Chapter 6: Unintended

He was truly a sick, verbally incapacitated bastard.

Or was this another of his Sharingan tricks?

Sakura was glaring viciously at the white marble box, where that Uchiha ring lay, on top of the table, three meters away from her.

She had been staring at it for almost an hour now; and she had tried to look for reasons why Sasuke would need it - other than stating the obvious. However, all that she could see was that beautiful opal gel cut perfectly in contrast to the white diamond below, forming the red and white clan colors.

It couldn't be.

There was no way that the ring was for that purpose. No chance in hell. This was just too good to be true, and either the gods are fucking with her or she was just dreaming.

Uchiha Sasuke would not engage himself in marriage.

In turn, Haruno Saskura would not get proposed to without the groom actually proposing.

Seriously, Sasuke, you do not conform, do you?

Still, that ring was not an engagement ring! No matter how surreal and lovely it would have looked on these dainty fingers of hers.

She finally stood and walked towards the backdoor, making sure to keep her distance from the table as she passed - in case the ring would explode.

"Nekobaa, are there any scrolls or books about the history or lists of jutsu the Uchiha has?" she asked.

"Aa. There are. And up until now I try to chronicle anything that I can add up to their history." She led her to a staircase under the cupboard, a small pathway to a basement filled with old boxes and chests.

"Anything you want to know about the Uchiha clan, you can probably find it her. Or you can just ask me."

"Would you tell me the truth?" Sakura doubted. "Then what is the real purpose of the ring?"

Nekobaa chuckled. "I already told you, Sakura-san, it is a wedding ring passed down from generations. That ring is as old as the Hidden Village of the Leaf - probably even older."

Still, she refused to give in. "No other special purpose, like enhancing the Sharingan or like an invisible shield, or like Madara's time-space jutsu?"

"No, of course not. That's exaggeration! It's simply a wedding ring, and Mikoto-sama was the last one who used it."

"Stop screwing with me, old hag!" She mentally scolded Naruto for having such a bad mouth that she got infected by it.

"Oh, just accept it. Believe me; I am sure that this ring was painstakingly carved only for that purpose. After all, my whole life I had served the Uchiha, so I should know."

"But, Sasuke sait it was of high importance to the clan!"

"It is important. The Uchiha heir chooses the next matriarch very seriously. And if Sasuke-kun chooses you, then he must also regard you of high importance."

Sakura didn't have any word to counter that, nor did she even let herself process what she said. She turned away from the cat lady and to the stacks of books on top of the low table in the middle of the room.

"If you need me for anything, Nekobaa, I will just be here."

The other found this young woman very amusing. Most girls would have easily laid themselves in front of Sasuke for marriage. But then again, that could be the case years ago when Sasuke didn't held that stigma. Now, however, no one would even put up with a convict like Sasuke.

This young lady was the only one who did. Yet why would she refuse the fact that Sasuke was technically asking her hand for marriage? The question made Nekobaa thoughtful for a while. Then maybe, it could only mean one thing.

A previous heartbreak.

Yes. Aa. That could be the only explanation why Haruno Sakura was wary of jumping at the ring and wearing it now. She must have loved him before; when he left the village and became a traitor, she was devastated. And this time, she couldn't trust her heart to that same person who crushed it.

Though Nekobaa could see in her eyes, behind the fear was a hopeful one wishing all Nekobaa was saying were true.

Hours passed since Sakura started her research. It was also turning dark and they had insisted her to spend the night. She agreed, and was grateful since until now she had not found anything about the ring.

Instead, she was pulled in to the rich history of the Uchiha clan so intensively written. The techniques, the Sharingan, the police force. It was all impressive, and she felt so bad that the clan as great and powerful as theirs came crumbling down.

More scrolls and chapters later, she understood why the Uchiha came to its tragic end.

Best friends and brothers killing each other for power. The constant pressure on the first born. The eternal hunger for strength and power. And when she reached the chapter about the Uchiha massacre, her heart was heaving, distraught.

It was Nekobaa, she guessed, who wrote this part. It was unbelievable. She also noticed that the entry was somehow new compared to the older ones. This was just written, maybe only ten years back.

But besides that, she was strewn on the tatami mats and couldn't help but flung herself away from her reading and cry heavily on the floor.

Konoha had ordered for the clan's disappearance, all because the Uchiha clan were suffering from being ostracized, and was planning a coup.

And Konoha had ordered none other than Uchiha Itachi to do it.

How did Sasuke react to all of these? Were these the reasons why she killed the Elders one after another? Why he had sworn to destroy Konoha?

Itachi had become a hero of Konoha, after all. And what did Sasuke has to say about that? Was he still angry at his brother for choosing the village instead of family?

She wished he was here, so she could wrap her arms around him, tell him she was sorry about what happened; say she wished she had known it beforehand so she could have understood him more. Truly understood him.

Sakura wondered, however, if Sasuke still bore that hate to the village. Or had it all died down after he defeated the last elder? Was he still hang up with revenge? Somehow, she understood why he would. But still, it was all Madara's fault. The chronicles said it was Madara who released the Kyuubi.

When Nekobaa found her, her eyes were puffy and she knew Sakura had finally learned about it.

"Nekobaa, did you know about the massacre before Sasuke was here?"

"Aa."

"Did you know about Madara, too?"

"Aa. It was Madara who told me everything. He showed up one day and told me everything, wanted me to write down what Konoha had done."

"D-do you believe him?" asked Sakura, suddenly hopeful that it was only a lie that Madara came up with.

"Yes. That's probably why the Sandaime couldn't look straight at me when he was here."

She almost choked as she felt another sob quiver in her throat. "I can't believe Sandaime had agreed to this..."

"He didn't. Madara said the Third wanted a compromise, but Danzo and the others went on ahead."

She was a little relieved to hear that. She didn't want any more reason for her to dislike her village. "Why didn't you tell Sasuke about this, then? It could have prevented him from joining Madara!"

"It wasn't my place."

"Wasn't your place? Whose place was it then?"

"I have sworn my service to the Uchiha. I couldn't turn an Uchiha against another."

"It could have saved one Uchiha, Nekobaa!" Sakura blurted out, frustrated. What blind service! That wasn't honor… but she just fell silent. "What about Itachi? What didn't he kill Sasuke then?"

"I don't know. But I know Itachi-kun could not make himself kill his brother. He adored Sasuke, maybe even more than his own life. It didn't surprise me that Sasuke was the only one left alive."

She slept that night, with a hole that ironically made her heart feel so heavy. All she wanted was to see him, to tell him things that might not erase the pain, but could somehow ease it, little by little. That she would be here, now and always, for him.

Yet she woke up in the middle of the night, crying again. For she had dreamt of that little boy whose innocence and love had been taken away. And that little boy who had known pain and hate and had to leave all the things he had ever known to live in hell.

She couldn't get back to sleep. So she just packed her things and prepared to leave. On the way out, she left a note as she took the ring from the table. Before dawn, she was back in Konoha.

The Hokage office was still closed but she knew Naruto was already awake for breakfast - well he should be! Gladly, he was.

"Did you know about it?" she asked as she stormed into his office.

"Sakura! Where have you been yesterday?"

"I was on a trip. And guess what I found out! The truth about the Uchiha massacre." Naruto was taken aback. "Do you know about it?"

He nodded. "Y-yes, I did."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I, well, he ordered me not to tell you," admitted Naruto, while scratching his head.

"Who? Madara?"

"No. Sasuke. When we fought the last time, and when I told him that I knew everything about the mission Konoha gave to Itachi. He asked me if you know. Before I fell unconscious, he just said, 'Don't ever tell her about it, or I'll kill you.' Or maybe I just imagined the kill-you part, hehe."

"What? Why the hell would he do that? Was this just some classified information I shouldn't know? I'm also part of the team."

That's true. But somehow, Naruto had understood why Sasuke didn't want her to. "Maybe he just wanted to spare you of that awful truth."

"That's ridiculous! What am I, twelve?"

She was contemplative. She left the Tower without telling Naruto about the ring. Why would Uchiha Sasuke prevent her from knowing about it? Did her really want her to spare her from the bad things, or was he just shutting her out again?

On her palm was the marble box, and she never looked at the ring again since the first time. But today, she did. It was still breathtaking, and it let her feel all those emotions she felt when she first saw it. Red and white glimmered at her as the sun caught its edges.

Unconsciously, she slipped it on her ring finger, and she had never seen anything more beautiful in her life. It was perfect as though it was made only for her. At that moment, all she wanted was to see him.

After a week, she was back in Kumo. When she saw him, she hugged him first, for all the sadness that he had no one to share it with.

"Did you get the ring?"

She didn't let go of him still, but instead she whispered, "I won't forgive you about that ring. But I want to tell you that I know about Itachi. But why'd you have to keep it from me even when Naruto already knew about it?"

He didn't answer. When she removed her hands away from him to look at his face, she looked sad. "Were you shutting me out?"

"No. I didn't want you to feel sorry for me, or feel bad about it. I wanted you to forget me, with hate."

"What? Why?"

"Because seeing you and Naruto still chasing after me was pathetic. I wish you both to move on, especially you."

"Then why are you doing this now? Why did you ask me to look for that stupid ring?"

"I want you to have it."

"Why? When you didn't want us chasing after you? Or do you just want me to eat it?"

He clenched his jaw. How annoying was it that this woman was among Konoha's brightest, yet simple common sense was incomprehensible to her?

"Because, Sakura, you were the only one who still stayed after everything else."

"That's pathetic and unromantic, Uchiha!" Sakura fumed. "You're saying that you didn't have a choice, that I was the only girl that's available and stupid enough to be with you? You should ask Naruto, too!"

"You are really annoying."

"Then what? Tell me what you really feel, Uchiha!" As if that would make an Uchiha Sasuke talk.

"Can you give it to me now?" ordered Uchiha Sasuke.

"It's in the bag," she just said, not giving him the satisfaction of making her do his command.

When he found it, he pulled her hand, so unattractively, that Sakura wanted to smack him. He took the ring out of the marble box, stared at it for the longest time. Sakura saw his face turn melancholic, and in that little change of expression, her heart melted.

She could feel Sasuke's fingers fondling so tenderly with hers, as if searching for something he could only find in her. Slowly, he wore the ring into her finger.

After that, he just stared at her while she was waiting for him to say something. "T-that's it?"

"Aa."

"You're not gonna tell me something?"

"That's my mother's ring. I want you to have it."

"B-because?" she lingered.

"Because I want you to take her place."

You want me to be your mother? She almost blurted out, but Sasuke opened his mouth to speak again.

"Because I never expected myself to want any other woman to be wearing that ring, but my mother," he uttered. "It was a fairly unintended choice to pick you. But I was beginning to like the idea."

"Sasuke, you idiot." She muffled her voice into her palm. Somehow, she found it endearingly romantic that he asked her to be his unintended.

AN: Hahaha! For the record, that ring was completely unexpected and unintended! I didn't intend to make a proposal scene, but maybe because yesterday I was feeling so down, and I just want to make myself feel good even for a bit.

I'm not so good in these cheesy, fluffs. But again, I hope you like it. Thank you also for fangirling with me as Sasuke stupidly proposed to her in such a sloppy way... I really appreciate everything. We're almost done! Thanks guys!

Enjoy~ :3

Chapter Reference: Unintended by Muse