Founding Love
Chapter Ten
Sakura had barely managed to skirt out of the looming conversation with the Senju brothers. A sharp exhale left her, and she hugged her arms around herself. She had feigned tired. Conveniently too tired, as Tobirama snarked yet Hashirama had let her slip out, having the old woman escort her to a room.
It reminded her faintly of how close the Uchiha brothers had placed her. Sucking on her teeth, she glanced out her open shoji window into a private garden. Fairly too similar, she thought, but at least she couldn't feel the brothers stalking about.
That didn't mean others didn't though.
Sakura could feel the pressure of their chakra around her or the bristling of presence up her spinal column. It was uncomfortable and yet a reassuring measure. If they trusted her off the bat, then she'd have been considerably more concerned.
No prominent shinobi clan would have lasted this long had they been so alarmingly welcoming.
Sakura shifted in her position. Her lithe body laid across the wooden tsukeshoin, her arms acting as cushions as her mind traced the garden. Part of her wished to climb out in the moonlight, sit near the koi pond and smell the rose bushes. Another part wondered if she could manage to sneak out and leap away.
When she first arrived, she attempted to slip into the garden. However, she was met several times with wandering clansmen or handmaids. Their careful stares clearly watching over her. She had been caged in this room for weeks since, dodging the questioning and overbearing eyes of the Senju, only summoned to eat politely with the Senju brothers as a slightly unwelcome guest.
It hadn't been unnaturally unwelcome, but the way Tobirama circled her put her on edge. Her senses flaring to life wildly and she timidly kept her mouth shut. Hashirama though, perhaps used to his brother's haunting presence, was much kinder. Sharing stories of his youth and chatting nonchalantly about his desire to grow a bonsai tree of all things. Sakura found it hard to not fall into his charm and laugh alongside his jovial nature.
Sakura lazily laid her head on her arms memorizing the way the wind rocked the flowers. She felt the weight of her dilemma crash into her and the burning of guilt in her stomach.
She hated lying to her Shodai. She absolutely hated the betrayal of her country in her stomach, sitting thick on her tongue like a burning seal. How can I lie to my Hokage? Lie to the very foundation of my country? The same country that built me?
What she hated more was how it was glaringly obvious she was skirting around her situation. She was a trained, skilled kunoichi. A proud prodigy and product of Konoha. And yet here she was, scrambling to contain her composure when barely even being pressured.
"Ugh," she snapped, disgusted with her own glaring failure as a shinobi.
Sitting up, she ran her arms over the wooden desk to grip the shoji window edge, pushing to lean forward. She basked in the evening sun like a cat, absorbing the heat with a small grin. It reminded her of Naruto's beaming smile and how they'd sit in the treetops sunbathing until it slipped beneath the canopy of trees. Kakashi would let them have those small moments of peace, and she was filled with it at this moment.
Exhaling, she opened her eyes, not even entirely aware they had drifted closed, to watch the sun drop low on the horizon.
Checking for any clansmen or wandering handmaids, she took the opportunity to pass through the window, swallowed by the urge to engage in the surreal atmosphere of the garden. Her kimono nearly got snagged on the windowsill in her haste. Her socks slid delicately across the wooden porch, and she edged forward, careful to lay her feet flat on the wood as to not cause the floorboard to creak.
Sakura continued on, her target in sight when the board moaned under the pressure of her foot as she raised the other to step into the grass. Fanning her senses and feeling no one, Sakura stepped into the garden hesitantly.
The evening light cast a shadow, enveloping her like a warm blanket, and she settled on a large stone next to the koi pond while the sun continued its departure.
She pulled her braid over her shoulder and sat with her legs beside her. Slightly undoing the binding obi at her waist, she edged to leaning on her arm while the other hovered over the pond casually.
The fish swam lazily beneath the surface, unaware of her presence, and she smiled. Barely touching the surface with her index finger, she watched the ripple fan the surface.
The koi zipped away from the source of the ripple, and the pinkette drew indolent patterns on the surface, diligent not to dip her fingertip under the surface. Soon, the koi were no longer weary and continued their routine swimming.
"Do you know what the koi symbolize, Sakura?"
Surprised, yet not entirely at his brazen approach, Sakura focused on the Shodai as he stepped into the garden, the gravel crunching under his sandals.
He was seemingly more relaxed, his haori loose around him and his kimono parted wide exposing his tanned chest. His hakama remained snug on his hips, the chord with his Senju medallion hanging low on his abdomen.
"I believe you were out of questions, Hashirama." She goaded, tone tender.
"Perhaps." Hashirama sat next to her, the material of his haori running over her fingers.
Pulling a small brown satchel from his sleeve, Hashirama sprinkled some tidbit of food over the pond. The koi fluttered to life, moving quick to pick up the pieces. She drew her hand back and her own haori slipped from her shoulders to pool at her elbows.
Sakura, unwilling to be a poor guest, continued to wonder over the lively feasting fish. "Go on."
He was studying her it seemed, and a heat spread in her chest, her heart skipping a mere beat. He spread more food for the fish. They sat in quiet peace for a moment, the sun now completing its descent. She sat quietly, not wanting to cut the silence.
"The brave koi who climbs the waterfall to the Dragon Gate on the Yellow River and succeeds will blossom into a beautiful dragon. Those koi who climb and get caught, face their death on the cutting board just as bravely as a samurai."
Sakura listened intently, emerald eyes basking over the pond only to move to his awaiting gaze. Her mouth grew dry and her pink lips opened to take in a shaky breath.
"They swim upstream regardless of the condition. They continue to swim upstream in the waterfall in an absolute show of power with perseverance in adversity and strength in purpose."
She felt consumed in his small tale, hanging onto each word like a lifeline. Her fingers clutched onto the stone she sat on tightly and she tilted toward him into his seemingly searching eyes.
"Do you see yourself in the koi?" She murmured, admiring the soft lines of his tan face.
"No," Hashirama murmured kindly. "I see you."
Sakura's lips parted further, brows furrowing. She desperately wanted to share with him her lie. She wasn't from the desert. She wanted to tell him she wasn't whoever they thought she was. She wanted desperately to be free of her small lie, her gut turning over in waves.
"Whatever you are fleeing from," he continued, body fully facing her. "Know that we will protect you here."
Sakura could feel the tears pooling in her eyes and marveled as Hashirama bared into her soul. She could feel his warmth as he came forward, slowly leaning to her.
"And when your clan comes for you, I will protect you. I will pay whatever price they demand."
Sakura could feel her heart swell painfully in her chest, and she clutched a hand to her chest to calm the thunderous movement. Guilt burning a hole in her abdomen.
"I know it all, Sakura," he bid. His face was drawing nearer and she took a shuddering breath in, tears threatening to leak. "You don't have to pretend any more."
Her breath left her in a smooth whoosh.
"I had heard rumors of a desert Daimyo taking a beautiful woman from a prominent clan to be his bride. I had heard she was fair skinned with light colored hair, her eyes sparkling like gems." His hand was ghosting over the side of her face and skimming over her hair.
No, she thought, gasping. Hashirama seemed convinced with the sound and she tried to protest. He hushed her softly.
"I heard that she was strong and fled, not wishing to be wed to the Daimyo as a tool to his reign." His hand paused at the end of her braid, fingers pulling at the band holding it together.
"No," Sakura whispered, eyes squeezing shut, waves of emotions flooding her.
Her heart clenched again. Here she was living another lie to her Shodai and she was powerless to end it, unsure of what to do. Here he was, presenting her with a perfect opportunity, but her honor and humility were waning.
"Sakura-" she knew he was mistaking her tears as painful memories, and his hand gently loosened her braid so her hair was splayed across her shoulder before whipping at her tear trails with his thumb.
"I will protect you from them all. No Daimyo will take you and neither will any clan you do not wish to be with." Hashirama's words had struck the final chord and a broken sob escaped her, sealing his conviction in her makeshift tale.
Hashirama enclosed her sobbing body in his strong arms, and Sakura grabbed the front of his haori, her face pressed into the exposed skin of his chest. His hand caressed the crown of her head before sliding down the back of her head. He leaned his cheek at the top of her head, cooing to her.
Sakura knew then, she couldn't tell him the truth nor could she weave a new web for him to believe. Hiccuping into his chest, she drew away, clasping to his clothing soundly.
"I will protect you, Sakura. I promise."
A new wave of emotions tipped in her and a sob escaped her again. Shaking her head, she stirred herself into backing away to create some space. His hand stayed cradling her head and he whipped another trek of tears from her flushed face.
Movement in the corner of her peripheral vision had her turning to face the stoic face of Tobirama. She shivered, tears pouring down her features while she tried to compose herself.
Hashirama nodded to his brother, holding her firmly. Tobirama stood proudly on the porch, the black pants and shirt pressed finely to the outline of his body. His arms were crossed over his body and his chin pointed high. The red lines on his face contrasted sharply on his pale skin in the night.
"We will protect you, koi." Hashirama declared and Sakura witnessed a silent exchange between the two before Tobirama nodded minutely.
Hashirama stood, a strong figure in her vision, and he pulled her daintily to her feet. Her green haori flickered behind her as the wind swept her hair completely over her shoulder, spilling over her backside. His calloused hands came behind her as if he were embracing her and she shied away from the movement, freezing when she realized he was adjusting her haori to fit around her properly.
"You're safe now, and safe may you stay." Hashirama answered her questioning eyes.
When he presented his arm to her, Sakura shakily took his, her hand fitting into the crook of his elbow. She had the distinct feeling she was trapped.
Trapped in a web she didn't weave.
