Disclaimer: Read the first disclaimer.
Sasuke woke up at the crack of dawn and sprinted to the training ground to practice. His heart was not into it, however. His mind roamed on a pink haired medic. Instead of practicing his jutsus, he merely opted to sharpen his skills in weapons. He grabbed a handful of shurikens and kunais from his pouch and began.
He decided before that he would confront Sakura today. But something was holding him back. As much as he wanted some answers, he did not want to pressure her. Still, he could not rest until he knew. He cursed angrily.
Why did it always have to be a battle? Why is everything so har-?
He let out a grunt as he saw the blood seeping from his wounded palm. Apparently he hadn't been paying attention. Now there was a huge gash across his palm, it would have been no problem but it was also deep. If he continued then the cut would be infected.
"I should get this treated." He stated to no one in particular and vanished in a poof of smoke. He was headed for the hospital.
He wasn't even conscious that his feet led him to the door of Sakura's cubicle until he arrived there.
Maybe she wasn't there, he pleaded. He recalled her telling him that she would have breakfast with Yamanaka today. Maybe she was still there. But, no, he knew she would definitely be there. It was noon after all.
Should he demand the answer? It was going to happen sooner or later. He looked around. Give me a sign, dammit!!! He thought. It was useless he knew, but he was desperate to escape this inner turmoil. His hand, with a cloth wrapped around it, started to ache. He knew it had to be healed soon. Looks like he received the sign after all.
He soundlessly opened the door. He found his love lying down in the couch, her eyes closed. She looked peaceful, like an angel .In Sasuke's heart, she was his angel, and the one who loved him after all he's done. He couldn't ask for more. Crouching down to face her at eye level, he gently caressed her cheek.
The moment his hand made contact, her emerald orbs opened to reveal her usual bright shining eyes. But this time, he noted, her eyes were slightly red.
He was surprised, she almost never cried. In fact the only time he remembered seeing her sob was when she first failed to save a dying patient. That had also been the only one she lost. He had been the one to provide her consolation then. She truly changed, for the better. She was stronger not only physically but also mentally.
"Hey Sasuke." She greeted.
Though, not with her usual cheerful demeanor. She tried to sound so, he noticed. But he knew her well enough to spot the difference. A look into her eyes told him something was wrong.
Sakura was an exceptional liar. She needed that skill in missions. Her fast thinking saved her team from many troubles. But she did not like lying to her friends, especially her teammates. She fancied telling the truth to them, except about her health. She was a stubborn girl, never giving up. Sakura didn't want anyone to worry or protect her; she had enough of that when she was younger.
Never again will she be that weak little girl.
But, however great she was at bluffing, it never seemed to convince her three best friends, especially Sasuke. Sasuke, it seemed, could read her. Even if her behavior was cheerful or stoic, her eyes revealed her true emotions to him. She hated that, especially now.
Sasuke would be suspicious.
"Sakura…"
She gave him a peck on the cheek.
"What's wrong?" he demanded.
"Nothing, Sasuke-kun."
"Bullshit."
"Language, Sa-su-ke-kun," she replied in a sing song voice.
"Tell me what's wrong."
"I told you, it's nothing."
"Then why are you're eyes like that?"
Damn, he noticed.
"Like what?" she decided to play dumb.
"Have you been crying?"
She hated to cry. To her, it was a weakness.
"I'm not weak, Sasuke!"
He knew she was irritated now, she didn't even at the –kun.
"I didn't say you were."
"I'm perfectly fine, Sasuke!"
"Dammit, Sakura! I know you well enough to know that something's wrong!"
"It's nothing."
"Then, surely you can tell me."
"No, I can't"
"Then it isn't just nothing."
"We're just going back and forth Sasuke."
"I don't care."
"I told you, it's nothing."
"Tell me Sakura!"
"Why the hell do you want to know?!"
"What kind of stupid question is that?!"
"It's because you still think I'm weak isn't it? You think I'm some fragile little being who can break easily! Well, let me tell you Sasuke, I became stronger when you left me, I'm not the same girl!"
Ouch. He knew that was a sore spot for her. He already heard that speech many times before. She constantly reminded him that she was fully capable whenever he contradicted her. Usually, he just grunted and let her do what she wanted.
"I know….."
"It's because I care about you."
Over the course of there four year relationship, Sasuke was never the type to constantly say his feelings. Even though he acted as such, Sakura knew in her heart that he loved her. And that made it all the more harder for her.
"Listen, Sakura, I'm….sorry. I want you to know that you don't have to accept my proposal if you don't want to. Just say it. I'll give you space…….
I can wait."
With that, he slowly made his way for the door. He reached for the brass door knob and turned. It made a soft click.
Sakura saw Sasuke's retreating back. She couldn't take it. She had to tell him. She was surprised by his sudden change of subject. She was pained that he thought of that. If only he knew how much she wanted to say 'yes'.
"Wait….Sasuke."
He stopped.
"I'm sorry."
He turned to face her.
"I….I do have something to tell you."
He walked by her side, expecting her to tell him about the whole proposal. He readied himself for the possible rejection saying that he'll wait forever, if he had to.
She locked eyes with him and smiled sadly.
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"I'm dying, Sasuke."
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Sasuke was shocked. He had prepared himself for anything, anything but this. His wound was completely forgotten.
"W-What?"
"Do you remember the last mission I went to?"
She didn't wait for his answer.
"Well, it was a two man mission. Ino and I were assigned to journey with a man to the Land of Rock and to heal his sick wife. The man was a tycoon; many wanted his head on a silver platter. They did something his wife and told him that she was to die. If he did not present the sum of money they wanted then they would not give him the antidote. Shishou wanted me to investigate it. And I did. I identified it as a poison, and a strong one, too. It was something I never encountered before. I tried to remove the potion, but no matter how much I extract, it just seemed to multiply. I couldn't find the proper antidote. All I could do was to lessen the pain and prolong her demise. Ino and I went undercover and presented the criminal money, although it was fake. It was two against twenty of them. Most only seemed to be chuunin level. Some were jounin level. We fought them and we won. We saved one for questioning. It was the ninja I fought. I didn't feel it until later that he had injected something into me while we were fighting. We questioned him. He said that there was no antidote. I punched the living daylights out of him then."
She laughed weakly.
Sasuke listened intently, having been on the receiving end of one of her punches more than once before.
"What does this have to do with you?"
Always the impatient one, she mused. She ignored him.
"Well, I told the man that we should transport his wife to Konoha to have her treated and he agreed. I only realized that I had been poisoned when I got home."
"Why hadn't you found the cure?"
Perceptive, isn't he? He knew that without me having to say it.
"It was the same one the tycoon's wife was diagnosed with."
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"Hadn't you dealt with poisons before? Didn't you find an antidote to Sasori's poison?"
"I did. But this one's different. You know what's so ironic? That it was Sasori who made the poison. He created it a long time ago and the head ninja was Sasori's apprentice before. I never even knew he had one."
"But why-"
She cut him off.
"This one is different. It is the deadliest one he ever made. It infiltrates your body and keeps reproducing. Sasori never made an antidote. He made sure that it didn't have one. He was damn certain that the victim dies a slow death. Of course, you wouldn't know, an inexperienced person would never think they were actually poisoned. It makes your body weaker and weaker. I suppose that's why he made it. To make it seem like an accidental death."
She paused then continued.
"The wife, Mirashi, was sent to Konoha hospital so I could care for her. She grew weak and feeble each passing day. It was a shame that she wasn't a ninja. We have more resistance to it, not by much though."
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"Mirashi died today."
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Sakura ended her tale. She glanced at Sasuke who was sitting on the floor leaning on the wall. She bit her lip. Now he knew the truth. She dreaded this moment.
Would he turn her away? Would he scold her? Would he treat her like back then again because of what happened? He would reconsider his proposal, she knew. He wouldn't want to do it now anyway, because of her state. Her heart ached, this was all her fault.
Sasuke had been quiet and contemplated. Now he knew the truth. He had made his mind.
She saw Sasuke stand up. Sakura knew he was ready to leave, leave her.
She knew he would hate her know, no doubt. This was why she didn't want him to know.
She readied herself and closed her eyes.
Sasuke leaned down to face her and brush back a strand that covered her face and murmured.
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"Marry me."
Sakura opened her eyes and blinked.
Had she heard right?
Sasuke wanted to marry her?
Even now? This cannot be right, as much as she wanted it to be.
There must be a reason.
"No." she closed her eyes again.
Sasuke was angry, although his face didn't betray his emotion.
"Why not?"
"I'm dying, Sasuke."
"I know."
"There's no cure."
"I don't care."
"I don't need your pity."
"I wasn't giving it to you."
"Dammit, Sasuke! This is why you still want to marry me, right? Because you feel sorry for me!"
"No, Sakura! I love you and I always will!"
"I know that. I…….you don't need to do this."
"I want to."
"You're making a mistake."
"No, I'm not.
"Don't you get it?! There's no cure! I'm GOING TO DIE! Dammit!"
"I told you! I DON'T CARE!"
She bit her lip. Hard.
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"Maybe I don't want to marry you."
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She said almost too quietly, but he heard her.
Sakura closed her eyes, not wanting to see his reaction.
She felt a slight breeze and opened her eyes.
She saw no one there.
Instead, she noticed that the breeze was coming from her window. She hadn't opened it before. She sighed.
She cursed the potion and the creator and even herself. She knew that Sasuke had noticed that she was growing weaker. Thank Kami that she had made a potion to prolong her death. It was a good thing that the poison didn't bring extreme physical pain. Although, Sakura would have preferred that to the pain she will cause him.
Sasuke.
Sakura hated herself for doing that. She turned him away. He actually still wanted to marry her. She wondered what she had ever done to receive such a great person. However, she did not want him to make the mistake of his life. It would be selfish of her to accept knowing that she was to die.
She couldn't break him like that.
No matter what her heart said he deserved another chance with someone else. Her fate was set, but his wasn't. She decided that there was no other way.
The only way to save his heart…
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Sakura let a single tear cascade down her cheeks.
Fate was so cruel.
Sneak Peek:
"When?"
"Tomorrow. During a picnic"
"Didn't know you had a romantic cell in your body, teme."
"Hn. Dobe."
"So….you know?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry."
"Hn."
"I'm proud of you, teme."
"Aa. I'll never give up, no matter how many times she turns me away"
"You sound like me."
"Dobe."
Please review!
The sneak peek from the last chapter happened in this chapter. Even though the conversation isn't really stated here, Sakura still went to talk to Ino, like Sasuke said. It's the same with this chapter's sneak peek.