. "You were the one that involved yourself where you don't belong."

She smashed him again and his nose is nearly in the same depth as the wall. Everyone cringed. Tsunade had a hand on both Sasuke and Sai's shoulders, stopping them from interfering with demanding eyes that promised death and the two men twitched.

"Don't lie to me!" She scowled, ignoring them.

Sasori was annoyed. "I don't lie."

"Liar!"

The next one buried him as the walls crumbled. But her strength made the entire stadium collapse and it took all the manpower to move everyone to a safe distance. Once everything settled, she stood above and glared at where Sasori was buried into. She waited and wanted to cry. Sakura knew. She trusted her instincts and knew the child she cared for had secrets.

Secrets that were shared to her, willing or not. It's so much easier to accept them in a dream than reality. A part of her wished Sasori was just that helpless child. It would make things less conflicting for her.

Her mind went blank when Sasori didn't move. She completely forgot how weak everyone is and wondered if she actually killed the man. Naruto and Sasuke wouldn't be able to crawl out from the grave either. Sakura reached down and removed the rubbles. Large ones at first until she can see him. She held a hand out and waited.

"Still don't like to be touched?" She asked him.

"I'm tired of experiencing death," Sasori said with a sigh. "It's very exhausting to go through."

"Not the first for you, obviously."

He chuckled and reached out. Her lips tightened when seeing the scars still on his skin and helped him up as he stood, shaking the dust and debris off his red hair. He turned, gesturing for her to follow and she was confused.

"I will explain everything," he paused, giving her a quick flick of his head to gesture the murderous auras coming from her teammates who were looming from the distance. "They won't follow."

Sakura turned to see Tsunade and Gaara. "You're free to roam?"

"It's one of the agreements as long as you're with me."

Sakura is beyond surprised.

"Besides," he gave her a small smile. "You still owe me those salted plums."

She couldn't stop herself from laughing.

There's a giant hole in the shape of Gaara with his gourd at the side of Tsunade's tower. Sakura couldn't stop staring at it from where they sat.

Sasori was the one who pointed out another rather large hole on the ground below. His face looked annoyed, stating that shape was his after Tsunade did a wrestler slam that nearly broke his neck after she's done with the Kazekage.

It took Sakura a long time to stop laughing as he sat next to her impatiently. Locking eyes with him, making sure he's aware of what she's doing, she reached over and placed a hand on his chest. Tsunade wasn't gentle with him, especially judging the size of that lump on Gaara's face. Doesn't help that she had caused some damaged to his body as well.

The man didn't flinch when she felt his injuries. It's not necessary to waste her chakra but she did it anyway and felt a small movement of him leaning closer when she healed him.

He's so close that she can see the details of his face. But there's a roughness in there; the exhaustion shown under his eyes, the lack of brightness of those orbs. But as he's looking at her, really looking at her, those eyes showed her something different. He moved away from her when she finished and presented her with their shared sweets.

"Ebizo made the decision to exchange his life to bring me back but with some...conditions I couldn't break," Sasori began, eyelids lowering with another bite of the salted plum. He stared at the sweets with displeasure. "It's so strong but why is this so addicting?"

She grinned. "I can eat this every day."

"Can you?"

"Don't challenge me."

He smiled, making her paused. Then he inhaled everything before she could take another bite. She made a grab for it and the tray was empty.

"Brat," She scowled at him.

Sasori frowned. "I'm not a child."

"You'll always be a brat to me."

They both gave each other annoyed looks but their smiles were there. Sakura wanted him to continue with his story. "What were those conditions?"

Sasori watched her a little longer. "I'm Suna's puppet as long as I'm alive. That little Kazekage knew of my existence but the councils didn't give him details. I have to do every mission that's thrown at me and couldn't stop. A redemption of sorts since my past history with them wasn't pleasant."

She remembered his memories when he was used for battles. Always alone.

"And if you don't?"

"That's the thing. I can't. Ebizo made sure of it with his death."

"So that fire you were in when I first saw you, We were your ticket to enter Konoha?"

"You made it easy."

She felt her eyes twitch.

"I was told to protect the Wind Daimyo. He was the main target and that little Kazekage knew about it."

"That's why our Godaime…"

"Punched him until he flew out of the wall? Yes."

"He's lucky she didn't start a war."

"Wouldn't that be something?"

"Naruto wouldn't allow that."

Sasori raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you seriously talking about the same orange-clad ANBU?"

She laughed. "He has a lot of influence."

"I find him annoying and loud."

"That won't change, I promise you."

Sakura and Sasori sat quietly next to each other. They stayed in comfortable silences but both knew this might be their last.

"This is frustrating…" he said suddenly and she knew why. She didn't think he'd be the first to admit it. Sakura turned to him and saw the small frown on his lips, the slight twitch of his fingers.

"Sasori," she got his attention. "Did I help in any way…?"

He knew what she meant and chuckled. "You did more than help." His eyelid lowered a fraction. "I guess I have to thank the old man for it. That's as far as I would give him credit for since my resurrection."

She smiled warmly. "If it weren't for him…"

"All of this wouldn't even matter."

"Yes but that's not it," she said. "You wouldn't understand what it feels like to have someone who supports you no matter what."

"You mean distort my childhood because someone couldn't just leave me alone?"

She reached out slowly, wavering a hand over his to allow him to reject her. When he didn't, she lowered it, giving him some comfort. He didn't move for a while, feeling his hand twitching under hers.

"Of all people in the world, it just has to be the annoying pink-haired girl."

"Oh, the horror of it!" She mocked, and he turned his hand to hold hers tightly. They stayed in silence, appreciating the other's presence until it was time for Sasori to leave.

With the Chuunin canceled and his mission a success, there's no other reason he was needed anymore. He stood by the exit with his Kazekage, waiting impatiently as Garra was given the proper goodbyes from his friends. Sasori could still feel those ANBUs watching his every move, clearly with distrust written in their faces. Naruto's frowning face came into view, arms crossed over his chest.

"You gave us hell, you know that?" Naruto said to him.

Sasori gave him a blank grin. "It was a pleasure."

The blonde scuffed before he held out a hand. Everybody's eyes focused on his outstretched hand.

"What? You've never seen a handshake before?" Naruto growled at him. Sasori glanced at Sakura behind the blonde and she smiled at him with an encouraging nod.

Sasori is not buying it. "Why?"

Naruto groaned loudly and stepped forth, grabbing his hand and shaking it hard enough to nearly rip his arm out of its joints. "Well played, Sasori. Well played," he said, grinning at him. "If we see you again, don't pull that child stunt on us anymore, okay?"

Sasori waited for the blonde to release him. Gaara turned to leave as the redhead followed, not after giving one last look to Sakura. They barely made it past the gate and the pink-haired woman flickered into view in front of them.

She pouted at him. "You didn't say goodbye to me."

Gaara didn't stop as he left them alone. But even the Kazekage was surprised that Sasori followed his pace.

"There's no reason to," Sasori said as he scrolled past her.

"You're still a brat!" She shouted behind them, laughing when seeing a hard twitch from the puppeteer. Sasori only held up a silent hand and it was her last image of him for many months ahead. It deeply annoyed her.

"Where's Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked when he entered their Lady Hokage's office and saw that she was missing from the group.

Sasuke gave a heavy sigh. "She left days ago."

"What?! Where? By herself?" Naruto glared at the culprit to their missing member. "Where did you send her off now?"

Tsunade looked amused. "To do her job."

"Without us?"

"Definitely without you," Tsunade said and turned her gaze to the other two dark-haired ANBUs. "And you both, as well. None of you are needed. You three are just going to be in her way."

Naruto wasn't listening. He was close to marching out the door if Sasuke didn't stop him by grabbing his collar. "Teme!"

"We have a job to do, Dickless," Sai said just as Tsunade slapped a scroll on the table. Their Godaime's presence demanded attention and the three men stood tall before her.

"We've found someone who has information in regards to the cult that was formed to attack the Daimyos. It's been taken care of as we speak," she said.

"Someone from Konoha is handling it?" Naruto asked curiously.

Tsunade grinned. "Of course she is."

The three men mentally cringed for the sake of that poor unfortunate soul.

And he was busy getting his face repeatedly bashed into.

Sakura had been sinking her fist into the rogue-nin's once beautiful face, over and over, until the man was crying. She didn't care for his tears or his pain. This man has the information needed to help her teammates find the one responsible. She will get it out of him. She was close to purposely knocking all the man's teeth out when her fist was forced to stop by unseen strings.

Sakura couldn't stop a grin forming on her lips behind her mask. "I don't believe your help was needed," she told him.

"The little Kazekage would disagree," Sasori said with a chuckle behind her. She pulled on the strings, forcing the puppeteer closer until her fist broke the man's jaws. Then her hand healed his face until he recovered and she's back to punching him.

"We need him to speak," Sasori said, a whisper near her ears.

"Oh, he will once I'm done with him," she replied.

"Short-tempered girl."

The next punch broke the man's nose. "Brat."

"Are you mad at me?"

She paused when Sasori grabbed her captive and dangled him in the air with his strings. The rogue-nin was weeping in joy for the interruption, he looked at the redhead as if he was his savior.

"I will tell you everything!" He cried.

But Sasori didn't care. The torture continued when the man was repeatedly slammed to the ground. The puppeteer is waiting for her answer. She sighed as she removed her mask and faced him.

"Is it so hard to be a decent human being to say goodbye?" she asked him with a huff.

"That bothered you?"

She glared at him. "I don't like it."

"I don't care for goodbyes."

"Even for me? The one person that actually tolerates you?"

Sasori held her attention, his eyes boring into hers. "It's too permanent to me. I won't say those words to you."

Sakura blinked at first, then her smile widened, making him worried about what she would say next. "Am I hearing this right? You care for me?"

"Please...stop…" their captive cries weakly, unable to handle their torture any longer. But it looked like he was completely forgotten and the slamming still continues.

Sasori snorted. "Whatever do you mean."

"Admit it!"

"You're talking nonsense, girl."

"I think you're killing him."

"I'm not."

"You're killing him," Sakura repeated and his strings snapped, just to satisfy her. They both watched the man on the ground, all beaten and broken. "I'm waiting."

Sasori raised an eyebrow at her. But true to her words, she's waiting for something and expected him to read her mind. Except he does know what she wants. He felt his fingers twitched and silently, he reached a hand for hers. Sakura ignored him, purposely humiliating him. He felt his cheek give an impatient twitch. The pink-haired ANBU gave in and wrapped her fingers over his.

Her warmth was exactly what he needed.

"Back to work?" She asked, ruining the moment on purpose.

Sasori held her fingers tightly, not letting go. "Our mission can wait…"

Her laughter was beautiful as it rang in his ears and all Sasori could do was smile.

It's finally finished! Thank you so much to everyone that supported me with this story. It only took years...I'm so sorry about that. I even went back to edit a few things. Please let me know your thoughts. I'm too much in love with SasoSaku, I don't think I can ever stop.

Thank you again, everyone!