Hate Me, Hate Me

by kyliEisMC2

Sakura is struggling to submit to the new regime. Her comrades are missing, dead, gone, or changed. She is alone, with only the last person on earth she wants to see to give her company. Sasuke got his revenge but is finding himself disappointed with the results and wanting other things from life. However, the one thing that will make him feel again, wants nothing to do with him.

9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Complications of Dining With The Enemy

The wind had a bitter bite to it in the peaked heights of the mountain regions. The small village he traversed was so cold that even the thickest of cloaks could not protect any traveler at such a high altitude and strong winds. While the lowlands were still only gathering early morning frost on the ground, there was already a permanent layer of snow that crunched beneath his feet as Naruto made his way down the rocky and uneven road that ran through the nameless village.

As a particularly strong gust of wind managed to seep through the seams of his cloak, he pulled it closer around him, trying to urge his stiff legs to move faster so he could escape the harsh elements of the vicious terrain. He tucked his face deeper into the travel worn scarf that Hinata had given to him for his birthday. The one he had celebrated with his friends right before he was forced to flee his village and abandon them only a few months later. Leaving everyone behind to struggle against their new oppressive leader.

Now, the once cherry red yarn was discolored to a deep maroon from the excessive amount of dirt it absorbed in the past year as one of the ends was beginning to unravel. But Naruto held onto it and wore it like a talisman given to him by a goddess herself. Because with so many life changing events in the past couple of years, that was certainly one thing that made this all the more difficult. The shift in how he saw the girl he once saw as the quiet Hyuga that had chronic fainting spells. Because recently it was revealed to him that she was so much more than that. And he wanted so much more from her. His time had just gotten cut short. And opportunity was snatched from him before he even realized he could have one.

As he reached the center of the worn village, he lifted his head to take in the decaying outpost that also served as the local watering hole and inn. It was not exactly the most established village given the decades it had hosted weary travelers, no one had ever bothered to give it a name. Not that it had any reputation that would even mimik civil hospitality. In fact, village was a gratuitous word for describing the handful of buildings and collection of hovels that served as homes for the locals. It was a settlement where, like the rough and harsh terrain of the mountainside, its people were even more merciless.

It was the kind of place in which those who did not wish to be found, sought out to lay low. Names did not exist. And if you were fool enough to share a name, only the names that belonged to those with a hefty price on their head were declared notable. And in a city of rogue shinobi and outlaws, that was everyone. True names were sometimes worth just as much as the ryo collected by bounty hunters.

So as Naruto took the half rotten steps up to the crooked door of the small inn, he made sure to keep the hood of his cloak pulled low as he slipped into the warmth of the establishment.

He hardly paused in the threshold, immediately making his way towards the back habitually. And just like every time he found himself in this miscreant location, he found two figures were already seated at his destined table. Each of them sitting still with their heads low and covered just as his.

In any other place such habits and actions would seem suspicious. But when everyone seemed to be hiding anything that would identify them, it went ignored. For to get into one person's business, one would be forced to bring up one's own.

Naruto slid into the empty bench across from the two figures, causing them to lift their heads just enough to let the flickering light from the candle in the center of their table illuminate their faces. One, which possessed the features that mimicked another dark haired and onyx eyed ex teammate, looked at him with a blank expression void of any emotion. The other, shadowed by the candle light, his face held the ever haunting look that Naruto had seen one too many times when the wood release user was giving a threat.

"You look like shit," Sai said leaned forward and sniffed. His nose wrinkled in displeasure. "And you smell like it too."

Naruto shot Sai with a dark look.

He had just sprinted across five countries, each with varying degrees of rough terrain and temperatures to make their rendezvous, and all the pasty dead face had to comment on was his lack of hygiene!? While he had years to get used to Sai's less than gentle remarks, being tired and hungry, Naruto had no tolerance to Sai's unfiltered remarks.

"Why don't you say that to my face you pasty faced di-"

"Do we really need to do this?" Yamato sighed, his haunting expression evaporating as his face took on the expression of a tired mother hen as he clamped a hand over Sai's mouth. In the same action, he stretched out his other arm as he reached over the table and shoved Naruto back down into his seat.

Once Naruto made no move to launch himself over the table, Yamato released them, a layer of Naruto's filth from his travel clothes dirtying his hand. Yamato frowned at the filthy stain left on the fabric of his pants after whipping off his hand. "No offense…but when exactly was the last time you bathed, Naruto?"

"Well excuse me for missing a bath once in a while!" he began defensively. "Unlike some people, I don't get the luxury of being able to just drop into just any town and book a room. The grand flea motel doesn't exactly have a private sauna to lounge in. And bathing in a river when the temperature is just barely above freezing doesn't have the best effect on a person's body parts."

"Why are you worried about your dick being smaller, dickless? It will go back to–"

Naruto sputtered. "I wasn't talking about myーI'm talking about hypothermia! You-"

"Naruto," Yamato hissed, his eyes flickering around as Naruto's raised voice drew unwanted attention. "Focus."

Naruto gave Sai a scathing look before settling down. Sai, who was always oblivious when poking a slumbering bear, gave Naruto a wide smile that, despite the years of practice, looked fake. Naruto gave him a creeped out look as the wideness of Sai's lips did not quite fit with the rest of his flat facial expression.

"Anyways," he said, trying to focus on Yamato while still side-eyeing Sai who was still smiling unnaturally at him. "What news? I heard rumors of riots and rebellions picking up across the different nations," Naruto pressed, his voice holding a tone of excitement.

While Naruto seemed hopeful and eager about such news, Yamato's face went grim at the mention of the riots. "Yes, and Madara had each of the settlements wiped from the map."

"..." Naruto stared blankly. "What?"

"There are probably a dozen more villages that rebelled than you know," Yamato continued. "But Madara had his bushido warriors respond faster than word got out. We were told to leave no traces...no one."

Naruto stared back at Yamato as he processed just what exactly Yamato had said. His blue eyes wide as a sick feeling sank down to the pit of his stomach.

The Bushido was Madara's version of the Root branch of ANBU, except worse. Danzo had made a group of nameless shells that had been brainwashed into thinking that all there was to life was the mission. Madara's Bushido was made up of a group of not just heartless, but soulless individuals that didn't need to believe in the mission to do the things that they did. They just enjoyed it. The very concepts and deeds of the group were a mockery of the code in which it was named after.

Yamato and Sai had joined together voluntarily and early on. They had each known spies would be needed and they had each known no one else would be able to do it. Their background with root had taught them how to compose themselves and be convincing enough to be so void of emotions they could blend in.

And they did.

Without a word to anyone, no warning or goodbye, they entered the ranks of Bushido. Disappearing from their friends and makeshift family they had formed during the warring years for months, only to reappear as the very thing those same people had learned to hate and despise.

Six months ago, they had come across Naruto by chance. A sighting of the last jinchuriki being reported and they being fortunate enough to be assigned the mission. It had taken some time to get Naruto, who befriended his enemies, to believe they were on his side. But ever since, they had been meeting in secret once a month to exchange progress. Although most of the time it always seemed stagnant news and developments.

"When you say no one...do you mean...everyone?" Naruto asked, not really wanting an answer.

Yamato's lips pursed and Sai looked down at his lap. Despite their backgrounds and what they once were, their sacrifice took a heavy toll on them. In root, they had not known anything different. But now...they had experienced what it was like to have family and friends, to laugh and to love, to cry and to sorrow. They had been allowed to feel, to live.

After years of Naruto's exemplary conviction of valiant acts of heroism, of having Sakura's tender sympathy and gentle compassion when she wasn't beating them up, and Kakashi's dedication to always having each other's backs, it was difficult to turn such feelings and emotions off. No longer were they machines designed for duty. They were human. Subject to emotions and prone to empathy. Perhaps not as much as some, but it was enough to keep them from slipping into the vapid ghosts of their old selves.

"We were able to save some of them," Sai said, his voice sounding strange with a genuine tone of emotion. He looked up to Naruto, his face pulled into a construed version of what some would call sorrow. "But not many."

"Where are they?"

"We told them if they go to Suna, they will be granted refuge," Yamato said. "But it has been difficult convincing them of it. Madara has been having spies spread rumors about Suna killing anyone who steps into the desert territory."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Gaara would never do that! Why would they believe such a thing!"

Yamato let out a sigh. "I know. But you have to remember, these people are scared and oppressed. Madara controls everything under a strict regime and everyone knows not to bite the hand that feeds you. He has had a whole year now and it's easy to forget what life used to be after that time."

"And he has groups patrolling the borders," Sai added. "They are there more for keeping people in than out. They kill anyone who tries to desert or escape and then blame Suna which reinforces the rumors more."

"We should have acted sooner," Naruto exclaimed, frustration and defeat in his voice. "We should have acted before he could get established."

"We didn't have the numbers after the war."

"But I heard rumors that Konoha had a rebellion," he said, bright eyes shining with pride. "And it wasn't just shinobi, citizens too! If a place of such a population is uprising surely we have the number now!"

"It was hardly a rebellion. It was a foolish riot of grievous victims that was ended by Sasuke and only a handful of his shinobi." A look of puzzlement came to Yamato's face as he seemed to reevaluate the scenario. "Although something was off about that one. There should have been more news of it but it has been oddly silent. It's as if..." He looked at Sai and Naruto who were looking at him curiously. He opened his mouth as if to finish his thought but after a second, he just his mouth and shook his head. "There should have been more casualties or rumors of punishments. It is not like Sasuke to just let things slide under his rule like that." He looked at Naruto who had developed a curious look that held too much optimism. "But that was a fluke. It changes nothing until we are organized."

"Then let's organize," Naruto proclaimed. He looked at Sai. "What news from B?"

Sai shook his head. "He was not there for our last rendezvous and I was unable to make it to Lightning because of the riots in Fire this past month. I was never assigned anything close enough."

Naruto went silent as a pensive expression came over his face. It was a look that did not suit the usually sunny boy. But he was no longer that sunny boy. That boy went into a bloody war and he found himself coming out of it as a war ragged man. Shadowed by loss and hardened by new emotions that he once fought to save others from feeling. Pessimism and animosity now lurked over his shoulders and weighed him down as he struggled to give into them.

But the moment of weakness passed and Naruto found himself looking up from the nicked and dented table to look up at his teammates. A look of matured determination on his face. Not the heated determination that was driven by the passion of his youth, but a calculated determination that was focused and experienced.

And as that look appeared, his two companions leaned in. Each of them looked to him as if he was the war commanding hokage that he always dreamed he would be and not the road worn outlaw that he had become. "It's time…"

.

.

.

Sai let out a long sigh as they finished a lengthy session of strategy and planning.

"It is strange," Sai began, attaining both Naruto's and Yamato's attention. "I do not like acting intentionally cold. I feel...unease...here-" he pointed to his chest- "and sick here," he added, pointing to his stomach.

Both Naruto and Yamato exchanged a look, then turned back to Sai. "That is called guilt."

Sai frowned. "Did I do something bad?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, it is good that you feel guilty."

Sai looked at him confused. "But I thought guilt was when you did something bad?"

Naruto rubbed a hand over his face, slightly stressed and still taken aback that he had to explain such obvious things. Sakura was the one who was also so gentle and encouraging when it came to Sai's emotional development. While the female teammate certainly had her struggles with tolerating Sai whenever he called her a hag or commented on how tired she looked after a sixteen hour shift from the hospital, but it was her efforts and patient mentorship over Sai that had given him such an ability to feel things like guilt. It was a moment Sakura should be present for, to see the progress of her work. Instead she was imprisoned in her own home.

"No, feeling guilty isn't supposed to feel good. But you feeling guilty for treating your friends like they mean nothing and doing the tasks commanded to do, is a good thing. It means you care and you know what you are doing is not right. You are taking people's feelings into consideration."

Sai only seemed to frown more. "I understand my tasks. I understand why I must do bad things. But I feel guilty for not reaching out to them. For not telling them I still care about them."

Yamato put a hand on his shoulder. "It is for the best. The less who knows what we are doing, the less possibility our cover is blown."

"But I believe they would not tell anyone."

"That is called trust," Naruto clarified. Sai seemed to ponder for a moment before Naruto continued. "And that gives us even more reason why we should not tell them."

Sai looked at him in confusion. "But I do not understand. I have been led to understand that a trustworthy person is to be valued. Should trust not be reciprocated with truth?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes, a trustworthy person is very valuable. That means they are precious to us which gives us all the more reason not to tell them. If they know, they become endangered."

"And things are different now. Our enemy is not out to destroy everyone anymore. He wants to control them and to do that he manipulates. He finds weaknesses and exploits them. If the right weakness is exploited, neighbors go against neighbors. Families become divided for fear that if one of them does the wrong thing, they will all suffer. Soon you have even the closest of relations turning on one another for fear that they will lose the others. Soon they just become a pack of lone wolves, fighting for survival."

Naruto gave Yamato a hard glare. "Our friends would never do that. No matter what they would never break or betray."

Surprisingly it was Sai who responded. "No, he is correct. Even the closest of bonds can be betrayed and broken," Sai said, drawing Naruto's attention to see a deep expression on Sai's face. And then his eyes dipped down to where Sai's fingers gripped at his wrist where a small braided bracelet was woven around his pale arm. In the center was a single glass bead with the kanji that spelled out his brother's name. Shin. Sai's dark eyes moved back up from the bead and Naruto was hit with the likeness that Sai shared with his other previous teammate. "You once trusted Sasuke."

Naruto slammed his fist down on the hard table. "That was not the sameー"

"Naruto…"

"He's...he's not the demon he portrays," Naruto said, nearly desperately, as if he was trying to convince himself. He slumped and leaned forward, letting out a long sigh.

"It's okay to give up on him," Yamato said after a long pause. "It's been years and he has had every chance. You have even given him an undeserved extension."

Naruto looked up at the wood style user, his bright blue eyes half hidden from his overgrown hair. "It's just...I really thought he would come through."

The words were difficult to say and even more difficult to hear himself voice it. It was true. He really had believed Sasuke would come back. All his years chasing after him. Before the war, at the very beginning and up until the very last moment, Naruto had believed Sasuke would appear at his side. And technically he did. But it was not the reunion he envisioned.

Instead he appeared before him, eyes blazing with hatred and vengeful blame that was misdirected. And still. Even after, when the buildings were being razed and the city was aflame. Naruto had believed he would come through. Itachi had said in the end Naruto could save him. But it had been half a year since Naruto had last visited Sasuke thinking even then he would somehow change his mind and he was still in the same misguided spot. Too stubborn and arrogant to give in and do the right thing. Instead he was sitting over the city he once abandoned. Ruling over it without any seeming remorse like the sadistic bastard that Naruto had always proclaimed him.

Naruto's head fell low in shame. And he was not sure from which the shame stemmed. From the multiple wasted years he spent blinded by whimsical ideals that he could save his teammate from his inner darkness. Or from him giving up for possibly the first time in his life.

After a long moment, slowly, Naruto lifted his head.

"Okay," he said, his voice holding a cold chill. "Let's start our first phase."

Yamato nodded. "We shall start gathering."

"And when we face Sasuke?" Sai inquired.

Naruto's face hardened. "I will kill the bastard."

Yamato nodded, his face looking grim as Sai's went blank. "Very well. We will start with phase one like we discussed before. We need to start rekindling ties. Start to reunite the hidden villages." Yamato looked at Sai. "Begin investigating and weeding out those who are not as loyal to Madara as they seem. It will be risky and you have to be wary of spies but we need all the help we can get." Said nodded. "I will begin repurposing all of Orochimaru's hideouts," Yamato continued. "When we start organizing we will need places to gather."

"But Sasuke and Kabuto would know of all the locations. Surely by now they would have released that information to Madara." Sai challenged. "Won't it be risky going back to those places?"

"It is. But that is also the advantage. They will not be expecting us to use such an obvious location to gather."

It was quiet for a moment as Yamato's reasoning was weighed and considered by both Naruto and Sai.

"And what should I do?" Naruto said after seeming to accept the strategy of Yamato's thinking.

Yamato looked at him. "What of Gaara?"

Naruto shook his head. "He cares for us, but his duty to his people has always come first. He sees rising against Madara right now puts them at risk. He has no intention to make a move unless Madara shows signs of invading his lands." Naruto supplied. "He is aware of the borrowed time and that it is inevitable, but he will delay it until the last grain of sand drops in the hourglass that is counting down to that."

Yamato nodded. "Begin to reach out to our friends who have been in hiding like yourself. Let them know it's time. We should be able to rely on Gaara's support if we can prove that we can be unified once more."

Naruto nodded, signaling the finality of their conversation. But despite them all understanding their roles and objectives and no longer needing to discuss further, they all lingered. Just for a moment, they silently sat together, relishing the rarity of being around others that gave them the smallest reminiscence of being home. And then the moment ended and in the blink of an eye, they were all gone. Each headed in opposite directions of the continent as they went out with conviction in their hearts and determination in their minds.

---

Ino stared at Sakura, scissors mid cut as she seemed to process what exactly Sakura had just informed her.

"Dinner…" she said with a tone that suggested the event was a foreign concept. "...as in the nightly meal?"

"Yes."

Ino was quiet for a moment as she continued to snip at the ends of Sakura's bangs, reshaping them and shortening them so they fell just at her brow instead of directly in her eyes. Sakura's nose twitched slightly as the pale pink ends fell down her face and tickled. The sharp snip of the scissors filled the air for only a few seconds before Ino paused again. She took a step back, folding her arms as she looked at Sakura. Her face still pulled into perplexity.

"So he is letting everything slide for that night, no consequences or even questions so long as you are going to sit at a table and eat with him."

"It's a little more complicated than that," Sakura argued, feeling like the simplicity of Ino's summary made it far more simple of an exchange than Sakura felt it was.

Ino raised a brow. "I mean...I've heard rumors lately. I heard you got some prison guard pardoned and some other family was allowed to leave the village because their son was going to be conscripted. Some other people said that..."

Sakura's brow drew together in confusion as Ino began to list off multiple scenarios that, while familiar, seemed blown heroically out of proportion. It made her seem, as the strange woman who had knocked on her door once said, the favorite.

"That's not exactly how that all happened," Sakura quickly defended.

Ino paused for a moment as she looked Sakura straight in the eye. Her aquamarine irises flickered back and forth for a moment before she leaned back against the armoire. She gently set the scissors down on the surface of the table, her hand hovering over them as her own long bangs curtained her face from Sakura's view. It was quiet for a long time before Ino, her voice unnaturally hesitant, spoke again.

"People are saying that he has a weakness for you," she said, her head turning to meet Sakura's eyes. "Would you ever consider that offer that he gave you?" Sakura gave her a quizzical look. "You know, the one where he offered you to become his wife?"

"Of course not," Sakura said, her tone defensive with an offended tone. That offer had seemed so long ago it felt like a lifetime. But not a day went by that she did not think of it. It was not exactly a consideration. But she had wondered many times over the months that followed after, how different her life would have been. If perhaps she would have more freedom...if she could tolerate it enough to be worth it. Each time it made her sick to her stomach.

Ino shrugged, her body posture unnaturally closed off as she pushed off from the edge of the table and began to comb through Sakura's loose hair with her fingers. "You know...no one would blame you."

Shocked, Sakura looked up at the mirror to where Ino's reflection was. "I'm not so desperate that I would just sell myself as a way to better my situation. I don't know what kind of better life you think he would give me, but it would be muted compared to the muffled existence that I have now."

Ino shrugged again. "The world has changed. It's survival of the fittest. Personal gain is currency now. If it bothers you that much just think of it as an infiltration mission."

Sakura felt her stomach churn. Ino had always been a natural in infiltration. Even without her mind transfer, she was proficient in seduction. However Sakura was not as naturally comfortable and talented as Ino in that art. Sakura had done her fair share of such missions towards the end of the war and had certainly gotten comfortable at it. But this...this wasn't a mission. This was her life now. If she entered into the arrangement that Ino was suggesting...there would be no end, there was no goal to complete then run off home. This was her home. And she could hardly even call herself a kunoichi anymore given that she had not seen the outside of the city walls in over a year.

That realization struck her hard and Sakura felt that familiar panic of claustrophobia. It frightened her every time, and she had had several panic attacks over the past month. Ever since she had tried to run through the gates she found herself having episodes. Moments when she thought she was losing her mind, feeling like she was walking in circles as she went home. They were blank periods when she did not even notice how she traveled from one side of the city to another.

"I truly would never leave through those gates ever again," Sakura answered, looking down at her hands as she grasped her wrists, tracing the calloused rings left behind by the chakra suppressors.

Since the night of the riot, she had yet to have them placed back on. She liked to think it was something that would remain, but she was confident it was because the right people had not noticed their absence yet. The right people being Sasuke, whom she had managed to avoid since that same night. Many times she had contemplated fleeing. She knew she could do it, she could easily get past the gates if she had her full strength.

But there were few things holding her back. The first being the memory of Sasuke raising his sword about to execute the older man. It was strange to think that she had such...influence. But there was no denying it. Sasuke listened to her. Or at least allowed himself to hear her out and talk some sense into him.

The second thing holding her back was the fact that she knew Sasuke would not let her go. Be it his new and none understandable obsession, or more likely his pride, Sasuke would never just let her go. He would hunt her down the moment he heard she was gone. And as much as she had grown and strengthened over the years, Sasuke's power had her beat ten fold.

"I may not know why Sasuke made me that offer," she said quietly. "But I do know that if I ever let myself become bonded to him, I would never be allowed to leave that union. It would not matter if he began to despise me again. I would just be another goal he had achieved and would remain tethered to him as a trophy."

Ino took in Sakura's pale face and paused. "You haven't been allowed outside yet...have you?" she said, a realization dawning over her.

Sakura shook then looked at Ino, nearly desperately. "What is even going on out there?"

Ino's shoulders sagged, her aquamarine eyes lowering to Sakura's pastel strands as her fingers wove her hair into a loose braid. "I have absolutely no idea."

Sakura looked perplexed. "But you get to go outside the walls, you've been on missions, you've been allowed to breathe. What have you seen?" she pressed desperately.

"Nothing," she said with a sigh.

Ino released Sakura's hair and the long pink tendrils she had been absentmindedly braiding, fell down around Sakura's shoulders. Taking a few steps back, Ino lowered herself down to the edge of the bed as Sakura twisted in her chair to face her, giving her a confused look.

"What do you mean nothing?"

Ino's frosty blue eyes flickered up from the worn carpet and looked at her. "That's just it. Nothing. No communication between the countries, no traveling in between regions unless with special permission, and even when you're sent alone, you're always being watched. Madara is very selective in who gets to go places and where they go. Everyone is required to stop at every checkpoint and have their papers stamped before moving on. If you miss one, you are considered a deserter. If you are late to one, you are considered a deserter. And when you get to each checkpoint, it's not like you can just talk to anyone and ask them anything. You have seen what happens when people question too closely."

"But you're part of intelligence, isn't that what you have been doing for the past year?" Sakura exclaimed. "Digging around in people's heads to see what is going on?!"

Ino flinched and immediately Sakura regretted her words. She was frustrated and desperate, but that did not excuse her losing her temper at her friend for not giving what she wanted. Ino was not choosing to interrogate people. It was not as if she enjoyed torturously digging into their minds. A task in which she was certain Ino was as gentle as she could be.

She would try to coax people and she would only save torture as a last resort. Not so she could get the information...but to save her family. Results meant mercy. Or at least a twisted example of mercy. If Ino failed, someone less sympathetic would take over for her.

"Sorry," Sakura apologized gently. "I know you are not doing it voluntarily."

It fell silent and Ino bowed her head as she focused on picking at a hang nail that two years ago would have had her fainting at possessing such a flaw. Now, her hands were dry and her nails chewed down so short they were raw and sore.

"Do you know what happened to Kankuro at least?"

Ino's head shot up, her eyes wide. "You knew he was here?"

Sakura nodded. "I was the one who healed him for…" she swallowed thickly. "For the questioning."

Ino nodded in understanding a wane smile curling her lips. "I should have figured. No one else would have been so skilled at making someone be completely healed on the outside but still look like he was run over by a herd of water buffalo." It was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "He has been gone for about two months. I think they transferred him to hidden mist after I failed to get anything out of him...our rations were cut in half for a month for the whole clan after that failure."

Sakura did not respond. There was no response to give. She could say sorry but they would be hollow words with no purpose but to fill the silence.

She could not empathize because she knew nothing of having an entire clan being dependent on her success. Nor could she say that her family had ever suffered for her actions. Not once had her father been punished for her insubordinate actions. And at this point, sympathy was just pity. And there was no honor nor comfort in such a thing.

The sound of the alarm that signaled the approach of curfew was what brought the silence to an end as well as their time together. Its high pitched chirp let out three sharp blasts, letting anyone outside of their home or compound perimeters that they had ten minutes to get there or they would be spending their night in lesser accommodations than their own bed.

"I should get going," Ino said, slowly standing and making her way to the door.

Sakura stood and followed her. Descending the stairs behind her before holding the door open for her as she walked out, pulling on her coat. The blonde woman paused at the threshold, taking a moment to grasp onto Sakura's hand and give it a squeeze.

"We should do this more often...when we can," she said with a faint smile. "It felt nice."

Sakura responded with a smile back and nodded. "Yes, get home safe and take care of yourself more."

Ino nodded and made her departure as Sakura stood at the doorway and watched her friend make her way down the street. As she watched Ino's back, she surveyed her posture and found herself hardly recognizing the figure walking away from her. Her hair was not pulled up neatly, causing her ponytail to lose the preppy sway it once always was. And there was something missing in her posture. The confident young woman was not there. Instead it was a ragged and worn out girl who had been forced to grow up too quickly and take on responsibilities she had no mental stability to be handling.

But again, Sakura could not feel sorry nor feel for her. Because they all walked that way now. The only difference was when and what had caused them to crumble and fold to the pressures. For some it was when the village fell, others was the first execution, and the rest had managed to hold out for a few more months before their backs began to bow.

For Ino, Sakura suspected it was when Sai first made a reappearance three months after he disappeared. Stone cold and vacant as he stood before the village as a representative of Bushido. It had broken Sakura to see Sai standing before them amongst those who just a few months earlier had destroyed their home.

She could not take credit for every little development he had over the years, it was a combined effort between everyone. And the biggest contributor to his development had been Ino.

Sakura was not sure if it had been love between them. But it was certainly more than just a partial warmth towards each other.

But he had stood there, even looked directly at them and his dark eyes and face held nothing. Not even recognition of who they were, let alone what they were or had been to him at one point.

Such an event had Sakura wondering for weeks if any of it had ever been real. Had Sai ever truly been on their team or had it all been a ruse the entire time?

It now made her wonder if Ino felt the same way. Only for her, the dismissal would have been much more severe. For if there was one thing that Sakura could empathize with, it was that. Seeing someone you had once harbored the deepest emotions for, look at you as if you were nothing of any significance.

---

Sakura vigorously rubbed at her hair with a towel as she stood in front of the steam clouded mirror of the bathroom. After a moment, her movements stilled when she realized that the towel was more damp than her hair and she slowly set the towel down on the counter. After readjusting the worn towel wrapped around her body, she wiped at the foggy mirror and paused as her reflection was revealed.

Automatically she started to comb her fingers through her hair, trying to unknot the tangles and part it as best she could without retrieving an actual brush. As she tilted her head to the side, her eyes caught sight of something that made her pause.

Her reflection began to fade as the mirror began to fog up again and Sakura wiped at the mirror again and leaned forward to look at her reflection more closely. Lifting her fingers, she gently pushed her bangs to the side and stared at the marking in the center of her reflection's forehead.

Marking her skin was a small lilac rhombus that mimicked the one that her mentor once wore proudly for all to see. While having acquired it just over a year ago, she was still not used to seeing it on her own self. She had always been envious and hungry for such achievement that she had broken and bruised her body over and over to earn what she had always seen as a badge of honor. But it was not until the last moments of the war that she finally accomplished that goal and by then, it did not seem like such a high honor. She had hardly even enough time to process what had happened before defeat came in like a tsunami and deprived her of any pride she would have felt as it swept everything away from her with its strong currents of devastation and loss.

Letting her bangs drop back down to curtain the seal, Sakura opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed a small make up bag that Ino had given her long before the war had even started. Unzipping the pouch, she began to pull out some of its contents.

After collecting all that she needed, she uncapped one of the small containers of powder and grabbed one of the small brushes. She ran it through the powder, collecting a dusting before she lifted her chin back up to look at her reflection. Sakura raised the brush to her forehead only to pause for a moment to admire and acknowledge what it had taken to earn such a symbol.

A sadness began to seep into her mind as she moved to apply the powder. With every layer and product she applied, the rhombus became fainter and fainter until finally it was perfectly blended that no one, including herself, would be able to notice its presence from just visual observance.

By the time she had finished, the bathroom fan had finally filtered out the humid air of her shower and Sakura stood in front of the mirror, staring at the now blank spot on her forehead that looked as naturally bare as could be.

Immediately she began to miss the sight of it. There was a reason she was not used to the sight of it and that was because she hardly ever let it be visible. Covering it had been a habit since the day Konoha fell and she and Kakashi were taken captive.

In that last moment when Kakashi had realized and accepted the foreseen results, he immediately ran his hand through the muddy ground that they kneeled wearily on, turned to her, and swiped a streak of mud across her forehead. Just before they became separated, he had warned her to keep it hidden.

"It is best you make your identity as Tsunade's apprentice as forgettable as possible," he had warned. "Madara will not hesitate to kill you if he thinks you are a threat. Being her apprentice, having that seal, makes you the closest thing to a relation of the last Senju."

And since then, she had done that. Oftentimes she had debated on trying to use it to counter the chakra suppressors but as desperate as she was to escape this place. She heeded Kakashi's warning. Only allowing herself to admire it for fractured moments before covering it to the world.

With one last glance at her reflection, Sakura let out a heavy sigh, gathered her scrubs and undergarments from the floor and moved across the hall to her room. She dropped her dirty clothes into a basket in the closet then stood with her hands clasping her towel around her body as she unhelpfully stared into her closet, trying to decide what to change into.

Truthfully she wanted to just pull on an old oversized shirt that was either Kakashi's or Yamato's that she had acquired at one point in their teamship and go straight to bed. And as tempted as she was to do just that, she had a feeling if she did, Sasuke would be knocking down her door to come and collect her.

And it was for that reason of her not wanting him anywhere near her home that she reached into her closet and pulled out the first items of clothing she could find. Tiredly she began pulling on the leggings and green sweater that she had randomly pulled out from her closet. Once dressed she pulled on a pair of shoes then left her room.

Her father was just entering the house when she reached the entryway.

He was bundled in a jacket with an old scarf wrapped around his head and his nose bright red from the cold weather outside. When he spotted her coming down the stairs, he gave her a quizzical look.

"Are you going out?"

Sakura nodded. "I have a meeting to go to," she hedged. She wasn't sure why, but she didn't like to talk about or mention Sasuke to her father. Perhaps a part of her worried that he might remember the infatuation she had in her younger years and think she was prone to such a thing again, or perhaps it was because it bothered her that Kizashi never seemed put off by the mention of Sasuke recently.

"Oh," Kizashi said, his eyes moving up and down, taking in her attire.

Sakura looked down at herself and noted the unprofessional wear she had on. "It's just an informal meeting," she explained.

Kizashi nodded, although his eyes didn't exactly hold an expression that said he was buying it. "Okay," he said. "Be safe, and don't stay out too late. With curfew back to sundown and the days growing shorter, it sneaks up on you."

Sakura gave him an appreciative smile. While she knew she was perfectly capable of handling a power high guard, she appreciated his concern for her. It felt nice and it reminded her of more simple times on mornings she would leave for a mission. He would always send her off with similar concerns to take care and be safe despite it being a D rank or A rank mission. His concern had always been for her safety.

"I will," she said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before slipping around him towards the door. She backed out of the house, waving to him as he watched her leave with an odd look in his eye. "I won't be too long, but don't wait on me for supper."

Sakura shut the door behind her and faced the street. There were a few people who were passing by who each gave her a respected nod of their head before wordlessly moving on. It was a gesture she found being expressed more often recently and she was not sure how she felt about it.

Letting out a soft sigh, Sakura began to descend the stairs of her house, each step feeling heavy with dread as the thought of spending an entire meal with Sasuke began to weigh on her. It was not just grabbing a bite to eat at Ichiraku as she had originally thought, but at his home. She had gotten the summons this morning while at work via one of his hawks, who had stood atop her desk nipping at her knuckles impatiently until she signed off a reply on the note.

She was to be at his home at 6pm for dinner. She had hardly given herself enough time to get there without being officially late, but still waited long enough for her to postpone seeing him until the last moment. Not that her efforts would matter. Because anything would be too early for her and she was confident nothing would be early enough for him.

---

Sakura got there with two minutes to spare, but her punctuality became invalid when it was two minutes past the appointed time and she was still standing at the gated perimeter of Sasuke's house. Through the shoji windows, she could see the warm glow of a light on but she couldn't sense any movement. But when it came to Sasuke she knew that meant nothing.

He had always been advanced in stealth when they were genin, now he was so proficient in it, his natural movement was always a perfection of stealth. As she stared at the house, her eyes strained to find even the smallest of hints to where he would be. Was he in the kitchen preparing a meal? An idea that she almost immediately tossed from her mind for being ludicrous. But the more she considered it, it did not seem that odd of a thing Sasuke would do. He had lived on his own practically his whole life, why wouldn't he be the one to cook his own meals?

It was the same reason why Naruto was practically fueled by instant ramen and sour milk as a child. When they were younger and Sakura was still naive and oblivious, she had never considered how they lived. But as she grew and matured, she became aware of the realities of growing up without parents as she and Naruto became close and she spent more time at his apartment.

Until now, Sakura had never considered that Sasuke might have had the same struggles as Naruto. He had always seemed so put together and responsible, she had never considered how he would have had to learn so many simple things on his own.

"You are one of the old teammates…Sakura."

The sudden voice broke Sakura from her thoughts, causing her to suck in a breath as she whirled around and took in the figure that stood in front of her. Immediately she shrank back, only to run into the bamboo fencing that outlined the perimeter of Sasuke's home.

Her green eyes naturally drew to the marring scars that covered the right side of his face and she found herself wondering what he once looked like beneath the disfigurement. When she realized she was staring far too long at the scars, she averted her eyes to his short hair.

Obito seemed unphased by her staring as he stood a short distance from her.

After a moment of prolonged silence, he tilted his head to the side. When he did, the glow of the evening sun illuminated his face fully and Sakura caught a glimpse of something beneath his scared face. Something akin to mirth.

"Yes, I am Sakura," she said warily once her mind processed what he had said. "And you are Obito?"

His head tilted the other way as wonderment adorned his face. "Yes, I suppose I am again."

The oddity of his answer made Sakura shift uncomfortably as his heterochromia eyes continued to stare at her. It was strange to think that she had met this man originally years ago at the start of the war. Only at the time, he had introduced himself as Tobi, the oddest of persona's he had played.

Then for a time he was the phantom version of Madara that moved between space and time. And eventually revealed his true identity as the ghosted teammate from Kakashi's past.

Now he was standing before her again, reclaiming his original identity.

Unnerved by the statuesque stillness in which the mysterious Uchiha was surveying her, Sakura found herself glancing back to Sasuke's house. She had been dreading entering the home but now the lit windows looked far more welcoming than they did a minute ago when compared to remaining outside in the evening light. The sound of gravel crunching beneath approaching footsteps had her turning back to look at Obito who stopped a few steps away from her.

"Are you here for dinner too?" Sakura asked, both hopeful and dreading a confirmation.

The thought of not being alone with Sasuke always put her at ease, but the thought of being in the presence of yet another Uchiha had her nervous. The unexpected clan revivalism had not brought what she imagined it would in her younger years.

Obito looked up at the house behind her, then shrugged his shoulders. "I can eat."

The simple acceptance to an uninvited dinner reminded her of Kakashi and the many meals he had invited himself to partake in, somehow managing to never pay over the many years.

After a pause, Sakura seemed to recover and realized Obito was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to lead the way. She did a wary side step before finally allowing herself to turn her back on the reclusive Uchiha and made her way up the stone path.

The crunch of gravel following behind her let her know that Obito was at least four paces behind her every second of the way until they got to the house and he came to a stop right behind her left shoulder. And when he did, she was quick to raise her hand to rap on the door with her knuckles, eager for the door to open to erase the cornered feeling she had as Obito stood behind her.

Her knuckles had hardly left contact with the wood frame of the door when it abruptly slid open and she was met by Sasuke's unhappy demeanor. He had to be waiting right at the door because Sakura could not believe Sasuke had learned to move as quickly as it would have taken him to move from another part of the house.

Dressed in his usual shades of black, he loomed over her in the doorway. His lengthy hair covered half his face but his dark eyes still managed to glare through the dark fringe that framed his face with a heated annoyance.

"You're late- '' Sasuke cut his beratement short when his eyes flicked past her to Obito. They narrowed when he took in the proximity in which he stood behind her. A distance that many would consider an infringement of one's personal space. "What are you doing here?" he said darkly.

Obito stepped forward and pushed past Sasuke to invade his house. "Sakura invited me," he answered as he hardly paused in the front entry way to take off his sandals and begin to make his way down the hall.

Sakura watched the back of Sasuke's head until it whirled back around as he faced her, glaring at her accusingly as if it was her fault. All she could do was shrug and shake her head. Sasuke continued to give her a look. His dark eyes moved up and down her with a flicker before looking her in the eyes again. "Wash up. Down the hall, second door on the left," he said, before turning around and all but stomping back down the hall.

Sakura was left alone to let herself in. She hesitated at the threshold then finally took a step in. Gently sliding the door shut behind her, she took off her sandals and lined them up neatly next to Obito's. She took a moment to straighten his as she lined up the row of hers and the two Uchia's footwear. As she moved to stand back up straight, she paused to question the domesticity of it all.

What the hell? Her mind questioned furiously.

She was about to have the world's most awkward meal with the last person she would want to share even a morsel of a crumb with and she was straightening their shoes as if she was a normal house guest!

Immediately she began to undo the neat row of shoes. She wasn't here for pleasantry, she was here because she had no other choice. She owed a debt and that was it. Kicking a shoe to the side for good measure, Sakura began to walk down the hall. Slowly taking in the interior of Sasuke's house for the first time.

It was lighter and more spacious than she had imagined, faint paper lights lined the hall as she walked down and examined the décor of the walls. A monochrome painting of a hawk's silhouette against a billowing of dark storm clouds. A lone cherry tree at the edge of a cliff. A silhouetted sun, with beams of sunlight breaking through clouds. And an old crop field with a lone scarecrow that looked beaten and worn amongst the beaten down harvest.

Sakura could not help but note the random and impersonal assortment. Not a single identifying photo of the owner or heritage of the home. With that thought, Sakura began to wonder if there were even any surviving photos that could be displayed. Was the lack of family photos by choice or because there was truly nothing to display?

She had reached the bathroom before she had time to wonder too deeply of this and was adventuring her way back the opposite way of the hall. And whilst the smell of food growing stronger was a good enough indicator that she was headed in the right direction, this was not the reason she knew to go this way. It was because she had seen this hall before, only from the other side of the kitchen door. Back when Sasuke had layered a genjutsu on her.

As she neared the end of the hall she began to hear the hushed whisper of Sasuke, the tone of his voice sounding more like the low growl of a tiger as his words cut out harshly and lowly. She came to a stop as she peered through the crack in the door. Through the thin gap she spied through, she was greeted with the back of Sasuke as he watched Obito, his crossed arms an indicator that he was not pleased. Deeper into the kitchen, Sakura watched Obito walk over to the kitchen counter, Sasuke's head turning as he monitored the elder Uchiha.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke hissed.

Obito examined the counter before picking up a rice ball that quickly became a scattered mess of rice when Sasuke flashed forward and slapped it from his fingers, the ball breaking apart as the grains of rice scattered across the floor.

Obito looked up at Sasuke as if he had just thrown a kitten. "I was going to eat that."

"It's not for you."

Obito raised a brow, "So are you going to eat it?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Get out."

"You should respect your elders."

"And you should respect the etiquette of receiving invitations."

"Sakura invited me, remember."

"I doubt that," Sasuke said bluntly, picking up a tea towel and bending down to sweep up the mess of rice on the floor. "You make her uneasy. She is not comfortable around you."

Obito picked up another rice ball and placed it into his mouth as he looked down at Sasuke. "There is someone else in this room who makes her more uncomfortable."

Sasuke went still, then his head tilted up from his crouched position to glare up at Obito. After a pause, he abruptly stood.

Throwing the towel into the sink at the center of the kitchen, he turned back to face Obito. "Get. Out."

Obito looked back at Sasuke with a bored expression. Then his head tilted. "Very well," he said, crossing his arms. "Why don't we let the flower decide since she seems so interested in the matter," he said aloud.

Sakura startled as Obito's eyes flickered directly to the door she was standing behind, his focus directly at the slivered crack in which she was peering through. But soon his stare was cut off from her as Sasuke whirled around to face the entrance, his eyes quickly scanning before finding the crack and looking straight at her.

"Sakura does not need to be so shy," Obito said from behind him, his voice taking on that of Tobi's personality as he leaned around Sasuke's shoulder to look at her. "Come in."

Without warning, Obito's left eye dilated as the lilac hugh darkened to a violet and his body began to morph and disappear into thin air. Sakura felt herself struggling to breathe. Not because she was panicked or shocked, but because the very pressure of the atmosphere around her began to weigh heavily against her body.

Before she understood what was happening she felt a tug at her navel, causing her stomach to churn and her feet lost their balance as the floor melted, or more so she melted, from the place she stood.

It all happened in a fraction of a second. It took less time to blink before she found herself unsteadily finding her feet on the opposite side of the door as her head swirled with dizziness. With her head still spinning, her green eyes flickered back and forth between the two Uchiha's. Sasuke still standing where he had been and Obito warping back to his place by the counter.

Shaken, Sakura tried to keep her unsteady knees from shaking. As the disorientation dissipated, a new unease began to creep into her mind.

Sasuke turned back to look at Obito, a look of angry accusation and contempt in his face. "You can leave now."

Obito looked at Sakura, her face still ashen as her body tried to recover from the effects of being warped from one place to another. "Do you mind if I stay?"

Sakura opened her mouth but found no words to vocalize. And despite the unnerve of Obito's unwarned use of powers, she found her head shaking from side to side.

Obito's head straightened to look back at Sasuke. "The teammate does not mind if I stay," he said as he pointed back to Sakura.

Sasuke stepped forward. "I mind," he said bluntly.

"Yes but I am your elder," he remarked casually, as if he had not just teleported himself and another from one place to another without any seeming effort. "What you mind does not matter if I do not mind."

Sasuke opened his mouth again but Sakura, still unsure of which she would rather have, spoke up. "I would like him to stay."

"..." Sasuke slowly turned to look at her, his dark eyes roving up and down her. "Hn," he grunted, moving over to a cupboard. He pulled a bowl from it before grabbing the plate of rice balls from Obito's hand as he moved to the low traditional table in the adjoining alcove attached to the kitchen.

---

It was just like in the genjutsu she had been trapped in hardly a week ago. One moment she was standing in the kitchen, the next she was dazedly sitting at a low table amongst Uchiha. And despite being fully aware this was reality, Sakura could not help but feel everything about it was off.

As she settled down at the table, Sakura could not help but turn her head and stare at the empty space that Mikoto had occupied in the genjutsu. For some reason she had been expecting to see the warm smile of the elegant woman looking back at her. But instead she stared at the empty air next to her.

"What are you looking at?"

Sakura's head jerked to the space across from her and instead of seeing the elder Uchiha brother, she was faced with the dark gaze of Sasuke, his brows pulled together as he stared at her.

Sakura glanced at the empty air again before facing him and shaking her head from side to side. "Nothing," she said quietly, hooking her thumbs on the edge of the wooden table.

She shifted uneasily on the dark blue cushion she was kneeling on as Sasuke's onyx eyes moved to the empty space. She watched him stare at the space with a hard expression before clicking his tongue and looking back at her. From a round tin in the center of the table, he grabbed a pair of chopsticks and held them out to her.

"Eat," he commanded.

Sakura slowly reached out and accepted the utensils. In the exchange her fingers brushed against his and it took everything within her control to not react. Sasuke himself seemed to pause and she felt his dark eyes fall on her as she focused on retracting her hand. All the while she could feel his stare on her and in an effort to ignore Sasuke's gaze, Sakura focused on the spread of food on the table.

Grabbing a piece of tempura, she took a small bite then pushed around the grains of rice in her bowl before glancing up to see if the lingering heavy feeling was just her imagination or if Sasuke was still looking at her.

She was met with Sasuke's gaze which quickly redirected its focus as he grabbed his own pair of chopsticks and grabbed a piece of onigiri from one of the plates on the table. If it had just been the two of them, silence would have smothered them.

But they weren't alone. Obito was there.

"The onigiri is a bit dry," Obito said. Despite his proclamation, he shoved a whole rice ball into his mouth. As he chewed, he reached for a piece of grilled meat and placed some pieces onto his rice as he swallowed. Immediately he raised his bowl and began tasting the meat. "Beef needed to be marinated longer." He took a sip of tea. "Do you have oolong instead? I prefer oolong."

With every comment and criticism, Sakura watched as Sasuke's knuckles began to whiten as he grasped his chopsticks tightly. If it weren't for them being dangerously close to snapping, Sakura was certain he would be stabbing them into one of Obito's mismatched eyes.

"You are more than welcome to go home and make your own damn tea," Sasuke muttered in a low voice. "You have me running off to the market every other day for it, I'm sure you have plenty."

Obito paused mid sip, as if contemplating the invitation to leave the dinner. Then he shrugged and shook his head. "No. I would rather stay here. It's lonely on my side."

This caused Sakura to pause as she looked inquisitively at the hermit. "Why don't you leave the compound then?"

Obito's head swiveled around to her and was quiet for a moment as he seemed to regard her question. "No one wants to see my face out there," he said, his hand moving to his cheek where his fingers grazed the rough and bumpy surface of the maring at the side of his face.

Sakura frowned at the tone in which he spoke, slightly confused. His voice was full of embarrassment and shame. And she didn't like it. It made her want to feel bad for him.

He was the villain. He was the man who was against Konoha from the beginning. He was one who had put everything into motion. And he was the cause of why her and everyone else's lives fell apart.

She had once thought that Sasori was a true puppet master, but Obito made him look like a novice. The way he had fooled everyone and held the strings that brought about this changed world.

And now here she was, feeling pity for that man.

"Then why are you here?" she asked. "You could live in the mountains alone where no one would ever see you."

Obito shrugged, seeming either oblivious or uncaring of her slightly bitter tone. "This is my home."

A snort escaped Sakura before she could stop herself. "You have a funny way of treating your home," she snarked dryly. "I know Itachi Uchiha did not work alone. You slaughter your kin then burn it to theー"

"Sakura, that's enough," Sasuke said sharply.

Sakura's eyes darted to Sasuke, her emerald eyes stared at him for a moment, studying him. There was something in his eyes that had her wondering which topic had him looking so…regretful? Mournful? The mention of his clan's massacre or his brother?

Whichever it was didn't matter. Either answer she had a bitterness towards it. All his life he had been set on getting revenge, he had been warned and told it was not worth it by all those who cared about him. He got his revenge, he wasn't allowed to sulk anymore. And if it was Itachi, well that was his own damn fault. He was the one who killed him. But even as quickly as the bitterness rose, it died.

Since when did she become so hardened that she became so crass and callous at the loss of a life, let alone a whole clan? Frustrated and confused she brushed it off.

Sasuke watched her as the heat in her eyes began to rise and then she slouched and the fight was gone. Not in the defeated broken way that she used to hold, but more in a 'not worth to bother' way.

As he watched her push her food around and could have sworn she rolled her eyes. The corner of his lips twitched as moved his attention back to taking the last onigiri, only to have Obito swoop in and snatch it up right out of his own chopsticks. His eye twitched and he glared at Obito who shoved the entire rice ball into his mouth and chewed it without breaking eye contact.

On the other side of the table Sakura thoughtfully took a mouthful as she watched the two men across the table from her from beneath her lashes. Her attention mostly focused on Obito.

For as much as Sasuke made her fidgety, she had gotten used to his presence. But Obito was something different. He was beyond strange and highly unpredictable. And she was not sure if it was on purpose or not. Was it all a façade? Or was the man just insane? It wasn't exactly a secret that Uchiha's-at least all the ones she had met- were highly unstable.

.

.

.

The longer dinner went on, the more calm things came to be and soon the unnerve that Obito instilled in Sakura morphed into curiosity as he continued to annoy Sasuke and hummed to himself each time he took a sip of his tea.

"Why did you help Madara?"

Sasuke, who was clearing the table stilled at her question while Obito paused mid sip of his after dinner tea. Both of them looked at her, confusion coming to both of their faces when they realized the question was directed to Obito. Her face quizzical as she looked at him.

He was quiet and still for a long moment and Sakura thought he would not answer. Her mind was just creeping into panic that it had wandered too far and soon he would lift his eyes and the last moment of her life would be his swirling kekkei genkai. But when his eyes lifted, there wasn't a single tomoe. Just a plan coal collared eye. And even his ringed purple iris seemed to hold something she could not quite place.

"I wanted to change the world," he replied in a tone that was almost regretful.

"And how do you like your change?"

Obito's head tilted. "I'm not sure if it really has changed…only shifted."

Sakura's brow came together. She opened her mouth, but Obito beat her to speaking, giving his rebuttal before she could even counter his words.

"The roles were just reversed. And the curtains of deceit were raised," Obito said in a tone that was an all knew version of the Uchiha she had yet to witness. It held a saged tone like that of an elderly man who had watched a lifetime of rises and falls of empires. "There was always corruption and oppression, it just wasn't directed towards you." Again Sakura opened her mouth, but suddenly Obito shifted, leaning forward as he waved his hand in dismissal. "I do not like this conversation."

It was the same tone he used with Sasuke when asking for tea. As if what they were talking of was of no consequence and was old news that was boring him. But then Sakura caught a movement from the corner of her eye.

Obito's thumb was pinching at the skin near his nail bed. A sign of anxiety. She knew it because most of the genin that came back from their first higher level missions that required actions no child should commit did it as well. It was usually fueled by guilt and denial.

Unsure of how to react, Sakura's eyes trailed across the table and she realized that at some point Sasuke had cleared it entirely, meaning dinner was over…she could go home.

"May I leave now?" She asked, turning to Sasuke abruptly.

Sasuke, who had been more and more quiet as the evening drew on, looked at her thoughtfully with his dark eyes. For a moment she thought he would deny her, but his head jerked down in a small and silent nod.

Sakura quickly stood from the table, only to be followed by both Obito and Sasuke who rose in unison. She paused for a moment but managed to move her feet when Sasuke moved with an obvious intention to walk her out. However she faltered slightly when Obito followed along, taking her flank.

Glancing at him from over her shoulder, she managed to continue following Sasuke, unnerved by the feeling of having her back to Obito.

"You are much more pleasant company than that blonde loud one."

Sakura managed to take one more step before the words that came from behind her processed and she came to a halting stop. Whirling around she looked at Obito with wide eyes.

"What did you just say?"

Ahead of them, Sasuke froze, his heart thundering in his chest as he slowly turned around to see the back of Sakura's head as she faced Obito. His eyes connected with Obito from over the top of her pink head who looked back at him. He heard Obito emit a quiet "oops" that did not sound very sorry. Then Sakura's body shifted.

Turning on her heels, her head snapped around to look at him. Her green eyes wide and full of so many emotions it unnerved Sasuke.

It was one of the things that had always made him uneasy around her. He wasn't used to interacting with other people's reactions until he had been put on a team with her. Uchiha's had been he knew how to interact with. A clan that prided themselves in always being in such control their true emotion never showed. But she had introduced him to them all. But he had not stayed long enough to get used to them. And now it was as if she was showing them all at one time.

"Naruto was here?"

Sasuke's lips tightened as he ground his molars together. As his silence drew out, her open expression became closed off and hooded as her eyes narrowed.

"When was he here?" Grammatically it was a question but her tone left no question. It was a demand. "Sasuke," she barked.

Sasuke met her green eyes, then looked at Obito with a dark look. He shook his head as he looked back at her. "Don't listen to him, he's an old fool."

"I am not old," Obito defended.

"I am not stupid," Sakura snapped.

Sakura glanced at Obito as they spoke in unison. Then she looked at Sasuke.

"It was several months ago. Only the one time."

Sakura's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to question why she was not informed and what he had come for. And then she realized just who she was talking to. Of course Sasuke would not have told her. And if she was honest, that was not the reason she was angry. It wasn't even Sasuke that she was angry with, at least not this time.

And the more the truth behind why and what she was feeling, the more she began to feel herself be affected. Her throat tightened and her eyes began to burn.

Snapping her mouth shut, Sakura moved forward. Keeping her head down and eyes focused down the hallway as she moved past Sasuke and took the lead. She hardly paused to slip her shoes back on before she was stepping down the stairs to the pebbled path. All the while wishing and hoping the steady footsteps following behind her would cease tailing her.

But they did not. Instead they followed her past the gate and continued to stalk her all the way through the main road of empty homes of the Uchiha compound. With every step she expected a hand to grasp onto her and force her to a halt. Anxiety of that moment had her pacing her strides faster until she reached the compound's main gate and she could no longer take the anticipation.

She whirled around.

Sasuke, who was just following to make sure she went home and wasn't running off to do something stupid, stopped abruptly when she turned around. Only a few inches were left between them.

Their closeness seemed to surprise her as she stared into his chest for a moment. Then she craned her neck to look up at him.

"Whywouldhecometoyou?" She blurted in a string of words that had no pause of separation. She took in a couple of breaths to recover from her earlier labored pace before she tried to speak again. "Why not me? Why would he not seek me out?"

He had expected her to be angry. But the tone was different. It was hurt, but had an underlying feeling of jealousy. But that was not what caught him off guard.

It was the snort.

Then another snort until Sakura was letting out a haunting laughter. It was forced and satirical, not the once melodious and warm giggle that he remembered from when they were kids.

Sasuke stared down at her, his mind wondering if she was broken to insanity as she continued to force out laughter from her mouth.

When she began to get control of herself, it died down until she was letting out only a huffed amused sound as she shook her head from side to side. Then it paused and her head tilted forward as she leaned her forehead against him. Sasuke froze the moment she made contact with his chest as he stared down at the top of her hair. She fell still and they stood there for what seemed like minutes. Sakura leaned forward, minimally touching him…yet still remaining.

At his side, his fingers twitched to move to touch her hair. But before he could begin to lift his hand, she took in a deep breath as she raised her head as she took a step back. Folding her arms over her chest she looked around. She stared at a tree that had only a few leaves left to shed, her face deep into thought.

After a moment she clicked her tongue and looked back at him. "I don't know why I am surprised." She threw her hands in a gesture at him. "Of course he would choose you. He will always choose you."

She shook her head again as she wrapped her arms around her as years of self confidence began to crumble back into vulnerability. She looked back at the tree and watched its bare branches sway in the breeze.

After a quiet moment she tilted her head back to look at him with a curious glance. "I never stood a chance to even share whatever you two had. There was always something connecting you two together and I was always the outcast."

"..."

Sasuke did not respond immediately. And after a while she let out a sigh and shook her head muttering under her breath. She started to step backwards, returning to her departure from the compound.

"It was you."

Sakura's steps ceased and she looked back at him. "Excuse me?"

"It was you. You were what connected us. It's only ever been you," he said in a slow steady voice.

Sakura was silent as she stared back at him. The meaning of his words confused her more with his attempt to clarify himself. She understood what he was saying but the insinuation was difficult to grasp. She wanted to laugh out loud again like she had before, but the intensity in his sooty eyes wouldn't let her.

The weight of his stare made her uncomfortable and she felt herself squirm. Then there was a movement and Sakura's eyes flickered and she caught sight of Obito disappearing past a building.

She cleared her throat. "I need to go home now," she said, turning back towards the city streets.

"I will walk you," Sasuke said quickly, following after her.

"I can walk by myself," she called over her shoulder, not even pausing her stride.

"No, you can't," he contradicted. "I need to make sure you don't try to run off and find that idiot."

She paused her steps and turned to look at him. "Why would I want to do that?" she said, a sharpness in her tone. "He obviously has no need to assure me of his safety nor has any regards that I may or may not have spent the last year worried and sick to my stomach both hoping for word of him yet praying that no word of him arises for fear he might be found and hunted." She let out a scoff, "No, my lord hokage, I do not need an escort home, for I have nowhere else to go. So if you would please, just let me be. I have had dinner and fulfilled my duty. Goodnight."

Sakura turned away from Sasuke, not waiting for a response as she began marching home, her mind racing far faster than her rapid heart beat.

Naruto had been here, he had come here and spoken to Sasuke. Yet no alarm, no word of a sighting had been reported. Let alone whispered about. Sakura was more than aware that if something had happened to Naruto by the enemy, word would have been all over. She had no doubt that a festival would be held all across the land to celebrate the fall of one more cursed jinchuuriki and Madara could take another claim of valor in ridding the world of yet another demon that he "protected" his people from.

No, if Naruto was gone, she would have known.

Yes, she had doubted that fact many times over the past year but this new revelation had brought clarity to that fact again. The only clarity she did not have sight on was why Sasuke had kept it quiet?

What gain did he get by staying quiet?

It was an answer she needed to be cautious in concluding. One wrong assumption could be a dangerous thing. She only hoped that her facade of anger worked. Yes, it hurt knowing Naruto made no contact with her, but she knew her friend. In her depressed moments she had assumed Naruto had fled and abandoned. But him coming to Konoha meant Naruto had a plan. He had not abandoned them as Madara would want the city to think.

What that plan was she had no clue. She just needed to trust. Trust that when the time came, Naruto would contact her and let her take part in his plan.

---

Far across in another country, the rain poured down from the sky as if the gods were weeping for the end of all they had created. Large droplets hit against the tin roofing and ran down the grating and over the edge like a waterfall. Naruto's sandal clad foot splashed down into a far deeper than expected puddle and he gave out a groan that turned into a horse cough as the cold that he had caught halfway through the week made its last stand against his high immune system. He felt like shit, and looked like it too with the caking of mud that was clinging to his traveling clothes.

Two weeks ago he had been back in Suna, taking a short breather before going on the run again throughout the countries, taking the long routes and detours in order to stay low. And if the strain of miles traveled was not enough for his weary body, the clash of going from sweltering heat in Suna, to frigid mountains of Frost country, then the damp and humid terrain of Rain. His fever had broken the other day which left him feeling chilled and drained. His body ached and protested every step but he pushed on.

He knew if Sakura was with him she would berate him and force him to rest. But he couldn't. He could not rest until he had made things right. He had failed, but like everything he did in life, he refused to stay down. Multiple times Gaara had pleaded with him to just remain in Suna. But Naruto could hardly look at himself in the mirror anytime the idea of the suggestion crossed his mind. If he gave up, how could he ever manage to live his life as if he didn't abandon his friends and home?

He reached the small inn at the center of the village and quickly entered the building, the sound of rain only becoming a dull white noise as the door closed behind him. Across the street a dark figure watched from the shadows of an alley from beneath the wide straw hat that protected the lone figure from the rain. Under its brim, a pair of darkened eyes with a blood red glint watched Naruto enter the building, only waiting a few moments before crossing the street himself.

Inside Naruto's eyes scanned the open lobby where a roaring fire blazed in an open pit at the center of the room. Like every establishment he came to these days, it was dim and dark with the exception of the low glow from the fire, causing plenty of dark corners to be available. Choosing one, he smoothly moved to sit on a low sofa that had its stuffing bursting from split seams of the upholstery.

And there he waited.

It was not long before a figure appeared before him as if out of thin air and Naruto jumped in his seat but quickly composed himself as he looked at the person across from him.

A long time ago he had been given a precise warning when he had first crossed paths with the man. "Whatever you do, don't look him in the eyes," Kakashi had said.

But time had changed, ugly truths had been revealed, and now Naruto made no hesitation to meet the man's eyes. Not ever the now black scalaria contrasting against the blood red spinning tomoes bothered him. For Naruto fully trusted this man, and owed a great deal to him.

Naruto took in the two deep lines that ran down the man's face. Even resurrected in his edo tensei form, the man looked stressed and worn.

"Itachi," Naruto breathed out quietly.

The dark haired man that he greeted gave his head a small nod. "Naruto, it has been a long time," he said in his deep baritone.

---

Hello my patient and wonderful readers. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I struggled with the dinner and not sure how I still feel about it but awkward was what I was going for. I still struggle with Obito so I hope his character is coming out not too OC but he is one that I am not as familiar with let alone comfortable writing so its been practice with this story. We got a glimpse into what is going on in the background and next chapter we will have another character arriving that will make things much more interesting. Hopefully next update won't be so long (It hasn't quite been a full year ooops) but I cannot make promises, only that I won't abandon this story. Thank you all for everyone who have continued to read and reread this story despite the delay. And for those who checked on me or encouraged me thank you.

Hope everyone is okay and safe. Please take care of yourselves and continue to be excellent!