Chapter 1
Sitting near the fire, Sasuke stared at the small inferno. Orange, blue, and red flames twirled and danced. His eyes moved to his right and saw Sakura. She sat with legs bent and her arms on her knees. Her green eyes were set on the fire also. Sasuke stared at her eyes, which looked very stressed. Thinking to himself, Sasuke figured that she had some burden within her that she kept to herself. Sakura turned her head, and looked at Sasuke and smiled a bit. She blushed nervously as she looked down back towards the fire. He turned his eyes back towards the fire.
Naruto had just had fallen asleep against a log, and was snoring loudly. Sasuke heard a sigh from his right and saw Sakura stand to her feet. She walked over to a pack and kneeled. After looking through the pack Sakura pulled out a small blanket. She crumpled it in her hands and stood up straight again. Sakura flicked the blanket out and placed it over Naruto. "Sometimes I wonder what he'd do if he didn't have us." She said softly.
She looked at Sasuke. Sasuke smiled a little bit at the thought of Naruto trying to get through this by himself. "Yeah." Sasuke replied. Pleased with the reply, Sakura turned and went back to the pack. Sasuke looked up and saw a hand that held a blanket towards him.
"Here Sasuke-kun, so you don't, um, get cold…" Sakura stuttered out.
Sasuke took the blanket from her hand. "Thank you Sakura." Sakura walked back to her older position and laid down, pulling the blanket up to her shoulder.
"Good night, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered as she closed her eyes.
Strands of hair fell down under her chin as she breathed. "Good night, Sakura." Sasuke straighten the blanket over himself. Lying down, he crumpled his legs a bit towards his chest. The light sound of the chirping of crickets let Sasuke slowly fall asleep.
Morning light broke through the shades of the trees. Sakura woke up and saw that she had two blankets upon her. Sasuke was already awake, but nowhere in sight. She stood up and kept the blankets draped over her shoulders. Naruto was still asleep, and didn't seem like he would wake up anytime soon. Sakura looked around and frowned. "Where's Sasuke-kun?" she mumbled. "Oh well," she sighed. She sat back down and rummaged through her own pack to find a brush. The brush made it through her hair easily, with hardly any knots to go through.
Sakura heard the crumpling of brush, and turned. She saw Sasuke and his hair was wet. He only had his shorts on coming back, with his shirt in his hand. He walked over to his own spot and sat down. His right hand was on the back of his neck. Drops of water fell from his bangs to his face and body. Sakura stared and blushed.
Suddenly Naruto yelled out. "You won't get me! You bastard!!" He shot up, half asleep holding a shuriken in his hand. Sakura and Sasuke looked at Naruto simultaneously. Naruto opened his eyes and blinked. A moment of silence passed. He put his hand behind his head and stuck out his tongue childishly. "Heheh, whoops…" he said smiling. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura sighed and decided it was too early to yell this morning. Naruto felt a bit dizzy from getting up so fast and sat back down. Sasuke ruffled his own hair and stood up again.
"I'm going to go in the sun for a little bit," Sasuke said as he passed by Naruto and Sakura.
Sakura held up her hand.
"Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke looked towards her.
"Hmm?"
"Would…would you mind if I go with you?" she asked.
"If you want to," Sasuke walked forward with the words trailing behind.
Sakura stood up and picked up a small run to catch up with Sasuke.
"Hey!" Naruto yelled. "What about me?"
Sakura turned her head and yelled back. "Watch our stuff!"
"Hey! Hey! That's not fair!"
Naruto looked dumbfounded around the camp and thought for a moment. He turned and ran towards where Sasuke and Sakura had disappeared.
Sasuke found a clearing of a small field of grass. He sat down and squinted his eyes as he looked forward. Sakura sat next to him and eyes wandered from the ground to Sasuke's face. Sasuke looked over and Sakura quickly turned her face forward. "It's a very beautiful day," Sakura said without turning her eyes away from her current position. "Don't you think, Sasuke-kun?"
"Hmm? What about?" He asked.
"The day. It's very beautiful, don't you think?" Sakura asked again.
"Yeah, it is a great day out today…I suppose."
Looking around, Sakura found her eyes upon Sasuke once more. Sasuke turned, but Sakura didn't look away. Sasuke's face went a bit red, as did Sakura's. "Sasuke-kun, what do you think of me?" she turned her face, but her eyes still on Sasuke's face.
"Sakura?"
"I mean," she paused suddenly. "What do you think about me?"
"Well," Sasuke started.
"Please don't be weak with telling me what you really think of me. I'd like to know the full truth."
"Alright," Sasuke said. "I think that you sometimes very strong, but weak at the same time. You do posses great strength though in your skills. You have a strong feeling for your friends, and would never let them down. Giving up may be an answer in the beginning, but you find another way. When you are pushed to the limit and backed up against the wall, you burst out through whoever put you there..."
Sakura was confused. She had thought that Sasuke would have been harsher than he was. Her eyes closed and she smiled as she turned her head fully towards the field. Sasuke looked over at her and was a bit confused. He hoped not to hurt her feelings because of all she had been going through as of late. Suddenly Sasuke felt arms around him. A bit shocked, he looked down and Sakura holding him in her arms.
"Sakura…?"
"Thank you so much Sasuke-kun. You are really a wonderful friend!" Sakura said happily.
Looking from trees a bit behind the field, Naruto's jaw dropped. "Whoa, Sakura-chan just hugged Sasuke?" He looked down. "Man…" Suddenly his stomach growled making him forget quickly about what just happened. "So huuuuungry…"
Sasuke blushed and lifted her arms from his chest. Sakura felt embarrassed at her actions and looked down. "Oh Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry." Sasuke just stayed quiet and his face was a bit red still.
"It's…It's okay," he said for the first time shyly.
Sasuke stood up and put his shirt on. His hair was dried so he pulled out his head protector from his pocket and secured it to his forehead. Still embarrassed by hugging Sasuke, Sakura's head was still down. Sasuke put his arm forward and held his hand out to Sakura's looking distance. Sakura looked up and saw Sasuke smiling a bit as he grabbed her right hand and pulled her to her feet. "Thank you," she told Sasuke.
Sakura looked at Sasuke's face and they both turned a shade of crimson red. Sakura leaned a bit towards him. However, a familiar voice shouted and made Sakura stopped in her tracks. "Sakuuuura! Let's go get something to eat! I'm starving!" Naruto yelled out. "Do we have any ramen left in our packs?" Sakura glared at Naruto and they stood there for a moment. Sakura walked by Naruto without touching him. "Yes! She didn't hit me!" With Naruto not paying attention, Sakura walked back towards Naruto and smack him in the back of the head quickly. She stomped off once more. Sasuke couldn't help by laugh a bit at Naruto's reaction. Naruto crumpled his knees to his chest and held his head. "Ow… that hurt!"
They soon all returned to the camp. Sakura sat by herself as Naruto and Sasuke had gone to get some fish from the stream a little way from the camp. She wondered when they would return. They had been taking more time, than she thought they needed.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto said as he looked at all the fish. "Think this is enough?" Sasuke nodded. Naruto thought about what had happened earlier in the field and decided if he should ask Sasuke a question that was burning inside him. "Sasuke."
"What is it?" he asked.
"I have a question." Naruto said seriously. "Do you like Sakura-chan?"
"What kind of question is that Naruto?"
"Do you or not? You understand what I am asking you. Even I'm not that dense!"
"Naruto, if I tell you if I like her or not would you mind keeping it a secret?"
Sasuke looked at Naruto and decided that was a bad decision. He started to walk.
"Get all the fish. I'll meet you back at …"
Naruto grabbed Sasuke's shoulder tightly. "I want to know. I won't tell her." Sasuke's face turned a bit red and he looked at Naruto more serious than usual.
"Well, I…" Sasuke started.
Sitting near the fire, Sasuke stared at the small inferno. Orange, blue, and red flames twirled and danced. His eyes moved to his right and saw Sakura. She sat with legs bent and her arms on her knees. Her green eyes were set on the fire also. Sasuke stared at her eyes, which looked very stressed. Thinking to himself, Sasuke figured that she had some burden within her that she kept to herself. Sakura turned her head, and looked at Sasuke and smiled a bit. She blushed nervously as she looked down back towards the fire. He turned his eyes back towards the fire.
Naruto had just had fallen asleep against a log, and was snoring loudly. Sasuke heard a sigh from his right and saw Sakura stand to her feet. She walked over to a pack and kneeled. After looking through the pack Sakura pulled out a small blanket. She crumpled it in her hands and stood up straight again. Sakura flicked the blanket out and placed it over Naruto. "Sometimes I wonder what he'd do if he didn't have us." She said softly.
She looked at Sasuke. Sasuke smiled a little bit at the thought of Naruto trying to get through this by himself. "Yeah." Sasuke replied. Pleased with the reply, Sakura turned and went back to the pack. Sasuke looked up and saw a hand that held a blanket towards him.
"Here Sasuke-kun, so you don't, um, get cold…" Sakura stuttered out.
Sasuke took the blanket from her hand. "Thank you Sakura." Sakura walked back to her older position and laid down, pulling the blanket up to her shoulder.
"Good night, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered as she closed her eyes.
Strands of hair fell down under her chin as she breathed. "Good night, Sakura." Sasuke straighten the blanket over himself. Lying down, he crumpled his legs a bit towards his chest. The light sound of the chirping of crickets let Sasuke slowly fall asleep.
Morning light broke through the shades of the trees. Sakura woke up and saw that she had two blankets upon her. Sasuke was already awake, but nowhere in sight. She stood up and kept the blankets draped over her shoulders. Naruto was still asleep, and didn't seem like he would wake up anytime soon. Sakura looked around and frowned. "Where's Sasuke-kun?" she mumbled. "Oh well," she sighed. She sat back down and rummaged through her own pack to find a brush. The brush made it through her hair easily, with hardly any knots to go through.
Sakura heard the crumpling of brush, and turned. She saw Sasuke and his hair was wet. He only had his shorts on coming back, with his shirt in his hand. He walked over to his own spot and sat down. His right hand was on the back of his neck. Drops of water fell from his bangs to his face and body. Sakura stared and blushed.
Suddenly Naruto yelled out. "You won't get me! You bastard!!" He shot up, half asleep holding a shuriken in his hand. Sakura and Sasuke looked at Naruto simultaneously. Naruto opened his eyes and blinked. A moment of silence passed. He put his hand behind his head and stuck out his tongue childishly. "Heheh, whoops…" he said smiling. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura sighed and decided it was too early to yell this morning. Naruto felt a bit dizzy from getting up so fast and sat back down. Sasuke ruffled his own hair and stood up again.
"I'm going to go in the sun for a little bit," Sasuke said as he passed by Naruto and Sakura.
Sakura held up her hand.
"Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke looked towards her.
"Hmm?"
"Would…would you mind if I go with you?" she asked.
"If you want to," Sasuke walked forward with the words trailing behind.
Sakura stood up and picked up a small run to catch up with Sasuke.
"Hey!" Naruto yelled. "What about me?"
Sakura turned her head and yelled back. "Watch our stuff!"
"Hey! Hey! That's not fair!"
Naruto looked dumbfounded around the camp and thought for a moment. He turned and ran towards where Sasuke and Sakura had disappeared.
Sasuke found a clearing of a small field of grass. He sat down and squinted his eyes as he looked forward. Sakura sat next to him and eyes wandered from the ground to Sasuke's face. Sasuke looked over and Sakura quickly turned her face forward. "It's a very beautiful day," Sakura said without turning her eyes away from her current position. "Don't you think, Sasuke-kun?"
"Hmm? What about?" He asked.
"The day. It's very beautiful, don't you think?" Sakura asked again.
"Yeah, it is a great day out today…I suppose."
Looking around, Sakura found her eyes upon Sasuke once more. Sasuke turned, but Sakura didn't look away. Sasuke's face went a bit red, as did Sakura's. "Sasuke-kun, what do you think of me?" she turned her face, but her eyes still on Sasuke's face.
"Sakura?"
"I mean," she paused suddenly. "What do you think about me?"
"Well," Sasuke started.
"Please don't be weak with telling me what you really think of me. I'd like to know the full truth."
"Alright," Sasuke said. "I think that you sometimes very strong, but weak at the same time. You do posses great strength though in your skills. You have a strong feeling for your friends, and would never let them down. Giving up may be an answer in the beginning, but you find another way. When you are pushed to the limit and backed up against the wall, you burst out through whoever put you there..."
Sakura was confused. She had thought that Sasuke would have been harsher than he was. Her eyes closed and she smiled as she turned her head fully towards the field. Sasuke looked over at her and was a bit confused. He hoped not to hurt her feelings because of all she had been going through as of late. Suddenly Sasuke felt arms around him. A bit shocked, he looked down and Sakura holding him in her arms.
"Sakura…?"
"Thank you so much Sasuke-kun. You are really a wonderful friend!" Sakura said happily.
Looking from trees a bit behind the field, Naruto's jaw dropped. "Whoa, Sakura-chan just hugged Sasuke?" He looked down. "Man…" Suddenly his stomach growled making him forget quickly about what just happened. "So huuuuungry…"
Sasuke blushed and lifted her arms from his chest. Sakura felt embarrassed at her actions and looked down. "Oh Sasuke-kun, I'm sorry." Sasuke just stayed quiet and his face was a bit red still.
"It's…It's okay," he said for the first time shyly.
Sasuke stood up and put his shirt on. His hair was dried so he pulled out his head protector from his pocket and secured it to his forehead. Still embarrassed by hugging Sasuke, Sakura's head was still down. Sasuke put his arm forward and held his hand out to Sakura's looking distance. Sakura looked up and saw Sasuke smiling a bit as he grabbed her right hand and pulled her to her feet. "Thank you," she told Sasuke.
Sakura looked at Sasuke's face and they both turned a shade of crimson red. Sakura leaned a bit towards him. However, a familiar voice shouted and made Sakura stopped in her tracks. "Sakuuuura! Let's go get something to eat! I'm starving!" Naruto yelled out. "Do we have any ramen left in our packs?" Sakura glared at Naruto and they stood there for a moment. Sakura walked by Naruto without touching him. "Yes! She didn't hit me!" With Naruto not paying attention, Sakura walked back towards Naruto and smack him in the back of the head quickly. She stomped off once more. Sasuke couldn't help by laugh a bit at Naruto's reaction. Naruto crumpled his knees to his chest and held his head. "Ow… that hurt!"
They soon all returned to the camp. Sakura sat by herself as Naruto and Sasuke had gone to get some fish from the stream a little way from the camp. She wondered when they would return. They had been taking more time, than she thought they needed.
"Hey Sasuke," Naruto said as he looked at all the fish. "Think this is enough?" Sasuke nodded. Naruto thought about what had happened earlier in the field and decided if he should ask Sasuke a question that was burning inside him. "Sasuke."
"What is it?" he asked.
"I have a question." Naruto said seriously. "Do you like Sakura-chan?"
"What kind of question is that Naruto?"
"Do you or not? You understand what I am asking you. Even I'm not that dense!"
"Naruto, if I tell you if I like her or not would you mind keeping it a secret?"
Sasuke looked at Naruto and decided that was a bad decision. He started to walk.
"Get all the fish. I'll meet you back at …"
Naruto grabbed Sasuke's shoulder tightly. "I want to know. I won't tell her." Sasuke's face turned a bit red and he looked at Naruto more serious than usual.
"Well, I…" Sasuke started.