Chapter 19
Sakura felt her stomach drop as the machine tipped over. Sasuke seemed to have finished his illusion jutsu just in time, because he came up beside her right as she landed the ground. Pumping more chakra into her fist, the kunoichi ripped a gash into the exterior of the machine so they could look inside and demolish it—they couldn't leave any stone unturned.
Sasuke stared at the mess of wires and pumps, which stood motionless from his genjutsu.
"Do you see that?" He asks, pointing towards a green bottle of bubbling fluid. Sakura reaches for it, but Sasuke halts her hand. It was liquefied chakra, contained in a thick glass vial. "Don't touch it. You're as bad as Naruto. We don't need your face to melt off again."
She scoffs. "It didn't melt off. It peeled, like a banana."
He rolls his eyes and looks around some more, finding a power cord on the wall. With a—"God Sakura, you're such a dumbass for pulling apart every single wire when there was a power cord right here."—type of look, Sasuke unplugs the cable. Maybe he wouldn't ever speak the words, but his face portrayed a saucy arrogance.
Come to think of it, Sakura hadn't seen much emotion from him in a long while. He was so good at communicating without saying a single word. Or, perhaps Sakura was starting to read his expressions easier. She felt both proud, and slightly insulted by the look. "So, what do we do now?"
Sasuke sidestepped her and made his way out of the robots core, falling to the ground beneath. As soon as his feet hit, computerized fragments turned into a soft billow of snow, rising up to his knees. The sudden shock of cold sent every hair on his skin to stand at attention.
Not this again.
Sakura peeked from beyond GA, watching as a trail of snow parted under the weight of Sasuke. She was wearing long sleeves, but her shorts were much too little to trudge through the frost.
It completely frustrated her. The men were allowed to wear thick, warm pants and the women wore nothing more than panties just long enough to cover her bare assets. She tugged them down, forcing the fabric to ride lower on her hips before falling into the powder below.
She sees that, as Sasuke walks, he's creating a wide birth. Using his hands and arms to shove away the frost, Sakura finds herself smiling at his back. He often had bouts of chivalry pop out. Yes, Sakura was a capable kunoichi. Kunoichi's were still very much human, and all humans were susceptible to chilly weather.
Before long, their room appears amongst the snow. They shake the fake fluff from their clothes at sit at the table together, where food is already sitting. Steaming Udon sat under her nose, sending the hearty smell of fried tofu and fish cake through her nostrils. Sasuke slurped up a dense noodle and looked at her, narrowing his eyes.
"What?" He asks.
So much had happened between them. Many word were left unspoken, partially because it wasn't the time to discuss things, and partially because neither knew how to bring up all that needed to be said. It was…almost unsettling how comfortably they could share a meal together. Sasuke had been hostile towards her, and Sakura had been ferociously defensive.
Every step forward, caused ten steps back.
Since Sasuke had returned for the Exams, they had touched and spoken more than they ever had in the entirety of her life—although, most of the actions were forced. Sill, it's hard for her to shake the tension within. Sasuke had been inside of her mind. It was such an intimate experience. What had he seen?
Did anything change for the better?
This wasn't Naruto in front of her, who relished every contact and smile sent his way—be it from his wife, friends, or admirers. This was Sasuke. He didn't like to be touched, and he certainly didn't bond by normal means. (Sparing and fighting was a quicker way to get to know someone, no matter how counterproductive the end results were.) Sasuke savored solitude. He'd become a drifter, floating along in life, searching for redemption and healing.
Sakura thought that was incredibly sad.
She wanted to be his friend. She wanted to complete the exams and succeed with Sasuke by her side. She wanted to watch him leave this time without feeling empty and useless—and although she'd tried to be patient…the constant conflicts were breaking her apart.
"Can…we talk, Sasuke?"
Continuing as though she hadn't spoken, Sasuke finished his bite and took a long sip of tea, giving himself a moment. They did need to talk. There was so much to discuss, and this wasn't the best environment for it. People were listening. In fact, Sasuke's not even sure that his own mind wasn't compromised as well.
"Soon," He surprisingly agrees. Sasuke wipes his mouth on the corner of his napkin and stands. "Keep your mind on the task at hand."
With that, he turns sharply and heads towards one of the empty beds. Sakura watches as he carefully removes his ninja boots and places them just so. He removes the wrapping from around his head, letting thick bangs fall into his face and cover both eyes completely. Slipping into the warmth of the bed, Sasuke tells her to wake him in a few hours and leaves her to take watch.
The room was cool; probably to simulate the weather outside, but it wasn't uncomfortable. He listened as Sakura finished her meal, preoccupying his thoughts with the final boss battle that was bound to come.
The taijutsu opponent was their first victory. To beat it, Sasuke and Sakura had used physical-type blows and very little chakra. The genjutsu robot could only be defeated if placed into an illusion—the majority of the battle was offensive. If this trend continued, they'd be able to use weaponry on the next enemy.
Sasuke didn't fidget. He did not gnaw on the inside of his lip when he thought, nor did he shake his leg or rub his chin. Sasuke stared off into the distance, letting the cogs of his mind grind as he mentally prepared for multiple scenarios. It was the best way for him to fall asleep.
Eventually, he did.
The room was unbearably chilly. The dining room chair had become too stiff to sit in, so she was curled atop the adjacent bed from Sasuke. The backs of Sakura's thighs felt like ice, and as the night stretched on, she found that her arms and legs physically began to tremble. Each minute dropped the temperature a half-degree.
She eyed the thick blanket atop of Sasuke's feet, debating on whether to steal it or not. Sasuke was sleeping under the sheets like a lunatic. He wasn't even using it. Shaking the thought out of her head, she sighed audibly. Sasuke had just fallen asleep after staring at the ceiling for hours. Not willing to risk waking him, Sakura decided that the next best option was a smolderingly hot shower.
Realistically, it would only take a few minutes to scrub, get to temperature and run back out. Sakura had been the one to tell Sasuke that being alone wasn't a good plan, especially after that random attack.
The air around her was frosty to think straight. Sakura just wanted her hands to stop shaking. She was haru no—of the spring, not fuyu no—of the winter!
Beads of water run down her face and the length of her body, washing away sweat and warming her to her core. She looks down at her fingers and sees that the index nail on her right hand is split in half, leaking dried blood. It must have happened when she'd pried the top of the genjutsu android. Her tongue slides over the crack, testing the sensitivity.
The exams had been excruciating. In hindsight, Sakura should have believed the rumors floating around—stuff about robots and metal orbs and blah, blah, blah…
Hearsay in Konoha was extremely prevalent. The children gossiped, the wives gossiped, and even the men spread rumors around their morning coffee and training sessions. Sakura had ignored slanders and accusations, considering many involved Sasuke and that just made her lash out at random people.
There had been gossip, long ago, that Sasuke Uchiha liked girls with long hair. That was the most innocent thing she could remember. The girls in the academy buzzed from the knowledge, many pledging that they'd never cut their hair ever again.
Her own pink strands stick firmly to her breast, and she wonders if thatwas just a silly accusation, too. It had been so important to her, back then, as if the length would make Sasuke notice and the color wouldn't. Looking back, long hair would have been seen as a distraction and the great Uchiha wouldn't want a distraction on his team.
He had goals to accomplish, after all—a certain man to kill, a clan to restore.
Sakura thumbs the scar on her abdomen, absentmindedly, where Sasori had pierced her uterus and ended her womanhood. At 16, there wasn't much time to mourn the loss of what could never be. She was too busy fighting for Sasuke to worry about never becoming a mother. As she ages, though, the thought seemed to be popping up more and more often. Konoha had a baby boom after the war. Many women came in with rounded bellies and glowing skin. Sakura delivered a new generation.
That was just the way her cards landed.
Sakura expertly blades the hairs of her legs and finishes her routine—soaping her locks, scrubbing her face and brushing her teeth quickly. She looks down one last time to check for any missed spots and that's when she sees the pink water.
Have I cut myself with the razer?
Sakura kicks out each leg, and notices that the redness gathered at her thighs. She hasn't had a period in a few months—which wasn't unusual with all things considered. Infertility meant your eggs stopped dropping. There was no reason to shed her inner lining if the egg never came.
Before, she'd gotten at least some sort of symptom, however. This time round, Sakura didn't cramp or bloat at all.
Of all the times for this to happen…how unlucky can I get?
Shaking her head, she rinses well once more and steps out to dry. The rug was luxurious beneath her feet. As good as it felt, the color ruined the mood completely. Everything was white—white floor, white counter, white towels. She wrapped herself in the cloth and squatted down, searching for feminine supplies under the sink where she'd found medical supplies before.
Contestant 05 would like to communicate with you. Permission to open a direct route; denied or granted?
Sakura flails in that moment, standing straight as panic floods through her. How long had she been in here? Were they under attack? Her thoughts are bouncing around in a panicked frenzy. What an idiot" she says, berating herself. Sasuke's gonna kill me!
Deny! She calls back to CYLAN, hoping Sasuke won't take it personally. She hastily searches the drawers, looking for pads, tampons, cups, even gauze would help at this point!
Contestant 05 would like to communicate with you. Permission to open a direct route; denied or granted?
She knows that she needs to answer him. He could be battling a robot and she would be none the wiser. Clearing her head away from the warmth between her legs, she accepts the direct route and waits for his voice to pop through while quickly thrumming her fingers on the countertop.
Where are you? he asks. She can hear the annoyance in her head.
I'm in the restroom, sorry! I'll be out in just a—
The floor has a small puddle of water from when she'd roamed around too hastily without drying off. Her leg slides out from under her and she almost does a split, slamming her right foot into the corner of the counter and her left kneecap on an opened cupboard. It's such a clumsy action for a ninja, proving just how flustered she'd really gotten.
Tipping over onto the floor, Sakura grasps her practically crushed pinky and howls in pain. "Damn it!"
The door bursts open.
Splayed out on the floor in all of her awkward glory, Sakura sat. Eyes like saucers, the woman looks towards Sasuke with a mixture of despair and agony while clutching her foot. She's shaken, but not mortally wounded. Sasuke scans the room for an enemy.
With his all-seeing eyes, he watches drops of water drip from the recently used faucet and takes in the steamed-up mirror. From there, the dampness of her hair and the towel wrapped around her nude body gave him an obvious conclusion.
"You're showering?"
Sputtering out, a semi-articulated Sakura tries to explain. "I did! I've only been in here a minute."
"You're bleeding?"
Her head immediately looks down at her toe, but stops once the redness of her towel becomes evident. Somehow, during her fall, the material had rose up to her bellybutton, looking as if her stomach that was injured. Embarrassment feathered her cheeks.
"Uh-huh. I was just looking for the correct…type of dressing for my wound."
"This is why you abandoned your post?"
She scrunches her face at his even voice.
If Sasuke were a father, he'd be the type to incite fear from just his presence—he didn't need to yell or glower. You could tell you were in trouble. Sasuke's glare was excruciating and the fact that she was nude, menstruating, and hurting from almost ripping her pinky toe from her foot didn't help at all.
She lies to his face, unable to say that the real reason for putting him at risk unwatched was that she was a bit cold. "Yes, sorry Sasuke."
He does not seem to accept or deny her apology, and instead opens the mirror to pull out all sorts of wraps and bandages. "I put them up here. Wake me up next time."
She sees a box of tampons in the upper corner and almost screams with delight. Sasuke twists on his heel and closes the door firmly behind him before she can say anything more.
Sasuke was frustrated. He had awoken, after all, to an empty room. After everything they'd just gone through by sleeping separately, the worst kinds of images flashed through his mind. It wasn't fair to think that he'd put too much faith in Sakura. Dressing ones wounds and completing basic hygienic practices shouldn't be a big deal.
There was another reason he was flustered, too. Somehow, during and after their battle, Sasuke hadn't noticed that Sakura had gotten hurt. His eyes could see everything. How had he been so blasé?
The blood from her wound was large enough to leave a fist-sized circle on her towel even after running warm water on it. When had it happened? Had he not been careful enough?
Kakashi had been right, it seems. Sasuke had the audacity to barge into his office and tell him how Sakura was unfit for the Exams—yet he was the one that didn't protect his teammate or even notice she was harmed.
The door opens slowly, allowing a timid Sakura to escape into the darkness of their shared room. Steam swirls around her as the heat of her bath collides with the cool air. The dusty rose tendrils she was most likely named after stick to her face hug her shoulders like a veil. She pulls at her sleeves, tugging them over her hands like they're just as shy as she is from Sasuke's piercing stare.
The nebula of confusion that had been tumbling in his head had suddenly halted as he took her in. She bows her head in shame.
"I lied to you." Sakura says pitifully, bringing her cuff to her lip, and catching it between her teeth. Though it's difficult, the kunoichi keeps her mind as blank as possible. CYLAN connects them still.
She had heard everything while she finished getting dressed. Sasuke was guilty about something he had no control over. He'd also…gone to Kakashi and said she was…unfit? Her stomach does flips.
"You lied?" Sasuke says aloud. What did she lie about? Is she too tired to heal?
Sakura gnawed the fabric pressed between her teeth, finding her bare feet more entertaining. Her pinky toe was red, darkening to the dark-purple of a bruise. This connection was both enthralling and unjust, but she isn't ready to sever it just yet. The woman squeezes her eyes shut.
"I took a shower because it was cold in here. I told myself it was only going to be a minute, but I ended up enjoying it a bit too much. I got distracted. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you asleep like that after what we just went through."
The comprehension of it all is projected right back towards Sakura. Sasuke's eyebrows dip together. Any other time, Sakura would have assumed that his expression was one of disapproval. Instead, his mouth relays the thoughts he projected unto her.
"You were wounded. You could have feinted." It's good that you listened to your instincts. You might have missed your injury if you hadn't.
"It's…it isn't that bad." She retorts, waving her hands in front of her face to dismiss his accusation.
"Regardless, you need to rest. CYLAN said we should sleep until prompted otherwise." Sasuke points to the windows, which hadn't been there the first time round. "It's dark outside."
"Aren't you still tired, too?"
I've got too much adrenalin. "I'm wide awake now."
Sakura nods, still feeling guilty but remains silent. She was tired. It was still so frigid in here, and the cocoon that she'd made seemed so inviting.
Unlike Sasuke, this kunoichi did fidget. She didn't sink into her comforter like a normal person at all. Tugging left and right, rolling underneath the pile of wrinkled fluff, the woman finally manages to cover her entire body and curls into a ball.
Watching her curiously with obsidian eyes, Sasuke waits until her breathing slows to turn his back on her and search for food. Atop the table there's sifted tea and onigiri, ready to be eaten. Sasuke prepares himself a warm cup of water and shakes in an herbal mixture. He sips on the steamy mug and waits patiently morning to arrive.
About an hour later, after nothing much had changed except for the temperature, an image floats through his head.
At first, he's sure that they're about to be attacked. Some kind of manipulation was crawling into his subconscious, too fuzzy to make sense of at the moment. The image grows, becoming clearer, sending his thoughts reeling.
He was…kissing Sakura.
Not really, not physically, but behind his eyes the picture played out. Instead of Sakura's lowered eyes, rounded nose and full lips, Sasuke stared back at a version of himself. His hair was messy as if he'd just escaped war, and his face was sorrowful.
And, he was shirtless. Wha…?
Do you have to go? I don't want you to leave.
Sasuke's eyes snap open and he looks at the woman who matched the voice inside of his mind. Sakura's head was peeking from beyond her covers. She lay flat on her back, her lip was dancing between her teeth and her eyes moved rapidly under their lids as the dream she'd concocted bled right into his own consciousness.
Their connection was still active from earlier? How had he not noticed?
I have to go, but I'll always come back to you, darling.
A snort hisses from his nose without warning. Sasuke quickly covers his mouth and looks back to Sakura, who didn't seem affected by the noise in the least. Carefully setting his hand back down, the ninja furrowed his eyebrows, watching curiously as the bizarre dream continued.
He was awful. This is a private moment after all, and certainly not something Sasuke would ever want anyone to see if he were on the other side of things. Wet dreams were embarrassing enough on the receiver—imagine being part of one secondhand? It was too hard to turn away. In the least perverted sense of the word, Sasuke was interested as to how this would end.
Closing his eyes, he watches as his hands reach for her face and he leans in once more. Their lips press together and their heads touch. You have such a charming forehead.
This time he doesn't snort. Sasuke chuckles aloud, taking in the absurdity of such an innocent imagination. His hands rub the smile off his mouth as he gains his composure, taking a sip of tea to calm himself.
Puberty, for him, had been a lot messier than what Sakura was going through, if he remembered correctly. Obviously, Sakura was physically past that stage in life, but the purity of her dream made him realize just how innocent she really was.
Sasuke's sure that as a medic, she'd seen more naked women (and men) than he'd see in a lifetime. Yet, she doesn't picture Sasuke doing anything with her except for sweet-nothings and chaste presses of the lips. The action in her head played out like Kakashi's silly erotica. Surly, if it happened in real life, they'd be horizontal and there'd be a lot less talking.
Just as he thinks it, Sakura's dream flitters back into his head. His own thoughts seemed to affect her, because dream-Sasuke separates their mouths and travels down south along the curve of her jaw, farther, father.
Shaking his head, hiding his amusement in his cup, Sasuke finishes his tea and tries to block out the tosses and turns his teammate seems to be plagued by. Like a lion, his chest swells with pride.
The Uchiha were so narcissistic.
"Good morning!"
Looking around the corner with his toothbrush in his mouth, he watches as Sakura stretches. Deft fingers work the tousled strands of her hair as she twists it into a braid, smiling merrily towards her partner.
Sasuke spits. "You slept well."
The woman floats to the table, opening up a wicker basket in search of food to fill her empty stomach. Sakura hums as she pulls out a leftover rice ball. "How can you tell?"
Not bothering to respond, the man wipes his mouth and leaves his smirk into the hand towel by the sink. "You've been out for about three hours. Dawn is breaking. We'll leave when you're ready."
It doesn't take long for Sakura to eat and brush her teeth. Feeling rejuvenated and spunky, the kunoichi tugs on her boots and beats Sasuke out of the door. When he exits after, the dormitory fades into data, pixilating into the foggy air around them.
Sasuke's boots break through the first layer of snow. He'd always liked winter more than the summer he was born into. Summer belonged to Naruto—bright, fun, energetic Naruto. His body burned hot with the fire of his clan.
Sasuke walks down the nonexistent pathway and kicks a lump of frost out of his way. "This last cyborg will be more cunning than the rest. Be prepared for another ambush."
Sakura looks at his broad shoulders and narrow waist. A smile spreads across her mouth as she soaks in the high of her dream. "Yeah, I guess it's a ninjutsu thing. Stealth and all that…"
"Ninjutsu is more than just stealth. It's everything that's not genjutsu or taijutsu."
The woman nods. "Of course, it's me you're talking to. I'm a walking dictionary." Her feet catch up to him and she walks by his side. "I'm not worried. Your Great Fireball Technique and Kusanagi should be more than enough to finish this."
This piques his interest. "How'd you learn so much about my jutsu?"
"The library, and the Hokage's personal archives. I took the liberty of researching everything I could about you." She responds earnestly. "I had to learn your weaknesses, after all."
"Ah," He responds dryly. "And what did you learn?"
"Well, everything was pretty vague. From being on your team, I knew that you were a master of wire-strings. Somewhere along the way you'd learned to summon—a hawk and a snake, I believe? Your chakra reserves had also increased exponentially."
Sasuke listens as she spews, waving her arms as her mouth babbles on. He didn't really care much about what she was saying, but he listens because it's important to her and he can't remember ever seeing her so enmeshed in a subject. Considering he was the subject, it made sense.
"I guess your greatest weakness is that you're too cocky."
He stops so suddenly that Sakura runs into his back. Looking over his shoulder, he watches as she rubs her nose. Her cheeks are frostbitten and her bare thighs and legs are red from the wind. "I'm cocky?"
Sakura looks up at his curious gaze. "Did you not know?"
Saying nothing, he merely scoffs and continues on, letting Sakura speak once more. "You're like, the cockiest person I've ever met. I'm not saying you can't back it up or anything—you and Naruto are God tier ninja for Kami's sake…I'm just saying, you could work on your humility."
"And how would I do that?"
She narrows her eyes. "Are you asking me seriously?"
They walk a bit farther in silence. The wind starts to howl and there's zilch to shelter themselves behind. The sun, although high in the artificial sky, did nothing to warm their skin. An idea pops into her mind.
"Help me with my battleax."
Long ago, when the Uchiha clan was revered, Sasuke learned weaponry. He had never been interested in the traditional classes, the itchy garb they had to wear and delicate hand positioning didn't matter much when a wild boar the size of a house was barreling towards you.
Still, his mind remembered the drawstring against his cheek. He remembered how far his feet were supposed to stand when he held a bow-and-arrow. He remembered the whip of his bokken as he parried his cousins, slamming the practice sword down on their vitals as he struck a kill-zone. Itachi taught him how to steady his kunai. His mother taught him advanced shuriken techniques.
They're all such pleasant memories.
Batting with axes was a rare art that took both strength and stamina. Fighting beside one another against this final machine would help them finish all that much faster. Sakura, if he remembered correctly, was a fast learner and she was obviously perfect at controlling her chakra. None of it would be wasted.
"Summon your axe, we'll practice."
Sakura almost cheered aloud.
Truth be told, she had never spoken so much without someone shushing her or boring from the conversation. Sakura's sure that it's because she was spot-on in her assessment—Sasuke was interested because she was blathering about him after all. She could talk for hours about medical subjects and poisonous plants, so much so that even Ino could only handle a few sentences. It was nice to let it all out.
"You're serious?" She says, making sure before she expends unnecessary chakra.
Sasuke shrugs, pulling out a canister of water that had been left in the lodging area. Sasuke offers it to her, this time without wiping the mouthpiece, and she takes the drink after him like her stomach wasn't as flurried as the weather around her.
"Thank you," She grins back. "You have no idea how happy I am right now."
As always, Sakura's happiness was only fleeting.