Another First Time
Chapter 2: Succumbing to Sorrow
Ino raced down the bustling streets, ignoring the blond strands of hair that partially obscured her vision and the way the villagers looked strangely at her.
She and Naruto had forcibly sent Sasuke back home only an hour before Sakura awoke. He had stayed at her bedside continuously for two weeks, barely moving, even to eat or use the washroom. They had finally convinced him to leave, at least for a while, when Sakura woke up.
Skidding to a halt in front of the Uchiha compound, Ino knocked frantically on the door.
"Sasuke, open up!!!" she shrieked.
Said Uchiha did so, looking thoroughly disgruntled, dripping with water and clad only in a pair of shorts.
Ino didn't even pause to gawk at him before saying, "She's up! Sakura woke up!"
Sasuke's eyes widened. Sprinting back into his house, he reappeared mere moments later after, looking much more presentable in a simple shirt emblazoned with the Uchiha clan symbol.
Without a second look at Ino, he raced towards the Konoha hospital. Huffing with annoyance, Ino followed him.
Much to Tsunade's irritation, Sasuke flew into the room without knocking, almost bowling the Hokage over in his haste to get to Sakura.
"Sakura," he breathed, enfolding her gently in his arms.
Her tears brimmed up once again as she held him tightly, reacquainting herself with his familiar scent and warm touch.
"Don't cry," he murmured, patting her back soothingly.
"I'm not crying," she mumbled, removing one of her hands from around his neck to hastily rub her jade eyes.
Giving a small snort, Sasuke replied, "Liar."
Laughing weakly, she pulled away from him, affectionately pushing back his wet bangs from his face.
"You're going to catch a cold, running around with wet hair and damp clothes," she chided.
"Worry about yourself," he retorted.
"Ahem," Tsunade said, "Sorry to interrupt your little moment, but if you guys want to get anywhere any time soon, you'd better check out of the hospital."
Sakura's face was drawn up in a pensive frown as Sasuke walked her back to the apartment where she lived by herself.
"Sakura, what's wrong?" Sasuke asked, as the door of her dwelling came into sight.
Pasting a blinding smile upon her face, she replied, "Honestly, I'm fine. I probably just need to rest."
"After sleeping for two weeks?" he snorted, but he dropped the issue. He knew she would tell him when she was ready.
The two shared a simple dinner together, catching up on the events of the past two weeks. Sakura also patiently relayed her rather disastrous mission with her concerned boyfriend, him interrupting often to tell her she should've been more careful. He left when they were done, after being repeatedly assured by Sakura that she'd be alright washing the dishes by herself. He was going to train with Hyuuga Neji, who was now Konoha's top ANBU captain.
Dishes gleaming on her dish rack, Sakura sat down, hands folded limply on her lap. She was at a loss. The fact that she probably couldn't have children would no doubt take a toll on Sasuke, as well as their relationship. But Sakura knew by experience that Sasuke was not one to be lied to. She would feel bad doing it anyways.
Sighing, she picked up her keys and headed out the door, intent on getting Ino to help her, and maybe grab a few drinks on the way.
Twenty minutes later, the two females were seated side by side at the bar of the club where most of Konoha's shinobi and kunoichi congregated to relax.
Downing her drink in two gulps, Ino said, "I can't believe it."
Mirroring her friend's actions, Sakura replied, "Neither can I."
Glancing over at her pink-haired friend, Ino said, "Hey Forehead, should you be drinking?"
"It's not my stomach that has the problem right now, Ino-pig. Besides, shishou has always said that alcohol cures all pains," Sakura replied, gesturing for the barman to refill their glasses.
"She probably meant emotional pains, not the physical ones I'm referring to," Ino muttered.
"Ino, I don't know what to do," Sakura broke down. "I don't want to lie to Sasuke, but if I tell him, he might leave me."
"Oh Sakura, why would he do that? To people who know him, it's obvious he loves you," Ino soothed.
"But still, apart from killing Itachi, reviving his clan was his life ambition. If I can't have kids, the Uchiha clan can't revive itself unless he finds another woman," Sakura hiccupped.
Ino didn't know what to say. She knew that back when they were genin, Sasuke had had two dreams – avenging his clan, and reviving his clan. They were what his life had been built upon. She knew it would be hard for him to just give one up.
Glancing at her watch, Ino slung a comforting arm around Sakura and said, "Look Sakura, I've got a meeting with some Academy teachers right about now. I'll see you tomorrow, alright? And then we'll figure something out, okay?"
At Sakura's nod and weak smile, she got up and headed towards the door, throwing a "Don't drink yourself into oblivion!!" behind her.
Ino strolled down the street, trying to gather her thoughts for her meeting, but Sakura's predicament kept nagging at the back of mind. Ino was worried that Sakura would drink herself silly.
Walking past Ichiraku, she spotted the lone figure of Sai eating a bowl of steaming ramen. An idea blooming in her mind, she walked over to him and clapped him on the back.
"Hey, Sai!" she smiled. After swallowing his mouthful of ramen, he answered, "Hello, Ino-san."
"Where's Naruto?" she asked, curious why Sai was alone at Ichiraku.
"He's with Hinata-san tonight," Sai replied, pausing to eat another mouthful. "He said it's their one year anniversary."
"I see. Anyways, can you do me a favour?" she asked.
"A favour?"
"Yeah. Sakura's at the club drowning her sorrows in alcohol. I'd be with her, but I've got an important meeting that I can't miss. Can you make sure she doesn't get too drunk and get her home if she does?" she pleaded.
"Shouldn't Sasuke-kun be the one doing that?" Sai asked lightly.
"Well, he's sort of the problem…"Ino said hesitantly. Glancing at her watch again, she jumped up and screeched, "I'm late!"
Turning to Sai, she said, "Sorry, gotta go. You better not leave her alone!" before running out.
"But Ino-san, I didn't agree!" he called to her retreating back. She didn't appear to have heard him though.
"Why would I care that Ugly's getting herself drunk?" he murmured to himself.
But ever since he had joined Team 7 nearly five years ago, he had developed something that Sakura called a 'conscience'. It was that (usually) annoying voice that nagged him whenever he did anything wrong. Especially when he smiled his fake smile.
And now, his conscience, coupled with an unfamiliar feeling in his heart, was telling him to go to Sakura.
Sighing in resignation, he put a bill on the counter and got up, trudging in the direction of the club. He found her quickly in a secluded corner, her pink hair catching his eye immediately. Placing himself in the seat next to her, he ordered a beer and turned to the kunoichi beside him.
"Hey Ugly," he greeted her in his usual fashion.
"Mmph…" was his only reply as she had buried her face deep into her arms, which were resting on the counter.
Gulping down half of his beer, Sai continued, "Ino-san says you're drowning your sorrows in alcohol."
Her head came up then, and rubbing her eyes blearily, she replied, "Drowning? I'm not drowning."
"You're drunk," Sai informed her. "And Ino-san told me to make sure you don't get too drunk. So you've got to stop drinking, Ugly."
"I don't wanna!" she hiccupped, banging her fist on the counter for another drink. Sai eyed the row of glasses that surrounded Sakura. Just exactly how much had she drank? And Ino had mentioned something about Sasuke. What had the Uchiha done to make her drink like that?
Finally able to coax an inebriated Sakura out of the club half an hour (and a round of drinks) after, Sai made his way towards Sakura's apartment with said kunoichi staggering along beside him. Twice she almost collapsed to the ground, and he finally had enough of that. Kneeling down beside her, he said, "Get your ugly self on. I don't need you collapsing on me again."
Giggling slightly, Sakura dropped herself onto his back. Sighing, Sai cursed his conscience as he began making his way at a slower pace.
A highly drunk Sakura buried her head into the back of Sai's neck. He let out another exasperated sigh and said, "Stop that, Ugly."
Sakura merely giggled again and said, "You smell nice."
Feeling his cheeks heat up ever so slightly, Sai replied, "I'm sure Sasuke-kun wouldn't appreciate you saying things like that. In fact, I don't think he'd be very happy with me if he happened to see us, so I'm getting you home faster."
"Sasuke-kun's a bum," Sakura hiccupped.
"Oh really?" Sai said, surprised. He knew that people tended to speak truths when drunk, so he didn't understand why Sakura would her boyfriend a bum, of all things.
"Why couldn't you have been Sasuke?" she whispered, sounding more sober than before. "You don't have a clan to revive."
Sai stopped dead in his tracks. Did he just hear her correctly? She wished he was Sasuke? Because he didn't have a clan to revive? The implications of those words, coupled with the distraught expression she had carried from the time of her hospital release hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Sakura," he slowly said. It was the first time he had called her by her name without sarcasm or negativity. "Are you…"
His only answer was the tightening of her arms around his neck, and the wetness of her tears on his neck.
"Sakura," he began, but she hoarsely cut him off.
"She says I can't have kids."
Sai unconsciously tightened his grip on her. An unprecedented amount of sorrow numbed him as he heard the words come out from her mouth. He didn't understand why he was so upset over her heartbreak, but somehow, her grief had overflowed into him. He had nothing to say to that. He had nothing he could say about that.
Silence reigned from them on, broken only by Sakura's heavy breathing, signaling to Sai that she had fallen asleep.
Arriving at her apartment, he got out his copy of her key to the apartment. She had given a copy of her key to Sasuke, Ino, and her teammates.
Feeling grateful that she had the foresight to do so, he carried her into the apartment, proceeded into her room, and dropped her on the bed.
His hand strayed near a lock of her hair that was spilling onto her white pillow, but he withdrew his hand and turned away. He was suddenly frightened of his thoughts. Thoughts that were telling him how heartbreakingly beautiful she looked at the moment – her fragility and vulnerability utterly exposed, the silver trails of her dried tears upon her face.
"She's just Ugly," he murmured to himself, shaking his head and closing the door quietly.
"Sakura-chan!!!!!" Naruto hollered, hammering on her door.
In her bedroom, Sakura rolled over and groaned, unwilling to open her eyes.
"Open up, Sakura-chan! If you don't, I'm coming in! Don't you yell at me if I catch you-" Naruto stopped, seeing the disapproving look on Hinata's face.
"Hinata-chan!" he whined. "I'm worried about Sakura-chan, but I don't wanna walk in on anything…"
"Why don't I go in and check before getting you to come in? Perhaps that would be more appropriate…" Hinata suggested.
A grin bloomed on Naruto's face as he locked Hinata in a crushing embrace. "You're the best, Hinata-chan!!"
Hinata blushed and held out her hand for Sakura's key. Jiggling the keys in the lock, she entered Sakura's apartment and padded quietly into the bedroom.
Sakura was sprawled across the bed, a hand draped across her eyes.
"Sakura-chan, are you okay?" Hinata asked, concern evident in her voice.
"I feel like shit," Sakura weakly replied.
"What's wrong?" Hinata asked, alarmed.
"Hangover," Sakura replied. It was then Hinata noticed the lingering stench of alcohol in the room.
"Sakura-chan…" Hinata began, disapproval lacing her voice.
"I know, I know, Hinata-chan. But I was really messed up last night, I really need an escape. I was so drunk, I can't remember what happened last night or how I got home," Sakura groaned, finally beginning to sit up.
Shaking her head, Hinata said, "Anyways, Naruto-kun is outside waiting. Should I got get him?"
"Yeah, probably. Thanks, Hinata-chan," Sakura smiled, reaching in her bedside drawer for aspirin.
Naruto bounded into the room seconds later, wailing, "Why'd you go drinking without me, Sakura-chan?"
"Hush, Naruto-kun. Sakura-chan's got a killer headache," Hinata admonished.
"Sorry," Naruto meekly said. Sakura rolled her eyes despite the pain threatening to crack her skull open – Naruto was so whipped, and he wasn't even married.
"I was with Ino-pig until she had some Academy meeting," Sakura informed him. "But after she left, I don't remember much."
Sakura didn't tell them that she had vague recollections of dark hair, a nice comforting smell, as well as warmth. She didn't need Naruto telling Sasuke that she had gone drinking with another male last night.
"Alright Sasuke, this is going to be your first mission after your probation has been lifted. Don't mess it up, got it?" Tsunade, with her hands on her hips, glared at the Uchiha.
Smirking slightly, Sasuke nodded and said, "I won't. Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade's frown relaxed and she smiled, saying, "This should take you half a day, at most. I sent you because it's a waste of resources to send a team of chuunins who will take even longer than you will to finish this. I'd imagine you probably want to hurry home after you're done this mission. Sakura needs you."
"Yes, she does," Sasuke agreed, picking up the mission scroll on her desk.
Sighing, Tsunade rubbed her temples and said, "Things are probably very hard for Sakura right now. She really needs your support. She's probably still in denial after all this…"
A small frown appeared on Sasuke's face. "In denial?"
Looking up, Tsunade looked surprise. "Of course. After such a life-shattering event, what woman wouldn't be in denial? Poor Sakura probably spent all of last night crying her heart out. Having been told you probably can't have kids is very traumatic, Sasuke."
"What did you say?" Sasuke bit, disbelief written all over his normally stoic face.
Tsunade's features twisted in further confusion. "Do you mean to say Sakura didn't -"
She never finished her sentence because Sasuke had disappeared in a puff of smoke. Cursing her loose lips, Tsunade prayed that what she had just revealed wouldn't damage their relationship. Smiling bitterly, she knew deep in her heart that no matter what she prayed now, things wouldn't change.
a/n: Don't kill me. Please.
Um yeah. So the big confrontation takes place next chapter...as well as a little surprise that I think will cause people to hate me for an eternity XD
How do you guys like it so far? I'm slowly starting to make Sai open his eyes to Sakura, but he's just in denial and doesn't understand his feelings. Sakura already subconsciously feels a little bit of something for Sai. But of course, she really doensn't know that.
In terms of story length, I'm hoping to have around...10-15 chapters of the same length. And you don't have to worry about me dying on you (aka not updating in months); I already have the entire story planned out, so writing it should be relatively quick and painless XD
Again, big thank yous to my friends Silver Matter and tingtinkerbell for editing and revising!
Review please! And I hope this chapter was enjoyable :)