A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I love reading them! I hope this was updated fast enough. The whole week I was gone horseback riding. Haha my ghetto ass learned how to ride a horse! Latino's on horses is not something you see everyday.
Warnings: Typing this chapter made me think whether or not it should be a Sasu/Saku fic in the end, or an Ita/Saku. So it's all up to you readers! Leave a comment on which you would prefer. The story can change completely for either couple.
Disclaimer: If I owned the Naruto series…Sasuke would be acting the exact same way he is with the whole Itachi thing, because if you think about it, what Sasuke is doing about it, is reasonable, even though it's wrong. You can't blame him at all. He's not an asshole. T.T How would you take it? What would you do? WWJD?
Please Enjoy!
Behind The Smile
Chapter 17: Feelings Rekindled.
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It had been a few hours since Sasuke had last heard an explosion. He had been traveling towards the direction where the sound had been coming from, curious as to what had been going on. He realized he was close now, noticing the damage to the trees as he got closer to a clearing. He could sense faint traces of chakra, meaning that there were survivors of what he assumed was a big battle.
As he entered the clearing, the first thing that caught Sasuke's eyes was the numerous bodies placed in a single file line on the ground. He walked towards them, noticing that they were all still alive, but it seemed impossible with the amount of wounds that were present on their bodies. A highly skilled medical nin must have been present.
Sasuke looked at the faces of the fallen shinobi, noticing that they all looked familiar. His eyes almost widened as he saw a very familiar face, adorned with spiky blonde hair. He had not shirt on, and the usual seal that perspired near his belly button was no longer there.
Naruto.
Sasuke looked at his former teammate for a while before looking around the clearing some more. He wanted to know what the hell had happened. What the hell was able to defeat Naruto to this extent, especially when he had all these other shinobi with him?
The Uchiha noticed weapons strewn everywhere. There was also a huge crater nearby, that looked like it was a few feet in depth, and very wide. A huge amount of chakra had been in play, but who could be able to do such a thing with just chakra? Who would have that much to spare after a battle like this? Sasuke made his way over to it, looking down into its depths. He noticed two bodies lying amongst the broken rebel.
He was about to look away until something else caught his eyes. A black coat, adorned with red-outlined clouds. A jacket he knew very well. Sasuke jumped down into the crater, and took a good look at the body in which the coat was worn.
An image appeared in Sasuke's head. It was the day that he had finally met his brother again. Two figures clad in the same black coat stood before him, next to Naruto. As Sasuke looked at the body lying in the rebel before him, he recognized that man immediately.
Hoshigaki Kisame.
Sasuke had done some research on Itachi, and the organization he was with. Kisame was no easy foe to defeat, let alone kill.
Sasuke immediately jumped out of the crater and looked at the shinobi laying on the ground. They must have defeated the guy. But something was still confusing the Uchiha. Sasuke's head snapped to the side as her he heard someone mutter something. He didn't quite catch who it came from.
"Sakura-san" Someone painfully moaned. Sasuke's steps faltered at the name being muttered, his eyes traveling over to voice in which the name was being called. Sasuke appeared in front of a ninja adorned in a green spandex suit. He had mushroom cut, yet shiny hair, and very "fuzzy" eyebrows. These features were familiar to him, allowing his brain to come up with the name Rock Lee. But Sasuke didn't care; he was more interested in the name that had been spoken.
"..No..Sakura-san." Lee muttered again.
It was then that everything in Sasuke's mind clicked into place. The pink hair that was strewn across the ground made it even clearer.
Sasuke shot up, bringing Lee up with him. He held him in the air by the collar of his suit. "Where's Sakura?" Sasuke commanded. His voice was very stern and seemingly resolved. But Sasuke got no answer as Lee fell unconscious again.
"Kuso!" He silently muttered. Sasuke let him drop to the ground.
" ..Sasuke..teme.." Sasuke's head snapped at the sound of Naruto's voice. The said person was now on his stomach, struggling to get on his knees.
"Sasuke..teme.." Naruto managed to speak out again. It was clearer this time, but Sasuke could hear the pain in his voice. It was very difficult for him to speak. Naruto knew that he was there. Sasuke made his way over to Naruto, crouching down in front of him. He had a small smirk on his face.
"You let yourself get beat up this bad, dobe?" Sasuke thought out loud, loud enough for Naruto to hear. But his voice wasn't cold or mocking. His voice had a hint of sorrow in it, one that was barely recognizable. Naruto didn't pay any heed to Sasuke's last comment. Instead he squeezed his eyes shut, signaling the great amount of pain he was in.
"Sakura-chan." Naruto stated firmly. He opened his eyes again, and Sasuke could see the pain he was in. It seemed that Naruto didn't want to talk to Sasuke at all, but he knew that he was the only one who could "save" Sakura. That is, if the Uchiha decided to.
"Where is Sakura, Naruto?" Sasuke sternly said. He heard Naruto silently curse under his breath. He tried getting up again, only to fail horribly.
"Chikuso…Itachi." With those words, the hairs on Sasuke's head stood on end. Not out of fear, but anticipation, and a disgusted kind of excitement. Anxiety. This came with the realization of what happened in this clearing. The battle, everything. He felt sick to his stomach. Sasuke stood up, taking one last glance at Naruto, who's pained eyes were squinting up at him.
Itachi! Sasuke roared in his head. He immediately sprinted from the clearing.
..ooo000ooo000ooo..
Sakura was now a few feet behind Itachi, his back the only thing visible to her. She was very tired, her exhaustion finally sinking in after the rush of adrenaline she had earlier. The pain also kicked in too. She could feel her abdomen slowly bleeding. She tried her best to push those to the back of her mind.
She had been thinking of something to say, anything that would break the silence that had been between them ever since they left the clearing. Sakura didn't even know why she was following him. During her musings, Sakura tracked back to the friends she had left in the clearing. It brought a question up to mind that she had been meaning to ask. The pink-haired woman picked up her pace, making her way next to Itachi.
"Ano..Why didn't you kill them?.. I mean back there at the clearing-the others." Sakura realized the way she worded that, and tried again. "- I mean it's not that I wanted them dead!- I'm very grateful that you stopped- I was ju-"
"It is of no importance." Itachi interrupted.
Sakura was quiet for a moment, contemplating what he had just said. With a huff, Sakura ran in front of Itachi. She managed to hide the wince of pain that accompanied. "It's important to me! I just wanna know why." Sakura stood her ground, staring Itachi in the eyes. Itachi stopped, looking into Sakura's eyes as well. He seemed unfazed by her words, and just stared at her coldly.
"Why are you following me?" An impassive inquiry, yet stated almost quietly.
Sakura was about to open her mouth to reply, but she found she had nothing to say. Why was she following him? Uchiha Itachi, one of the only two survivors of the Uchiha clan, which he so brutally murdered himself. The man that Sasuke wants to kill? Wasn't she betraying Sasuke by doing this? What did she think of Itachi? What did she think of Sasuke?
She didn't know anymore. She didn't know anything. All she knew was…
"I..just want to, is all."
The older Uchiha continued walking, bearing no indication as to him replying to her words. She followed in pursuit, and despite her hasty walking she fell behind, once again. It was more so her exhaustion that slowed her down, pain something she could push through. Willpower was nothing in a fight against exhaustion, not when so mainy other ailments were fighitng against her. She let out a small grunt of both pain and dissatisfaction as she was forced to stop, slightly hunching over from the pain and exhaustion.
As her emerald eyes looked to the back of Itachi in panick of falling even more behind, they slightly widened curiously, peculiarly as he came to a halt.
Hands resting on her knees, she continued to watch the Uchiha as he walked towards her, his emotionless demeanor not hinting to his intentions. It was when he unerringly picked her up did she let out a small gasp.
The moment he touched her, she had felt no pain. Whether it was something he was doing or suprise, she wasn't really up for differing. She had no energy for a small plea for him to put her down, nor worry at the fact of her life being in his hands, or literally, arms. She had let herself succomb to the darkness of sleep just as soon as he had wordlessly picked her up.
..ooo000ooo000ooo...
Her emerald eyes glistened as they fluttered open, the luminiscent light shining through the open window bouncing off their depths. She stayed like that for a few moments, taking in her surroundings, making notice of the soft surface to which she layed on.Her eyes traveled to the open window, noticing that day had faded to night. Only when the recent events refound themselves in her mind did she shoot up from her posistion on the bed. A momentary pause ensued as she grasped her abdomen in pain as she let out a small grunt of pain.
She let out a shakey breath as the pain subsided, letting her gaze transition around the room. They rested on a figure barely discernable in the darkness. As if one que, Sharingan eyes revealed themselves to stare at her, unblinking.
"Sas-" She caught herself mid-mutter as her eyes readjusted to the darkness, revealing the figure to be Uchiha Itachi.
"Your awake." His voice was impassive,emotionless, yet all the more gentle. Something was different about Itachi, something had changed very recently. Something was..bothering him?
"Do you miss him. My little brother." Itachi inquired silently, again impassively.
She studied him for a moment, taken back by his question, more so taken back by her pause. She was very aware of the way her body tensed up at the younger Uchiha's name.
"No." Her answer was very curt, stern as she tried to level out the waver.
(Song: Planetarium by Otsuka Ai)
"Your not a good liar, Sakura-san." Her head lifted slightly as she said this, her emerald widening as she gazed into his emotionless eyes, very reminiscent of Sasuke.
She found that she hadn't really thought of Sasuke in a while. She had been running away from her emotions, and for what reasons she really didn't know why. Of course she didn't want to cry, she didn't want to give herself time to. For the longest time she avoided any thought concerning him. But it didn't matter how often she thought about it, whether it was often or once in a long while.
The deep love she felt for Sasuke invaded every part of her body.
She let a smile travel to her face.
"..I'm not," She let her sparkling eyes travel to Itachi. "Huh?" She let out a small grunt of amusement before returning her eyes downcast. After a small moment she returned her gaze to Itachi's stationary gaze.
"How about you, are you a liar, Uchiha Itachi?"
A breif silence unsued as they locked gazes, her slightly watering yet feigned cheerful eyes holding emotionless, unblinking Sharingan.
"No."
She didn't know why, she didn't know how, but she knew that something was bothering Itachi.Something that was supposed to be impossible to tell, that was impossible to tell. She just knew, this feeling, this completley foreign feeling invaded her. It was guilt, regret. It wasn't hers, she had no reason to feel this way. Sadness. But it wasn't hers. Love. But it wasn't hers. Pain. Hurt that was not the hurt she suffered.
Her eyes slightly squinted as more tears gathered at her eyes, threatening to overspill.
"Then, can you tell me..honestly..why?"
The was no discernable change in his figure, stance, his eyes. They continued to stare at her, unblinking.
"Why...you did this to Sasuke?" Her voice slightly cracked with cry as she voiced his name, yet no tear fell. Not yet.
Itachi still said nothing.
She let out small, feigned laugh. Though the sadness, the slighty cry in her vocals was easily heard, even as she tried to hide it. Her smile was still strongly held as shook her head, averting her eyes breifly before returning to his.
"You know...he left me because of you..." She let out another sad laugh. "He even tried to kill me..its funny, huh?"
Noting Itachi's silence, she continued, continuing to feign her cheerfulness, even though she knew, she just knew the older Uchiha could see right through her. "I always used to make up excuses..telling myself it was because of me..I know I was very annoying..I was young back then..but even now...I've grown...I've changed my ways. But he still is the same." She let her eyes travel to the ceiling, her smile still prominent. "Its him. Its you. You both are the reason why he's like he is now."
Itachi still said nothing. His gaze was still on her, and there was no apparent change.
"I tried time and time to talk to him...but all he ever cared about, even above himself, above me,was you." This time as she glanced back to Itachi's sharingan eyes, a lone tear made its way down her face.
Sakura reinforced her smile as she brought up a hand to wipe the lone tear.
"You're all he would talk about. He wants to kill you, he thinks it will make everything better if he kills you, the man who murdered his family, his clan. The cold, horrible man who could easily do such a thing. Who could stand by, and watch as his little brother destroyed himself, his friends, his home.." She let out another humourous grunt of amusement, her eyes continuing to sparkle.
"You've created a monster, you know?"This time she let her gaze travel to his once again, not transistioning them elsewhere. She held her large smile, even as the tears started to pour down her face. "He's become just like you...killing innocent people...you did kill innocent people, right?They didn't do anything to you, did they?Your clan...they were innocent people..right?...Sasuke was innocent...him and his clan...they got their lives taken away, you know?" Even more tears poured down her face, and it was then that the struggle to keep her smile was clearly perceived.
"He must really love you, neh?" She took a quick moment to sniffle. "He's dedicated his life to you, he's doing anything he can to find you, he can't forget you.."She let out another laugh. "..Am I a bad person, to feel..just a little jealous?"
"You're not a bad person, Sakura-san." She was slightly suprised at his words, even more so at the fact that he had spoken. His tone was very soft, quiet, genuine. Though his words only brought more tears to her eyes.
"How about you, are you a bad person? If you were really as bad as Sasuke's beleives you to be, you wouldn't be talking to me, would you? You wouldn't have taken care of me. You wouldn't have let Sasuke, live, right?" Her wavering eyes almost seemed hopeful. She had accepted the fact that Sasuke was turning out to be like Itachi. She was hoping to see good in Itachi, so that she could see good in Sasuke. She was hoping that things weren't as bad as they seemed to be. She was hoping that she could understand. Understand why she was feeling this way. Why she was telling Itachi all this.
Why she wanted anything to know that Itachi wasn't a cold-blooded killer.
A long silence ensued, and for that long period of time she kept her watering eyes locked to his, as he did to her. He still said nothing, and after a moment she let out a barely discernable, amused huff. She let a smile grace her lips once again as her gaze fell downcast. It was then that his sudden voice pulled her head back upwards.
"When he was younger, he adored me." Her surprised gaze returned to Itachi. "...Our father, the entire clan.. they pushed me to do everything. Anything other than perfect was no exception...I was to climb the shinobi social ladder, become the bridge to more important clans, important people. I was thought of as a success...not as a son..."Her emerald eyes flashed with even more sadness, wavered even more as she continued to listen to him. "He had wanted to be just like me..Sasuke..he was the only thing I cherished. His innocence was everything. But his naiveness also made him foolish, un-open to the true ways of the Uchiha clan. He knew only what they feigned to a child such as he.." His eyes remained unchanging, though she hardly caught an undiscernable flicker of something, something that had crossed over the depths of his eyes. "The way Sasuke looked up to me, the feelings for me he made clearly evident, was something I had never experienced before...it had kept me going, if only for a momentary time..but it did not stop me from reaching beyond the social bridge I was to be.."
"So in other words you wanted to rebel.." She did her best to make humor of it..finding herself wanting to cry even more. Cry at the fact that she had been wrong about everything, that everyone had been wrong. That Itachi..in his own way..had been right.
Itachi breifly closed his eyes, letting out a small, hardly discernable grunt of amusement. "To measure my full capacity, Sakura-san, I knew that Sasuke and the Uchiha clan would only make that goal impossible."
Her wavering gaze was fixated on him for a moment longer before she lowered her head, letting her pink locks of hair fall, obscuring her face from view. Though the little droplets that started to soak a small area of the bedsheet before her defeated the purpose.
"You couldn't kill Sasuke because of your deep love for him." Sakura concluded, the cry in her voice unmistakable.
"There were many reasons, Sakura-san." It was then that his gaze finally left her, looking to the ground before him. "Hate is all I know. I have nothing left." His voice was still impassive, yet this was said quietly.
"Why don't you tell me, Sakura...when did I ever mention...wanting happiness?"
Her head snapped up when she sensed Itachi's movement. His back was facing her as he turned to walk out of the room. Her watering emerald eyes stayed on him as he started to move, wavering deeply, determinedly by the time he placed his hand on the doorknob. With determination she pushed herself off the bed in one movement, ignoring the pain and almost jumping off the bed as she fell towards him, tears falling in a stream behind her.
Itachi's strength allowed him to stay planted as she fell into him from behind, wrapping her arms around him tightly. As she did so his Sharingan eyes transitioned to her, silently watching her as she cried into the back of his cloud-patterned cloak, soaking it in the process.
"Hate is all I know, I have nothing left."
She understood everything now. Itachi was just like Sasuke. He was suffering, he was lonely, he was strong, enduring. Yearning for help that both would never think to ask for.
"Then let me show you love.."Her words to him were in a soft cry, the only pauses were for her to try and control a sob or hitch of breath. "Let me love you..so that you don't have to be alone anymore!" There was a brief pause as she was overcome by a few more sobs, she squeezed the older Uchiha tighter.
His Sharingan gaze had considerably softened as he looked to her, a slight wavering shaking it before he averted his gaze to rest ahead of him, at nothing in particular. He said nothing. After a moment he closed his eyes, as if trying to control something.
Emotion.
"I'm sorry.." she started again, the cry in her voice even greater. "I'm so sorry that I had been one more person against you, not knowing anything about you, judging you..hating you for something that you didn't do, for something that wasn't your fault..please forgive me."
Itachi's eyes had slowly opened once again, still remaining focused on nothing in particular. "..there is nothing to forgive.." He said after a while, words soft, almost slow in their speech. Sakura's watering emerald orbs finally opened as her sobs had ceased. She was much calmer as she slightly loosed her grasp so that she could slowly swing around to Itachi's front.
Their gazes met as she looked up at him sadly, hopefully.
"Then let me give you a reason to live.." Her words to him were very calm, her emerald orbs wavering, tears continuing to flow as she looked up to him. "Let me help you let go of all your hate, so that you don't have to suffer anymore.." She pushed herself onto her toes as she reached up to hug him around the neck. "Let me save you both.." She whispered into him as she closed her eyes, even more tears starting to flow.
She realized in her own words that Sasuke and Itachi were very alike, in ways that they may not have known. They were suffering all the same, hating all the same, destroying themselves all the same. And each other was their answer, their savior. The other would be a way to end that, and it was only in a way that they perceived was battle, that would be an end to everything.
Sasuke...he was well aware of his love for his older brother...and he hated it. He justified his actions as revenge for his clan..which was true..but in his own way..killing Itachi would also free him from the adoration that still tried to conquer his thoughts.
Itachi...he had let his little brother live..not only because he loved him...but because he wished for Sasuke to kill him. He was the only one who could. The only one who could finally release him from this hell-like world he lived in.
But what they both didn't realize was that it would only make Sasuke's life more miserable.
Her heart ached for the Uchiha brothers.
They both needed love.
..ooo000ooo000ooo..
The rain was coming down in constant sheets now, soaking the figures which were traveling in the darkness.
"Kakashi, we're very close now. It should be in the clearing ahead." What looked to be a small dog, spoke with it's deep voice. It was Pakkun, wearing the usual jounin outfit. He fell behind for a second as he pushed off another tree branch.
"Are they all there?" The jounin ninja asked.
"I believe so. Although the rain is making it hard for me to be sure."
Kakashi glanced to the Medical ANBU behind them, exchanging a slight nod, as they continued. Tenshi had contacted them via Sakura's comlink, as promised, telling them of the horrible situation they were in. Medical ANBU were dispatched immediately, Kakashi persuaded the Hokage to let him go as well.
They all slowed down as they reached the clearing. Pakkun immediately ran over to the shinobi they spotted laying on the ground in a single file line. He sniffed them all and looked up to Kakashi. "They're all alive." The ANBU medical ninja's immediately made their way over to the Konoha shinobi, checking their injuries. Kakashi looked sadly at the condition of the shinobi. A horrible battle had taken place.
Kakashi looked at all of them, noticing one was missing. "Pakkun, can you pick up Sakura's scent?" The dog stopped and put his nose up into the air, doing his best to sniff in the rain.
"Sakura was here, her scent is on each of these shinobi. Mainly Naruto.." The dog answered. " Kakashi..Itachi was here..Sasuke was here as well." Kakashi's eyes widened.
"Kakashi-san come over here, quick." Kakashi looked to an ANBU who had wandered near a huge crater. He was looking at something in the crater, eyes wide. When he neared, Kakashi looked as well, his eyes immediately widening. He saw the ANBU member Tenshi, who had already been taken out. He was dead. Kakashi looked to the other body in the crater, immediately recognizing him.
Hoshigaki Kisame.
He flashed back to the battle he had with them in Konoha.
He was dead as well. That was proof that Itachi had been here. What amazed him was that the ninja who were unconscious right now managed to defeat Kisame.Kakashi took another look at the shinobi who were being hauled onto the ANBU members backs.
" Kakashi-san, they aren't in critical condition, but if they aren't taken back to Konoha they will be. Someone has already partially healed them, the reason in which they are still alive. It's practically a miracle."
Sakura..
Kakashi looked to the last ninja who they were getting ready to lift up. He noticed that something was different about the young man. " Hold on." Kakashi told the Medical ANBU as he made his way over to Naruto. His eyes widened as his suspicions were correct.
The Kyuubi's seal which was usually around Naruto's belly button was no longer there. What exactly happened? The Kyuubi couldn't already be with the Akatsuki, it wasn't that easy to extract it. But then..where exactly was the Kyuubi? Was it still somehow inside of Naruto? That would be impossible.
But just looking at Naruto made Kakashi hurt. He was in horrible shape. Where would he have been without Sakura's healing powers? Kakashi made up his mind. He wasn't leaving until he brought Sakura back with him.
"Hang in there, Naruto." Kakashi was about to stand up until the blonde haired man opened his cerulean eyes. His face was slightly cringed in pain.
"Take..take..me with you." Naruto muttered. He knew exactly where Kakashi was going. Kakashi looked Naruto in the eyes, silently agreeing. There was no way he could refuse. This was a very personal matter, for the both of them.
"It's all my fault.." He heard Naruto mutter to himself. Without a word, Kakashi put the young man on his back, fully standing up.
"Kakashi-san, we are leaving now," The ANBU member gave Kakashi a communicator. "Here. Contact us if there are any problems." With that, the medical ANBU ran off with the rest of the Konoha shinobi, on a trail straight back to Konoha. Kakashi watched them until they were out of sight.
"Alright Nar-" Kakashi looked back to see that Naruto had fallen asleep/unconscious again. With a slight smile, Kakashi continued with Pakkun, following the path that Itachi, Sakura, and Sasuke had taken. Kakashi had a feeling they would all meet. Kakashi had a determined look on his face.
He was going to find Sakura, if not for Naruto's sake.
Thanks for reading! Hope ya liked it!
Oh and, i know that the leader of the Akastuki is still unknown, so i was wondering if you readers could help me out..meaning give me ideas on who you think the leader is, or how you would prefer him to look. It would be much appreciated!
