Well, here is the long awaited chapter. I must say I think it was worth the wait because when I looked at the word count, it was close to 4000 words. SOOOO.. yes. Thanks so much for the continuative support through your reviews!
I must remind you that this fic is rated M for a reason and the reason alone is in this chapter (yes I know..!) so please, if you are not of age or not matured enough please skip the very last section of this chapter…
If you are aren't mature enough for this type of thing, I don't know why you would be reading an M rated fic anyway but.. you know whatever.. XD;
Enjoy this chapter, that I've taken 2 weeks after I've came back from vacation to write. Please review as always XD
Within Her Shell: chapter 5The sun was only beginning to rise when a dark silhouette could be made out, limping weakly on the horizonEast to the figure, was a tall hill with exquisite flora that draped over the grass like fancy curtains that hung around ancient windows. The flowers were vibrantly colored and each and every one of them was unique.
On that particular hill sat a small wooden cottage with only one single window on its side. There was a vague mist around the cottage and light smoke steamed out of the chimney in large distinct wisps.
Despite the heaven-like and peaceful scenery, the ninja that had appeared on the horizon brought along the stench of death and hate, clearly contradicting the environment surrounding him. He grunted and continued on his path towards the cottage on the hill, trailing noticeable blood marks on the soft earth. The blood continually dripped like heavy rain as the soil beneath it absorbed the blood quickly. When the figure reached the door, he did not need to make himself known for the door wrenched open to reveal an irritated old woman.
There, standing in front of the door was a woman in her late eighties, her eyebrows furrowed with anger. The woman had wrinkles that covered so much of her face one could barely distinguish her features at all, if one bothered trying, in this case the ninja couldn't care less in his state.
"Sumi-san?" The young man croaked before letting out groans of pain and collapsing on the ground.
The woman's face did not soften as she observed the fallen ninja before her. Her eyes wandered over what remained of the ninja's clothing and then observed the scars that decorated his body. Then, her eyes fell on the back of his left arm, where an infamous tattoo was imprinted on his rough skin.
Three days have passed since Sasuke's acceptance to journey with Sakura. She had managed to successfully and completely heal the many wounds on Sasuke's body. No longer were the wounds half healed due to the lack of white blood cells. Kabuto, she admitted, was and still is an impressive medic. It had taken her 2 full days to open all the gates and allow the white blood cells to flow once more.
At the beginning, Sakura had thought she was able to restore the flow but it turned out to be only temporary and his wounds reopened the following day.
Occasionally her twelve year old self would come back and she would the need to rush to him with open arms and cry onto his back until she could cry no longer. But now older and more matured, she knew that that was an impossible fantasy and that it was absolutely foolish to even have feelings for him.
Watching him for three days and see that he acted around her as if they've never known each other and that he's never betrayed anyone enraged her so much she couldn't help but act unpleasantly.
Sasuke seemed more and more edgy with his surroundings and he was grating on her last nerves. Sakura had lost a lot of chakra already because she had transferred chakra into his body for two full days. Now, drained she could barely walk and he gave no indication of stopping.
When she had asked to stop, he had whirled around irritatingly and cursed at her for being so weak. Sakura had argued with him immediately, weakness being a sensitive issue to her.
They have walked on in tensed silence and the anger had submerged for the time being but she knew that with even just a light flick, the fire would be lit and everything around it would burn.
Suddenly, there was a rustle behind them and a branch fell sharply onto the ground, caused by the squirrels atop of the two. Mistaken it for a potential ambush, Sasuke released two kunais, one blocking the squirrel's path and the other hitting the squirrel squarely on its breast.
Sakura watched the poor animal fall with a sickening thud and felt her blood boil ferociously.
"Sasuke, it was just a damn squirrel!" Sakura shot angrily.
The Uchiha spun around for a moment surprised at her outburst but quickly replaced it with anger. His eyes focused in her direction and for a second seemed to stare right into her eyes.
"You do not want to test my patience, Sakura!" Sasuke warned. His fists clenched tightly and shook somewhat from lack of control.
"Sasuke," She spoke, her voice firm and calm.
The dark haired ninja, who was ahead of her, stopped but did not turn back.
"You do not want to test my patience either." Sakura spoke in a clear and consist tone that indicated her seriousness.
"I can leave this very moment and you can forget about the cure for your sight. I would have done this for our old friendship but by the way you are treating me, I won't have to do this at all. Plus, I've done you a huge favor in healing your wounds and reopening your blood vessel's gates."
"I would ask you to reconsider what you've just said." Came the reply. Politeness from Sasuke was rare but his tone was as rude as the words were polite.
"I've thought about it and that's my conclusion. I should have nothing to do with you, missing nin of Konoha."
Before she could even blink, there was a swish of rough wind and she was pinned to a tree with Sasuke holding a kunai dangerously near her throat while their faces stood but inches apart.
Sakura could hear his breathing so closely to her ear. It was rugged, possibly from anger.
"You will bring me to my cure." Sasuke growled. Sakura did not wince.
Clouds suddenly emerged and the sun quickly disappeared from view as the clouds got thicker and darker. The air grew humid, as dragonflies slowly appeared, prophesizing the upcoming rain.
I should've known that he would do this.
Sakura's emerald eyes looked defiantly into the young Uchiha's onyx eyes. Again, she saw that even if they seemed to be staring straight at her, they were sightless, lost, and vulnerable. He could not fool her.
She spat on his ivory face.
"The hell do you take me for, bastard." Sakura hissed, her temper rising. Any love she had for him left vanished that instant as she realized how she had made such a complete fool out of herself.
Sakura could see the anger start to boil and his eyes narrowed in fury. Letting out a shout, he slammed his fist directly beside Sakura's head while his other hand pressed the kunai harder against her smooth skin. Sakura did not even flinch when she felt the kunai finally cut her skin and felt her own hot blood trickle down.
"I will not give another warning, Sakura." Sasuke said, his voice deadly calm.
Sakura felt a single cold drop hit her forehead, and another on her lips.
"I'm not afraid of death. If I were, I would not have proposed to help you in the first place, no matter how much I sympathized for your condition." Sakura knew she had hit the nerve.
"I DO NOT NEED YOUR FUCKING SYMPATHY!" Sasuke yelled, his voice shaking tremendously as he dug the kunai deeper into her throat until she let out a yelp.
The rain that had been hanging heavily in the dark clouds now poured down in hard pierce-like motion, completely soaking the two ninjas. It marked the beginning of their battle.
Years of anger and sorrow she had been holding for Sasuke erupted from a secret chamber within her body as she released a large amount of poisoned smoke before disappearing and reappearing on a branch on top, hands already forming seals.
Without a moment's hesitation, Sasuke jumped up a nearby branch to avoid the poison smoke only to be shot by racing poison needles in which he dodged perfectly. Letting out a low murmur Sasuke traveled from branch to branch to reach Sakura. He charged with full force at Sakura, his hand containing the famous chidori.
Sakura's anger increased as she heard the shrieking of thousands of birds and saw the raging blue hue Sasuke's chakra gave off. Sakura continued her seals but was interrupted by a fire-covered shuriken. Using the opportunity to his advantage, Sasuke's chidori crashed down onto her but missed when she managed to dodge the attack in time. His other attacks were faster, however, much more faster than she had anticipated.
With little time to recuperate, all Sakura had time to do was dodge every blow by mere centimeters.
All these years, and I'm still not good enough to beat him?
Now her heart was thumping hard against her chest and she could hear the sounds it made on her ears like deafening drums. She could no longer hide the fear that had been secretly growing inside her since the moment their argument began. Her eyes were wide and alert, while her body was dodging each attack desperately trying to hold onto her dear life.
I will NOT die now. Not by the hands of Sasuke. I would be the one who will kill him first. I will show everyone that I am no longer that little girl, that I am a full grown kunoichi. I should've done this when I had the chance, now I'm under major disadvantage.
Sakura screamed out frantically trying to hit him while dodging his attacks at the same time. Her strength was already giving in for she had lost part of her charka due to healing his wounds. Take advantage of his sightless eyes, a voice told her.
Sakura dodged recklessly, her muscles already aching and her head growing heavier when a sudden plan formed inside her frantic mind. She was not sure if it would work but it was the only thing left. She was not prepared to fight in her condition to start with…
'Kawarimi no Jutsu!' Sakura murmured.
Sasuke's lips curled up slightly, obviously thinking this jutsu to be too low leveled, even for Sakura.
Your arrogance, along with your now sightless eyes, will be your downfall.
Instantly, a log in a loud puff of smoke replaced Sakura. Appearing at a nearby branch, she was shocked to see a kunai flying fast at her. Caught by surprised, she was caught on her left thigh.
"Kuso!" she cursed under her breath as more kunais came flying at her.
Her vision distorted and the trees merged together, making her temporarily confused. Sakura tried to ignore the numb feeling on her left leg and continued her tactic. She repeatedly did the replacement technique as Sasuke's fire attacks flew at her.
Its raining yet he can still manage to throw flaming shurikens at me.
The rain that was still pouring down harshly made her injuries ache more than it needed to be. He had managed to hit her quite a few times for she had foolishly start off in her regular speed. With his acute hearing, he could hear exactly where she was and the plan would not work if she continued with that speed. She had wanted to cut down the need to use chakra but she had underestimated his sense of hearing. She was tempted to stop her process and discontinue her plan completely to have a few moments to heal herself and ease the numbing pain. However, Sakura knew better than to do that. She had no time.
It pained her to move so fast with her injured limbs and she knew she had very little chakra left. Again and again, she continued the replacement technique.
Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu! Sasuke murmured before letting out leaping crimson red flames. It did not even waver a bit as it entered the dark rainy sky and then leap at Sakura's feet.
"Ugh." She let out a groan as she hit a nearby tree.
When she began to think that her plan was not working in the least bit, the next attack missed her by an entire meter. Sakura felt a tiny wave of relief and looked down to observe the Uchiha on the ground. Sasuke's eyes, which were usually forced to stay focus to hide his vulnerability, now darted back and forth, seeking sight in every direction. Sasuke's hearing had finally begun to deceive him, for the loud crackling noises Sakura let out each time she replaced herself had begun to blend noisily together the moment she moved more rapidly.
Biting her lip, she replaced herself a couple of more times to add in to the blurring crackling and when she saw his body twirl around in confusion, she decided that it was time.
Now! Sakura thought.
With a sudden leap, Sakura landed behind Sasuke. With a smooth movement, she quickly gathered chakra to her palm and forced her hand inside Sasuke's body, tearing up the nerves and internal organs within her reach. Her hand shook slightly but Sakura stopped it voluntarily and firmly held it there. She could feel Sasuke's body twitch and heard him gasp.
Hot tears suddenly burned her eyes and began sliding down her flushed cheeks as she pushed her hand further into him. As she felt each and every of his blood vessels explode she felt her heart doubled up in pain. What's wrong with me!
The tears wouldn't stop running as she finally withdrew her hand from his falling body. Her head ached and so did her limbs. The burning tears… they wouldn't stop. She couldn't stop them.
Sasuke's body fell with a heavy thump onto the wet ground and she couldn't bear look at his surprised face.
All it took was to deceive the only senses he had left and attack him with one single chakra blow that only medics could perform. She had not expected to be the one holding the victory. It could not even be called victory... to her it seemed as if she was the one that had lost...
No. I should be happy. I should be happy I've gotten rid of him.
Standing there in the heavy rain, she could feel her heart break into thousands of pieces. Her eyes hurted and invisible hammers were hitting her head. The silent overflowing tears continued to meander their way down her red cheeks and nothing she thought of or did could stop them.
The vacant hole that had been growing slowly inside of her from five years ago began widening rapidly and the horrible truth struck her.
It was as if today was the day where everything was awakened inside of her. The anger and sorry she had buried for years erupted moments ago and led them into a life and death battle. The need to prove herself strong and loyal to Konoha. Now, it was love, her undying love for Sasuke…
"Sasuke…" she whispered shakily while her hands trembled as well.
"Sasuke, Sasuke!" She could barely see anything, her tears distorted her vision and she did not want to blink them away. This wasn't right, this wasn't how she was supposed to feel…
"SASUKE!" What she had been holding in the entire time she stood there, alone, came out in a mournful wail that continued until she could no longer cry out any longer. The sound was endless and the agony within it screamed in pain, continuing even when Sakura had lost breath.
All of a sudden, somebody appeared behind her and then with one swift movement, he had her pinned to the ground and her eyes widened in surprise. Her tears slowed down and her scream caught in her throat as she stared up at the Uchiha's pale face.
His face was incredibly near her and his dark black bangs brushed lightly against her flushed cheeks.
"Sasuke-kun…" her old self coming back once more, using that same honorific, being that same weak and defenseless girl. For that moment she did not care to overcome that weakness she has been trying to get rid off, for that one moment it did not matter. Sasuke was alive. She had not murdered him.
Her eyes glanced over to where she thought it had been Sasuke, and saw that it was nothing but a pile of mud, slowly diluting from the rain. Defeated by the same jutsu I've tried to kill him with, she thought with a bitter smile.
It did not matter now that she would be the one who died, as long as he was the one that lived, she would be grateful. When she had driven her chakra filled palm into his body and felt her own hand wrench and killed his insides, she had felt as if something gripped her heart and began tearing it out of her own body.
That was when she realized that as much as she hated him, for never returning his feelings when she waited for him, for being such a bastard to all his comrades, for betraying her beloved village, she could never kill him. For when she did try to kill him, she knew that instant, she still loved him. No matter what she's said to herself ever since he's left. No matter what she's said to herself the moment she offered to help him gain back his sight. She, Haruno Sakura, could not kill him.
"One more second, and you would've killed me." Sasuke said hoarsely and that was when she felt hot blood drip on to her arm.
Her eyes traveled to where the large drop of blood had touched her and saw that it came from his back. Sakura realized that it was, in fact, him when she attacked him and not a clone. When he realized what was happening he must have then decided to do a
replacement technique at the last minute, right before she dipped her arm further in to do real damage.
The warm blood continued to drip onto her and her hands franctically reached for it in attempt to heal it but failed when she felt the pain grip her arm. That struck of pain finally reminded her that she was injured.
All the anger she had for him before was completely forgotten. Now, all of her love for him seemed to have come back and controlled her every movement. No, it was never away, she had just been hiding it. Now… after what she had almost done, she couldn't anymore. She loved him too much.
His anger too, she realized had faded and the shock must have driven the anger and coldness out of him for now. His face was not tense and his eyes no longer held that piercing glare. They were calmer but still in the state of shock that he could have died by her hands if he had not done that technique the last minute.
Now as the two breathed heavily against one another, the tension disappeared completely and a sudden calmness surrounded them both. To Sakura, time around them seemed to have stop and the only thing that seemed to be moving, was the rain that still continuously poured but now ever so silently.
"Then, I'm glad that that last second was spared." The words flowed freely out of her mouth, no longer constrained by the outer layer she's tried to build over the years.
"I thought I could kill you, but in the end, you are right Sasuke, I am weak. So, go right ahead and kill me. You've probably wanted to do so everyday anyway except you needed me to get you your cure." Sakura smiled sadly and winced slightly as the pain in her limbs strengthened.
The kunai that he held in his hand near her throat loosened, and she heard it drop profoundly onto the muddy ground.
"What makes you think I want to kill you, Sakura?"
"I-I thought you-" but she stopped mid-sentenced when he shook his head.
Sakura looked at his face bewilderedly.
She observed his pale face. The sky was now darker than ever and the rain had unmercifully rained harder. His wet black bangs, still dangling on her cheeks, made him look boyish, and she felt herself inwardly smile.
Before she knew what she was doing, Sakura raised her head higher and turned her jaw upwards so that her lips touched Sasuke's and gave him a long bruised kiss.
She expected him to recoil and leave but instead Sasuke returned the kiss awkwardly at first, then he deepened it.
Sakura felt the warmness of his lips against hers despite the cold rain that slipped between their lips occasionally and she felt her face heating up quickly. Sakura closed her eyes as she felt his hands suddenly find their place around her waist. At first his grip was loose but soon after a few more kisses it became firmer.
"Sakura…" he murmured and went in for another kiss. That was when the thought occurred to her. Probably, all these years, he's been seeking the love and warmth that hes been missing. And now that I've given him a sign of my old self…
It was then that Sakura realized that in all these three days, not once had she shown Sasuke any sign of her twelve-year-old self.
Her injured hands weakly encircled around his neck to bring him closer and she let out a feeble whimper as his tongue found its way inside her hot mouth. His wet tongue glided around inside of her and she opened her mouth delicately to let out a soft moan before she too shyly inserted her tongue inside Sasuke's mouth.
Meanwhile his arms encircled around her frail body and embraced her tightly before releasing his hold and letting his hands rest upon her hips once more.
Sakura heard him breath in her scent before breaking the long and breathless kiss. Slowly, Sasuke began giving her open-mouthed kisses down her neck and she felt herself arch her body upwards achingly at the burning sensation he gave her each time his lips met her cold and wet skin.
"Sasuke-kun…" She gasped as his hands touched her softly in her intimate areas. His hands began tugging at her top while his tongue licked her collar briefly before giving her another warm kiss between her breasts.
"I…" Sakura's mind was racing as well as her heart was as she felt the wet clothing slowly peel off her to expose her entire torso to the man that she had briefly fought a life and death battle with. She knew that she should stop, for he could just be using her, for temporary pleasure and just leave after he's got what he wanted. It was impossible to say that what he was doing was anymore than pure lust after days of tension…
Another part of her did not want it to stop, and unfortunately it was the greater part of her. She had always dreamed of this, of having this moment with Sasuke. Even when she had decided to push away her love for him, she still didn't want to lose herself with anyone else….
The rain was slowly coming to halt and the raindrops felt soft cool on her burning and naked skin and she felt him peel the remains of her clothing off. Soon his was off as well and she blindly gripped his back and pressed him against her for comfort and she felt him slowly slip into her.
Letting out a cry, Sakura dug her fingernails harder into Sasuke's back and she could feel the tears pushing against her exhausted eyes once more. Sasuke gave a surprised look and she knew what he was thinking even before he said,
"Sakura…you…" She had merely nodded and she could see the slight softening in his eyes as he continued. I've saved myself for only you, Sasuke-kun.
Sakura squirmed underneath his heavy body and she felt the pain overwhelm her. She gratefully moaned when she realized that he was trying his best not to hurt her.
Each and every one of his touches was so blissful to her, which made the pain lessen and she kissed him weakly on the lips to thank him. She felt the pain subsided and felt him collapsed onto her side with one arm around her waist, holding her close.
Her heart thumped against her chest in a constant rhythm and somehow, that repeated rhythm made her feel extremely relaxed and content. Sakura let out a soft sigh before rolling over to enclose her arms around Sasuke. Her chest no longer holding that aching sadness she's had for years.
Damn longest hardest thing I wrote. I kept having to re read over it again and again and nothing seemed perfect. The flow wasn't nice so I was like ok I ll fix that. Then there wasn't enough description and arggg…
Anyways hope you enjoyed it. Stupid action scene was hard enough and I had to try to make some stupid tactic that had to sound smart for someone as intelligent as sakura ( was it ok?) then felt like including some sexy sex (first time,how was it? not too cheesy i hope?).
If it was too sudden then don't worry I'll try to smooth it out in the next chapter. I couldn't resist. I mean the pouring rain, the fighting, the tension.. can all be somehow fixed through sex. Hahah no just kidding but yes. REVIEW!
so many insecurities for this chapter... -;