Hey there…I'll try to update faster from now on. To whoever said that Sakura was naked in almost every chapter, that's not true, not in chapters 2 and 3…(I'm digging myself into a hole…). Yes, Sakura gets in 'situations' a lot because she's pretty and I'm jealous of her. Also, Sasuke needs to wake up and smell the toaster pastries. Thanks for telling me though. I'll not to add SO much of Sakura in her bra/without decent clothes on. grin A hint to Sasuke's problem is given in this chapter.
Okay…on to chapter 6…
xXx
Sasuke lay awake, looking at the ceiling of his house. He counted softly in his head: one spider……two spiders……three….no…that was just a shadow… Sasuke had never felt so drained. His hair flopped damp upon his pillow. He hadn't fully dried off after his shower, so his pajamas were wet. He knew this lifestyle was bad for him, even at that moment he felt hot and shaky…Sakura would be worried if she noticed he had come down with another fever…..Why……Why, though he had no strength to think about anything at all, did she appear into his head? Sasuke forced himself to believe it was just a random memory spark caused by his fatigue. His body heaved as he coughed into his wet pillow. Relaxing every muscle in his body, Sasuke let himself lie deeper on the bed. Though his dark eyes were squeezed shut, his eyelashes knitted together, he couldn't fall asleep. Sasuke was simply too tired.
Finally, he turned over to his back. He placed a cool hand on his forehead, feeling the boiling sweat beaded on it. After a while, Sasuke allowed his hand to slide back down to the bed. His eyes began to droop…
You aren't allowed……
Like a steel trap, Sasuke's eyes shot open, looking around in paranoia. He knew no one was there except for himself.
You are falling asleep…
The raspy voice didn't echo or quaver. It was like someone was talking directly into his ear. Instinctively, Sasuke smashed his ears in with his hands and held them there, knowing that he had already tried it before and it had done no good.
You should be training. You won't be strong…
"I know! I understand! Shut up right now!" Sasuke cried firmly to the voice. As it had been the past week or so, his cries could only be heard by himself…there was no one else to hear them.
Come now, Uchiha-chan…you are becoming weak… Start training… You will never beat your brother…
I'm beginning to hate you…
In a fit of desperation, Sasuke grabbed his wrists, one in each of his hands. Digging his nails into his skin, Sasuke ripped his hands away from his wrists, but the pain didn't make the voice go away.
Uchiha-chan…train…I want you to train….train until the sun rises, then train again after your mission today… Then I will leave you alone…for today
Sweating and shaking so hard the blankets around him bunched up, Sasuke held himself, pretending he wasn't afraid. After he got ahold of his breath, he rolled out of his bed and unsteadily stumbled to the door.
xXx
Kakashi wasn't teaching class or giving a mission the next day. He had appeared to Naruto, Sakura, and a surprisingly pale Sasuke for just a couple minutes to explain that he was ill beyond all reason and that he couldn't possibly accompany them that day. After an enormously fake cough to punctuate his point, Kakashi ordered them to train on their own for the rest of the day. After his speech and another fake cough, Kakashi skipped merrily over to the adult book store, singing about the new flirting paradise book or something.
Naruto laughed, "Heh heh! Guess what, Sasuke? I have identified with my ninja identifying jitsu that Kakashi isn't ill and he just wants to read his porn!" With a triumphant grin, Naruto looked over at Sasuke…or where Sasuke should have been…
Sakura spun around in time to see Sasuke turn the corner in the direction of the lake. Resisting the urge to follow him, Sakura looked away hurriedly. Though she scolded herself, her curiosity and anxiety kept pressuring her to follow him.
"Who cares about training? Today I'm going to eat thirty bowls of ramen in a row!" Naruto announced, though Sakura wasn't listening.
Though she knew it was selfish and nosy, Sakura decided to follow Sasuke. Breaking into a run, Sakura dashed around the corner she had seen Sasuke turn on.
xXx
Focus…Focus…FOCUS!
Sasuke ground his teeth together as he hoisted a heavy log up onto his shoulder, already splintered and aching from previous workings. His shirt was soaked with sweat, sap, and river water. Burning like fire, his throat contracted as he gasped through the strain. Everything around him felt so hot and stifling. A voice echoed in his head, this time his own.
'Do it, you amateur! Lift the log with more efficiency or he will talk to you again. Keep training, you idiot! Hurry at it. Get stronger! STRONGER! He won't leave you alone until you reach his expectation. You have to get stronger! No time for distractions. That's the reason he's in your head, you dope! He's mad at you….He's mad that you've been spending time with Sakura…'
With a hoarse yell, Sasuke threw himself into the river, the log on top of him. He forced himself to swim upstream against the current, holding the log in his two shaky arms above his head. With each agonizing kick, bullets of pain crushed his nerves. Waves splashed his face, drowning his burning eyes so he couldn't see. Sasuke forced himself to keep moving, though his body was sore and his wrists stung from last night. He had to keep training.
He didn't know when it had started, but some time ago, Sasuke began to slack off in his training a bit. He blamed it on overconfidence but he couldn't hide the real reason from himself. Sakura had been in his thoughts almost constantly, though against his will. He reluctantly eased his distracted thoughts by spending time with her and even checking on her that one day…blaming it on Kakashi. (A.N. remember the first chappy?)
It had made him mad…
That's when the voice had entered his head. Sasuke either had to train whenever the voice told him to, or grow insane. He loathed himself for letting himself slack on his training and also for giving in to the voice. He couldn't tell Sakura…wait… he was thinking of her again……..In anger, Sasuke swam even faster, scratching his legs on rocks and bruising his arms on overhanging tree limbs.
He had to keep going…
Or Orochimaru would speak again….
xXx
Okay…Yeah…It was kinda short…and I wanted to make Sasuke all crazy and angst-y. Sorry if you're disappointed…that doesn't mean you can flame me though! HAH! Reviews are appreciated though.
Next chapter, Sakura confronts Sasuke.