Title: Wishes Are Free
Author: Cheza-chan
Rating: R
Pairing: KakaIru, SasuNaru
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto—oh, I wish I did—but I own Kan'you, all the characters of the Hidden Wave Village. I own the Hidden Wave Village because I created it! I own the Hidden Wave Village's special jutsus, etc.
A/N: ::yawn:: Oh, gee... it's only been a week, but this college life is killing me. Yeah, that's one of the reasons why I'm saying this: no more weekly updates. I'm sorry, but now that I've started school once more and this time it actually counts, I want to do my best possible! So I'll get the chapters out when I can, ne? ::smiles:: Also, no—::cackles::—Iruka-han is not this mysterious masked figure. I swear it... I swear, swear. What else to address while I'm up here... Oh! I was asked to create some form of display of letting you know who's who at this point. So... ta-da!
§§§
Shuku May
– Special Jounin
– Village Founder
Raito Nuri - Shuuha's bookstore clerk
Hitsu Sendo - Shikyo's little brother; missing
Nago Sora - Takai's little sister; Aki's identical twin
Nago Aki - Takai's little brother; Sora's identical twin
Risa - the daughter of the flower clerk
Mai - Risa's older sister (appears at the festival)
Yuuei - Hidden Cloud male Chuunin
Arashi - Hidden Cloud female Chuunin
Keisha Ruka - Shuuha Jounin; Miki's younger twin brother
Umino Iruka (yay!) - Konoha Chuunin; working undercover as Shuuha's Chuunin
(Team 1) - Yun Miyako (Genin; Kaoru's cousin)
(Team 2) - Chou Shin (Jounin)
(Team 5) - Kenshiki Hizaku (Jounin)
– Haruno Sakura (undercover Konoha Genin)
– Nago Takai
– Kazoku Oyasa
(Team 8) - Ayaki Tenko (Jounin)
– Hitsu Shikyo
– Umino Naruto (Uzumaki Naruto posing as Iruka's "son"; undercover Konoha Genin)
– Shinme Haka
(Team 10 - dissolved) - Keisha Miki (Jounin)
– Morishita Aoi (deceased; koibito to Rei)
– Hotaru Kaoru (Miyako's cousin)
– Tsushi Rei (deceased; koibito to Aoi)
(Team 12) - Neku Kentan (Jounin; a.k.a. Konoha's one and only Hatake "Sharingan" Kakashi; undercover)
– Akogi Yoku (koibito to Chigiri)
– Netan Chigiri (koibito to Yoku)
– Umino Sasuke (Uchiha Sasuke posing as Iruka's other "son"; undercover Konoha Genin)
§§§
Omigod... ::rubs eyes:: I've gone blind. Maybe I should have put it on the bottom. Oh, well... too late now! Enjoy this chapter! Oh, wait wait... I installed a lemon in this chapter. This version I'm posting here on ff-net won't have it, but you can go to my bio page, click the link that has this text next to it "Wishes Are Free - Chapter 17", and it should lead you to my GJ journal; you can't miss the cut tag. ::sighs deeply:: I'm doomed...
Chapter Seventeen - Before (the Water Festival)
Naruto sighed for the seventh time after taking a seat on the bridge that had been named after him. He and Kaoru were perched atop the thick railing, legs dangling over the icy water. "Why are you so stressed?" Kaoru mumbled, tilting his head to the left in favor of his visible eye. "I'm the one that lost friends."
"Share your pain then," the blonde groaned, leaning forward, and Kaoru grabbed his arm, eye narrowed. Naruto grinned and laughed sheepishly, remembering that the water became his friend three out of however many times he's been on the bridge. His expression turned serious for a moment and the orange eye before him blinked. "I want to show you something."
Kaoru nodded slowly and they stood, running off the bridge. Instead of going straight through town, they veered left to instantly enter the woods. The dark-haired boy stared at his friend's back as they continued running. He averted his gaze slightly. Aoi had been out of reach for him because the younger boy's heart had belonged to Rei, but, regardless of who he was with, his smile would light up his entire face and reach his eyes. Naruto was also off-limits, but maybe what was meant to bind him to Sasuke hadn't set in yet. Kaoru didn't realized he'd stopped until he was lifted.
The blonde had crouched to get him on his shoulders, then rose. "You're taking too long!" Naruto groaned, dashing ahead.
The brunet slowly lowered his arms to the top of the other's head, smiling. Finding the clearing suitable, they kyuubi let the other Genin down, then pulled the katana from his scabbard. "Naruto!" Kaoru winced at Naruto's scream from being beaten over the head by the falling branches, then watched the boy proceed to simply run in circles. "Moron." Kaoru grabbed the blonde's arm, pulling him close. He placed a soft kiss to the brilliant golden tresses, then stepped away quickly, cheeks faintly coloring.
The kyuubi blinked wide blue eyes, then grinned. "I didn't even want to cut off the branches," he said as if the kiss hadn't happened. "I actually need something stationary."
Kaoru smiled and retrieved his weapon. He stared at it wistfully; Miki had given him Rei's fuuma shuriken so the boys would be remembered.
Naruto looked around for something to show off the technique Jiraiya had shown him. He stared at the boy himself, an insane grin tugging at his lips. "Can I try it on you?"
"No!" Kaoru whapped the boy over the head.
"Fine..." The blonde huffed then faced the tree he'd just made limbless. He took a deep breath, bringing his right arm to his side, and his brow furrowed in deep concentration. Kaoru's orange eye blinked and he moved closer to better understand what was happening. He gasped softly at the ball of wind swirling in the other boy's hand. Naruto's blue eyes flew open and he thrust his arm into the tree, grunting as he steadied the shuddering appendage. He pulled back, gasping but grinning, and stared at the damage done. Cracks spread out through the bark from a single point of origin: a melon-sized hole deep in the tree that the wind attack had created.
"I just got a great idea!"
The undercover Konoha ninja looked over his shoulder.
"We could be partners in the Water Festival," Kaoru laughed. He placed a hand to the other Genin's shoulder.
'He's smiling.' Naruto hid his own smile and rubbed a finger under his nose; he chortled softly. "All right," he agreed. "But you have to thoroughly explain what we're going to be doing."
"Thoroughly?" Kaoru snorted. "I didn't realize that word was in your vocabulary."
"Hey!"
He avoided the blonde's fist, but in dodging, both boys ended up closer than expected—much closer. The kyuubi's eyes became half-lidded as Kaoru took control of the unexpected kiss. He followed the boy as the brunet pulled away, then quickly caught himself.
'Sasuke...!' He grabbed Kaoru in a neckhold, pounding into his head. "How dare you, you playboy Casanova!"
"Argh! Get off me!" 'He's not upset.' Kaoru smiled, then scowled as he realized Naruto kept hitting him. "I said stop..." He elbowed the boy in his stomach, then stopped on his chest after he'd fallen, a dark cloud over his head. "Bakayero..."
Naruto whimpered, cowering. His scream was heard throughout the woods, faintly aduble in the nearer parts of town.
Iruka pulled the bandage strip from his cheek with a faint grimace and sighed at thw hite scar. He suspected as much; after noticing how his cheek constantly bled—even during that "afternoon romp" with Kakashi Friday—he'd cleaned it and inspected it. Whatever had been used tore the skin open while traveling deep and at an amazing speed.
"I think it suits you."
The dolphin smiled as Kakashi's masked face appeared in the mirror behind his. He leaned into the touch against his cheek, then shook his head. "No. I have to go. I was supposed to look into this lake business three days ago." Iruka ducked under the Jounin's arm and grabbed his vest from the bed.
"Do you have to go?" Kakashi whined, wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist.
"You should be out there also. The Jounins need to know where they are positioned."
"Fine."
The brunet freed himself and hurried out of the room.
"Why are you still running from me?" the scarecrow yelled down the stairs.
"I just want coffee!" Iruka yelled back. "I haven't had any in a week. I'm going through withdrawal..." he muttered, putting water to boil.
"While we wait..."
He blushed as Kakashi's hands slid under his shirt. Had he been right on his heels?
"No!" No, Iruka didn't say it. The front door banged against the hallway wall as it was slammed open. "I'm not taking part in some stupid festival," Sasuke growled, ripping his hitai-ate from his head. He tossed it on the dining room tale and froze, eyes slightly widening.
"It's not stupid." And that wasn't Naruto.
"Get off!" Iruka hissed, elbowing the Jounin while the silver-haired shinobi tried to untangle his hands from the shirt's material.
Miyako covered her mouth, snorting at the sight of the men. "Like father, like son." She turned her head, unable to hold back her laughter.
"Urusai!" Sasuke slowly picked up his discarded headband and grabbed the hysterical girl's hand. "Maybe it doesn't sound so stupid now," he muttered, dragging her out.
The door closed behind them and the dolphin mashed down on Kakashi's foot-hard. "You don't listen," he sighed, taking off the boiling pot. Dumping the water out, he zipped up his vest and headed for the front door. Iruka paused, looking over his shoulder, and shook his head. "Come in." Kakashi's eye curved and he happily joined the other man with a slight limp, both leaving together.
§§§
Iruka stared down at the working figures from where he stood on a thick tree branch. What could he do?
"Iruka-sensei!"
The Chuunin blinked then jumped back as the lengthy blade rid the tree of the branch he had been standing on.
The shinobi wielding it smirked, chakra keeping his feet firmly planted on the side of the tree. "Careful. This entire area and more needs to be trimmed for the festival. You might lose something."
Iruka smiled and leaned backwards, falling. Just like the Jounin before him, he stuck to the branch, only he was upside-down.
"Supervise the path trimmers!" the katana-user yelled.
"Will do!" The Chuunin saluted and disappeared. Iruka berated himself for his actions as he stirred up the dust during his reappearance on solid ground. Simply walking down the tree would have sufficed. He glanced over his shoulder and, as he had suspected, Kentan was staring at him. Iruka ducked his head, turning away, and headed down the path to see what needed his supervision. He tried not to let his mind wander, particularly toward the question of where had Shuku May gone.
Sakura sat on the floor across from Kakashi's room, head resting on her upraised knees. The Jounin had come back from the festival site, hurriedly changed, only to say he was heading out on patrol. That was over eight hours ago; it was going for two in the morning. The Genin sighed, hugging her knees tight. "I'm worried," she told herself. "Worried that he might come back worse than the last time."
Sakura scowled and jumped to her feet. She would just go and get him herself. She ran into her room and pulled her black, mourning dress from the back of the closet. After changing, the young girl strapped her shuriken holder back around her thigh and turned off the light in her room before heading out through the window.
The figure standing right above it as she left out shook his head, wind whipping around his cloak. "Little children need to be in bed," he drawled, tugging the hood further down onto his head before chasing after the girl.
§§§
Kakashi yawned and decided he might as well head back to the house; nothing was happening. He stood, immediately side-stepping a shuriken. Mismatched orbs narrowed and the next onslaught was perceived and easily dodged. The three points on the crimson iris spun and the Jounin managed to pinpoint the location of his enemy. He leapt after the fleeing figure, grasping a kunai in each hand.
Kakashi's eyes widened at the other figure coming in his direction. He flung the blades only to have them dodged. He was chasing a child—the conclusion was made at the soft giggling that reached his ears and the glimpse of young features as the boy darted through a stream of moonlight. The child smirked at the sight of the unaware girl ahead of them and disappeared.
"Sakura!"
'Kakashi-sensei.' Sakura smiled then gasped, eyes wide and trembling at the dark figure that dropped down before her. She stumbled to a halt on a branch, hand braced against the trunk. The kunai aimed straight for her heart was quickly countered and the girl was pushed behind a cloaked figure. The Genin whimpered then screamed as she fell from the branch unable to accommodate so many bodies.
The newcomer stiffened, fighting with himself not to turn; his main target was the child intruder before whose features somehow remained shadowed. He relaxed as Kakashi caught the girl before she had the chance to meet the ground in an unpleasant manner, then turned all his attention to his problem.
Sakura clung to the Jounin, crying softly.
"What were you doing out here?!" the Copy Ninja yelled.
"I wanted... to help in some way. Gomen nasai!"
"Leave," the anonymous and supposed ally instructed, now caught in a fierce struggle.
"But—"
"Take her back!" Kakashi scowled under his mask, but did as he was told.
§§§
Sakura fisted her hands over her ears, wincing at the clattering pots and pans. She admitted it: her actions had gone beyond reckless into foolish, but Kakashi couldn't lose his temper in front of her. Instead, he took it out on the kitchenware. Every time he thought of what might have been had that shinobi not shown, another pot came in contact with the sink or stove. Sakura slid from the couch and timidly made her way into the kitchen. The Jounin froze in mid-swing, staring at her with a wide eyes, and slowly lowered his arm.
"I'm sorry," she sniffled. "I really did want to be of help."
"You're not at a level for that type of work."
Light green eyes widened. 'That type... of work?'
"No matter what you've been taught here, you're not the type of person that could—"
"Shut up!" Sakura glared at her Konoha team leader. "I know you're angry, but... but you have no right to talk like that."
"Can you tell me what happened out there, Sakura?" Kakashi sighed, dropping the pot as he fell against the fridge. "I'd be explaining to your mother why her daughter never returned home."
"But I am better than I was back then."
"You've only learned new tricks."
Sakura's eyes flared with rage and she rushed to the man, cracking her hand across his face. She gasped and stepped back, hugging the arm to her chest. She frowned as she stared at him one last time, then ran off with her head bowed.
The silver-haired shinobi slowly slid to the ground, burying his throbbing face in his hands. When this was all over with, there was something he would have to do; he didn't want to, but there was no other choice.
Sasuke looked at the body sleeping in a fetal position and smirked. He tugged the sheets over Naruto and stepped back, making his way to the door.
"Thank you..." the blonde's hoarse voice whispered. He burrowed himself further into the bed and its warmth.
Sasuke snorted, but gave a small, warm smile, and left, closing the door quietly. It wouldn't be right for two bodies to be occupying one bed if Iruka had to check on Naruto; and it would be worst if they had been found in such a state. The brunet scoffed. Anyone who was at least half-deaf would be aware of what took place. They hadn't been the only ones making noise though. What concerned him most was that the fight sounded as if it originated from right across the street.
Sasuke headed straight to the bathroom, no stops to his bedroom, and closed the door. He sighed and stared at his reflection, noticing the bright red marks where Naruto had practically clawed his skin. The Uchiha smirked and began fixing his shower, making sure the temperature was just right.
Iruka left his room at the sound of the running water. He still hadn't drunk any coffee—almost two weeks now—and he really didn't want to confront either boy about what had taken place in the room across from his own; he also had to get to the lake. The festival was later that evening, but things still needed to be finished. He spared a glance across the way after stepping out of the house, and prayed that whatever had kept him up for half an hour had been resolved. The Chuunin sighed and ran down the street.
Inside that house, Kakashi gave no indication of knowing the girl had stepped into the kitchen—he hadn't left it last night and hadn't slept. Sakura worked around him, picking up the appliances strewn about. She placed those that could be salvaged in the sink, and put the others near the trash can. The pink-haired young teen sighed as she straightened up, then looked back at the man. She smiled in despite of what she still felt and took a seat on the floor beside him. Kakashi raised his head at the soft touch to his hair, blinking.
Sakura placed her hands in her lap, smiling. "I'm sorry about hitting you," she whispered. "I understand that you were just concerned, but those words... really hurt."
"I didn't mean... most of it."
The girl frowned and the Jounin's eye curved slightly.
"I didn't mean any of it," Kakashi sighed. "I just didn't realize I cared for my students this much." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder with a sigh and they sat there in comfortable silence. "Make me breakfast."
"No!" Sakura pushed him away and stood, scoffing.
The Jounin leaned his head against the fridge, chuckling softly, and watched her angrily move about; it was obvious she was still going to make breakfast, but it would be for the both of them.
§§§
Sakura returned hours later from a meeting with Miyako, Shikyo, and others, a bright smile on her face, a wrapped package in her arms. She entered the house, locking the door, and hurried up to her room. Kakashi had left earlier—before her—to take care of business, so that left her with the house to herself. The Genin decided to keep herself preoccupied by fixing up the kitchen.
"Do you think she knows we're here?" Iruka whispered as the footsteps retreated.
"No," Kakashi sighed.
Both males relaxed considerably.
The pink-haired girl was just crossing the living room to get to the kitchen when someone knocked on the door. Sakura sighed, having half a mind to ignore it, but made a sharp turn, heading back to the front of the house. "Hai?" she said, slowly opening the door.
The brunet male on the other side smiled brightly. "Haruno Sakura-kun?"
"Hai...?"
The man chuckled and the urge to slam the door was strong, but this stranger was apparently stranger. Sakura found herself immobilized, rooted to the floor as the man stepped in and closed the door himself. "Nice place," he said softly. "But that's not why I'm here." He reached out and the girl gasped as he took her face between his hands. White orbs widened and Sakura's head snapped back, the girl making soft choking sounds.
— Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned, waving, then faded away.
"Sakura." Sasuke looked over his shoulder and softly smirked, also disappearing.
"Yo." Kakashi raised his hand, eye curving, and vanished. —
"Minna..."
— Sakura stared at the figures walking down the empty street, features shadowed. A soft gasp escaped her lips as Sasuke initiated the kiss Naruto turned away from. —
"How often did they visit you in the hospital?"
A whimper escaped the struggling girl's lips.
"Did your sensei even set foot in the hospital?"
—"You've only learned new tricks." —
A trail of saliva ran down Sakura's chin as she continued choking and gagging. "They don't care," the man's voice laughed. "They're not even coming to your rescue."
'They're not here!'
"Aren't they?"
She gasped at the sight of Iruka and Kakashi laying together. 'It's not real!'
"Have it your way. I'd rather you come to me of your own free will than force you. But a little... push couldn't hurt." With tears streaming down her face at having to relive so many painful memories—from the first days of being a ninja up to the inevitable disintegration, she fell into the man's waiting arms.
§§§
"I care about you... Sakura-kun."
Sakura sat up with a strangled-sounding scream, swatting at her ears where the man's lips had touched her. She looked around frantically—pictures of herself and others; cherry-blossom print curtains; pale red sheets. He brought her to her room?! Throwing back the covers, the pink-haired Genin stumbled from the bed to the door, yanking it open. 'Kakashi-sensei... Iruka-sensei!' She froze, remembering what she'd seen, but shook the image from her head. "Kakashi-sensei!"
The Chuunin gasped and sat up, searching for his clothes. He found his pants first, glad for that, and pulled them on moments before the door flew open. Iruka froze then noticed the panicked state the child was in. He finished pulling on his clothes and rushed over, kneeling before the girl. "Sakura. What happened?"
"Someone was here...!"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. With the sheet tied securely around his waist and trailing behind him, he walked to the incoherently rambling girl and placed an arm around her. "Relax."
Sakura took several deep calming breaths, only to have the memories that were dredged up resurface once more. Her green eyes brimmed with tears, and she clung to the Jounin, sobbing. 'Kakashi... Kakashi-sensei!'
The Copy Ninja's other arm encircled her as he sighed deeply and he lowered his gaze to where the Chuunin remaining kneeling, immediately noticing the younger man's clenched fist. "Come on. Let's take her back to her room," the scarecrow murmured, lifting the whimpering Genin with one arm. Iruka stood slowly and followed the other man.
Both males stood in the doorway of the girl's room, watching her now sleep; Kakashi had gone back to his room to get dressed. "She's trying to become a new person," the dolphin murmured. "In doing so, she's ridding herself of an old life too quickly."
"Her psyches are merging," Kakashi said, arms crossed and visible eye closed. "Three entirely different personalities in one body."
"Three?" Iruka blinked.
"Aa. She had split personalities before this."
Sakura whimpered softly, turning in her sleep.
"She's tearing herself apart," the Jounin sighed, turning away.
"We can't leave her." The younger man's arm stilled him. "Not if there's someone who's capable of just walking into homes and mentally abusing people. I'll see if I can get Sasuke to come over."
"Fine."
The brunet nodded, squeezing the other's arm lightly, and rushed off and out of the house. Kakashi's eye narrowed. Now the true objectives of this mission were coming into play and things seemed worse than he perceived them to be; more complicated. He wasn't even sure he approved of her partaking in the festival now; she seemed the most vulnerable. 'She'd go regardless of what I told her anyway.'
The Copy Ninja pulled himself to his full height as Sasuke and the Chuunin crested the stairs at the end of the hall minutes later. The ebony-haired youth nodded as he passed by his original team leader and entered the room.
"We've been slacking," Iruka stated, watching the boy take a seat at the girl's work desk. He closed the door and walked along the decorative rug in the middle of the floor for several feet before stopping and looking over his shoulder. "We have to be especially careful during this Water Festival." The Jounin nodded firmly and followed the younger man. "I still have things I need to finish," Iruka sighed. 'And this woman's no where to be found.'
"I'll walk with you."
He tilted his head and smiled warmly at the silver-haired shinobi. "Thank you."
Kakashi shrugged, hands in his pockets. He glanced back at the closed door then left with the other. The Copy Ninja became Kentan yards before stepping onto Shuuha's untamed grass, and left the brunet upon crossing the bridge. The path that would lead to the lake itself had the booths already set up; that would make on of his final tasks easier. A knee-high fence was set along the perimeter of the lake's bank to keep the younger tykes from fallin in.
"Glad you could make it."
The Chuunin pulled himself from his surveying stupor and smiled at the red-haired Jounin beside him. "Ready?" she asked, holding up a long roll of light rope with a grin. He nodded. Tenko leapt up onto the first booth and hopped lightly from one to another, laying the lines that paved the way for Iruka to simply hook the decorated lanterns. She cut the line, securing the rope, and the moved to the other side to make their way back up. They admired their work once finished, both smiling.
"Is Naruto doing anything for the festival?"
"They both are," Iruka said in reply to the woman's question.
"And their friend—Sakura-chan?"
"That's up to her guardian," he mumbled. "At the moment, I hear she's not feeling too well."
"Oh." Tenko fingered her wavy crimson locks. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Hey, you two!"
The pair of young adults looked behind them at the violet-haired Jounin. It had come as a shock to Iruka that Miki was, in truth, Ruka's older twin. If you looked beyond the different hair color, the identical features were there. "There's still a lot more to do," Ruka snorted. The young man had surprised all by actually offering to help with the preparations. Some suspected the missing May had a part in that.
"Roger," Tenko laughed, saluting. The violet-haired shinobi scoffed and headed off to deliver the lumber for the double-layered platform that was supposed to be built at the far end of the lake. "We have to illuminate the water itself," the red-head reminded the dolphin, taking his hand and pulling him along.
The Chuunin stumbled behind her with a smile. "But there are no erected poles for them!" he whined.
"That's why we have to keep working!" Tenko shouted back, laughing.
§§§
The village founder made her reappearance later in the day. She walked along the path, smiling at how smoothly everything was running. Booth owners had long since arrived to set up once they heard everything was in order. A few Genins had come to check out the area and were highly impressed, as was the woman. May felt bad about hiding herself from the public like she did, but she needed the time to breathe. She stood with her hands on her hips, sighing loudly.
"May?"
Her eyes widened with happiness and she spun to face her new favorites person ever. "Iruka-kun!" The Chuunin smiled, bowing, and wood chips fell from his hair. May laughed and pulled him up, hugging him. "I'm sorry for abandoning you, but everything looks great!"
"Yeah. We got a late start, but... the red tape's due to be cut by you around 7:00."
"Red tape?" she cackled. "You make it seem like we're opening a new restaurant!"
"This is a big event... And it's not really red tape, but that's the term they use..." Iruka flushed at the arms still tightly wrapped around him, laughing nervously. "Shuku-san..."
"Keep calling me May," she whined. Pulling away, May tossed her braid over her shoulder and surveyed the area once more with a smile. "Go home and rest for a while. The place really does look great."
The Chuunin nodded and turned away. Merely a few yards away from her, he was joined by Kentan. They both shared a quick smile and left together. 'Those two seem quite close.' May smiled and shook it off as her Iruka-kun's personality reaching out to all. 'Except Kenshiki. I wonder why...'
§§§
Iruka could only blush as Kakashi continued tugging him along with an arm around his waist. Even in the midst of everything that was happening, he was slowly wondering if the Jounin truly did like him. They arrived at the Haruno/Hatake home and entered.
Sakura had been getting much more attention this week than in the several weeks beginning from when they first set foot into the new Hidden Village. She had been a little uneasy about the Uchiha boy following her every move, but understood it was for her own safety. Things lost flavor for her when Naruto came over also. Both boys looked up as Kakashi and Iruka appeared at the end of the hall.
"How has she been?" the Chuunin questioned.
"Broodingly quiet," Sasuke replied. He was sitting in a chair he'd brought up from the kitchen—Sakura had thrown him out of her room immediately after waking—with Naruto on the floor beside him.
"She went to the bathroom a few times," the blonde mumbled. "Didn't seem too happy about us being directly across from it." He indicated to the door on the other side of the hall.
"Why would I be happy?" The bedroom door opened and Sakura glared at the boys. She raised a pleasant gaze and smile to the adult. "Iruka-sensei. I need to step out—"
"No."
"It concerns the festival," she said in a pleading voice. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her current antics.
"I'm not even sure you should go to the festival," the dolphin sighed, crossing his arms and lowering his head in thought. "Do you remember anything about this person?"
"No," Sakura scoffed.
Sasuke had briefed Naruto on what happened so he was able to follow the conversation with no problem. He leaned his head lightly against the brunet's thigh. Iruka stared at the girl before him closely, eyes narrowed in thought. He wanted to believe her, but he couldn't even trust himself. With another sigh, the Chuunin dropped his arms. "Fine," he mumbled.
"Thank you," the pink-haired Genin giggled.
"But Sasuke and Naruto go with you."
The floor fell out from beneath Sakura and she found herself spiraling toward Hell; this current feeling was expressed candidly: her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide with disbelief.
Kakashi sighed softly. The problem had gotten this far and he had let it-Sakura couldn't even stand being in the same room as her teammates. 'I'm losing a battle I've had no control of since over a year ago.'
"We'll protect you, Sakura-chan!" the kyuubi laughed, scratching the bridge of his nose while blushing bashfully.
The girl turning stiffly, her smile forced. "Thank you, but Miyako was coming for me. Excuse me. I have to get a few things." Sakura practically ran back into her room.
Naruto continued smiling even though he'd been deeply wounded by the meaning behind the girl's words: she didn't want either of them around her anyway. After her departure several minutes later, the wrapped package she'd brought home clutched in her arms once more, everyone else decided it was also time for them to get a move on this Water Festival.
