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Chapter XXII
The tears that spill will take their course,
Torn in two, is heart and mind,
Besieged by crippling, cold remorse,
The words, in silence, she cannot find,
Soft! The moment doth approach,
When she extends to him,
An olive branch.
Sheer desperation propelled Sasuke forward. In a heartbeat he had shoved Sakura aside and lunged through the door. Something wrenched violently inside his chest at the sight of the flames blazing wildly before him. Without thinking, he reached out and snatched the edge of the burning cloth, tearing the remnants of charred fabric away from the table. But the wood beneath it had also caught fire. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke allowed his eyes to bleed to crimson, the black pinwheels contained within the bloody irises spinning rapidly on command. At his will, the flames diminished before extinguishing entirely. Sasuke was left staring, wide-eyed, at the scorched remains of the table, his pulse thundering.
The oxygen he had involuntarily repressed from his lungs escaped in laborious agitation as he leaned forward and raised his right hand to press tentative fingers lightly upon the surface of the framed portrait.
Relief flooded through his veins. The painting was untouched, intact. He had reached it in time.
His gaze lowered as he took a minute to regulate the chaos of his heartbeat. The picture was one of the few remaining mementos he possessed of his family. If any harm had befallen it…
Abruptly, Sasuke severed the thought, crushing down the tumultuous emotions it summoned, his eyes returning to the painting. He stared at it for a long, lingering moment, before turning rigidly away, his jaw tightly clenched.
Sakura's pulse was racing so hard and fast that she half feared she was on the verge of falling into cardiac arrest. Her mind buzzed from the disjointedness of her thoughts as she struggled to comprehend what, exactly, had happened. She was unable to keep the trembles that wracked violently through her body at bay, as the death deity stepped out of the room, and in one, swift, pointed motion, slammed the door securely shut. When Sasuke had pushed her aside, Sakura had lost her balance and fallen to the floor, the key in her pocket flying out and onto the ground. She watched as he bent down to retrieve it. There was an odd finality about the lock clicking back into place.
Green eyes, darkened with tears, lifted to rest apprehensively on the Death God's face. She caught her breath when she detected pure, unbridled fury there.
Sakura's heart palpitated in fright. She did not know what had come over her, but she knew that she had gone too far this time. The painting had probably been ruined, and Sasuke was rightfully incensed. She was certain that the death deity was going to disregard his previous assurances and terminate her life at that very second.
Terror caused Sakura to open her mouth, intending to offer a frantic, desperate apology, even when she knew there was no possible excuse for her actions, not when he had already made it transparently clear to her beforehand that she had absolutely no business in the room. Every muscle in Sakura's body quivered when the Death God stepped forward and reached down again to pick up the uchiwa fan she had dropped so carelessly earlier. All hastily prepared words hitched in her throat when Sasuke's eyes abruptly lifted from the fan in his hand to direct a glare at her, one that was so devastatingly chilling in its intensity that she physically felt the blood drain from her face.
"Sasuke," she began to stutter, panicking when his hands closed to form angry fists at the sound of her voice. "I-"
She broke off when something incredibly hostile flashed across his crimson irises. Irises so similar to the ones that had instigated such pandemonium within her. The static-like, overpowering aura radiating from him him was one of unrestrained, malicious intent. Sakura recoiled, feeling it profoundly. It crackled over her like an unbearable electric current, crippling her ability to move, to think. She had never been so petrified in her life.
But Sasuke did not strike her, as she feared. His furious eyes slipped away from her, and he glowered at the ground for a moment, as if engaged in an internal struggle of sorts. Then, without a word, the Death God walked by her and exited through the arched opening, disappearing down the corridor that led toward the courtyard.
The silence that followed his departure was shattering. Sakura was left alone, stricken, distraught, the suffocating sensation of guilt crushing at her very soul.
The fingers clutching the key tightened as a fresh wave of fury washed over him. Sasuke stormed across the courtyard, his expression positively thunderous. It had been difficult. It had been so very difficult to impel his legs to walk away from her, to stop himself from doing something they surely would have both come to regret. A part of him had wanted nothing more than to seize Sakura by her delicate shoulders, slam her against the wall, and yell at her for being such an incompetent, clumsy idiot.
He directed a murderous glare at the stone-laid path beneath his feet. How could anybody be so utterly stupid? Had he not made it explicitly clear to her that the shrine room was absolutely off limits?
No, the Death God seethed to himself. Sakura just had a death wish. And he half-wanted to turn back and grant it to her. Literally. The girl was too inquisitive for her own good, and if the portrait had been damaged in any way, he did not know what he might have done to her.
His gaze fell on the beautiful ornamental fan. It had belonged to his mother, and the fall it had suffered at Sakura's hands had resulted in a small chip forming in the left corner of the handle. It was repairable, but did not compensate the fact that it had been dropped so disrespectfully to begin with.
It only served to intensify his wrath even further.
Sasuke entered the eastern wing of the palace and stalked down the long, magnificent corridors. A livid hiss escaped his lips as he stepped back into the grand entrance hall, his eyes coming to rest upon two familiar figures, both carrying straw baskets loaded with freshly washed linen.
Without wasting another second, the death deity approached them.
Ume was the first to acknowledge his presence. She curtsied low, Chizu following suite as both maids parted at the base of the staircase, believing that their Master intended to ascend the steps.
Instead Sasuke held up the master key in his right hand, crimson irises ablaze with accusation.
Chizu's eyes moved from the key to her Lord's face in confusion. Upon detecting his antagonistic demeanour, the woman swallowed apprehensively. Ume blanched, released a startled gasp, and began to tremble.
"Explain," Sasuke bit out, "how Sakura obtained this key."
Chizu shook her head, at an utter loss to provide him with any reason. Keeping her gaze respectfully averted, she began uncertainly, "Forgive me, Master, but I do not know-"
Sasuke's attention shifted to the quivering little girl behind her, and he knew for certain that he had found the culprit who was responsible. His temper flared further. He ought to have known the pathetic ball of sentimental fluff that was Ume would grow soft on his captive. What ruse had Sakura used to acquire the key?
Ume shrivelled beneath the severe weight of the Death God's glare. She opened her mouth to explain, but was so petrified that she could not form words at the first few attempts.
Chizu stared at her in dismay. What had the foolish child done? There was no possible way for her to attempt to shield the girl, when she did not know what had happened.
"I-I…" Ume stuttered, rooted to the spot by fright.
Sasuke's glare became lethal. "Speak!" he snapped impatiently.
"M-Master she… she- t-told me you- granted her permission to-to take the k-key…"
Sasuke inhaled sharply. His stormy expression walled off, and he stared blankly at the little maid who shook like a leaf caught in the midst of a ferocious tempest.
She had resorted to trickery.
His anger erupted like an internal volcano. Ume was babbling an apology, begging his forgiveness, but the death deity barely heard her. His mind was focused on one thing, and one thing alone.
Sakura had lied.
But she did not lie. She was not the kind of person to engage in such dishonesty. In all the years he had watched her, he had only seen her to be candid and good.
Why would she choose, then, to fool a child as innocent and trusting as Ume? What had driven her to do such a thing? Not only had she disregarded his words, she had also misled the maid before him by falsely informing her that he had given his consent for her to take the key. Being curious was no excuse. What she had done was wrong.
Sasuke's fury was complete. He felt the skin of his right arm tingle, his chakra flow spiking dangerously, on the verge of summoning destructive lightning energy. He felt the need to fracture. To maim. To vent out the inner rage he was experiencing, an anger that was so immense, he was caught quite off guard by its level of vehemence.
And he was left internally disturbed by just how easily Sakura was able to provoke such a violent reaction within him.
But he crushed the murderous urge down. It was Sakura, not Ume, who was at fault. And he would not confront her now. He was not certain he could retain control if he did.
Without another word, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the palace, leaving the little maid sobbing behind him.
"Damn it," Naruto huffed, as he dropped down onto the grass next to his friend. "I can't sense that old pervert anywhere!"
"Are you surprised?" Shikamaru inquired lazily. They had come to rest beneath a cluster of trees in an open field located on the outskirts of Konoha. "He was the first one to master Sage Mode. It would be an embarrassment if he made this search too easy."
"Yeah, thanks for reminding me," the blond muttered, before raising his eyes up to the late afternoon's blue sky. A brief silence settled between them. Then Naruto quietly questioned, "What if we don't find that bastard Suigetsu or Sakura-chan underwater?"
Shikamaru turned his eyes up to the sky in turn. He watched a fluffy cumulus cloud float slowly by, before answering, "Then we'll know that Suigetsu isn't the only one involved in this."
Naruto clenched his jaw tightly. "You think he is?"
The young Nara released a heavy sigh. "It's hard to say. Suigetsu acting alone doesn't add up. He's not that stupid. There has to be another party involved."
"I can't stand it," Naruto's hands closed to form angry fists. "I can't stand this waiting. She could be anywhere right now. She could be hurt-" He broke off, swallowing back the desolation that swiftly rose to clog his throat.
Shikamaru regarded him askance. "Suigetsu wouldn't risk any harm coming to her. But we can't afford to waste any time. Things are already changing…" his voice drifted off, as a leaf fell from the tree directly above them. Naruto reached out, snagging it in the palm of his hand before it could touch the ground.
When his fingers uncurled, the youths found themselves staring at a leaf that ought to have been a lustrous fresh green in hue, in keeping with the season.
Instead its edges were a dull, faded brown.
Sakura wound the shawl more tightly around her huddled form. After Sasuke had left her, she had finally picked herself up and returned to her bedchamber to wallow in misery. She sat before the fireplace, unable to shake off the icy sensation that jittered around her whole body despite the flames' heat.
What had she done? Sasuke was fuming; so incensed that he had not even uttered a single word to her. All the hard effort she had invested in keeping up a compliant appearance had come undone following an act of pure mindlessness. What had spurned her into going through with it?
She was too impulsive and always had been. Too curious for her own good. Her mother had always scolded her for it. Fresh tears burned at her eyes. Why couldn't she ever do anything right? People had always complimented her on her intelligence and sharp wit. Yet those favourable qualities had seemingly vanished when she had been snatched from the surface. She kept messing up around a god who clearly did not tolerate senselessness of any kind. Why was she so clumsy around him? When was she going to start pulling herself together?
Never, her inner voice taunted. You've blown it this time, genius. You saw how mad Sasuke was. You practically burnt down a shrine. You think he'll let that one go easily?
Sakura released a dejected groan, drew her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her arms. What madness had possessed her when she had gazed upon the portrait? A flash of vivid crimson caused her muscles to tense as she recalled the eyes that had been responsible for sending her reeling. Why had she reacted like that to a mere painting?
Just thinking about it made her brain ache. She suppressed a shudder, her thoughts whirling in a chaotic rush. Sasuke had a family. Or he'd had one in the past. The candles and mournful flowers suggested they were no longer around. The stunning woman she had seen had unquestionably been Sasuke's mother. The resemblance was striking and undeniable. It led her to conclude that the other two men she had seen were Sasuke's father and… a brother? They certainly also possessed a likeness to the death deity in terms of their dark, aristocratic features.
A part of her found it difficult to digest the fact that gods had families. She never would have imagined that immortals were born to parents, like humans were. She recalled Suigetsu's words, about gods fashioning mortals in their image, and lifted her head a little, to peek at the steadily burning flames again. How desperately she wished to understand! She had so many questions to ask Sasuke. Sakura realised with a sudden, profound sense of sadness, why his anger affected and upset her so much. She had wanted to learn abouthim. A tiny part of her had hoped she'd made even a tiny bit of progress, even if she had seen little to no evidence of it.
She wanted to know about the portrait she had seen, and what had happened to the people in it. But she knew there was no way she could ask him about it, now. There was no conceivable way she could possibly win back his trust. And she only had the blindness of her actions to blame.
The shameful truth of the matter was that she had believed she could slip into the room, snoop around, and creep out again without Sasuke noticing. She had thought she could outsmart a god! She felt wetness against her cheeks, and was overcome by an incredible surge of self-loathing. That was all she was good at – crying! Crying and making a fool of herself in front of the very person to whom she needed to prove herself most. If she could have proven herself enough, perhaps Sasuke would have gradually started to become kinder to her. Maybe, eventually, he would have allowed her to return back to her home.
How dense are you…? The same condescending voice whispered snidely in her head. You think you could have actually changed a god like Sasuke's mind?
Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, her shoulders hunching further. She wanted more than ever to escape, to forget that her abduction had ever happened, even when she knew there was no way she could ever forget the Underworld's King. But she had likely squandered all chances of obtaining Sasuke's Kusanagi, too. She could not hope to pull off Suigetsu's plan now. She had ruined everything by going behind the Death God's back, and poking her nose where it didn't belong.
A soft knock drew her attention to the door. Her heart leapt, as the thought of it being Sasuke crossed her mind – but the fleeting hope deflated when her attendants stepped in, curtsying politely in greeting.
She was initially confused when Ume and Chizu were silent and seemed to avoid making eye-contact. Then it suddenly struck her why, and she leapt out of her seat. Her pulse quickened as she recalled that Sasuke had retrieved the key – and likely interrogated the maids about it, believing them to be responsible for it landing in her possession.
Horrified that they had gotten into trouble because of her lies, Sakura began, "Have you seen Sasuke-?"
"The Master does not wish to be disturbed," Chizu said stiffly. Her formal tone stung Sakura and confirmed her suspicions. Sasuke had confronted them; she could tell from the awful expression on Ume's face. The poor girl looked like she was on the verge of weeping – and so, again, was Sakura.
I have to do something, she thought anxiously. She needed to apologise, somehow, to explain; to make them understand why she had done it.
"I lied," she blurted, feeling utterly ashamed. "I'm so sorry-"
Ume's lower lip trembled. The sight triggered an unpleasant wrenching sensation in Sakura's gut, and she was overwhelmed by stifling guilt and dread.
"Ume," she began in alarm. "Did he hurt you? If he did, I…"
If he had, she would never forgive herself.
"If there is nothing you require of us, Mistress, we will replace the linens and leave you to your rest," Chizu informed her.
Sakura stared at her, aghast. "Please," she implored. "Please listen. Just let me explain-"
Ume burst into tears, and Sakura felt even more wretched. Chizu quickly deposited her basket and wrapped a comforting, protective arm around the girl.
Sakura swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry," she began despondently, wringing her hands in agitation. "I didn't mean to cause trouble. I wasn't thinking. I shouldn't have lied to you. I never lie. I don't know what's happening to me..."
The sniffling sounds of Ume's sobs filled the brief, silent interlude.
"I just…" Sakura faltered. All the feelings she had repressed for so long, the fears and negative, frustrated emotions that she had been unable to voice, were on the tip of her tongue, on the brink of being unleashed. She desperately needed to talk to somebody. And since Sasuke was out of the question, she was left with no other alternatives than the attendants who stood before her.
"He scares me," she confided. Once she had gotten the first confession out, the remainder of the words followed, tumbling in a trembling rush, without restraint or thought. "I don't know why he chose to kidnap me; I'm stupid, and clumsy, and I always do the wrong thing. I just wanted to try to understand him. That's why I asked for the key. I thought I could find out something about him, because he never tells me anything. He just watches me, and it's driving me a little crazy, when I don't even know what he wants me to do. I tell myself it has to be a test, because that's what gods do, they test humans. But I'm messing it up. I just keep messing up." She covered her face with her hands, to hide the fresh tears that had welled up in her eyes.
This time, the only sobs she heard were her own. "I can't," she managed, "I can't deal with this. I'm just a normal college girl. I can't do it." She sucked in a shuddering breath before finishing in a whisper, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for lying to you…"
Ume had fallen silent. She exchanged an upset look with Chizu, whose features had softened considerably. She regarded their mistress with a look of compassion and pity. The younger maid wiped at her eyes, and stepped forward, hesitantly reaching out to touch Sakura's arms.
"Please do not weep, Mistress," she said tentatively. "The Master was most displeased, but he did not hurt me. I… I told him the truth. That you had asked me for the key…"
Her words only made Sakura cry harder, as she came to terms with the fact that Sasuke now definitely considered her a liar, and would be even more distrusting of her. Chizu clucked her tongue sympathetically and moved to the girl, wrapping a consoling arm around her slender shoulders.
"There, there, Mistress," she said gently. "Forgive us for having upset you. You need not cry."
"He…" Sakura sobbed, "He's so mad at me…"
"All will be well," Chizu soothed.
But Sakura wasn't so sure. They had not seen the way Sasuke had glared so hatefully at her. She wiped at her eyes with the back of her right hand, and said in a wobbly voice, "I have to see him. I need to apologise properly-"
Ume's eyes fell. "He has departed the palace, Mistress."
Something deep within Sakura's chest constricted. She thought that it might have been her heart in its distress, but refused to dwell on it.
"His anger will wane," Chizu reassured her. "It is best to give it time, Mistress."
Sakura sniffled, and nodded. She had two options; to remain as she was, and avoid Sasuke, or to try to put things right. The defiant part of her argued that none of this would have even happened were it not for Sasuke and his decision to kidnap her in the first place, but the more sensible voice of logic reminded her that she was dealing with an immortal deity, and it was in her best interests to try her best to somehow mend the damage she had done.
She did not know if Sasuke would listen. It terrified her that he would not. But she had to try. She couldn't just give up and submit to despair. Because losing her mind meant losing her most powerful ally, an ally that fear had already greatly hindered. She made a silent promise to do things right, as she ought to have done at the very start. She vowed to be more cautious, to carefully weigh every decision she made from that point onwards.
And maybe, just maybe, if she was able to show Sasuke how genuinely sorry she was, he would do the impossible, and eventually forgive her.
Small, warm fingers slipping around her hands drew Sakura's attention back to Ume, who offered her a watery smile. And the words she spoke next gave Sakura a little comfort.
"I understand, now, Mistress. I am no longer upset. And I feel… yes, I feel that the Master will surely pardon you, also."
Sai cast a watchful glance around him. Darkness had fallen, and the park, which had become something of a wordlessly-agreed designated meeting spot, was empty. He folded his arms tightly across his chest, keeping close to the body of the tree beneath which he had taken shelter. It was drizzling lightly, but the day's weather report had forecast a heavy shower later that night.
Apprehension was twisting unpleasant, steely knots in the deepest pits of his gut. It was the same feeling he experienced whenever he knew him to be imminently approaching. The cool air temperature around him suddenly dropped several degrees, and the lamp lights that littered the park blinked out, heralding the arrival of the individual for whom Sai had been patiently waiting.
Sasuke's distinct chakra signature rolled out before him like an ominous thundercloud. It seemed even colder and more frightening than usual, and Sai felt the prickles on his skin in response to the invisible, static charge that crackled in the space between them. Thick mist enveloped both their forms, summoned at the death deity's command to cloak them from watching eyes.
His heart racing, Sai lowered his head in submissive greeting.
"Great God."
"Well?" Sasuke snapped at him, removing the helmet that had concealed his form from view. It was evident to Sai that he was in no mood to hold any manner of dialogue.
Wisely sensing that he had very little time to make the purpose of his request for a meeting known, Sai immediately cut to the chase. "They intend to use Inoichi's telepathic abilities to connect to Jiraiya-san's subjects' minds underwater. In doing so, Inoichi will be able to direct the search with his own eyes."
Sasuke glared in response to the unwelcome development. He had thought he would have a little more time, but clearly the surface fools were more intelligent than he had initially given them credit for; they were absolutely determined to locate Sakura.
And he was determined that they would not find her. Not yet, not before he'd had his way and finished with her.
Damn it, he internally vented, his hands closing to form angry fists. A brief rifle through his memory caused a faint face to surface at the forefront of his mind. Inoichi Yamanaka, he remembered, had long blond hair and keen pale blue eyes, features that were shared by Sakura's closest female friend, Ino; a young woman who had relinquished her previous form and taken that of a mortal.
Her guardian father posed an unforeseen problem. Sasuke had not expected the man to resort to using telepathy. As far as he understood, from the pact that had been made long ago between the one who resided in the sky and surface immortals, the earth-bound gods and goddesses were forbidden from using their powers. But they were clearly prepared to bend the rules in their desperate hunt for his captive.
His suspicions flared more strongly than before. That they would all be willing to push the limits for Sakura's sake... something clearly did not add up. He knew that questioning Sai about it would be useless; much of the wretched youth's mind had been erased by his previous, traumatic near-death experience, and his mortal recollections were scattered and hazy. He now retained but a mere fragment of his previous powers and thought-processes, which took the form of nocturnal dreams that occasionally resulted in prophetic sketches which harboured hidden messages.
Sai, the death deity was aware, had been saved by Tsunade before. It made sense that he would feel obligated to protect her adopted child. There was nothing Sasuke could find out from him that he did not already know.
Abruptly, he questioned the messenger who stood nervously before him, "When?"
"They are searching for Jiraiya as we speak."
Sasuke's jaw clenched. He could not risk confronting Jiraiya again. If the plan they had in mind was put into motion, they would soon discover that Suigetsu was missing from the oceans – and more importantly, that Sakura was not being held there. In order to maintain the cover he had fabricated for longer, he needed to eradicate the weakest link in the chain.
Inoichi was not a god. And Sasuke knew from experience that those who meddled far too much for their own good always met a swift and unpleasant end.
The Death God's lips curled back to form a faint, yet menacing sneer. Meeting Sai's alarmed gaze, he hissed, "I will handle Inoichi. You stall the others."
Sakura sat on the steps overlooking the sprawling palace gardens, watching as the floating spheres of light trailed pretty paths in the air before her. After she had apologised to Ume and Chizu, they had accompanied her to the art gallery in an attempt to ease her mind's worries. But Sakura had been unable to focus on the paintings and sculptures contained within the impressive hall, her thoughts preoccupied by Sasuke and just how she was going to go about apologising to him. She had requested to visit the gardens, and her attendants, sensing that she needed time to reflect alone, had left her to do just that.
Clasped between her hands was a steaming mug of tea. Sakura raised it to her lips and took a long, soothing sip, enjoying the way the hot beverage warmed her throat and chest. Even tea in the Underworld tasted richer and fuller than it did on the surface. The silence of the gardens, which she had considered somewhat unsettling at first, was now a comfort. Her eyes never grew fully accustomed to the sheer beauty on display before her, always finding new and wonderful details to admire. In many ways, the gardens were where she strangely felt most at ease.
With a heavy sigh, she finished the rest of her drink, placed the mug on the top of the stairs, and rose to her feet, venturing deeper into the idyllic scenery around her. How did one go about seeking pardon from a death deity? She knew how humans usually asked for forgiveness; they clasped their hands together in prayer, or fell to their knees in remorseful submission. Would either of those methods work with Sasuke, who had openly taunted the value and effectiveness of prayer before?
A soft frown formed on Sakura's brow. She had to think of a way to get Sasuke to agree to see her first. He had been so furious; what if, when he returned, he was still angry, and refused to even look at her?
She ran her fingers agitatedly through her loose tresses. She did not know what to do! It wasn't like she had any experience in dealing with grouchy, displeased deities. What if she did the wrong thing? What if she only ended up irking Sasuke further?
Apprehension flapped through her stomach like a distressed bird beating its wings. She had to tread very carefully. She needed to find a way to show Sasuke that she was sincerely sorry for what had happened, and to apologise for lying, also. She had to make him understand that she was going to do her best not to mess up from then on, and that she would never go anywhere again unless he accompanied her or granted her explicit permission to do so. She could not afford to slip up again.
As Sakura entered the second section of the garden, she drew to an abrupt stop, her gaze coming to rest upon the flower collection nestled in the hedge-line to her far right. She stared with wide eyes, her pulse quickening as an idea slowly whispered through her mind.
He stood beneath the pine tree, wearing darkness like second skin. The lights in the house beyond the Yamanaka residence's gates were illuminated, signalling that the inhabitants were at home. His calculating eyes noted that the building was probably impressive by human standards - but nothing when compared to a god's majestic palace.
He moved forward, and effortlessly passed through the solid barrier, moving as silently as a shadow along the neatly-kept path that led up to the front entrance doors. He peered through the windows, beyond the white nets that provided little privacy from prying gazes.
Inside the room was a familiar figure, pacing absent-mindedly about while conversing animatedly on a telephone. Ino, he recognised the girl instantly, his eyes trailing indifferently over her attractive form. She was nothing like Sakura; always exposed more skin than was necessary and flirted beyond excess with men. One corner of his lips curled back to form a faint, disgusted sneer. Why Sakura admired and followed such a self-centred airhead so much, he would never comprehend.
He ignored the blonde's existence as the figure he was searching for entered the room. The death deity's eyes narrowed as Inoichi handed his daughter a slip of paper, before reaching for his coat on the armchair behind her. He watched impassively as the young woman tiptoed to place a light kiss on her guardian's cheek, before turning her attention back to her conversation.
Sasuke stepped away from the window, his eyes moving expectantly to the front door. There was no need for him to hide; the helmet was already masking his presence. His mind raced as he mapped out possible courses of action. How he ultimately decided to deal with this unwanted interference was dependent on what Inoichi was intending to do and where it was he was heading.
In order to buy himself as much additional time with Sakura as possible, he needed to ensure that the others did not realise Inoichi was missing - which meant they could not find a body. On the other hand, if he chose to terminate the seraph's life, he was almost certain that Jiraiya would immediately point an accusatory finger at him, and gather the others to storm his kingdom.
Sasuke ground his teeth in frustration. He needed to make the fool he could sense approaching the front door disappear – but without actually killing him. His telepathic abilities were too much of a potential problem to allow anything else.
He felt rushed, pressured to act, and the emotion was one he was unaccustomed to experiencing. He did not like it. Time had always been something that had held no sway over him. However, he knew he could not afford to delay. If the others located Jiraiya, and if their plan was executed, his days with Sakura would surely be numbered.
He had absolutely no intention of surrendering her. He would end her life before he handed her back to that damned mother of hers. Fuelled by fierce possessiveness, Sasuke lurked like a deadly predator in the darkness as his unsuspecting prey exited the residence and made his way over to the mechanical monstrosity that was parked in the designated space before the front lawn.
As quietly as air, Sasuke stalked after him.
Inoichi secured his seatbelt and switched on the ignition, staring grimly at the dashboard as it illuminated a familiar, electric blue. He tapped an address into the built-in navigator, and scowled when the system informed him that no such location existed.
Jiraiya had always been a wanderer, and a notoriously difficult one to track down, but he had certain places he liked to visit often. Inoichi had already searched three of the five areas he knew to be amongst Jiraiya's favourite hot spots, with no success. Making a silent vow that he would attach a tracking device to the carefree drifter, Inoichi tried to type in the address again, this time searching by landmark sites. His eyes lit up when a suggested place popped up on the screen.
He only required guidance on which major roads to take to reach the place; memory would serve him for the remainder of the way.
The night was a quiet one, and chillier than usual. The repercussions of Sakura's absence were starting to be felt, and Inoichi knew that weather forecasters had already picked up on the unexpected arrival of what they deemed to be 'low pressure', which had not shown up on weather systems beforehand. The plummet in temperatures was affecting plant life. Some flowers, which had been tentatively blooming, seemed to be dying away.
Inoichi shook his head as he pulled out of the Yamanaka residence's front gates, and took a left turn, following the long, lamp lit side-road until it branched off into a main one. He turned on the radio, which auto-tuned into the news station he often listened to while driving.
"…very strange, isn't it? Global warming is really starting to take its toll on our planet. This freak weather system is proof of it. Temperatures are struggling to reach above 4 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, when we usually expect to see double that figure at this time of year…"
Inoichi's lips twisted in response to the male speaker's words. Humans, with their scientific gadgets and technology, had become arrogant. They believed they now possessed the resources required to explain almost every natural phenomenon that existed. Yet some things could not be accounted for by machinery. Some things worked because they were tied to essences and intricate mechanisms beyond mortal understanding. But what humans could not explain caused them great unsettlement.
They worried when they could not find answers.
The disturbances in the oceans had also not escaped the notice of meteorologists and marine scientists; they were keeping a close eye on developments. Suspicions were rife that along with the altered weather system, a natural disaster of sorts was imminently looming. But no concrete evidence had yet been gained that warned of a calamity of any kind occurring.
It was odd, thought Inoichi to himself; that Suigetsu was choosing to deliberately unsettle the seas in an attempt to throw their progress off course, after offering his help to Tsunade. Wouldn't she have sensed if he had been hiding something? Or had he been such a brilliant actor, that not even she had picked up on his false act?
Inoichi's hands tightened their grip on the steering wheel. The water deity had made a mistake in underestimating them and had let himself in for a world of trouble once they eventually caught him. He wondered whether Suigetsu was even aware that they knew, when he had clearly not expected Sai to disclose his secret-
His mind whirred to a sudden stop, as a suspicion that had somehow eluded him before slowly surfaced.
If Suigetsu had warned Sai not to speak, had he gotten into contact with the youth again to make sure that he had not spoken anything to them?
Were they still communicating, even now?
Deep lines formed on his brow and he shook his head. How had he not thought to question Sai about that earlier? He supposed they all had a lot on their minds, which made little lapses in concentration all the more likely.
Placing his cell onto loudspeaker, he dialled Sai's number and waited. When there was no response, and the answerphone service automatically kicked in, Inoichi left his message.
"Sai. Call me as soon as you receive this. It's urgent."
He disconnected the call, his eyes returning briefly to the dashboard. The navigator directed him to take a right turn, leading onto a long, wide road flanked by silent fields on both sides. The lamps lining the route were few and far between, but Inoichi was glad for their presence. He had never liked the darkness. It reminded him too much of what had happened back then-
He blinked, his thoughts diverting as he spied an unexpected patch of mist looming overhead. His foot pressed down on the brake pedal, and the car drew to a gentle stop before the eerie-looking cloud. He rolled the window down and icy coldness assaulted his skin. As the window slid back up, Inoichi watched in confusion as the glass on the windscreen began to condense, before forming a thin film of ice.
What was happening? No mist was capable of doing such a thing, especially not in springtime in Konoha. He had only been driving for twenty minutes and was still at least another twenty from the outskirts of the village.
The fog was becoming denser, rapidly coiling out to engulf the body of his car. Cursing, Inoichi reversed. He could not risk passing through such a thick and perilous patch. He would have to find another route-
Abruptly, the windscreen cracked.
Inoichi's heart jumped, and his body tensed in its seat, as he watched the glass splinter as though it were made of nothing more than flimsy wood.
This is no ordinary mist! Inoichi thought to himself in alarm, his pulse thumping as he swerved hastily, performing a blind U-turn in the road. His foot slammed on the accelerator, and the car shot forward, racing speedily out of the dense mist cloud. But to his utter astonishment, another patch formed directly before him. A swift glance in the rear-view mirror revealed endless smog of freezing white behind him. He jerked the wheel to the right, leaving the road altogether, navigating onto grassland in a bid to escape the unnatural mist.
His right hand rose to speed-dial Kakashi's number, to inform his friend of what was happening – when an unseen forced slammed into the left side of his vehicle, sending it flying through the air. It landed with a terrible screeching crunch of metal, rolling over twice before teetering to a stop.
Inoichi blinked through his daze, disorientated. The car had flipped right over, and he could smell burning oil.
Get out. Must… get out…
But his hands were numb, and could not follow his mind's frantic commands. He could not feel them. His skull pounded, and warmth trickled down the right side of his face. Murky grey began to encroach into the corner of his vision. Something suddenly constricted deep within his chest, making him exhale sharply as his heart palpitated violently, as if it were on the verge of stopping entirely.
The last thing he saw and heard before blackness consumed his consciousness were two sandal-clad feet, crunching purposefully over shattered glass.
Sakura stepped back to evaluate her work. Her teeth gnawed worriedly into her lower lip as her eyes trailed over the arrangement she had created, a multitude of anxious questions rushing through her head. Did the colours work well? What if it was all too much? Would Sasuke approve? Would he bother reading the little note it had taken her numerous attempts to write? What if he rejected her offering, and threw it away? Or worse – killed the stems she had spent so long carefully selecting?
What am I doing? She thought to herself, lowering the secured bouquet sadly to the ground. Did she honestly believe that a petty flower collection would be an adequate enough apology? It was a human custom. But she was dealing with a god; a god who would probably burn them right before her eyes in contempt.
No, she forced back despair. I have to try. I can't just wait for him to come back and do nothing. I have to start somewhere.
She nodded with conviction. Then, with renewed resolution, she plucked the bouquet up again and made her way back inside the palace grounds.
When she stepped into the entrance hall, she found Ume and Chizu exiting the banqueting room.
"Mistress," they both curtsied, before Ume exclaimed, "Oh! Such a wonderful arrangement! Truly you have a gift!"
Sakura perked up. "You really think so?" she asked shyly.
"Yes, indeed," Chizu admired. "Your selection of blooms and ribbons indicates great experience with flower arrangement, Mistress."
"It is a most lovely bouquet," Ume gushed, clapping her hands together in delight. Sakura's heart swelled within her. That Ume could be so forgiving and sweet to her, after what she had done… she vowed never to involve either of the innocent maids in her actions again.
"Umm," she began hesitantly, "I don't suppose either of you could deliver this to Sasuke?"
When both of her attendances gaped at her in response, Sakura felt a blush pool into her cheeks. Self-consciously, she continued to babble, "I mean- I know he isn't in, but maybe you could leave it in his room? I just- I want to say sorry and…" Embarrassed, she stopped, released a breath, and helplessly held out the bouquet. "Please?"
Ume and Chizu exchanged flabbergasted glances. Then, just when Sakura thought that she would burst from humiliation, Chizu smiled a small smile.
"Of course, Mistress. We are happy to assist you in any way we can. Please allow me to deliver these to the Master's quarters at once."
Sasuke stalked into the entrance hall, his thoughts fully preoccupied. He had disabled Inoichi and destroyed all incriminating evidence of an accident having occurred in the field – but his mind was no more at ease than it had been before committing the deed. The seraph had not been killed. Instead, the death deity had imprisoned him in a comatose state underground, in a location where nobody could find him. A location concealed from both mortal and immortal eyes by layer upon layer of illusionary spells.
Inoichi's life-force was tied to Sasuke's hands. He would maintain it, until he no longer had to keep Sakura's whereabouts a secret. And then, if he wished it, perhaps he would free the meddling fool, and allow him to return home to his friends.
He had bought himself some more time – but for how long? How would the others react to Inoichi's mysterious disappearance?
His lips drew back in scorn as he crossed the courtyard and entered his quarters. It did not matter what they chose to do next, he told himself. He would always make sure he was three steps ahead.
Just like his brother had always cautioned him to be.
His mouth instantly relaxed to form a grim line at the recollection of his sibling, and his mood took an even fouler turn. He deposited onto the bed the helmet which he had removed upon returning to his realm, and unfastened his cloak, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply as he ran his fingers through his wind-dishevelled raven hair.
His eyes immediately opened again as a sweet, unfamiliar scent wafted to his nose. Usually his chamber smelt of the fragrant wood that burned in the hearth – but this smell was different. He turned his head, seeking its source – and found it in the form of a strikingly beautiful bouquet of flowers, wrapped in a dark sapphire, gauzy sheet and bound with a shimmering silver ribbon.
It sat perched innocently on top of the antique oak writing desk near the fireplace. The Death God stared incredulously at it for a moment, wondering when it had appeared in his room. Then, almost mistrustfully, he approached it, glowering down at the blooms with an intensity that could have caused even the heartiest of flora to wither.
Deep purple, midnight blue, and radiant white blossoms had been arranged in an aesthetically pleasing arrangement. He noticed a small piece of folded paper, slipped between two of the stems, and lifted it, his fingers parting the edges to reveal a note, scrawled in familiar, cheerful handwriting.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied, or gone behind your back. I didn't mean to make you so mad. I know you'll think that these flowers are silly. I want to apologise properly, if you'll listen. I'll be in the training dome. Maybe if I can learn how to balance on those beams, I'll be a little less clumsy from now on.
-Sakura.
The frown that had been marring Sasuke's brow smoothed over. Sceptical eyes, which had been hard and punishing only several minutes earlier, softened. Something stirred in his chest, a feeling that was so foreign to him that he flatly refused to acknowledge it. He read over the words again, before his gaze settled back onto the bouquet.
Sakura was correct. The flowers were silly, and so was she for sending them to him. They did not undo the fact that she had lied and disregarded his words. But she had taken the time to arrange them and to write the message - and the simplicity of the gesture served its intended purpose. The fury he had harboured toward her waned, leaving behind only disgruntled irritation.
He reached out, touching the edge of one milky bloom lightly, caressing its silkiness between his fingertips. It was so delicate, so pure.
Just like Sakura.
He swallowed. She was just so- so…
…So very annoying.
He released a low, exasperated sigh and turned his eyes up to the ornamental ceiling to clear the conflicting thoughts from his mind. Then, after replacing the piece of paper back between the flowers, he turned and left the room.
Sakura huffed, kicking the post in frustration. How many more times did she have to fall off before she learnt how to hold her chakra correctly? It was outrageously difficult to maintain the flow for long enough to jump beyond the first beam.
Or perhaps it was not. Perhaps the reason why she could not maintain the energy within her was because she was so damned distracted.
Sakura scowled as she climbed back onto the first post. After handing Chizu the bouquet of flowers, she had returned to her room with a chattering Ume to change into another sparring outfit, before descending to the training dome alone. She had no idea how long she had been in the colossal arena for, and anxiously found herself wondering every so often whether Sasuke had returned and seen her flowers. What would he make of her note? What if he did not even bother to read it?
Stop it, she scolded herself. You'll know whether he's seen it if he shows up. If he doesn't, then deal with it. Now just stop thinking about him, and concentrate. If you want to be less of a loser, it'll do you good to toughen up.
Closing her eyes, she did her best to empty her thoughts and focused solely on the essence within her. She felt the familiar warmth of chakra as she summoned it from the depths of her cells and directed it toward her legs. Opening her eyes, she readied herself, counting down from three, before jumping to the next post. She landed precariously onto it, but quickly steadied herself, and closed her eyes again, once more channelling chakra to her feet. Inhaling deeply to compose herself, she counted down for a second time.
I can do it, she willed herself. I can make the next jump. Just concentrate!
On one, she hopped forward, and miraculously managed to land on the post. Its smaller diameter meant that her arms had to flail wildly in a desperate attempt to restore her balance – but she succeeded in anchoring herself in place, albeit less than gracefully.
Yes! She internally celebrated. Finally, after countless failed attempts, she had managed to jump to the second post! Practice really did make perfect-
Her thought abruptly derailed at the sound of three, slow, pointed claps echoing strongly through the air.
Her head twisted to glance behind her. And her heart fluttered.
Sasuke stood next to the circular arena, gazing up at her with piercing, unfathomable eyes.
Author's note
So, there you go! Will Sasuke forgive Sakura? Will they kiss and make up, quite literally? Mwahaha. How I love to tease you all.
Ah, Sasuke-kun, admit it. Those flowers touched you. Kukukuku.
It's quite ironic that Sakura is feeling so bad here. If she'd had ANY idea at all what Sasuke had done to poor Inoichi, there is no way she would have made the bouquet! There's so much she doesn't know about our favourite broody god, and about how far he's willing to go to keep her with him.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! For those of you who are wondering when a kiss is coming up, I can't give you an exact answer, but I will say they will share their first smooch in less than ten chapters. That could be in nine, eight, seven… etc.
Just a question to anybody who actually reads my author notes, how do you feel with the pacing of their relationship so far? Bearing in mind we are well over two weeks approaching three weeks surface-time since Sasuke kidnapped her. Just curious to know your thoughts, as pacing is something I find difficult to get perfectly and to be honest, I'm a little nervous about writing their first kiss, because I don't want it to be too soon, but neither, obviously, do I want this to drag out too much!
Just rest assured that the first kiss will be worth it. I'll make it as intense as possible.
See you next update, where Sakura will verbally apologise, Sasuke will probably glare a lot and secretly make plans to jump her, they'll train, and we'll get an update from the surface gang.
Please remember to review! It motivates me to write even more Hades!Sasuke. Thanks.