Chapter 5: Come Away With Me

It had been an uncontested observation that the more you'd ran away from something, the more it'd find you. In a world that's not flat, just like ours, you could ran to opposing directions, and yet you'd definitely find each other at the poles. In a world such as ours, you couldn't fight off gravity, nor could you cut yourself off from that thread of fate; for the universe had conspired to binary existence: there's the north and the south; day and night; pink and black (because white and black was simply obsolete); you and that one other person caught at the end of your thread.

In the end, the more these two deny what their hearts had constantly whispered, the more it ate at them.

Sasuke was lying on his back on a spongy futon inside his cell, his hands on his nape as a pillow. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't sleeping. Only thinking. For he had been contemplating on what to do with that piece of paper, rolled like a cigarette, resting between his lips. He could just dispose of it. Actually, he already did, but an hour later, he rummaged the trash can beside his door to look for it again.

He blamed his sessile prison life for even doing such a thing. He could also eat it instead. Easiest way to get rid of it. But he couldn't even make himself chew paper!

And so, the little piece of paper, rolled like a cigarette, was lovingly resting between his lips.

It came with the basket a kid he didn't know brought for him this morning. He recognized it was that same basket from that woman. In it was this paper with ugly scribbles obviously of her handwriting, which didn't really change since they were twelve.

"You forgot to bring this again, baka. Make one tomato rot, I swear I'll make you eat it!" was all that was written. And yet…

To hell with it! Later at dinner, he would surely throw it away in one of the bins in the dining hall.

He slept, however, while twirling the rolled paper in his fingers. Because he had forgotten to take it out with him.

The next morning, a grumpy pink-haired kunoichi rolled off the bed and cursed the sun. She barely had an hour of sleep for another night.

Today was her second day on Kumo since Naruto and Kakashi left. They went home the night before yesterday. And she had reluctantly stayed. She was still reluctant until now for she was unsure whether being here was a good thing of that she was just plainly being stupid.

Yesterday, she was about to see him again, but immediately changed her mind after showering. Instead, she asked for the inn manager's son to deliver the basket, and then she moped all day.

In her head, she was able to list down a hundred reasons why this was wrong. And yet she was still here at Kumogakure all because of one reason why she had to: because it seemed as though he wanted her to stay.

With only that to contest all other one hundred cons, she carelessly allowed her heart run free after having been under lock and key.

She cursed the sun, and asked the gods why the heck she went back to having partial thoughts of him when she had thought it was all gone. She demanded, with heavy cussing still, that they've got to have a good ending for this. Or else!

The whole morning went by with her going back and forth from town to the prison grounds and back to town again. In the afternoon, after eating lunch (because, maybe, if she ate, she could get rid of her fickleness), she marched right into the prison gates and surrendered all her knives.

Today, she brought him tea in a tumbler she would later ask him to keep, so that in mornings he could have warm coffee or just tea.

He sat in front of her, yet again, and his face wasn't wary that he was showing her his confusion.

"Naruto extended our trip because he had business with the Raikage," she answered his unasked question.

He seemed to understand. And then he asked, "Then why are you here?"

"I'm bored," was all she said, so casually. She had practiced that, mind you. Although, she knew she was lying again, there was no way she'd tell him why she's still around. At least not yet. She needed to make sure that he did want her presence. And, of course, she'd bump prides with this Uchiha first.

"Did you get the basket yesterday?" she asked, trying to normalize their awkward situation.

"Aa."

"Did you eat the food?"

"Aa. Every last piece." She almost twitched, but he was mocking her again. Yet she let that pass. Two could play the game; and the whole visit went on with casual talk without lowering their prides.

She returned the next day, and then the day after next, and the next, until she completed a week. He continued seeing her though, just for the fun of it, he reasoned out.

And by this time, he already figured out that Naruto had long been away, and this woman eventually stayed.

She brought a whole lot of goods each day, from towels, to jackets and blankets and even pocketbooks and newspapers so he had something to pass the time.

One day, she brought a volume of that book Kakashi was so fond of. She was stifling a laugh while he was checking it out. When he raised an eyebrow, she pissed him more.

"I thought you might like it," she beamed. He just rolled his eyes.

"I'm not into your kind of stuff," he retorted and she glared.

It had become a routine, her daily visits. At nine, the warden would open his cell and cuff his hands. In the visiting area, she would be sitting at the same table over to the back. She always brought lunch. There was this stall, she shared, that cooked meals, all sorts, it was clean and really delicious. Just outside her lodge, so it was really convenient. Sometimes, she would cook. But very seldom, since she had to borrow the inn manager's kitchen.

At three, she would go. There are times when she'd leave earlier, immediately after they ate. She had to work, she said, since scrolls from Konoha arrived.

In a month, they fell to a quite comfortable casual relationship. They strictly kept it at that, no talk of why's or the past or even the future; for things might slip off-track and it could ruin this safe bond.

But it had also been bothering him why she was still here this long. At first, she just shrugged.

"Don't tell me you're still bored."

She bit her lower lip and shrugged again. "Who knows, maybe I am."

"Hn. Don't you work?"

"I do."

"Then, why?"

"Tsunade-sama mails me some scrolls from time to time."

"That's risky."

"Maybe. But that's the fifth Hokage and a legendary Sannin we're talking about. Security breaches are nothing."

"Pft."

At this point, he could no longer deny that he was getting used to having her around. But he absolutely couldn't keep her here.

Prison had made him think over a lot of things. Before, however, while he was still a nomad traveling around without a purpose, he also thought a lot. Yet prison, on the other hand, had made him tap into things he would have never allowed his head to dwell into.

For nights, he had been musing. And he, himself, was confounded of all these conflicting, uh, feelings.

Was it the prison, all these thick, cold walls, which was making him think of things with lights and warmth and pink in contrast of the black all around?

When he saw her again, during her first visit, he was worried that maybe she hadn't forgotten him still; that the Tsukuyomi he performed on her wasn't strong enough to disillusion her from her silly puppy love. But then again, maybe he was egotistical and she was only there because of Naruto, of course. That dismayed and disgusted expression as she looked at him, as well as her walk out was clearly a sign that his torture worked. Yet, it had bothered him.

Maybe seeing her the first time that first visit initially sparked hope in him. Maybe, things could just turn around a little. With her and Naruto. But all of those were shattered even before he started to realize it, realize her.

Though, now, little by little, he had been truly hopeful. And for the first time in ages, he had looked forward to the next day.

If he'd have his way, he could easily ask her to stay. And maybe, she would love so, too. But that was just selfish. He didn't mind being selfish, although that was before. Not when, if he would, she could suffer.

After all, he was still that criminal who had attempted to kill her out of whim. He had yet to ask for her forgiveness for that. And, it wouldn't work out by only uttering a simple sorry.

But, yes, he could be certain that in her presence, he was hopeful; in her absence, he would most certainly be in agony.

"Why do you come, Sakura?" he finally insisted, and if she would once again finesse out of the question, he would push further.

"Because, Sasuke…" she answered like that smartass that she was, turning clauses into full sentences.

"Are you here only to prove that you were sincere and that I was wrong?"

"No! That's silly. I am here because I want to be. Would you rather that I leave?" And the smartass woman so cunningly turned the hot seat to him.

"He didn't answer immediately; but when he did she was waiting intently for his response, he suddenly felt brave.

"No."

"Then just let me be. I'll leave when I want to."

"I meant not for good."

"For good what?"

"It's fine if you leave," he exhaled, heavily. "But I'd wish you'd visit once in a while."

She blushed; for the first time, he saw her face grow timid, and faint pink rushed to her cheeks. "Why?"

"Hn." He couldn't answer. "I don't want you forgetting your life back there just to keep me company."

She shook her head, "No, of course I won't. I was just waiting." He scrunched his face to inquire further. "An assurance, Sasuke, that I could be sure with you."

Silence engulfed them for a while. He didn't know what assurance she was waiting for, but maybe this was his chance to assure things with her, and that he could be assured himself.

He straightened up, exuding that Uchiha attitude once again. But he could hardly keep his heart from pounding so loudly in his ears.

"Go home, Sakura," he began. "But I also want you to look for something."

"Okay?"

"You, if you have time, go meet Nekobaa." She waited for him to continue; she tried to remember where she had heard of the Nekobaa. It turned out that Nekobaa was the old lady with a lot of cats they had worked for when they were still genin. She was also the trader who used to sell the paraphernalia the Uchiha clan needed. "Before I fought Itachi, I went to her shop. She showed me something that was of high importance to our clan. She said she'd keep it until I was ready to make use of it."

She listened intently, though Sakura didn't know what he was thinking. Why, all of a sudden, was he interested about his clan? Was he trying to revive the dignity the Uchiha had lost? This was a good thing, though. It made her feel as though Sasuke had found some perspective again.

"I want you to take it. And if you're ready, come back here." That was only what he had said about it. His errand seemed important; and even though she didn't want to go just yet, she felt the need to. A day after her return to Konoha, she went to that abandoned city where Nekobaa's shop still operated.

A brunette girl was sitting in the cash register, twirling a kunai with her fingers. She recalled that this might be that little girl who lived with the old lady when they were here years and years ago.

"Oh, finally, a customer," the girl looked up.

"Um, yes, I am looking for Nekobaa, I am here for Uchiha Sasuke?" Sakura didn't miss the undeniable glow in the girl's eyes and her ears perked with curiosity.

"No way!" She ran to the backdoor and screamed for her grandmother to come out. "There's a girl for Sasuke-kun! Hurry! This must be it!"

In minutes, Nekobaa was also breathless as she emerged from the backdoor of the shop covered only by a tattered brown curtain. The old lady smiled, so widely, that Sakura couldn't help but grow curious herself. Nekobaa took her hand and led her inside.

"I remember you were his old teammate, yes?" Sakura nodded. "And how is Uchiha Sasuke now? I heard he's in prison, yes?"

"Yes. He asked me to take that thing you showed him when he was here last."

"Aa. I didn't think I could live to see the day to give the heirloom away again."

"Heirloom?"

"Aa. After the massacre, the Sandaime entrusted the Uchiha's entire heirloom to me."

"Oh. Is that so?"

"Yes. And you said, Sasuke-kun asked you to take it?"

"Yes, ma'am, and I have to give it back to him after." The old lady was beaming even more.

"Aa. The Uchiha has finally had a change of heart. Maybe we could all hope for nothing but the best for this clan." She finally let go of Sakura and reached out for a box on the top shelf. Tamaki held the ladder steady for her grandmother, and she was equally excited as the old lady.

Nekobaa dusted off a little box made of white marble. It had turned yellow through time, but Sakura bet that when cleaned, it could be as beautiful as a pearl.

"Here," said the old lady, placing the box on her palms. "I want you to open it."

She did. And what was inside almost took her breath away, to the point that she almost fainted.

It was a ring.

AN: THANK YOU SO SO VERY MUCH! Cheers! We're almost done! More love, guys... And do check the Sasusaku Month at LJ, for more of that SasuSaku fluff from more great authors!

Enjoy~ :3

Edit: Gaaah! I'm sorry for all the typo. I've read through it again, and fixed some of those mistakes. It's embarrassing as I rushed it to beat the deadline for 19Jul. Typos on other chapters would need to wait. Haha! Thanks again, guys! :)