Pompeii
Chapter 35
VesperChan

Nothing was ever perfect and nothing would ever be truly perfect, but sometimes Sakura started to believe things were as perfect as they could get. She didn't need anything else but friends like family and quiet nights surrounded by a feeling of security. Stuff was growing more and more hectic with the allergy season ramping up and more people coming into the clinic to act like children about a runny nose, but Sakura still had the evenings to rest and unwind with friends closer than friends.

Behind her, Sai combs through her hair with his fingers, pulling apart strands into sections he would weave together later. He always took his time when she allowed him to play with her hair. Sakura readjusts her position on the floor, bumping one of Sai's knees with her own before reaching to throw down a card atop one of Yamato's.

"Go fish."

Sakura groaned. "Are you going to say that every time? I messed up once, just once, and you need to remind me every chance you get. This is rummy, I got it, I know."

Yamato's smile was teasing.

Behind her, Sai stilled. "You're very intelligent, but sometimes you are not that bright. He only says that to make you agitated and to cause a reaction. If you subtract the reaction from the equation then you will lose the agitation."

"Hey," Yamato quips loudly, sitting up straighter and pulling his legs under him. "I like the reaction."

Sakura chuckled and reached back to pat one of Sai's hands. "It's okay, Sai, I already know why he says it. I don't really mean it when I say it frustrated me. I think it's cute because it reminds me of times we've shared together in the past. So when I get upset sometimes it's okay."

Sai's hands still once more. "How will I be able to tell when you're really upset?" he asks with a worried tone.

"Here are some clues, if I'm smiling or laughing then it's okay. If I'm really upset my face might heat up and my eyes might get glassy with tears. I'll say I'm really upset and I'll never lie to you if you don't know and have to ask me."

"I couldn't see your face," Sai mumbled, still sounding troubled.

"There are also tonal intonations I've noticed when it comes to Sakura. If she's really upset her voice will crack and otherwise you can tell it's really fine if her voice is normal…but I think that's only true with Sakura." Yamato frowned to himself. "I don't know what it's like for other people though."

"It's fine then," Sai answered. "Aside from you two, I don't care enough to distinguish such things in others. It's only troubling to be faced with one's own failings yet again. Do not mind me."

His hands moved back into her hair and picked up where they left off, twisting strands over strands. It was almost enough to put her to sleep, but Sakura turned down her cards and reached out to touch his knees. When she felt his fingers still she spoke.

"It's okay if you don't feel comfortable opening up to others just yet, or learning more about the world at this time, but don't think you're incapable of doing so. You're going to change and grow and things that were harder to you before will become easier over time, I believe."

Yamato grinned, pinning his own cards down on the floor and using his free hands to cradle the back of his neck. He stretched all the while smile brightly over at Sai. "Yeah, you're still just a twig of a kid. You've got plenty of time to learn these things. And trust me, at least you're aware of how much you don't know. Better that than assuming you know it all and don't need help."

"I've met men like that," Sakura snickered.

"You didn't like these men, Sakura?" Sai asked.

Sakura laughed and it felt like a bubble popping, tickling his ears. "Gods, no. They're the worst, always assuming to know what you want in life, assuming that they're what you want, ugh, no thank you."

"What do they think you want?"

Sai asks the question but it's Yamato whose eyes go wide.

"They…men like that think that all women want a piece of them, to be with them, and that the reason I say no is because I'm only teasing them and trying to play hard to get."

Sai nods along, listening and understanding. His expression is serious and it's apparent to anyone watching that he is taking her words to heart. "And you're not?"

"No, this is different than when I'm with you and teasing Yamato. I already know Yamato, we're close, and he knows me well enough to know when I'm joking and when I'm not. If he didn't, I would tease him so much and pretend to get upset when he says something stupid."

"Teasing is a sign of closeness?"

"For me it is."

Sai was quiet for a while as he finished the braid in her hair. Across from her, Yamato breathed an extra heavy sigh of relief that their conversation didn't stray into the realms of 'what dirty old men want with pretty girls.'

They had already had one conversation with the boy about sex and it had been brief and terrifying. Sometimes Sai was an adult that saw more than any of them of the cruel world, but other times he was a sweet and innocent child that didn't know the first thing about what happened to his body when he was attracted to someone. Rumors circulated about the kids from Root being sexless humanoids, and maybe that was the case once before, but Sai was learning…maybe too fast the ways of the world.

"There, done."

Sai pulled away and Sakura reached behind her to feel for the braid that ran like a crown around the base of her skull. She smiled brightly, turning around to face Sai and grab him up into a hug that made him squeak.

"I love it!" she exclaimed. "Thank you."

And it wasn't a moment too soon that the timer above the stove goes off and Sakura can spell the chicken done. She gets up to pull it out and, seamlessly, the boys around her fall into the routine of setting up the table and carrying over the other items that would make up their dinner. They didn't need words anymore, it was routine by this point, which was funny.

Sometimes it seemed only yesterday that Sakura was on her own, feeling like there wasn't a spot of her anywhere. Seeing Sai and Yamato clear space for her chicken, as mundane as that was, put a weight in her chest that filled her up.

Sakura cut into the chicken to check and make sure it was done. A beautiful pink meat peaked out at her from the slice and she grinned. Sai would complain if it wasn't cooked all the way through.

Maybe Pompeii wasn't a perfect home, but she was almost positive that this was as close as it was ever going to be. For her it was enough. For her it was perfect.

"More allergies," Sakura murmured to herself, frowning at the chart with the list of names she had to meet with today.

It was more of the same and she was beginning to worry if there was something she was missing when she saw so much of the same in different people. Nothing was serious, and most of the time an antihistamine would take care of the symptoms right away. It was almost like most of the people in Pompeii didn't know how to use traditional pharmaceuticals unless she walked them through it. Did they really need an appointment with a doctor over something so minor?

"He's here," Shizune called out.

Sakura looked up from her chart and put it back on the wall, letting the cover papers fall over the names. "Thanks, I'm coming," she answered.

With her hands in her pockets she walked out, brightening when she spotted the rougher blond with eyes like shards of the clear day sky. Only one was visible, as the other was obscured behind heavy bangs and some other ocular instrument.

Deidara turned at the sound of her and his grin was a cut through his lips. There was mischief in the way he held himself, and she had to remember Ino's warning about her cousin. After Ino learned that Sakura was, oddly, not intimidated or disgusted by Deidara, and Ino had launched into a whole speel about don't mess with fire because you'll get burned and Deidara is worse than fire, he's fireworks.

Still, Sakura was glad to see him and glad to see he was in much better shape than when she last saw him.

"You look better than the last time you were here. You said it was allergies? They must not be that serious if you look that happy to see me," Sakura greeted.

"They're not. It's just something that's going around and normally we would just deal with it, but when you have a cute doctor that pampers you, why not take advantage of it? I'll be honest and admit I might have been looking for an excuse just to come in and see you, yeah."

Sakura led him into the back, smirking playfully at the way he jauntily sauntered past her, like it was all a game to him.

"How have you been?" she asked, shutting the door behind them.

"Oh just great. There's this fantastic perch I've got going for me that's ideal for sunsets and last week I was out there when-"

"I meant your allergies," Sakura laughed, interrupting his ramble.

The part of his face she could see flushed with color as he ducked his head and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I've been a little isolated, I think. It's been nice to come in and talk to someone who doesn't chase me out the first chance she gets."

A part of her heart hurt for the guy. "So it was a nice perch?" she asked.

Sakura took her time with her observation, already knowing that his allergies would yield that same prescription and saw no need to rush their appointment. She still did a thorough job and made sure what she suspected was confirmed, but she also listened to his stories and asked him probing questions.

"I'll take you some time if you're up for it."

Sakura paused as something conflicting came into her eyes. Deidara caught it and reached for her hand that was bracing on his chest under his shirt. She could feel as well as hear his heartbeat when he tugged her attention to his face.

"Hey, you okay? Something happen in the forest you don't like?" He swallowed and she felt his reaction to dropping her hand like a spark. "Or-no, never mind. I don't-no one goes with me anywhere. That's not-I'm sorry I suggested it. I got caught up and ran my mouth again. I was just-"

"It's not you," Sakura sighed, reaching up to pull the stethoscope out of her ears.

She hadn't finished listening to his lungs, but she needed to not be distracted and calm him down before doing anything else. She didn't want an inaccurate reading because something she said elevated his heart rate.

"The forest isn't friendly to me right now. I think I need to stay out of it for a little while more. I was there recently, but I don't know if that was a mistake." She wanted to believe her interest in getting to the bottom of the situation wouldn't be her undoing. Maybe she sounded more responsible than she really was, because in her heart there was that desire to go back, to know, to seek, and to find.

Go go, go!

Her wrist still tingled some days, reminding her that it shouldn't have healed as fast as it did without the medicine. Her bones remembered and they were whispering things to her that she chose not to hear. Magic was in her bones, now more than ever.

Deidara looked down at her from atop the exam table and pursed his lips. "It's sometimes scary, you're right. Pompeii has always been Pompeii, and that means something to people. Maybe it's a season of agitation, but it will pass, it always does."

She pushed down her feelings, stood on top of them, and smiled up at the blond. "You're right. Let me get a better look at those lungs. Do you mind actually taking your shirt off for this next part?"

Deidara hesitated, his fingers on the hem of his tank top. "No," he finally admitted, screwing his eyes shut and pulling the fabric up over his head and holding his breath.

Sakura saw a scar over his heart and what looked like another mouth sewn shut. His face was pinched and turned away from her.

"I'll be gentle," Sakura said, moving the cold metal piece to his chest and bracing with the other hand. "Breath in, inhale than hold it for me….good, now exhale for me. Yes, thank you. One more time."

Sakura listened to his lungs once more before moving around to hear from the back. Where she touched skin he seemed to warm for her.

"Yup, it's allergies for you too. Nothing more serious than that, thank goodness." She pulled away and tugged out the ear pieces so as to not hurt herself. "I'll be writing up a prescription if you think you need something stronger, but most over the counter medications will be all you need."

Deidara huffed, ducking his head into the neck hole of his shirt. "I'll stick to the over the counter stuff, if you don't mind. That old woman's grandson has had it out for me for gods know how long."

Sakura had to pause to think for a moment before responding. "Sasori?"

Deidara's nose wrinkled at the sound of his name. "That one, yeah. The immortal art obsessed twat. Yeah, um, I probably shouldn't mention him. I pissed of a witch a while back and now he shows up sometimes because of this hex and it's always triggered by something like mentioning his name out loud or thinking about him too hard. I hate the guy, I'll have you know. We always fight when we meet."

"You meet often?"

He shook his head and hopped of the table. "Nah, it's not a strong hex and it's more like, he'll happen to cross paths with me, it's not like a summoning."

"You didn't ask your cousin to ask someone to look into it for you? Ino knows some witches I think."

Deidara laughed, straightening out the wrinkles in his shirt, or trying to before giving up and resigning to the rumpled, punk look he seemed to radiate. "It'll be a cold day in hell before my cute little cousin manages such an impossible task for me."

Sakura pushed open the door with her prescription notepad already filled out, but paused on a step when she noticed the man waiting for her at her desk, and not in a waiting chair. Behind her she heard Deidara curse.

"You," Sasori hissed, straightening suddenly.

Deidara's shoulder hiked. "What are you doing here, scab?"

Sasori seemed more animated in his annoyance than Sakura had ever seen before. His hair seemed to shake the tiniest bit as he held himself up. "I should be asking you that. I have business with Sakura, you're the outsider here. What are you even doing inside the city limits, you hack?"

Sakura took a step back, drawing more centered between the two opposing males. For a moment it was as if she were forgotten as the duo launched into a well worn script of lines and insults that ranged from art to hair to skin tight jeans.

"Frankly, it's embarrassing," Sasori nearly hissed.

"At least my dick has an outline, what are you, sandpaper smooth?"

Sakura covered her face with her hands to hide how it burned. In the background Shizune cackled softly to herself, watching the pair go at it. Her eyes were sparks of mirth. Apparently it had been too long since she last saw something this entertaining for free.

"So the red one is dickless as well," Sai suddenly spoke up, appearing at Sakura's shoulder in a breath.

She gasped and staggered away, surprised by his sudden appearance. "What the-what are you doing here, Sai?"

His eyes were wide, looking up at her through pitch black lashes. "I heard shouting and came down to make sure you were safe. Are they bothering you?"

"Who is this brat?" Deidara hissed.

Sasori wisely kept his mouth shut, listening for the answer.

Sai wasn't an unknown person in Pompeii, but Sakura had learned not too early on, that Sai was a creature for the shadows and had little interaction with others, so it was rare but not uncommon for her to have to introduce him to older residents like Deidara, even though he was well known by someone like Ino or Naruto.

Sai's expression was back to that baleful blank look when he turned his face to Deidara's direction. "You do not matter to me. I need not explain myself. Sakura, should I remove him?"

"Talking to me like that, who do you think you are, here?" Deidara hissed before looking to Sasori. "He one of your hack art groupies?"

Sasori snorted delicately. "As if. Art is eternal. This creature is something else, obviously."

"There you go again, on and on about art being something to collect dust and wear out. You would think you're a human with such a pathetic outlook. The things that flash, that fade, those are examples of art. The gods looked down with envy in their hearts for all the love humans had for things they could never understand. Immortals were not made to love things,not truly. That's our sick twist of fate, get it?"

"Close, but neither of us are immortal, or did you forget that, bird brain?"

"Close enough," Deidara groused, still glaring hard at the redhead before his eyes cut back to Sai, who was standing at Sakura's elbow. "And you, kid, get off Sakura. She's working!"

Sai's tone was even, but Sakura could tell from experience that there was a thread of annoyance under his words. "Both of you are wrong when it comes to art, neither of you should be wasting your breath."

"I'm not even going to ask what you think, you're not worth it," Deidara groused.

"Nor I."

Sasori's attention shifted to Sakura and the hard angles of his gaze smoothed out. He paused for a breath that settle him and returned the softer aspects of his beauty. When he spoke, his tone carried familiarity.

"Sakura, my grandmother wanted to ask you what sort of ingredients and drugs she should be gathering and or preparing in the coming months. She noticed an increase in specific orders and wanted some clarity on what she should expect. I will return tomorrow around this time if it wouldn't be too much of a bother." He reached for her hand, fingers brushing in what felt like an effort to do nothing more than capture and hold her attention. "We may speak then."

"An-and I have to go too," Deidara rushed to say, attempting to look cool and badass like the redhead by playing it cool. "I'll leave my check with Shizune."

"Of course that's fine," Sakura said to Sasori before turning to Deidara. "And yes, but come back if it gets worse, kay?"

When both had left it was only Sakura and Sai in the office, with Shizune ducking into the back to make a phone call and laugh some more to a friend. Sai reached for her hand and stopped her from walking away. She turned back, a curious expression in her eyes.

"Art is an experience you share with others. Maybe sometimes it's just yourself, but art…is meant to be shared…I think."

His voice was soft and Sakura's heart melt to hear it.

"Yeah, I think so too."

Sai folded his lips into a smile. "I knew you'd see it my way, hag."

Sakura's soft smile faltered a little bit, but fell off completely when Sai began to laugh in a horrible, stilted, uneven manner. He sounded more like a metal machine grinding gears than a boy laughing.

"Sai, what did you just call me?"

"I read another book. This one said to use names to increase familiarity. I insulted you because we are close, so this is teasing, right? I'm like Yamato, making you annoyed!"

From the backroom, Shizune cackled louder.

Another day without sight or word from Pein.

"You sure about this?"

Sakura nodded to the seal master and stepped back. "Yes, I don't want to put miles on it when returning it, so if you could just seal it and then unseal it at the location designated, that would be wonderful."

The man looked at the paper in his hands with her order request. "Yeah, that shouldn't be too bad, it's not far though. I'd just drive it…at least once you know?"

Sakura smiled sadly, hating in her heart that she was doing this. She wanted the car, she wished she could keep it, but there were too many invisible strings tied to it, she knew she couldn't. She had to do the right thing.

Damn the right thing.

"You can bill my office here, thank you." Sakura took one last step back and watched as Pein's gift was there one moment and then gone the next, blinked between worlds. It would be in his designated parking spot at the dinner and if he came back, he'd see it there.

If he came back.