.

.

Chapter 20 - Untamed Feelings

.

.

Sasuke cannot say what brought him here. He was aiming for the training ground when he diverted his path at the last second, then wandered for a while until his feet took him to the hospital. When he noticed what he was doing, he was already climbing the stairs to Sakura's room.

And now, he stands motionless in front of her door, eyes staring at the numbers, ears listening to the buzzing sound of a conversation going on in the room. What is he doing here? There's no reason for him to see her. When he woke up in his own hospital room four days ago, Naruto told him Sakura was doing great, that they were keeping her only at her parents' request. That's all there is to know, isn't it?

As if struck by lightning, Sasuke jerks around, ready to leave the hospital before anyone can see him. However, the door to Sakura's room opens at the same time. Against his better judgement, Sasuke glances behind, curious as to know the identity of the visitor, and his heart sinks deep in his stomach at the sight of long brown hair and lavender eyes.

"Uchiha," the other boy says, nodding.

"Hyūga," Sasuke answers through gritted teeth. "What were you doing?"

Neji shrugs and walks past him. "I came to see Sakura." Then, he continues his course under Sasuke's heavy glare and keeps silent until he reaches the stairs. "See you around."

The black-haired boy keeps on glaring long after the Hyūga has left the hospital. After a while, he notices the tightness of his fists and clears his mind by shaking his head.

Seeing Neji exit Sakura's room seems to have changed Sasuke's view on the matter, and in two strides, the boy enters without even knocking.

The room is empty, he notices. The bed is perfectly made, and all Sakura's belongings are gone. Sasuke frowns and walks to the window, wondering if she could have left that way, when the bathroom door opens. He jerks his head around upon hearing a feminine shriek to find the pink-haired girl standing on the threshold, wearing a green shirt two sizes too big and black bicycle shorts, the hospital gown dangling from one arm.

"Sasuke-kun! You startled me! I didn't hear you knocking."

"I didn't." She frowns at his answer and opens her mouth, ready to complain, but Sasuke beats her to it. "What was Hyūga doing here?"

She walks out of the bathroom, a frown still marring her features, and lays the hospital gown on the bed before putting her hands on her hips. "Neji came to see how I was doing. Unlike others, he seems to care. He even offered to help me with my taijutsu training."

Sasuke crosses his arms, well aware of the reproach thrown at him. "I'm here now, aren't I? And if you need taijutsu training, you can ask me."

Sakura's hands slide down her legs as her shoulders relax, and her features soften, a small smile even stretching on her pink lips. "Does it mean that..." She hesitates for a moment, white teeth munching her bottom lip. "Does it mean that you care?"

Sasuke doesn't know how to respond to that. Of course, he cares; he thought his actions of the past few weeks were proof enough, and it somehow pains him to know she's still doubtful. Then again, it is also concerning how easy it is for him to acknowledge it. And why does he care so much? That's the real question.

"You think I don't," he finally says.

"Well," she plays with her fingers and takes a step closer to him. "I figured, maybe, that you still thought I wasn't worthy of your time."

Sasuke frowns and steps forward as well. Now that they stand really close to one another, he can feel her body heat radiating, can observe the scarce freckles on her nose, half-hidden behind a growing blush. "I should use my time to get stronger, yes. That doesn't mean you're not worthy. Never think that."

Her eyes widen, and she holds his stare for a while, face now crimson. "T-thank you, S-Sasuke-kun... M-maybe I could help you get stronger. I-I'd like to." She inhales deeply, then clears her throat, and Sasuke has to refrain from smirking in front of her flustered state. "What about a spar?" She offers, sounding more confident. "You could help me with my taijutsu, and I could show you how to better control your chakra."

Not so long ago, Sasuke would have declined the offer. It was before he witnessed Sakura's strength, acknowledged some of her skills. Kakashi said it himself: the girl's chakra control is impressive, and chakra control, according to his sensei, is at the core of every well-done jutsu and can make all the difference in a fight.

With that in mind, he accepts Sakura's offer with one sharp nod, and as he walks towards the window and then out, jumping from rooftop to rooftop with the girl in tow, he tries to convince himself her skills are the only reason he accepted to spend the afternoon with her.

At the training grounds, he chooses a more secluded place to avoid all of Sakura's suitors (namely Neji.) Only because he doesn't want people to distract her, of course. He needs her undivided attention if he wants to learn fast. That's the only explanation Sasuke needs.

"You're in a hurry," Sakura says, landing beside him. "Where are you taking me?"

He glances around. There isn't a living soul training in the vicinity, and the sound of ongoing fights is feeble, almost inexistent. The tall trees provide protection against prying eyes, just like the thick bushes, which satisfy him enough.

"Here is fine," he decides, turning to face the pink-haired girl.

Sakura nods, then silence quickly settles between the two teenagers. Sasuke's eyes are everywhere but on her, and he feels his heart race, his hands getting wet.

"Maybe we could start with a bit of meditation," Sakura says, attracting Sasuke's gaze to her. "I always find it easier to control my chakra after..."

She takes Sasuke off guard when she pulls him down with her. Now, the two teenagers are facing each other, their knees brushing every now and again. And the black-haired boy is reminded of another time, away in a cave, of the softness of her hair. If the girl closes her eyes soon after landing on the forest floor, Sasuke cannot detach his gaze from her face.

If there is one thing he learned early in his life, it is that he's handsome - the Uchiha genes; they call it. He, himself, never really paid attention to other people's looks. First, he knows how annoying it feels to be seen for your appearance only. But more than that, Sasuke always thought his clan's features were a guarantee of beauty, that tall women, with silky black hair and dark eyes, with long aristocratic nose and squared jaw, were the most beautiful women on earth. That's what his father used to say, anyway. So he never questioned that fact, but never really felt attracted to a girl either.

But there she is, Haruno Sakura, the annoying pink-haired girl from his team, from which he cannot take his eyes off. She has the weirdest hair colour and big, bright eyes that seem to pierce through your soul every time you stare into them. And she's so small, from her height to her weight, not to mention her tiny feet and her little, white teeth. She has a pointed chin, a button nose, and freckles colouring her otherwise porcelain skin. In short, she's everything an Uchiha woman is not, and Sasuke is falling for her.

There is no point in denying it any longer; Sakura is pretty, clever, strong and funny. She is the kindest girl in the entire world. And especially today, Sasuke cannot focus on anything else. It's confusing how distracted he can be around her. He's supposed to be meditating, but he cannot refrain from thinking that she's dashing in that green shirt that reveals one of her delicate shoulders and part of her collarbone. Even if the smoothness of her skin is altered by rosy scars, that doesn't mean she is any less beautiful.

"Do you feel it?"

"Mmm," he answers, his eyes trailing down her arm and following the pattern the sun creates on her skin.

"What are you looking at?" She retrieves her arm to hold it close to her body, but not fast enough to deceive Sasuke's keen eyes.

The next time his heart beats, an uncomfortable warmth is released from the pit of his stomach to the top of his head, and he has a hard time containing his anger. "When did that happen?"

"You know when," she whispers, her arm still clutch against her belly.

"Why didn't they heal it at the hospital? They should know it's never going to disappear by itself. It's going to leave a scar; it's obvious."

"There weren't enough medic-nins for everyone, Sasuke-kun. It wasn't a life or death situation, so they left me with a civilian nurse who did an excellent job reducing the pain. Now, it's only itching once in a while." She smiles at him, but her eyes never crease.

"I hate when you do that."

"Do what?"

"You're forcing your smile." He leans forward and pulls on her arm to have a better look at the carved letters. She shivers when his thumb brushes the swollen pink scars. "It's not true, you know. You're not his."

"I know," she whispers, tugging her arm back. "And, in case you didn't grasp the whole point of meditating," she resumes, with a mocking smile that takes Sasuke off guard, "you're supposed to close your eyes if you want it to work."

He rolls his eyes but obeys, getting the second meaning behind her words. If she doesn't want to talk about Zaku, then he will not force her to. He's clever enough to know that she's been respecting his privacy for a long time, despite her blatant curiosity. He owes it to her to do the same.

So, instead of asking more questions, Sasuke spends the next thirty minutes learning how to make one with his own energy. It isn't as easy as Sakura makes it seem, and soon Sasuke realizes his chakra wants nothing to do with him. When he voices his observation to his teammate, the girl only laughs knowingly.

"Your chakra is the same as you. It doesn't care about anyone's help and doesn't want to help others either."

"Are you saying I'm a jerk?"

Sakura giggles and applies a reassuring hand to his forearm. "Of course not, Sasuke-kun. But you'll need to meditate more to get to know your chakra better. Perhaps it just needs more time to warm up to you."

He locks eyes with her, hesitates to ask if that's what she thinks of him, but refrains from doing so. Sakura seems to read his unvoiced concern in his gaze, though, and after blushing profusely, she hoists herself up.

"Alright, now..." Her hand reaches behind her back, but she freezes halfway, her eyes widening. "I forgot my pouch in the bathroom!"

Sasuke shrugs, dusting himself off. "We'll practice your taijutsu, anyway. You don't need it. I'm sure it will still be there in an hour."

"But my lesson isn't over," she says, pouting.

"Keep some for the next one."

"The next one?" She beams at him, and he quickly turns his back on her before she can see the corners of his mouth tug upward.

He has to occupy his mind; he realizes suddenly, dropping his smile. It's not him to feel so giddy, to be so soft. What is wrong with him? When he turns to face his teammate again, it's to watch her, his eyes serious, his lips in a thin line.

They have to spar, and now. It's the only way to refocus himself. What could alter his obsession with winning, with being the strongest? Nothing. Or at least, that was true before. Who knows what else Sakura's presence is affecting, what side of his personality is changing because of her and her alluring green shirt?

He doesn't give a signal, just jumps in front of her, determined to stop his wandering thoughts. They never fought before; he always deemed her too weak to be a stimulating opponent. But so much has happened since their academy days. He's seen her defend herself pretty well against Haku, and she survived Orochimaru and his minions, even defeated Zaku, although Sasuke heard little about that fight. So, it shouldn't surprise him when she dodges his strike and counters with one of her deadly punches.

"No chakra," he says with a smirk, her wrist under his grip.

"Sorry!" Her eyes widen. "It's so natural. I didn't even realize I was using it!"

He shakes his head in disbelief, then releases her with a warning look before resuming the fight. After a few minutes, Sasuke notices the one big difference between them.

"You're not fast enough," he points out after hitting her for the umpteenth time.

Frustration is apparent on her face, but even with her brows furrowed and her lips held in a thin line, her soft features mesmerize Sasuke. And with the beading sweat on her forehead, her tousled hair and her shirt now off one of her shoulders, Sasuke has a hard time focusing on anything else, honestly. She almost gets him right there, but despite his distracted state, he avoids her punch at the last second, the warmth of her chakra-infused fist brushing his cheek, leaving a bruise.

He doesn't even raise the fact she used her chakra again. He's too focused on staying away from her - and it has nothing to do with her deadly punches. At that realization, Sasuke decides it's time to end the spar. His eyes turn red, and he avoids her next offensive.

"You're cheating," she exclaims, anger apparent on her features.

"You're cheating since the beginning," he replies, annoyed.

She lets her arms fall with an exasperated sigh. "That's not the same! I'm already losing! I have no chance against your stupid eyes!"

She pushes him back to emphasize her point, but before she can retreat, he circles her shoulders with one of his arms and applies pressure behind her knees with his leg, making her lose her balance. She stumbles backward, but his arms around her cushion her fall, one hand protecting her head when she lands on the forest floor. Then, both of his legs straddling her hips, he bores his sharingan into her big, green eyes. "My what?"

She averts her gaze, red creeping on her cheeks. "S-sorry. You know I didn't mean it. They're not stupid. They're useful and pretty, and everything. But you're too strong with them..."

Gradually, a smirk emerges on Sasuke's face as his eyes return to normal. She frowns when she notices it. "What?"

"You think my eyes are pretty."

At that, her face turns ten times redder. "That's all you've registered, really?" She narrows her eyes when Sasuke's smirk widens. "You're so full of yourself, Uchiha Sasuke." She strikes his chest playfully as giggles escape her lips, and he only stares down at her, his heart beating fast. What's happening to him?

Sakura's laugh dies down, attracting Sasuke's attention to her blushing cheeks. And that's when he remembers their intimate position. He clears his throat and moves to the side, where he sits a few meters away from her, his hands unconsciously pulling at the grass.

"You shouldn't underestimate yourself," he says, eyes boring into hers. "Instead of giving up, you should have tried harder. You have the strength, only need to believe in it." She frowns, then turns her head to stare at the sky, her body still lying on the ground. "That's my advice," he adds, afraid he offended her.

When he sees her lips stretch upward, he also turns his gaze to the sky. Yes, he's definitely falling for her if he concerns himself so much with her feelings. Or at least, he has to admit she is a friend - a pretty friend, but a friend nonetheless. He watches her from the corner of his eye. She seems peaceful. The sun creates patterns on her face, and the gentle breeze caresses her skin, moving away strands of her hair.

To see her look so comfortable makes him want to copy her, so after inhaling deeply, he lies in the grass next to her and allows his guard to drop, his eyes to close. He hears her shift and guesses she is now observing him. After a while, a soft thanks reaches his ears, and he subtly nods without a glance.

For a while, they rest next to each other in comfortable silence. Sasuke never shared such a precious moment with anyone else before, but it shouldn't be surprising because that's what she is to him: precious, special. And that serenity he feels right now, he can only reach that state when he's with her. He's sure about that. And maybe it's because he knows he can trust her. After all, she hides nothing from him, from her feelings to her hardships. She shares everything, even though he gives nothing in return.

He glances at her, takes in her delicate profile, her glowing viridian eyes, and dives in. "Sakura, I want to tell you something." She turns her head to face him, eyes searching. "I'm sure you heard of the Uchiha massacre." He pauses, diverts his eyes from hers. How to explain it? How to put words on what happened that fateful night? Warm fingers intertwine with his, and it doesn't take more for his secret to leave his mouth. "My brother was the killer. He's the one responsible for the death of my parents, my uncles, my aunts, my cousins. He killed every single soul of the Uchiha clan. I remember when I found them, my parents. I still relive it every night, still see their battered bodies scattered around like wounded dolls."

At the recollection, his chest contracts, and he halts himself, his eyes wet.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispers, squeezing his hand.

"There's a powerful genjutsu only people with a certain type of sharingan can perform. My brother used it on me and made me witness everything he did for forty-eight hours straight. I think it broke something in me." His voice breaks, and he turns his face away from Sakura's prying eyes.

He hears her sit up but doesn't acknowledge her. "That's the man you want to kill, isn't it?" Her voice is so soft that it soothes away some of his worries, and he closes his eyes, nodding. "It makes so much more sense," she whispers, taking her place back beside him, her thumb brushing his hand. "I'm sorry for everything." He can tell she's looking at him, so he shifts his head back when he deems his eyes dry enough. As soon as he meets her stare, she brings a hand to his forehead to brush away some dark locks from his eyes. "But know one thing, Sasuke-kun. You're not alone anymore. You'll always have me."

He doesn't let go of her gaze, and with each passing second, his chest feels lighter. After a while, he brings a hand to her face to brush away the tears rolling down her cheek. But then, his eyes trail down to focus on her lips, her pretty pink lips, and his body leans forward before he can stop himself. When he captures them between his own, it doesn't even feel like he's in control of his actions anymore. It's like he's watching from above, and it feels awkward, hesitant, but also so soft and warm and goddam perfect.

But something soon ruins the moment.

"Can't believe it happened to him, of all people," a female voice says.

Sasuke releases Sakura with widened eyes to notice a similar expression on her flustered face.

"He did everything in his power, poor Hatake," a deeper voice responds. "He'd do anything for his kids, you know." There's a brief pause. "I'm glad you're okay, though."

"Never mind me," the woman says. "I worry about that Naruto kid. Uchiha Itachi is not a normal threat. Even with Jiraiya-sama by his side, I fear for his life."

Sasuke sits upright upon hearing his brother's name. Sakura mimics him, a hand gripping his shoulder in warning.

"How long do you think it's going to take to find him? Tanzaku is close enough."

"And knowing Jiraiya-sama, he will probably leave the boy alone a lot in that city."

The voices die down as the footsteps recede, leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone again. The boy pushes himself up.

"Where're you going?" Sakura stops him, both hands on his chest.

"To Tanzaku."

He tries to move past her, but she pulls him back by the wrist. She stares at him for a while, eyes searching. He opens his mouth, about to complain, but she interrupts him. "I'll go with you."

"No, you're not," he says, tugging on his arm. "You'll stay the hell away from him." He jumps on the nearest branch and hops towards the village's gates as fast as he can. "Stop following me," he shouts when he hears Sakura steps close behind.

"It's Naruto, Sasuke-kun. And it's also you! You can't ask me to stay behind and wait; I'd go crazy! Let me help you, please!"

He stops and traps her between his arms before she can move away. There, he leans forward, stares deep into her doe eyes.

"Only if you promise me you'll leave when I say so." When he sees her frown, he applies his forehead to hers. "Please."

"Fine," she whispers, and a shiver runs down his spine at the feeling of her breath against his lips.