6 : Sasuke
By: Kokoro Kakera HP ^^
Disclaimer: Naruto, (Manga, anime, products, etc.), belongs to Kishimoto Masashi
Author's Notes:
Read, read, read on please! Isn't a fanfiction annoying if everything becomes perfect too fast right away? My point is...? Don't expect love confessions to be thrown about everyone any time soon... Or ever. Mushy love isn't exactly Naruto style so I don't think it'll be in here... There of course WILL be plenty love itself! ^^ Just not sugury sweet, heart gushing, flowing scenes with flowers in the backround... Guh...
ARGH! Sasuke's parts are so short in comparison to Naruto and Sakura's parts! (Too hard to write about, he is... T.T) The only reason this part came out somewhat larger is because of Kakashi's presence in it! Ouch ~_~!
"A jutsu." Kakashi said, bandaging up Sakura's arm. "It must have been cast on the shuriken that cut Sakura."
"I've never heard of this type of jutsu though..." Sakura said quietly, still a little shaken from the sight of so much blood coming from her.
"A forbidden technique from their village was probably used. Jutsu's of that nature are prohibited to be taught to anyone except specifically chosen members of their designated village."
"Can you fix it?" Sasuke asked.
"I can slow it down."
"That's not good enough." Sasuke shot sharply, eyes narrowed.
"Ya! Can't you do better than that!? Sakura-chan lost a lot of blood!" Naruto stood by him, mirroring his expression.
"It's the best I can do. It's a complicated jutsu that I've never seen before until now." Kakashi said. "If I could do anything about it, then I would have already." Sasuke turned away, unable to say anything to that.
More than anything else, Sasuke hated feeling helpless. That's just how he felt now. True to his word, Kakashi had cast a jutsu on Sakura's arm to slow the effect of the one that already occupied it. But to him, that wasn't enough. He had been inwardly shaken by seeing so much blood coming from Sakura. Part of the reason came from the fact that Sakura hardly bled.
Funny how he'd never realized this before until now. And now that he thought about it, he realized that Sakura hardly bled because he and Naruto usually ended up bleeding plenty in her place. But he couldn't think of allowing it to be any other way, and he knew Naruto felt the same as well. Sakura, the only girl on their team - the weakest member of their team physically. He couldn't see Sakura as an exceptional fighter. But it was easy to see her as someone that needed to be protected. She had become quite a bit more serious with her training, had improved so much - she was a chuunin now! - he had noticed this all as time passed - but even so...
No matter how strong she became, he and Naruto would still protect her.
"But-" Naruto began loudly.
"It's okay, Naruto." Sakura interrupted. She looked down, expression filled with disappointment and shame.
"If I'd been a bit faster, then this wouldn't have happened. I'm grateful that Kakashi-sensei even used that jutsu to slow this one down. Anyway, I'm fine. I don't feel dizzy, sick or hurt, so there's no need to worry."
Sasuke's eyes followed Sakura's hand as it gingerly reached up to touch the wound on her arm. When Kakashi and Naruto turned away, she gripped it. She was scared, he realized, but trying to hide it for their sakes. 'She's changed somehow... I didn't notice because I've always been marginally more focused on Naruto.' Sakura looked up to find his eyes on her wound and she smiled at him, hand dropping away from it quickly. Perhaps it was just to reassure him, but there was a chance that she had been given the wrong idea for his concern. Sasuke couldn't return the gesture. Realizing that he wouldn't, Sakura turned away from him disappointedly and concentrated her energy on reassuring Naruto.
"I love you, Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke was well aware of Sakura's feelings for him and had known for the longest time. As little children, she'd blatently announced her love for him to everyone who would listen and would cling to him constantly. Such actions had irritated him and when he found out that she had been assigned to his team on the day of their graduations from ninja school as genins, he couldn't help but feel a slight tinge of annoyance. That annoyance had slowly turned into friendly tolerance as their interactions as a team had brought them closer, but it had not made them any more than good friends.
Eight years. From their meeting to present day. After that time he could still see remnants of Sakura's love for him in her eyes. Sasuke, whenever he could, tried to deter any attempts of allowing Sakura to believe he felt the same way for her. It was so she wouldn't be hurt by believing a lie.
He always wondered if it was enough.
"Don't worry about it for now, anyway." Kakashi said calmly. "There's a village-wide search now for that group. Once they're captured, we'll be able to fix Sakura's arm right away."
"But Kakashi-sensei we-!" Naruto burst out again.
"Be quiet, Naruto. It's your job as chuunins to accomplish your missions as and when ordered. No questions asked. You have a busy day ahead of you so I suggest you listen to your assignments." The strict tone of his voice had a warning underlining it.
There was no more talk from anyone, save Kakashi then, but it was a sullen silence.
"Naruto, Sakura, you two go on ahead." Sasuke said, once they'd received all their orders.
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said questioningly. He shook his head.
"It's nothing important. I just need to ask Kakashi something."
"Fine Sasuke, but don't complain if you miss anything big! Come on Sakura-chan!" Naruto began tearing down the path to their first mission.
"O-okay!" Sakura took one last look back at Sasuke then followed Naruto. When he was sure they were out of earshot, Sasuke turned back to Kakashi, expression grim.
"You lied about Sakura...didn't you?" Kakashi's expression remained the same.
"She'll be fine. That's all you need to know. Go finish your mission." This subject is closed. Sasuke made a small sound of disgust. He turned his back on him and took off, sprinting to catch up to his teammates.
Kakashi closed his eyes for a second as if annoyed, then coolly headed for the meeting area the Hokage had chosen to discuss the situation with of rogue ninjas. He didn't regreat not telling Sasuke everything, even if it had gotten him angry with him. The information would have gotten in the way of his judgement. There was no need for worries in the first place.
'Sakura won't die. I'll make sure of that.'